Russia sanctions don’t affect goods imports from Ukraine, Interfax reports

The Kremlin’s Nov. 1 sanctions imposed on Ukrainian
individuals and enterprises don’t affect goods imports from Ukraine, the
Interfax news agency reported on Nov. 14, citing an anonymous source in the
financial-economic section of the Russian government. The Nov. 1 resolution
“only affects financial relations and doesn’t impose a ban on trade agreements
involving third parties,” he said. Therefore, the physical delivery to Russia
of products made by companies targeted by the sanctions can be fulfilled if the
sides use a payment model that doesn’t violate the restrictions regime, the
source said, and “a separate document” is needed to stop them at customs.

Zenon Zawada: When the
sanctions were imposed, we recognized them as primarily a political maneuver by the Kremlin.
This was apparent when the list was revealed to contain dozens of Ukrainian
activists with few assets, let alone in Russia. This was also apparent when the
list excluded Russian-oriented politicians and oligarchs.

This report confirms that the Russian government is just
as concerned about lost trade with Ukraine as Ukraine is with lost trade with
Russia. So while putting on a brave face – in the form of political
grandstanding – in defiance of both Western and Ukrainian sanctions, this is
the latest of many signals that the Russian elite is actually nervous and
acting with great caution.