The impact of anti-Russian sanctions on the development of Russia: Russians' opinion

Abstract

The topic of sanctions and sanctions policy against Russia acquired significant relevance after the Crimea joined Russia in 2014, and its peak occurred in 2022, the events associated with the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine. In response to the actions of our country, sanctions were imposed against the Russian Federation by a coalition of Western countries led by the United States. In 2014, the sanctions were not perceived as deeply by our society and the country's leadership due to their scale and lack of confidence on the part of Russians that they would cause damage and continue for a long time. After 2022, all spheres of life in our society were affected by the unprecedented sanctions. In the political sphere, high-level contacts were effectively barred. In the financial and economic spheres, the use of bank cards was prohibited, deliveries were curtailed, and companies withdrew from the Russian market. Even in the cultural sphere, Russia was effectively "cancelled" in terms of cultural engagement. It is beyond doubt that these factors have had a significant impact on the development of our country. The main purpose of the article is to examine the perceptions of Russians, particularly young people, regarding the impact of sanctions on the socio-economic and socio-cultural development of Russia. This analysis is based on data from all-Russian studies and materials from the author's sociological research conducted in 2024. The analysis has shown that the "abolition" of Russian culture causes concern among Russians, including young people, but is not critical in nature; the imposition of sanctions has significantly affected the conditions of doing Russian business in different areas; Russians assess the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy in different ways, highlighting both positive and negative aspects; further tightening of sanctions measures may lead to a significant impact on the Russian economy, cause price increases and problems in international trade, but Russia is able to withstand new sanctions challenges with a significant margin of safety. The results obtained allow us to draw up an overall picture of the main trends in the development of the economy and socio-cultural sphere of Russia in the context of sanctions. They also determine the basic positions of various social groups within the framework of their attitude to anti-Russian sanctions and anti-sanctions.