A word invented by Eugppius here on Substack to explain how the means to a perceived end have mostly now become the end in themselves. Which is what sanctions have long been - we apply sanctions because applying sanctions is what we do.
I have never actually understood the point of them - I seem to remember we all had sanctions against Saddam Hussein and the only people who suffered were the general public who could no longer get medicines. Didn't stop anything.
Our western leaders are living in a nightmare illusion completely of their own making. Sadly, we all pay the price for it.
Excellent piece Ian. On a wider point Performative politics and diplomacy, along with a stagnating economy is shredding the vestiges of western liberal democracy. Ironically, those bleating the most about authoritarianism abroad are increasingly authoritarian at home.
The attitude of your interlocutor from Budapest reminded me of what Orwell wrote in Burmese Days: “we sell our souls in public and buy them back in private, among friends.”
It is remarkable and commendable that you managed to escape Western myopia and look lucidly at the actions and actors involved (I hope you have also identified the provocative actions of the West and Ukraine towards Russia since 2008).
“In two months, Russia will ask for peace” - Napoleon, during the campaign of 1812...
The Russians have lots of natural resources and are self sufficient. The European countries are not self sufficient in natural resources, which is why they tried to regime change Russia and get another corrupt puppet like Boris Yeltsin in. Any sanctions for this reason were doomed to fail.
Thank you for the voice of common sense, Mr Proud. The true diplomacy is possible only with the true leadership of the societies who are interested in the development of their nations and considers their countries as the parts of the civilisation of the world. Modern Western "leaders" are just on their way of discovery of that new reality as acting for their own benefits does not work in this new 100% transparent world. On the one hand it is a surprise to witness the collapse of the Anglican church and the institutions which were based on it - the Anglican state and the commonwealth. On the other hand it is a very interesting moment in history: what and who are going to replace it? The same is happening both with the Catholic church and the EU with their latest lgbt 2030 direction. These are the signs that the new Western leadership is on the way. Is it going to be Muslim, or Indian or Pax Judaica? Is it going to be destroyed completely? Or does Europe still have a chance? Who is the face and the name of such chance then?
You can sanction national economies that have abundant material resources, human capacity and technology wherewithal. Sanctions aim to deny access to these resources, often indirectly by means of financial restrictions and at times directly by means of explicit material prohibitions. This approach is much more effective when such measures are levelled at less developed less endowed nations. In other words, sanctions are more effective when the foundational conditions are asymmetric in favour of the sanctioner.
Sanctions are of course also rendered ineffective by the fact that nobody outside of NATO gives a crap about them.
The rest of the world gladly trade with Russia, and plenty of people in neighboring countries make a pretty penny sanction-busting.
I recently bought something from Russia btw. It involved using PayPal to an account in one of the ‘Stans, but sure enough… A month later my package arrived, shipped from Siberia.
I shall leave the actual company and product out of it, but just say that:
1: You can get some really nice Siberian knives on Telegram. And:
2: If you’re into scale modeling, Russia has a thriving industry of models and model accessories. (Not just talking about Zvezda, but also smaller companies.)
On the first question - about knives. The best knives are those with a handle made of birch fungus (chaga). They do not sink. They became very popular in Yakutia and are sold as Yakut knives. In fact, these are Evenki knives. The Yakuts simply displaced the Evenki from their historical territories and began using their technologies. The Evenki moved further north. And the best iron for knives is made from Soviet metal products (for example, old axes). Back then, the steel was different – alloyed with some additives and made in a special way.
This is after that famous video - the fight where a Yakut warrior fought with knives against a Ukrainian Banderite. And this Banderite called the Russian the best warrior. That’s why it went viral. Otherwise, no one knew. And can you clarify which handle was sent to you? Will the knife withstand water? If yes, then it is genuine, proper.
Oh yeah, I remember seeing that, and thinking: With men like that, Russia can’t lose. Little humble Yakut, wife and children at home, but an absolute beast in a 1:1 fight.
But nah, it was actually before. I don’t know why but I kept getting these video ads about Siberian knives recommended to me on Telegram.
