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Comment by culebron21 | Hacker News Reader

There's a big difference -- when EU/US bans Russians from using Roblox and other things and seeing other culture, (or someone bans Russians or Iranians by IP), it's rightful and thoughtful decision to protect democracy. When Russia does the same, it's dictatorial censorship.

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Not all governments are equal - though this cuts both ways.

Which bans are you referring to?

They’re referring to sanctions - persons/businesses residing in Russia, certain specific individuals and those working for specific Russian entities are locked out of much of the Western economy. I think it’s reasonable personally, but I can understand how a Russian 1000km from the Ukrainian frontline who used to sell jewelry on Etsy would be pissed.

The most affected were not those inside, but the emigrants. MasterCard and Visa blocked Russian banks, and the emigrees couldn't pay with their savings anymore. Some people got shadow banned by banks, their accounts closed, or money transfers rejected.

These people were on the Europe's side politically, yet they were targeted by just the passport.

None of the Russian expats I’ve met had this problem: after 2014 they all saw the writing on the wall and moved their money to western banks. I have sympathy for those that didn’t - normal people shouldn’t have to make this kind of calculus - but there’s no alternative to this while having useful sanctions. It’s not the causeless brutality of breaking someone’s window because of their accent.

Well, every expat I know, including me, had this problem and spent days working around. And the sanctions were very poorly designed, because the drones landing in Ukraine still have fresh American and German parts.

I'm not saying they should be lifted, but they punished the most exactly the pro-European Russians, inside our outside.

The way you phrase it, the banks were targeted, not the people or passports. Seems like anyone with money in a Russian bank would be in the same boat.

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