Is this a bread and circuses thing? I have to think this will mostly cost the elites who might be exporting goods, and will help anyone who uses vehicles. If so, that suggests domestic morale isn't so good.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago (2 children)

It could also be that they are lacking fuel for their stupid war. I think this is a good thing anways because it directly hurts the Russian government by losing money.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

@LordR @BombOmOm @CanadaPlus

Oil and gas make up most of Russia's income, 40% of which is being spent on the war. Everything else has been cut back to the bone.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

In theory this wouldn't be a good way to address that. Tariffs (and outright bans) pretty much always have nasty, unintended consequences.

It's possible Putin just doesn't see it that way. It's also possible he's trying to stop it being illegally diverted away from the war effort. I heard the little guys were stealing gas early in the war, so maybe the big guys do too.