Russian Sanctions Stir Up Controversy Online As Certain Luxury Items Are Excluded From New Trade Sanctions

After Russia invaded Ukraine Wednesday night, the United States and its NATO allies decided to impose trade sanctions on Russia, denying various goods and services to Russia or putting them under heavy penalties to economically cripple the country and deny Putin and his cronies certain products.

As punishment for Russia invading Ukraine, the strictest trade sanctions ever were handed down to the country today. However, once the sanctions were posted online for people to see, and more scrutiny and discussions started surrounding them, people noticed some rather curious things exempt from the list.

According to reports and the official text of the economic sanctions, certain luxury and high-class goods from NATO countries were strangely excluded from the list, allowing things like Ferraris and Gucci bags to be exempt.

Reactions from people online were, unsurprisingly, heated as they tried to wrap their heads around why these specific goods would be allowed, expressing their anger on social media platforms like Twitter throughout the day.

The US can't boot them off SWIFTGermany hasn't stopped buying Oil,Italy keeps selling Ferrari's & Gucci'sTurkey hasn't blocked BosphorusStraits.None of 27 NATO members are willing to step up.But, has a nerve to lecture India.Fucking Hypocrites.#UkraineRussia https://t.co/LH3j2azerH

— Ram (@Ram_Krishna_P) February 25, 2022

Canada imports 1/2 billion dollars worth of oil a year from Russia. Sanctions are just for optics. We’ll keep buying their oil.

— Professor Bill Yinaire (@Critica96592064) February 24, 2022

One of the more humorous and possibly most convoluted reasons given for why Russian trade sanctions aren't as effective as some might've hoped has to do with an over 80-year-old resolution. Because of the 1936 Montreux Convention, Turkey won't stop Russia from accessing the main waterway, allowing an avenue for trade to continue flowing unabated.

BREAKING: Turkey's foreign minister says his country cannot stop Russia accessing Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, due to a clause in the 1936 Montreux Convention.

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) February 25, 2022