I bet the loss of those wealthy Russian tourists in the south of France alone hits the French economy harder than all those sanctions against Russia combined. There is no making sense of European policy anymore, unless one sees it as a front for NATO, with the goal of disabling any possibility of consolidating the Eurasian landmass through constructive partnership.
Outstanding piece, Ian, probably your best so far, absolutely nails the problem, especially your final couple of paragraphs.
People often complain that Russia is terrible at PR and that they are losing the PR war in the west, and that may be the case, but it's actually a good thing for the Russians because they don't end up believing their own BS.
The west, particularly the UK and US, are brilliant at PR but the problem is that they are so good at creating an illusion of the truth that they end up believing it and lose all sense of actual reality.
This may be OK in the short to medium term, but in the longer term all this does is to mean that it will be even more painful when you have to eventually face reality, as you surely will.
Thanks Ian. Wise words as usual. There’s always been a disconnect in my mind with the EU’s statements of its massive advantage regarding its collective GDP vs Russia. I’m not an economist, but maybe my disconnect is because Russia’s economy seems to be grounded by energy and a manufacturing base big enough to power a war for close to four years vs the inclusion of service industries, financial industries, etc. that seem to make up so much of Western GDPs. Regarding sanctions, I was interested to read the recent Financial Times “solution” to the confiscation of Russian assets. Incorporate a “bad bank” (possibly in Estonia!) and transfer the assets to it for disposal. Of course that would assuage the concerns of non-EU countries about depositing assets in the EU, wouldn’t it?
Indeed. That same imbalance between capital dependant and export led economies is also the reason why Trump will never beat China in a tariff war. And on your final point - well, quite!
One of the reasons why many wounded can go back to the front is the difference of the fastand better treatment that soldiers recieve, even VOLGA prisioners.
Do you think that the west feels the same.......Mediterranean countries are looking South with a dying King and a mess about his succesion between his son and his brother and not the distant
Russian country (now I'm talking about Spain) with we have much more in common than with France. Bought out politicians, but everybody is terrorized by the popular wuuuuu.
Polisario and Berebers+ Algerians are there waiting.......
I clarify: as of June 18, 2025, approximately 30,159 non-trade sanctions had been imposed on Russia by other countries (excluding sanctions on the trade of specific goods).
I was enjoying my evening walk Ian, and thinking about the EU and UK post Brexit (as an aside I saw Brexit as the greatest act of national harm committed post WW2 by Cameron) and the situation in Ukraine. It struck me that the internal EU political decision making and internal diplomatic processes have actually been weakened by the UK leaving, which has in turn weakened the European push for a greater conflict with Russia. Yes, I accept that the Starmer government is amongst the most hawkish within Europe as a whole, but that leads to a different analysis than that needed as regards the EU. The growing voices of dissent within the EU towards the drum beat of war should see Brexit as a silver lining in that regard.
Thank you Ian. It's rich, though, and I accept your regret for having been involved in the implementation of this sanction madness, and that you have "got out". But there must be 100s, if not 1000s of other civil servants just like you, who are still in the foreign office, and either because they genuinely think that sanctions are good and working or do not, but are afraid to walk away from a lucrative earner... which amounts to the same thing - a total disaster for Britain and one that I, a former UK national, heartedly welcome. Britain has got it comeuppance and serve it bloody right.
The Russophobic attitude and historical arrogance of Mediocre Britain is astonishing. As you point out, STILL no one has picked up the telephone and spoken to Putin. Even the Ambassador here, a totally neutered Nigel Casey, is shored up in the residency unable to do nothing.
All that you write it absolutely spot on. Yet you no longer have any say, if you did when in office, on whether this should stop or not. The same now is with Russia's CB funds that Europe and Britain are trying to steal. And let's be clear, this is theft.
The main problem is that this money, somehow, has to be turned into real money. At the moment it is an IOU from Belgium predominantly, to Russia. The money is not sitting in a vault just waiting for the Russians to come a collect it, but you won't give them the key.
