The Illusion of “Smart” Sanctions: The Russian Case
Journal: Russia in Global Affairs
Year: 2024

The 21st century has seen a gradual shift from overwhelming sanctions, mainly trade embargoes, towards targeted or “smart” sanctions. The latter target designated natural and legal persons associated with a country’s government, while ostensibly imposing minimal hardship on its general population. However, many empirical studies prove the existence of significant spillover effects and collateral damage from targeted sanctions. This research aims to determine whether “smart” sanctions are a reali