Ask HN: Why not target the Russian oligarchs?

[Guessnotgauss]

If hackers or the international community want to really put the pressure on Russia, it seems they should pressure the people that stand to make the most money from this war/ Putins reign: His backers and cronys. Sanctions normally just hurt the poorer people of a country. The rich and the people in power are usually effected last. Why isn't this the stategy?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_oligarch

Look at the Putin section.

[sp332]

There are sanctions specifically against those people. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/26/here-are-the-russian-oligarc...

[nicwolff]

Russia isn't a plutocracy – the rich don't run the country. It's an oligarchy: the money and power are Putin's and those to whom he distributes them answer to him. Sanctions are easy but ineffective; seizure of real estate in London and New York, and yachts in ports all over the world, and numbered accounts in shadow banks – all held by many layers of shell companies, traceable to oligarchs but all really Putin's – is much harder. But that's what's needed.

[akudha]

There are sanctions against them too. That said, I don’t know what to feel about these dudes - there are reports that Putin has taken the oligarchs with him to the Urals, to prevent them from escaping and leaving Russia.

It is amazing how much harm a psycho can cause…

[asteroidp]

They are via swift