Ask HN: Why not target the Russian oligarchs?

31 points by Guessnotgauss 4 years ago | 5 comments

If hackers or the international community want to really put the pressure on Russia, it seems they should pressure the people that stand to make the most money from this war/ Putins reign: His backers and cronys. Sanctions normally just hurt the poorer people of a country. The rich and the people in power are usually effected last. Why isn't this the stategy?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_oligarch

Look at the Putin section.

sp332 4 years ago |

There are sanctions specifically against those people. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/26/here-are-the-russian-oligarc...

nicwolff 4 years ago |

Russia isn't a plutocracy – the rich don't run the country. It's an oligarchy: the money and power are Putin's and those to whom he distributes them answer to him. Sanctions are easy but ineffective; seizure of real estate in London and New York, and yachts in ports all over the world, and numbered accounts in shadow banks – all held by many layers of shell companies, traceable to oligarchs but all really Putin's – is much harder. But that's what's needed.

akudha 4 years ago |

There are sanctions against them too. That said, I don’t know what to feel about these dudes - there are reports that Putin has taken the oligarchs with him to the Urals, to prevent them from escaping and leaving Russia.

It is amazing how much harm a psycho can cause…

asteroidp 4 years ago |

They are via swift