Sanctions Against Russia

When Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, it triggered a show of support from Czechs for two reasons.  One because the annexation was very similar to Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland, and two because Czechs, and Slovaks, still remember the Soviet-ed, Warsaw Pact 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia following the Prague Spring.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the Czech government introduced a number of unilateral sanctions against Russia, plus the sanctions introduced by the EU.

Czechland was the first EU country to stop issuing visas to Russian citizens except for humanitarian cases.  Plus the government started to review already-issued residency permits for Russians living here.

The Ministry of Finance began inspecting Russian companies, and companies with Russian owners, to make sure none were receiving public funds.

The government sped up the process of withdrawing from two Russian banks - the International Bank for Economic Cooperation and the International Investment Bank.

In addition, the cabinet approved the potential deployment of up to 580 Czech troops to NATO's Rapid Reaction Force. The  government also earmarked 300 million Kč (~$13,8 million) for emergency humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

It's important to note that the EU has had sanctions against Russia going back to 2014 when it first illegally annexed Crimea.  But with the invasion, additional sanctions have been levied.

The first package of EU sanctions against Russia came on 23 February when Russia recognised the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries as an excuse to send in Russian troops.

• There were targeted sanctions against the 351 members of Russia's Duma, plus another 27 individuals
• The restriction of economic relations with the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk
• The restriction of Russia's access to the EU's capital and financial markets

When Russia invaded the rest of Ukraine on 24 February, the EU stepped up its sanctions to include:

• the financial sector
• the energy and transport sectors
• dual-use goods
• export control and export financing
• visa policy
• additional sanctions against Russian individuals
• new listing criteria

The second package of sanctions were initiated on 25 February.

• Vladimir Putin's assets were frozen
• Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, had his assets frozen
• restrictive measures were imposed on members of Russia's National Security Council and members of the Duma who supported recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries
• an additional package of individual and economic measures were introduced covering finance, energy, transport and technology sectors plus visa policy

The third package of sanctions came on 28 February.

• a ban on transactions with the Russian Central Bank
• €500 million support package to finance military equipment and supplies for Ukraine's armed forces
• closure of EU airspace and no access to EU airports by Russian carriers
• new sanctions on another 26 people and one entity

On 2 March, the EU excluded seven Russian banks from SWIFT preventing them to operate globally.

The second package of sanctions were initiated on 25 February.  The EU also banned:

• investing, participating, or continuing to future projects co-financed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund
• selling, supplying, transferring or exporting Euros to Russia or to any person or entity in Russia
• broadcasting of Russia Today and Sputnik

Here's an Al Jazeera video I found on YouTube that talks about some of the sanctions and explains more about SWIFT.

©Al Jazeera

On 3 March, the existing asset freezes of those people identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds was extended for another year.

On 9 March, restrictions were put in place halting the export of maritime navigation goods and radio communication technology to Russia.  Plus restrictions on an additional 160 people including:

• 14 Russian oligarchs
• 146 members of the Russian Federation Council

In total, at this point the EU had measures in place on 862 individuals and 53 entities.  

Also on 9 March, the EU put sanctions in place against Belarus to include:

• restrict three Belarusian banks from SWIFT
• prohibit transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus
• prohibit transactions by Belarusian state-owned entities in EU trading venues
• significantly limit the financial inflows from Belarus to the EU
• prohibit the provision of Euros to Belarus

The fourth package of sanctions were initiated on 15 March on an additional 15 people and 9 entities plus a ban on:

• all transactions with certain state-owned enterprises
• the provision of credit rating services to any Russian person or entity
• new investments in the Russian energy sector
• trade involving iron, steel or luxury goods

The fifth package of sanctions were initiated on 8 April.  This package included a ban on:

• imports from Russia of coal and other solid fossil fuels
• all Russian vessels from accessing EU ports
• Russian and Belarusian road transport operators from entering the EU
• imports of other goods such as wood, cement, seafood and liquor
• exports to Russia of jet fuel and other goods
• deposits to crypto-wallets

On 21 April, the EU sanctioned two more businesspeople.

