Swift shutdown and asset freezing: How in the Russian Federation are preparing for new sanctions (video)
About it writes Deutsche Welle with reference to the Russian RBC. According to the head of the Russian financial regulator, the banking sector was ready for some restrictions imposed by the Western countries against Moscow after the start of a full -scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. That is, the Central Bank of Russia has estimated the risks of strengthening sanctions since 2014, when Moscow has encountered international pressure due to the annexation of Crimea.
However, some new restrictions, according to Nabyulin, have created problems for the Russian financial sector, which the Russian Federation has not yet been solved. One of the first problems, Nabyulin, called Russia's shutdown from SWIFT international banking system, which is still unresolved for the Russian financial sector.
Although the threat has existed since 2014, after the annexation of Crimea, and in the Russian Federation on the background of this threat, national payment infrastructure was built, the impossibility of cross -border transfers was the problem. "Yes, chains are being built, they are constantly changing, but this remains a problem for many businesses," the RF Chairman said. The second alarming topic, according to Nabyulina, is the freezing of reserves of the Bank of Russia and Russian investors.
According to her, freezing of reserves of the Russian Central Bank abroad has become a very negative signal for all central banks, because it is a violation of the basic principles of reserves protection. " Russia was able to reduce the negative effects of these sanctions by floating exchange rate and restrictions on the sale of currency used in the spring of 2022.
"A very painful theme was the blocking and freezing of assets of individuals - millions of people who have not been sanctioned but found themselves with frozen assets," Nabiullina added. In addition, in recent weeks, the discussion of the confiscation of frozen assets of the Russian Federation has increased in recent weeks. Yes, Germany studies the possibility of confiscation of 720 million euros belonging to Mosbirgi.
Similar actions on Russian assets are also discussed by the US with allies, the newspaper The New York Times wrote. It is more than $ 300 billion, which is planned to be sent for military assistance to Ukraine. Nabiulin also emphasized that Russia has serious problems with long -term funding in Russia.
Among the new restrictive measures, which will affect the income of the Russian economy, according to Nabiulina, the introduction from January 1, 2024 of a gradual ban on the import of diamonds from the Russian Federation. With a general estimate of diamond exports of 4 billion euros a year for the Russian Federation, only Belgium purchased them in Russia for 1. 8 billion euros.
A significant problem is the requirement for European companies to provide evidence that they adhere to the "price ceiling" for oil from the Russian Federation introduced by the Western countries. At the same time, the head of the Central Bank of Russia added that the structural restructuring of the Russian economy goes "fairly quickly" because the business adapts to sanctions.
"There is a temptation to think that as they say, the sea on the knee after we have withstood the initial storm, although we must be ready to increase sanction pressure," Nabyulina emphasized. However, she notes that Russia needs to prepare for increased sanction pressure, because the Russian economy is not in the best condition. Thus, according to the latest data, from the beginning of a full -scale war in Ukraine, the decline in GDP in the annual dimension was 2. 5%, and the budget deficit - 3.
3 trillion rubles, equal to 2. 2% of GDP. However, by giving evaluation to the Russian economy, the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center noted that despite the fact that the economic indicators of 2022 are worse than the results of 2021 - this is still a small gap. Therefore, the abrupt weakening of the economy of the aggressor country due to sanctions did not occur, and they actually contributed to the expansion of Russians' capabilities in the trade sector.
For example, in November 2023, the real GDP of Russia has already achieved pre -war indicators. In December this year, the EU introduced a 12th package of sanctions against Russia, which will take effect from January 1, 2024. Preferably restrictions were diamonds and diamonds, as well as the supply of dual -use goods for the manufacture of defense products by occupiers. These are lithium batteries, electric motors, machines, automobiles and more.
In addition, US President Joe Biden signed a decree against financial structures related to supply to Russia's military-industrial complex on December 22. On December 14, the United Kingdom also announced the introduction of new sanctions against Russia - importing Russian diamonds and exports of dual -use goods is prohibited. Focus has already reported that Russia has allocated more than $ 12 billion in the form of government subsidies and loans to save its aviation sector in the air.