Sanctions on oligarchs will be less effective than sanctions on those who carry out Putin's orders

[Danascot]

FORGET THE OBSESSION WITH SANCTIONS AGAINST OLIGARCHS. I HAVE A BETTER WAY TO HURT PUTIN

... imposing sanctions on oligarchs has little effect on Russian policy. Some Russian oligarchs are close to Putin, and some of them probably help hide his wealth in offshore accounts. Putin uses them to finance projects that he needs done quickly – infrastructure for the Sochi Olympics, a bridge to annexed Crimea.

But it is an entirely one-way relationship. Putin allows them to prosper on two conditions: that they cough up the cash when he needs it, and that they stay out of politics. The idea that they influence his policies is pure fantasy. The proof of that is that sanctions regularly meted out on oligarchs since 2014 have made not one jot of difference to Putin’s policies. The west imposed sanctions over Crimea, the downing of a Malaysian passenger jet over Ukraine and the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. None of them elicited so much as an expression of regret, far less a change of course. What they did do, of course, was deepen Putin’s already simmering hatred of the west.

However, there is a much bolder and more imaginative approach. Russia’s ruling class – the members of the Duma, the Senate, the presidential council, the top echelons of the security and defence services, top state television employees – is several thousands strong. These men (and some women) draft, rubber-stamp, promote and carry out Putin’s decisions. Some of them also – unlike the oligarchs – actually advise him.

Being a member of the Duma or Senate is a pretty cushy number – you are well-paid, you can make an occasional speech if you wish, but you are basically there to vote for the Kremlin’s decisions, and, above all, you can extort as many bribes as you can cope with. (For this reason they are detested by a majority of Russians.) Members of the presidential council are civil servants, essential for the preparation of legislation. The security services play crucial roles in executing Putin’s vision. And TV propagandists spread disinformation.

These are the people to target – because when several thousand of the people Putin actually depends on begin to feel the consequences of his policies in their personal lives, there will be a groundswell of discontent.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/23/obsession-sanctions-oligarchs-putin-hurt-russian-leader-ukraine?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[magicarpet]

1. Many of those two groups are one and the same.

[lagomorph777]

4. I couldn't guess at the proportions, but our leaders should consider the point made here.

Any who hold some actual delegated authority need to have their finances cut off entirely.

[LiberalFighter]

2. I'm sure Angus Roxburgh knows and understands all the details and implications of the sanctions.

Nyet!!!

Intro in Wikipedia.
Angus Roxburgh (born 1954) is a British journalist, broadcaster, former PR adviser to the Russian government, and singer-songwriter.

[lagomorph777]

3. Makes sense.

[multigraincracker]

5. It ain't over until the Fat Lady sings.

That discontent may end it for the ruling class. See Russian Revolution.

[BlueLucy]

6. It should not be either or

Sanction all of them.

[crickets]

7. +1000000