The sixth package of sanctions were initiated on 3 June.  The sixth package includes:

• a ban on imports from Russia of crude oil and refined petroleum products, with limited exceptions
• a SWIFT ban for another three Russian banks and one Belarusian bank
• suspension of broadcasting in the EU by three more Russian state-owned outlets
• sanctions against an additional 65 people and 18 entities including those responsible for atrocities committed in Bucha and Mariupol

On 21 July, the seventh package of sanctions were put in place to prohibit the purchase, import or transfer of Russian-origin gold, including jewellery.  The ban on port access was extended to include locks, with sanctions against another 54 individuals and 10 entities including Sberbank.

On 4 August, sanctions were placed on Viktor Yanukovych, the former pro-Russian President of Ukraine, and his son Oleksandr.

It probably won't be that long until an eighth package of sanctions is announced by the EU.

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

Update:  On 6 October, came the EU's eighth package of sanctions which included:

• a price cap related to the maritime transport of Russian oil for third countries
• additions to the list of restricted items prohibited for Russia's military and technological enhancement
• additional restrictions on trade and services with Russia
• sanctions on an additional 30 individuals and 7 entities.

New Things in Brno

I've been in Czechland for just over 13 years now.  Sometimes people are surprised that I've lived in the country this long.  The typical understanding is the foreigners (expats) come and eventually foreigners leave.   

The other thing that often surprises people is that the whole time I've only lived in Brno.  My entire Czechland adventure has taken place here in Moravia.  I love this city.  There's always something going on here or something new to discover.

Yesterday, I took the day off and Kája and I spent the day together.  Here's three "new" things I found in the city.

1.  The BRNO sign by the town hall.  It isn't exactly new but I hadn't seen it yet.  

2.  Štetl Fest is coming in September.  It's a multi-genre festival of Jewish culture and history.  It's the largest festival of Jewish culture in the country.  I assume that it's in participation with the coming MEHRIN Moravian Jewish Museum but that's just my assumption.

Štetl comes from the Yiddish word for a "small town."  Usually it refers to a small town with a large strong Jewish presence.  

3.  Brno has an Embassy of Independent Belarusian Culture.  Back in 2020, I know that Brno supported the protestors in Belarus.  But with everything going on at the time with Covid, I missed that the embassy opened on 17 November 2020.

It's not a traditional embassy.  It was set up by the Centre for Experimental Theatre and it focuses on informing the public about what's going on in Belarus and supporting cultural activities.

It's probably even more important to understand what's going on there now given that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko allowed the country to be a staging ground and launching point for Russian's invasion of Ukraine.

Я за Україну. Я за Україною. Слава Україні  Stojím za Ukrajinou!  I stand with Ukraine. 

2022 Passport Power

The Henley Passport Index is out and once again, Japan has the world's most powerful passport.  Since 2018, it has held the #1 spot.  Having a Japanese passport allows one to travel to 193 countries either visa-free or visa on arrival.  Only 34 destinations require a visa or an e-visa.  Last year, a Japanese passport "only" got you to 191 countries and 35 countries required a visa.  

There's no such thing as an EU passport.  There are just passports issued by EU member countries and they tend to dominate the rankings.  22 EU countries rank amongst the 11 most powerful passports.  

1. Japan (193)
2. Singapore, South Korea (192)
3. Germany, Spain (190)
4. Finland, Italy, Luxembourg (189)
5. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden (188)
6. France, Ireland, Portugal, UK (187)
7. Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, USA (186)
8. Australia, Canada, Czechia, Greece, Malta (185)
9. Hungary (183)
10. Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia (182)
11. Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia (181)

The three weakest EU member passports belong to the three most recent joiners.  Romania ranks at #16 with 174 countries while Bulgaria and Croatia both come in at #17 with 173 countries.

My American passport is still ranked in 7th place with only 41 countries requiring a visa to visit.  In 2006 and 2014, the U.S. passport was ranked #1.

A U.S. passport gets you in to Australia, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Guyana, Mongolia, and Pakistan.  Czechs need a visa to visit these countries.  Americans are still eligible for a 3-year visa for Russia which isn't available to Czechs.

A Czech passport will still ranked in 8th place with only 42 countries requiring a visa to visit.  In 2006, a Czech passport was ranked #21.  In 2014, it cracked the top 10 and has stayed there since.  Czechs are able to visit Belarus, Iran, Turkey, Myanmar, and Venezuela while Americans need a visa to visit them.

I need to get on the ball and submit my paperwork for Czech citizenship so that I can get my Czech passport.

Update:  Here's a 10½ minute video from Faultline that I found out on YouTube that talks about passports, visas, and travel.

©Faultline

Update: 2023 passport power rankings.

Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is a collective defence organization amongst former Soviet republics following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  The CTSO was spawned from the Commonwealth of Independent States.  It's basically the new Warsaw Pact except made up of former Soviet republics.  The CSTO is Russia's largest military alliance.

Current members include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.  Even though not a former Soviet republic, Serbia became an observer member in 2013.  

Former members include Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.  

Here's a short video I found out on YouTube about the CSTO.

©Test Tube News

Commonwealth of Independent States

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.  It's not the successor to the Soviet Union but it kind of is even though it's not. 

Today the CIS consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.  In 2005, Turkmenistan became an observer member.  In 2008, Afghanistan and Mongolia became observer members.

Georgia withdrew its membership in 2008 following the five-day war when Russia invaded and took control of South Ossetia.

Ukraine withdrew in 2018 following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russian support of two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine.

The three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, chose not to participate because they viewed their being in the Soviet Union was an illegal occupation.

Headquarters for the CIS are in Minsk, Belarus.

The goal of the CIS is to coordinate policies regarding its members' economies, foreign relations, defence, immigration policies, environmental protection, and law enforcement.

The CIS spawned three organisations.  

The Collective Security Treaty Organization is a military alliance.  Kind of like the new Warsaw Pact but made up of former Soviet republics.  

The Eurasian Economic Union is basically the Eurasian version of the EU but only consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

The Union State is the union of Belarus and Russia with the goal of common government, flag, currency, etc.

Following the breakup of the USSR, athletes competed at the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics in team events as part of the CIS "Unified Team".  Athletes competed under the Olympic flag.  Since 1992, athletes no longer compete as a unified team and compete for their home countries. 

Former Soviet Republics

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the Soviet Union, was established in 1922 and lasted until its dissolution in 1991.  It was the world's largest country and it spanned eleven time zones from Europe to Asia.  It was a federal union, consisting of 15 republics, all ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  The capital was Moscow.

Everything started with the October Revolution in 1917 when the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government following the fall of the Russian Empire.  The Russian Soviet Republic became the world's first communist state.  Following a civil war, the Soviet Union eventually came in to being.  Its republics had previously belonged to the Russian Empire.  Prior to WWII, under Josef Stalin, the Soviet Union annexed the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and made them all new Soviet Republics.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union singled the end of the Cold War.  I grew up during the Cold War so it's incredible to think about how different the world looks.  

The Berlin Wall fell and East Germany became part of a unified Germany.  Czechoslovakia split in to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  Except for Russia, every member of the Warsaw Pact joined the EU and is now a member of NATO.  Even three former Soviet republics are even NATO members.  

In 1990, Lithuania was the first Soviet Republic to declare independence.  Kazakhstan was the last republic to leave in December 1991.  Many of the former Soviet republics joined new unions and alliances with Russia such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Eurasian Economic Community, the Eurasian Customs Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Union State.  Some, without Russia, joined GUAM and the Baltics joined the EU. 

