[sgnelson]

To some extent, and based on traditional views of sanctions (I won't get into whether they actually work or not), the point of sanctions is to hurt the average people. Economic and political elites in Russia are still going to have lots of money and access to luxury goods, it's difficult to stop that behavior (especially in a kleptocracy/dictatorship like Russia). But if you hurt the people, the theory goes, then they will get mad at their leaders and demand a change in leadership, thus hopefully leading to a new administration with new policies.

[Thimothy]

Well, the theory has not gone well at Cuba or Iran. If you hurt the people, the leaders will tell them that it's US fault, and the people will get mad at the US, because the leaders control the media and can convince the people of whatever they want. I cannot imagine that in Rusia is going to be any different.

Has ever been any country where this has worked?