Funny story, heard from someone who is pretty well connected, the deal that McDonald's did selling all it's property and interests in Russia (for around 10-20% of it's worth, contains a clause enabling them to repurchase at a slightly marked up price within a certain period of time)
Ultimately sanctions have never worked, they always punish the innocent over the empowered, and in this particular case it shows that there's a hell of a difference sanctioning a small isldnd like Cuba or someplace that 'globally is irrelevant' to trying to sanction a commodities 'super power' which is interconnected to everything.
Even stupider when the US president tells Putin face to face a year earlier exactly what he was gonna do giving him time to completely plan around it.
All the sanctions does is punish the poorest in society. Theyve been going on for decades un Cuba, Iran and North Korea and have just strengthened support for their leaders and punished the poor.
The rich are able to siphon wealth to other areas, the poor arent. In this country its contributing to inflation which, surprise surprise, punishes the poorest.
On the specific case if Russia, it's not going to work. They are too big, and have too many resources. They have now started trading with China and India without using dollars. That's a major defeat in itself for the west and the USA. Lots of other progressive countries like South Africa, Cuba and Venezuela will trade with them. People are understandably sick of America trying to be the worlds policeman.
Some sensible voices in the west are continuing on to this, and its why the EU are softening. Unfortunately are servile, lapdog mentality towards America means it will take a bit longer here. But it will happen too.