DISINFO: The goal of Western sanctions is to punish Russians
SUMMARY
The goal of Western sanctions is to punish Russia. Will Germany punish Russia? Think about these words. The Germans want to punish the Russians. (Punish) the Russian people, who suffered incomprehensible sacrifices during the liberation of the peoples of Europe, including the Germans, from Hitler’s regime. The Russians, who 30 years ago showed human compassion and accommodated the strong desire of the Germans to live in a unified country.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that Western sanctions against Russia aim to punish or destroy Russia. In fact, the sanctions from the US and the EU (including Germany) do not aim to punish Russia or the Russian people but were introduced to send a clear signal to the Russian government after Russia's illegal annexation of the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula and the downing of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17. The first round of EU sanctions against Russia was introduced on 17 March 2014. Later, in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine, the EU imposed economic sanctions in July 2014 and reinforced them in September 2014. The latest decision on a six-month extension of EU sanctions against Russia was taken on the 12th of September 2019, lasting until March 2020. Read similar cases on Western sanctions alleging that the EU suffers from its own sanctions more than Russia, EU sanctions against Russia are not democratic and that European Council sanctions are irrational and unjustified.