Here's a bit about the former Soviet republics.

The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, in the Caucasus, became independent in on 21 September 1991.  It was the second smallest republic and was home to about 3,3 million people.  Armenia was the world's first Christian state.  I always thought it was kind of ironic that religion was banned during Soviet times.  Following independence, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 30 August 1991.  It is the largest country in the Caucasus and is rich in oil and natural gas.  Since the fall of the USSR, Azerbaijan has been ruled by a single family.  It is still at odds with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.  

The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, with just over 10 million people, was the 5th largest republic.  Belarus declared independence on 10 December 1991.  President Lukashenko has ruled since 1994 and Belarus is considered the last dictatorship in Europe.    

The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 20 August 1991.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and in 2011 it replaced its currency with the Euro.  Today, Estonia is a parliamentary republic and it was the first country in the world to allow citizens to vote online.  When Estonia gained independence, citizenship was only granted to those who could prove family ties prior to 1940 when the Soviet Union annexed the country.  Russians who came to Estonia between 1941 - 1991 were allowed citizenship only if they could pass an Estonian language test.  About 25% of the population are ethnic Russians and Estonia does not permit dual citizenship.

The Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on 9 April 1991.  Most of the 1990s was filled with civil unrest and economic hardship with the Rose Revolution in 2003.  Georgia has two breakaway republics - Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  

Georgia considers there regions to be under Russian military occupation.  The country is working hard to join NATO which makes Russia uneasy.  That's also one of the reasons that Russian troops are stationed in the breakaway republics.

The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936 and on 16 December 1991 it was the very last republic to leave the union.  Kazakhstan is huge, more than four times the size of Texas, and today it is the largest country in Central Asia and with 18 million people it is the world's 9th largest country.  During the  1950-60's, many Russians and people deported from other republics were sent to Kazakhstan to work he fields.  Today, ethnic Russians make up about a quarter of the population.

The Kyrghiz Soviet Socialist Republic became part of the USSR in 1936.  Kyrgyzstan became independent on 31 August 1991.  It is a poor country that is heavily dependent on agriculture and minerals extraction. Due to high unemployment Kyrgyzstan is a source of migrant labourers especially in Russia.

After WWI Latvia broke away from the Russian Empire but in 1940 it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR as the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.  Latvia gained independence on 4 May 1990.  It joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2014.  Citizenship was granted only those who could prove Latvian citizenship prior to 1940.  About 13% of the population still doesn't have Latvian citizenship and the country doesn't allow dual citizenship.

Lithuania became an independent country in 1918, after WWI, when it broke away from the Russian Empire.  In 1940, it was annexed by the USSR and became the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.  On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the 15 Soviet republics to declare independence. A full year before the Soviet Union actually broke up.  Lithuania joined the EU and NATO in 2004 and joined the Eurozone in 2015.  Like the other two Baltic countries it is also part of the Schengen area.  Also like Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania doesn't allow for dual citizenship.  

After WWI, Moldova was part of Romania.  In 1940, the area was annexed by the USSR and it became the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.  After WWII, the Soviets began migrating  Russians, Belorussians, and Ukrainians in to the area. 

In 1990, an independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared.  This small area was afraid that Moldova would leave the USSR and try to become part of Romania. 

Moldova declared independence from the USSR on 27 August 1991.  Fighting broke out between Moldovan forces and separatists in March 1992.  Transnistria considers itself an independent country but only Russia recognises it.  The Russian 14th Army has 1200 troops in Transnistria that Moldova wants recalled.  As part of the ceasefire agreement that has been in place since July 1992 states that if Moldova tries to merge with Romania then Transnistria will be allowed to go its own way.     

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe.  Many Moldovans have left the country as migrant workers.  Money from abroad accounts for almost 38% of the country's GDP.  In 2013, Moldova entered an agreement with the EU, placing it on a path to future membership.  This is not something that Russia is happy about.

