Nikonov believes this is due to the initial drop in value of the Russian Ruble compared to the Euro , a decrease of 40 % value but has recently rebounded back to levels almost prior to the initial outbreak of war . He suggests it will only be the non-essential consumer items that will see shortages or increases in prices , junk food , cars , electronics . All areas that can be filled with similar Russian products .
“ Sanctions definitely affect us , both personally and as a business ,” continued Nikonov . His business , Rusmoto Travel has weathered the Covid storm yet now sees greater challenges as people who want to visit Russia either can ’ t or won ’ t . “ As a business we have plenty of customers who moved their bookings into 2023 , [ but ] some asked for refunds .
“ Travellers can ’ t easily find travel insurance , some don ’ t want to come because there is war between Ukraine and Russia , and I understand that .”
It ’ s the actions of larger multinational companies that are having a flow on effect to smaller businesses like that of Rusmoto . Visa and Mastercard have both stopped operations in Russia which means for many international travellers they can ’ t spend unless using cash . These very same larger organisations are playing to a social commentary yet are performing business as usual when it suits them .
“ McDonald ’ s is working in some places indeed ,” added Nikonov , a fact confirmed by the people of St Petersburg . “ BMW and many other companies actually continue their operations ; they have recently received new stock . They sell what they have in stock and there is enough cars and bikes for two or three more months .”
The irony of this is that a Russian owned business like Ural Motorcycles , based in Siberia has taken the decision to close down operations and assembly of new motorcycle and sidecar outfits . The decision was partly forced upon the Irbit based company after many international suppliers were blocked from providing necessary parts and also due to moral objection to the war by the managing partners of Ural .
“ Ural is a small and fiercely independent company building sidecar motorcycles in Siberia ,” announced a recent statement from Ural management . “ Yet , our challenges are nothing in comparison to the devastation and human suffering caused by the war in Ukraine . It ' s hard to find the words in this unfathomable reality ; our hearts bleed for the victims and all we can repeat again and again is that this war must stop now .”
Ural suggests that many suppliers are waiting patiently and supporting the company however , a number more “ are pulling back from shipment of components to the factory ”, which could eventually see the construction of Ural machines pulled entirely from Russia .
Unfortunately orders and deliveries on new Ural ’ s could see delays as long as 12 months .
Most Russians agree that brands aren ’ t important and if they close , they close , but it is the flow on through the local economies that will have a profound impact , should McDonald ’ s alone permanently close all of its 800 + stores it will see a loss of some 62,000 jobs . In the short term the stores that have closed are paying wages to employees however , economically this can ’ t and will not continue . It ’ s the ordinary Russian people who are being punished for what the West often describe as a “ cold , violent people obsessed with vodka and potatoes ”.
This international desensitization and objectification of the Russian people in itself could become a much greater issue than just political bias and racism . According to Stanford University , Professor of Neuroscience , Robert Sapolsky who suggests that a lack of empathy by Western media towards the Russian people is the first steps to ‘ delegitimising ’ them . He draws parallels to how the Hutus during the Rwandan genocide referred to the Tutsi , “ those people ”, as cockroaches , or how European nationalists refer to “ those people ”, Muslims as a cancer , or how the supporters of Nazism referred to “ those people ”, the Jews as rats .
“ Tell someone about something disgusting that someone else has done to another and the Insular Cortex might activate causing repulsion ,” offers Sapolsky . “ This can be used to cause ‘ us ’ to hate ‘ them ’.
“ Russians are being told that Ukrainians are evil Nazis ,” he adds . “ The West is being told [ all ] Russian businesses support the Government and the military .”
This driven hatred could have effects that the power brokers want , leading to mass nationalism at the very least and at the very worst horrors that can never be ignored .
“ Those in power have a huge incentive to make ‘ thems ’ seem disgusting so that the ‘ us ’ are paying attention to ‘ them ’ instead of the power of those in power ,” Sapolsky explains . “ We are being manipulated to turn humans into non-humans .
“ There is no human so different to ‘ us ’ that it doesn ’ t count when ‘ us ’ kill ‘ them ’.”
Nikonov is one Russian who believes the actions of the “ civilised Western world ” could have the opposite effect to what is desired , a form of nationalism is already poking around amongst the Russian people .
“ After two or three weeks , in a goal of punishing Putin , the Russian people have been hit and that ’ s actually increased support of the government ,” he explained . Continuing that when Russian people heard that those who have not lived in the country for a long time but still have citizenship have had their bank accounts frozen they were enraged . “ When I hear that
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