Three years into the most extensive sanctions campaign in modern history, a critical question remains unanswered: are Russian sanctions working? This episode examines how UK and EU sanctions policies have evolved into dragnet operations that often target peripheral figures while leaving Russia's core power structures largely untouched.

We explore the fundamental design flaws in current international sanctions frameworks, from the Herbert Smith Freehills compliance case to the controversial Shvidler v Secretary of State ruling. Rather than precision instruments of foreign policy, these measures have become political theater that prioritizes headlines over effectiveness.

Through analysis of recent legal cases and enforcement patterns, we reveal how guilt-by-association targeting and retroactive liability have undermined the credibility of EU sanctions on Russia. The episode examines why sanctions enforcement has criminalized compliance failures while struggling to demonstrate measurable impact on Russia's strategic capabilities.

Join us as we dissect the uncomfortable reality behind sanctions policy and explore what precision-based reforms could mean for the future of international economic pressure campaigns.

Three years into comprehensive international sanctions, this episode critically examines whether Russian sanctions are achieving their intended goals. We analyze the impact of sanctions on Russia through Moscow's sophisticated evasion tactics, including a massive shadow fleet that now handles 70% of Russian oil exports.

Despite EU sanctions on Russia and the G7 price cap mechanism, Russian oil revenues have actually increased 5% since 2023, raising fundamental questions about why sanctions on Russia haven't delivered expected results. From India's record-breaking oil imports to China's sustained demand, we explore how Asian markets have undermined EU sanctions effectiveness.

Through detailed analysis of enforcement gaps, ship-to-ship transfers, and maritime law loopholes, this episode reveals the complex reality behind current international sanctions policies and their unintended consequences for global energy markets.