Russia's invasion of Georgia has shocked the west and spurred talkabout how to respond. The conventional wisdom is that the west can do little to punish Russia. True, western governments have limited leverage, but in economic terms the Russian invasion has already hit it hard, even before western governments lifted a finger. This economic blow shows the west how it can punish Russia's leaders.
在8月8日这个重大的日子,俄罗斯股市重挫6.5%。过去两个月中,该国股市下跌了36%,令股东的资本减少了5000亿美元,接近于俄罗斯5800亿美元的外汇储备规模。在入侵当周,资本流出额达160亿美元,导致国内骤然出现信贷紧缩。据查证,两名俄罗斯富豪加入了抛售俄罗斯天然气工业股份公司(Gazprom)股票的行列。他们对俄罗斯总理弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)不满。普京曾夸口莫斯科将成为一个新的manbetx app苹果 金融中心,而卢布将成为一种国际储备货币。如今看来,这真是可悲的笑话。