Long lines for ATMs, empty shelves and great mystery. In the first week of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, everything indicates that Russian citizens will soon be subject to Western sanctions. President Putin will plunge the Russian economy into the abyss with his war.

Five other European sanctions packages, shelves are still somewhat full and the economic impact appears to be exaggerated. “The consequences of sanctions for most Russians are limited at the moment, except for sharply higher prices,” says Russian correspondent Geert Grote-Corkamp. “This will change, but it will take months.”

He says the shops in Moscow present a familiar sight. “Imported products are slowly disappearing from the shelves, but it’s usually about one brand that is out of stock in warehouses.” According to him, the fact that products like copy paper are hard to come by or just at exorbitant prices has to do with panic buying earlier this spring.

Tatiana says so too. She lives with her husband and two teenage sons in a Moscow suburb. “We are not afraid of sanctions,” she says. “We know very well how to live.” “The first two weeks, I was very shocked. The exchange rate of the ruble also bothered me and many of my friends. They are gone now.”

“Everything is always more expensive in Russia,” Tatiana said in an interview with NOS: