He has already, according to Ukrainian officials. Putin has put Russian nuclear forces on high alert, in response to what the Russians say are “aggressive statements” made by NATO countries and the economic sanctions imposed by Western countries. The economic sanctions, if followed through consistently have the potential to collapse the Russian economy. As summarised by an excellent article at the Conversation.com the sanctions are:
- “they removed selected Russian banks from SWIFT, the global financial messaging system that enables money to travel around the world
- they agreed to prevent Russia’s Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermined the sanctions, crippling its ability to use foreign currency to support the ruble
- they committed to act against Russian oligarchs, specifically by limiting the sale of so-called golden passports to wealthy Russians
- they committed to freeze the foreign assets of sanctioned individuals up to and including President Putin, as well as those of their families and “enablers.”