Also Russia has moved a lot of their cash reserve out of EU before invading Ukraine
sure the Russian citizen are going to get screwed over by these sanction, but the government has padded themselves in advance.
China/Russia also have their own alternative to SWIFT.
I’m thinking the next step is thermobaric weapons on city centers assuming the upcoming negotiations fail. Basically a repeat of the Grozny incident.
If that doesn’t make the Ukrainians surrender (and as of now, I doubt anything will, they are fighting their hearts out; they are all true patriots) then I think that is when Putin pulls out a dreaded weapon. Russia’s left over nerve agents like Sarin.
Basically it’ll turn the entrenched battle lines into World War I style hell holes. It’ll make life miserable for Russian troops as well, since they’ll have have to wear their MOPP gear at all times while engaged.
As a man married to a Ukrainian I can say veraciously the world is prettier place with them it’s not doing men any good that they are being killed in a war.