US sanctions Russian officials, oligarchs, Putin’s megayachts
Al JazeeraAPR 2022
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The only way to make Putin halt the invasion of Ukraine is to squeeze members of his inner circle. Harsh sanctions will at very least force him to the table over the situation in Ukraine.
Establishment-critical narrative
Western sanctions on Putin's inner circle won't work. They only expose how little the West understands about the relation between the Kremlin and the so-called "Russian oligarchs." Only sanctions that effectively weaken the Russian economy will force Putin to reevaluate the war in Ukraine.