After over 1,000 days of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the global community has made significant progress in using sanctions to counter Russian aggression. These measures have reduced the aggressor’s revenues from oil and gas exports, complicated military production, and cornered key Russian oligarchs. However, loopholes remain, allowing Russia to find ways to circumvent the sanctions. For instance, creating a “shadow fleet” enables Russia to transport crude oil while bypassing trade restrictions. Additionally, weak oversight of international business practices allows Russia’s military-industrial complex to access critical technologies through third countries. Thousands of Western companies still operate in Russia, contributing to its budget through taxes.
Ukrainian experts have analyzed the effectiveness of sanctions over the past 1,000 days of the full-scale invasion and discussed an action plan to increase economic pressure on the Russian aggressor state. The Civil Society Council on Sanctions, with contributions from Razom We Stand, has developed a sanctions “to-do list” with recommendations for improving sanctions policy.
Ukrainian civil society organizations, including ANTS, Razom We Stand, Molfar, and many others, urge the international community to enhance coordination and introduce new restrictions. Priorities include:
- Blocking the supply of strategic resources and components.
- Strengthening control over high-tech equipment.
- Holding businesses accountable for complying with sanctions.
The Civil Society Council on Sanctions was established to coordinate efforts between government representatives and civil society for joint advocacy, implementation, and updates to sanctions against Russia and its allies. Its members include the following organizations: the National Interests Defense Network “ANTS,” Black Sea News and the Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies, DiXi Group, the Institute of Legislative Ideas, ICUV (International Center for Ukrainian Victory), KSE Institute, OSINT Agency Molfar, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), the Center for Global Studies “Strategy XXI,” StateWatch/Trap Aggressor, Razom We Stand, and the NGO “Ukrainian Analytical Center U8.
