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International rating agencies S&P and Fitch believe that the Russian economy could suffer even without the escalation of the conflict with Ukraine and the “invasion” of the territory of the latter, as tensions between the West and Moscow have increased.
According to the agencies, potential triggers for anti-Russian sanctions are not only military actions, but also cyber attacks from the territory of the Russian Federation and “interference” in the November elections to the US Congress, RBC reports.
That said, Fitch notes that in the absence of a conflict with Ukraine, “more likely sanctions include a ban on U.S. investors from engaging in sovereign debt transactions on the secondary market, as well as additional sanctions against high-ranking officials, state structures and property of supporters of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin “.
For its part, S&P notes that the risk of imposing tough sanctions remains, and it is likely “to limit the prospects for long-term growth of the Russian economy”, and may also hit the attractiveness of the Russian economy for investors.
As a reminder, earlier, on December 4 last year, Fitch affirmed Russia’s sovereign credit rating at BBB with a stable outlook. But even then, the agency warned that there are factors that do not allow to increase the rating. Fitch pointed out, in particular, that reports of a buildup of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine add to foreign policy risks, as well as the aggravation of Russia’s relations with the European Union and the United States against this background.
We also add that back in November-December 2021, the world media was filled with the topic of the alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that should follow. According to the authors and experts of these publications, a sign of “invasion” is the concentration of Russian military equipment in the regions bordering Ukraine. Among the likely sanctions were both the shutdown of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as well as restrictions against Russian energy companies, and the shutdown of the SWIFT international interbank settlement system.
Source: Rosbalt
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