So whether it is an IOU to Russia, or an IOU to the Ukraine, makes not the slightest damned difference. So if UK and Europe decide to steal the funds and give them to Ukraine, then what are they actually going to GIVE to Ukraine? Just switching "ownership" on the laptop to Ukraine from Russia will not do anything to stop the pending total destruction (and a good thing too) of Ukraine. You will still have to actually GIVE physical money to Ukraine so that they can spend it on cocaine, gold toilet fittings etc. You cannot just tell the Khokhols that it's theirs and NOT hand it over!
So the fact that UK and Europe does not have any money to even look after its own (my mother bangs on everyday about winter fuel allowance or lack of) then simply stealing this money will not help.
If it is used as collateral for loans given to UK, then once again - who, pray God, in their right minds will issue a loan based on something that the Russians don't owe. It is Europe that owes the money as long as it is in Euroclears bank accounts.
Enough. I could go on for pages more about how this is, but cannot really be bothered. The UK and Europe are going down, that much is clear. So too is Ukraine. The UK's behaviour in all that is going on now - Gaza, Ukraine, and even more importantly at "home"... leads me to believe that this is some form of retribution for 200-300 years of roaming this planet causing death, disaster and destruction on more countries than ANY other country on the planet, closely followed by France, and more recently the US.
the fall of the West is entirely deserved and could not come sooner.
Thank you Ian for going into that weasel pit and saying the unsayable. Perhaps your actions will create a “permission structure” for UK and EU officials to broaden the range of what is sayable.
"Endification"
A word invented by Eugppius here on Substack to explain how the means to a perceived end have mostly now become the end in themselves. Which is what sanctions have long been - we apply sanctions because applying sanctions is what we do.
I have never actually understood the point of them - I seem to remember we all had sanctions against Saddam Hussein and the only people who suffered were the general public who could no longer get medicines. Didn't stop anything.
Our western leaders are living in a nightmare illusion completely of their own making. Sadly, we all pay the price for it.
Indeed, we are all paying the price.
Excellent piece Ian. On a wider point Performative politics and diplomacy, along with a stagnating economy is shredding the vestiges of western liberal democracy. Ironically, those bleating the most about authoritarianism abroad are increasingly authoritarian at home.
Indeed they are, Roy.
The attitude of your interlocutor from Budapest reminded me of what Orwell wrote in Burmese Days: “we sell our souls in public and buy them back in private, among friends.”
It is remarkable and commendable that you managed to escape Western myopia and look lucidly at the actions and actors involved (I hope you have also identified the provocative actions of the West and Ukraine towards Russia since 2008).
“In two months, Russia will ask for peace” - Napoleon, during the campaign of 1812...
Great and aposite quote.
Ian, there is a bigger problem.
The Russians have lots of natural resources and are self sufficient. The European countries are not self sufficient in natural resources, which is why they tried to regime change Russia and get another corrupt puppet like Boris Yeltsin in. Any sanctions for this reason were doomed to fail.
Good point.
Thank you for the voice of common sense, Mr Proud. The true diplomacy is possible only with the true leadership of the societies who are interested in the development of their nations and considers their countries as the parts of the civilisation of the world. Modern Western "leaders" are just on their way of discovery of that new reality as acting for their own benefits does not work in this new 100% transparent world. On the one hand it is a surprise to witness the collapse of the Anglican church and the institutions which were based on it - the Anglican state and the commonwealth. On the other hand it is a very interesting moment in history: what and who are going to replace it? The same is happening both with the Catholic church and the EU with their latest lgbt 2030 direction. These are the signs that the new Western leadership is on the way. Is it going to be Muslim, or Indian or Pax Judaica? Is it going to be destroyed completely? Or does Europe still have a chance? Who is the face and the name of such chance then?
You can sanction national economies that have abundant material resources, human capacity and technology wherewithal. Sanctions aim to deny access to these resources, often indirectly by means of financial restrictions and at times directly by means of explicit material prohibitions. This approach is much more effective when such measures are levelled at less developed less endowed nations. In other words, sanctions are more effective when the foundational conditions are asymmetric in favour of the sanctioner.
