Russia had spent USD 62 billion on their war industry in 2020 and 2021. And earned about USD 63 billion from international oil and gas sales only in the third quarter of 2021
Despite the sanctions, Russia still has a significant income flow: more than EUR 30 bln were received from the EU since February 24th, and the number keeps growing.
On March 3rd alone, the EU received a gas delivery from Russian valued at EUR 660 million (also a consequence of record gas prices). (read more here)
Therefore, further sanctions are needed to reduce Russian income and stop the weapon and vehicle development.
Even with a total fuel embargo, the EU industry is safe! But you need to turn off the heating in winter.
If the German populace agrees that turning off the heatings in winter would be acceptable if all other means fail, this would be a 100% guarantee to German industry.
Using data from Eurostat, we can argue that an embargo is possible without touching industry consumption at all, by cutting only private consumption.
In Germany, even if all Russian imports of 2045 PJ (petajoules) are cancelled, this means that still 1457 PJ are available which is more than the industry need of 1285 PJ. Assuming that the use of gas for power generation can be substituted by coal, then the leftover 172 PJ (14%) would allow to operating facilities such as hospitals at unchanged room temperature.
Alternatively, bills can increase by 7-8%. There could be a EUR 200 to EUR 1200 per citizen of total economic loss. Is that too much?
The war itself is already affecting the economy.
Prolonging the crisis caused by war will result in much higher economic costs.
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Any shortfall in supply would lead to higher prices and, consequently, higher inflation in Europe. Prices for wheat, corn, nickel, had all risen: wheat by 42%, corn by 62%, and nickel by 50%.
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European and Russian aircraft are banned from each other’s air space. The result is that planes traveling between Europe and Asia must take longer and more expensive routes. Not only is this disruptive to passenger travel, but it also increases the cost and reduces the efficiency of transporting high-value merchandise.
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The impacts can also spill over into other economies like the US because of the extensive trade between the US and Europe. Moreover, Russia and Ukraine are major producers of commodities that are important in the production of semiconductors and batteries. If Russian and/or Ukrainian exports of these commodities were to be curtailed, the global price would rise and shortages could ensue, thereby hurting some US industries, adding to inflation, and reducing potential output.
The faster Russia collapses, the faster new economical solution will appear: Ukraine will become a wheat exporter again, the airspace above Russia and Ukraine will be open, refugees will stop flooding other countries, and new, fresh, started-from-the-blank-page trade contracts may be built between the EU and newborn smaller post-Russian republics.
China and India could also survive without Russia.
It’s a divorce with Russia, and we shouldn’t come back into such an unhealthy relationship. In the long term, we can rearrange our energy sources.
Russia thinks all the companies will come back to them because they won’t survive without the Russian market. Let’s prove they are wrong. We have options on the table.
Everyone can help now! Show your support by signing the petitions and posting materials.
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Petition for a full fuel embargo: sign here
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Petition for cutting Sberbank and Gasprom from Swift: sign here
What else can we do to stop the war?
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Persuade China to divorce with Russia too. Petition:
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Help Russian soldiers to sabotage, i.e. to refuse to fight, to destroy or bring the vehicles and weapons to Ukrainians. The EU or US could fund a green corridor for the soldiers to leave the war.
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NATO close the sk... Nah, too dangerous, they won’t do that.