Groups Identify Remaining Sanctions Opportunities Against Russia
Despite extensive sanctions already imposed, experts believe the West is overlooking crucial opportunities to further cripple Russia’s war economy by targeting obscure but vital components and industries. A research group called Dekleptocracy has been instrumental in identifying these weaknesses, uncovering areas where Russia relies on imports for essential goods.
According to Senator Marco Rubio, while meaningful sanctions have been levied, “there’s not a lot left to sanction from our part…we hit their major oil companies, which is what everybody’s been asking for.” however, Dekleptocracy’s findings demonstrate that viable targets remain.
The group’s research highlights Russia’s dependence on foreign sources for numerous chemicals, including those used in food additives, tires, pharmaceuticals, and even shampoo. Moscow acknowledged this vulnerability earlier in 2024 by launching an initiative to domestically produce hundreds of these chemicals.
“We looked at the russian economy…to find critical issues, the things that the Russians cannot manufacture themselves,” explained Dekleptocracy’s researcher, Harrison. This focus on Russia’s manufacturing and chemical base aims to pinpoint vulnerabilities essential to sustaining its military operations.
Recent sanctions imposed by the US in October targeted major Russian oil producers Rosneft and Lukoil, aiming to “degrade” Russia’s war machine. However, Tom Keatinge, director of the finance and security centre at the Royal United Services Institute, cautioned that it’s too early to assess their effectiveness. He emphasized the need for robust enforcement, particularly secondary sanctions against companies continuing to purchase Russian oil.
“A successful sanctions regime relies not only on identifying new targets, but also ensuring implementation against already identified targets,” Keatinge stated. “Ukraine’s allies need to follow through on implementing existing sanctions and taking action against those that facilitate evasion.”
Dekleptocracy has previously contributed to sanctions efforts, notably regarding the arctic LNG 2 gas terminal. They assisted the Biden administration in identifying key elements of the project – specifically, ice-class tankers – that were susceptible to US pressure. Cara Abercrombie, a former US assistant defense secretary under joe Biden, praised their work as “disruptive,” even if not “permanently damaging.”
Dekleptocracy operates as part of a broader coalition including Ukrainian groups like Razom We Stand and B4Ukraine, and the US-based Centre for advanced Defense Studies. These groups analyze extensive trade data to uncover weaknesses in the Russian economy and propose sanctions targets to governments, frequently enough identifying opportunities policymakers miss. Keatinge affirmed the value of this work, stating it “regularly surfaces anomalies that need to be addressed.”