Sanctions are of course also rendered ineffective by the fact that nobody outside of NATO gives a crap about them.
The rest of the world gladly trade with Russia, and plenty of people in neighboring countries make a pretty penny sanction-busting.
I recently bought something from Russia btw. It involved using PayPal to an account in one of the ‘Stans, but sure enough… A month later my package arrived, shipped from Siberia.
I don’t hunt. But I respect that if you live in a place like Yakutia, you probably need to. Or at least be willing to kill to keep your animals safe.
I am from Siberia (Russia), more precisely, I am from Irkutsk (near Lake Baikal). So, what interesting things did they send you from Siberia?!
I shall leave the actual company and product out of it, but just say that:
1: You can get some really nice Siberian knives on Telegram. And:
2: If you’re into scale modeling, Russia has a thriving industry of models and model accessories. (Not just talking about Zvezda, but also smaller companies.)
On the first question - about knives. The best knives are those with a handle made of birch fungus (chaga). They do not sink. They became very popular in Yakutia and are sold as Yakut knives. In fact, these are Evenki knives. The Yakuts simply displaced the Evenki from their historical territories and began using their technologies. The Evenki moved further north. And the best iron for knives is made from Soviet metal products (for example, old axes). Back then, the steel was different – alloyed with some additives and made in a special way.
I’m a simple man. I see some muscular Russian on Telegram wave around a Yakut knife, I buy it!
Yes, I am just a simple woman too. It's just that I am a historian.
This is after that famous video - the fight where a Yakut warrior fought with knives against a Ukrainian Banderite. And this Banderite called the Russian the best warrior. That’s why it went viral. Otherwise, no one knew. And can you clarify which handle was sent to you? Will the knife withstand water? If yes, then it is genuine, proper.
Работайте, братья! ;)
Two heroes of Russia right there.
Oh yeah, I remember seeing that, and thinking: With men like that, Russia can’t lose. Little humble Yakut, wife and children at home, but an absolute beast in a 1:1 fight.
But nah, it was actually before. I don’t know why but I kept getting these video ads about Siberian knives recommended to me on Telegram.
I bet the loss of those wealthy Russian tourists in the south of France alone hits the French economy harder than all those sanctions against Russia combined. There is no making sense of European policy anymore, unless one sees it as a front for NATO, with the goal of disabling any possibility of consolidating the Eurasian landmass through constructive partnership.
Outstanding piece, Ian, probably your best so far, absolutely nails the problem, especially your final couple of paragraphs.
People often complain that Russia is terrible at PR and that they are losing the PR war in the west, and that may be the case, but it's actually a good thing for the Russians because they don't end up believing their own BS.
The west, particularly the UK and US, are brilliant at PR but the problem is that they are so good at creating an illusion of the truth that they end up believing it and lose all sense of actual reality.
This may be OK in the short to medium term, but in the longer term all this does is to mean that it will be even more painful when you have to eventually face reality, as you surely will.
Thanks Ian. Wise words as usual. There’s always been a disconnect in my mind with the EU’s statements of its massive advantage regarding its collective GDP vs Russia. I’m not an economist, but maybe my disconnect is because Russia’s economy seems to be grounded by energy and a manufacturing base big enough to power a war for close to four years vs the inclusion of service industries, financial industries, etc. that seem to make up so much of Western GDPs. Regarding sanctions, I was interested to read the recent Financial Times “solution” to the confiscation of Russian assets. Incorporate a “bad bank” (possibly in Estonia!) and transfer the assets to it for disposal. Of course that would assuage the concerns of non-EU countries about depositing assets in the EU, wouldn’t it?
Indeed. That same imbalance between capital dependant and export led economies is also the reason why Trump will never beat China in a tariff war. And on your final point - well, quite!
If you want to see the dfference:: this is the fast train to Moscow with wounded soldiers from the front, it had to stop in this town to lift a wife of one of the soldiers on board when the population of this small town at 3 AM, they all raced to the station https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1980996240859885568/vid/avc1/848x640/gLm478blhIkY1tzX.mp4
One of the reasons why many wounded can go back to the front is the difference of the fastand better treatment that soldiers recieve, even VOLGA prisioners.