The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was the largest of the 15 Soviet Republics.  It contained over half the entire USSR's population and dominated the country.  On 12 December 1991, it declared independence.

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world, stretching from Northern Europe to the Caucasus and from Eastern Europe to Asia.  It covers 1/8th of the world's inhabited land area. It spans nine time zones and it's larger than Pluto.

The Russian Federation is made up of 46 provinces, 22 republics, 9 territories, 4 autonomous district, 1 autonomous province and 3 federal cities.

Russia inherited the USSR's seat on the UN Security Council.  

Russia claims to have a right to intervene in former Soviet republics to protect all Russian speakers.  This was used to invade Georgia in 2008 in the five-day war in South Ossetia as wells as to annex Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic became a republic in 1929.  Tajikistan declared independence on 9 September 1991.  Almost immediately a civil war broke out that lasted from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan is the poorest of all the former Soviet republics.

Turkmenistan was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881. In 1925, it became the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic.  Turkmenistan declared independence on 27 October 1991. Turkmenistan is home to the world's 4th largest reserves of natural gas.

It is a very closed off country.  A visa is required to visit and tourists are only allowed in as part of a group tour.

Over the centuries Ukraine has been ruled by Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Empire.  It was an independent country for a few years following WWI but then in 1922 it became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and a founding member of the USSR.

Under Stalin, Ukrainian nationalism was put down.  Forced collectivisation and unrealistic quotas for farmers caused Holodomor, The Great Famine, where millions of Ukrainians were starved to death.  Another 7-8 million more people died during WWII.

Ukraine declared independence on 24 August 1991.  In 1994, it became the first former Soviet republic to experience a peaceful transfer of power via the ballot box.

Ukraine is the second-largest county in Europe.  When the USSR broke up, Ukraine was a nuclear power.  In 1996, Ukraine surrendered all of its Soviet-era nuclear weapons to Russia.  This was under the condition that Ukrainian territory would be respected.  That hasn't worked out so well.

Ukraine wants to eventually join the EU and NATO.  Obviously this doesn't sit well with Russia.  In 2014, Russia illegally annexed Crimea.  Russia has also supported separatists in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.  The Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic border Russia and both unilaterally declared independence on 7 April 2014.  Ukraine regards both as terrorist organisations.  After seven years of fighting the Ukrainian government has made progress but there are both separatist controlled areas with constant fighting.

Uzbekistan was conquered and incorporated in to the Russian Empire during the 19th century.  In 1924 it became the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.  Uzbekistan declared independence on 31 August 1991.

Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world and it is the only country that borders all of the "Stans".

I've managed to visit 13 of the 15 former republics.  I had originally planned on visiting Turkmenistan this year but Covid put that on hold.  Here's a short video I found out on YouTube about the breakup of the USSR.

©Seeker

Update 2025:  Here are a couple of short videos about Lithuania being the first, and Kazakhstan being the last, republics to leave the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

©History Matters

Update 2025:  Here's another short video about the last ditch attempt to save the Soviet Union.

©History Matters

Support for Belarus

On Sunday there were rallies in Prague and Brno to support the protests going on in Belarus.  The protests going on in Minsk are against Alexander Lukashenko who has led the country for 26 years.  

He became president in 1994 when Belarus gained independence from the Soviet Union so he is the only leader that the country has ever had.  Lukashenko is known as the last dictator in Europe.

The Jošt statue in Brno now displays the Pahonia on its shield.  

The Pahonia was the official emblem of Belarus in 1918 and from 1991 to 1995.

Update:  8 October 2020, the Belarus government has pretty much shut down the embassies of Poland and Lithuania in Minsk.  The government has accused them of meddling in its internal affairs.  In solidarity, Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, and Latvia will now recall their ambassadors to Belarus.  The EU has blacklisted 40 Belarusian officials over the police crackdown on demonstrators against rigged elections.