Are EU Sanctions Working? Why Russian Sanctions Are Targeting the Wrong People

Three years into the most extensive sanctions campaign in modern history, a critical question remains unanswered: are Russian sanctions working? This episode examines how UK and EU sanctions policies have evolved into dragnet operations that often target peripheral figures while leaving Russia's core power structures largely untouched.

We explore the fundamental design flaws in current international sanctions frameworks, from the Herbert Smith Freehills compliance case to the controversial Shvidler v Secretary of State ruling. Rather than precision instruments of foreign policy, these measures have become political theater that prioritizes headlines over effectiveness.

Through analysis of recent legal cases and enforcement patterns, we reveal how guilt-by-association targeting and retroactive liability have undermined the credibility  ...