Do you think that the west feels the same.......Mediterranean countries are looking South with a dying King and a mess about his succesion between his son and his brother and not the distant
Russian country (now I'm talking about Spain) with we have much more in common than with France. Bought out politicians, but everybody is terrorized by the popular wuuuuu.
Polisario and Berebers+ Algerians are there waiting.......
I clarify: as of June 18, 2025, approximately 30,159 non-trade sanctions had been imposed on Russia by other countries (excluding sanctions on the trade of specific goods).
I was enjoying my evening walk Ian, and thinking about the EU and UK post Brexit (as an aside I saw Brexit as the greatest act of national harm committed post WW2 by Cameron) and the situation in Ukraine. It struck me that the internal EU political decision making and internal diplomatic processes have actually been weakened by the UK leaving, which has in turn weakened the European push for a greater conflict with Russia. Yes, I accept that the Starmer government is amongst the most hawkish within Europe as a whole, but that leads to a different analysis than that needed as regards the EU. The growing voices of dissent within the EU towards the drum beat of war should see Brexit as a silver lining in that regard.
Thank you Ian. It's rich, though, and I accept your regret for having been involved in the implementation of this sanction madness, and that you have "got out". But there must be 100s, if not 1000s of other civil servants just like you, who are still in the foreign office, and either because they genuinely think that sanctions are good and working or do not, but are afraid to walk away from a lucrative earner... which amounts to the same thing - a total disaster for Britain and one that I, a former UK national, heartedly welcome. Britain has got it comeuppance and serve it bloody right.
The Russophobic attitude and historical arrogance of Mediocre Britain is astonishing. As you point out, STILL no one has picked up the telephone and spoken to Putin. Even the Ambassador here, a totally neutered Nigel Casey, is shored up in the residency unable to do nothing.
All that you write it absolutely spot on. Yet you no longer have any say, if you did when in office, on whether this should stop or not. The same now is with Russia's CB funds that Europe and Britain are trying to steal. And let's be clear, this is theft.
The main problem is that this money, somehow, has to be turned into real money. At the moment it is an IOU from Belgium predominantly, to Russia. The money is not sitting in a vault just waiting for the Russians to come a collect it, but you won't give them the key.
So whether it is an IOU to Russia, or an IOU to the Ukraine, makes not the slightest damned difference. So if UK and Europe decide to steal the funds and give them to Ukraine, then what are they actually going to GIVE to Ukraine? Just switching "ownership" on the laptop to Ukraine from Russia will not do anything to stop the pending total destruction (and a good thing too) of Ukraine. You will still have to actually GIVE physical money to Ukraine so that they can spend it on cocaine, gold toilet fittings etc. You cannot just tell the Khokhols that it's theirs and NOT hand it over!
So the fact that UK and Europe does not have any money to even look after its own (my mother bangs on everyday about winter fuel allowance or lack of) then simply stealing this money will not help.
If it is used as collateral for loans given to UK, then once again - who, pray God, in their right minds will issue a loan based on something that the Russians don't owe. It is Europe that owes the money as long as it is in Euroclears bank accounts.
Enough. I could go on for pages more about how this is, but cannot really be bothered. The UK and Europe are going down, that much is clear. So too is Ukraine. The UK's behaviour in all that is going on now - Gaza, Ukraine, and even more importantly at "home"... leads me to believe that this is some form of retribution for 200-300 years of roaming this planet causing death, disaster and destruction on more countries than ANY other country on the planet, closely followed by France, and more recently the US.
the fall of the West is entirely deserved and could not come sooner.
Thanks for your great work Ian!
We've shared this link on 'The Stacks'
https://askeptic.substack.com/p/the-stacks
Thank you Ian for going into that weasel pit and saying the unsayable. Perhaps your actions will create a “permission structure” for UK and EU officials to broaden the range of what is sayable.
Thanks. And i hope so, but i doubt it.