Russia’s War in Ukraine: How Internal Repressions and Evasion of International Sanctions Strengthen Russia’s War Capacity

In this article, Dr Irakli Laitadze argues that Russia has largely neutralized the intended impact of international sanctions and the oil embargo. He contends that Russia’s war effort rests on two mutually reinforcing pillars: intensified domestic repression and systematic sanctions evasion. According to the analysis, repression ensures social control and secrecy, while sanctions evasion—often intertwined with corruption—provides the economic resources needed to sustain both repression and the war. Together, these dynamics have transformed Russia into a mobilized autocracy that exemplifies authoritarian resilience.