Economic war between Russia and the West widens
The economic warfare of sanctions and asset freezes between Russia and the West has affected industries as diverse as agriculture and technology.
Chickens are only the most recently affected economic commodity, according to Reuters. Russian media has reported that Russia may soon target U.S. chicken imports as a countermeasure to sanctions introduced by the West after the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Reports of Russia targeting the chicken industry started to appear in Russian media in the first week of August.
The Russian government has already targeted Polish apples, the vast majority of which go to Russia.
This spurred a campaign on social media where people posted themselves consuming Polish apple products in solidarity.
An apple a day keeps Putin away, apparently! #jedzjabłka #eatapples https://t.co/OLeoxsm6KA via @NewsyVideos pic.twitter.com/bcXWLLDUVa
— Jake Godin (@JakeGodin) August 2, 2014
They also encouraged people to buy Polish apples and Polish apple products.
#Putin embargoes #Poland apples,so I drunk a Polish apple juice! For #Europe and #democracy #jedzjabłka #sanctions pic.twitter.com/Iqo5H5zEeG — Matteo Cazzulani (@MatteoCazzulani) August 1, 2014
The campaign even leapfrogged onto Polish public transit.
Meanwhile in Poland... "Eat apples to spite Putin" @DarthPutinKGB pic.twitter.com/k7Xxp8goFe
— Ilseke (@Ilseeke) August 4, 2014
The New York Times reports that Germany has gone above and beyond the sanctions recently agreed to by the European Union by withholding the shipment of critical technology needed to complete a military training center. Without the technology in question, the center will be unable to open.
The current sanctions in effect protect contracts that were signed before the sanctions were passed. With this action, Germany has decided that it will also prevent the sale of equipment and goods even contracts have already been signed.
This may have been done in part to motivate the French, who have so far refused to cancel the sale of advanced Mistral warships to the Russian government.
