The head of Sberbank Gref called the restrictions on the conversion of the ruble by the United States impracticable rubles into other foreign currencies, Interfax writes. According to him, such a measure is impracticable, and information about the plans of the American authorities is “fiction and utter nonsense.”
Earlier, Bloomberg journalists said that the new package of US sanctions against Russia may include restrictions on the conversion of the ruble. Thus, the American government intends to “punish” the country in the event of an invasion of the territory of Ukraine. “It is impossible to prohibit it, it is impossible to fulfill it, and in general such notions … You know, it seems to me that journalists from Bloomberg sometimes need to go out into the open world, because, apparently, they have sat out in the office if they make such predictions. Such forecasts may frighten them themselves, probably, “Gref said.
According to Bloomberg, the US also intends to impose restrictions on the largest Russian banks and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Agency sources said that US President Joe Biden could discuss these measures at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a meeting on December 7.
US CNN was the first to announce the possibility of introducing new sanctions against Russia on December 6. According to him, the draft restrictive package includes a “nuclear option” – disconnecting Russia from the international payment system SWIFT. However, Bloomberg journalists considered this measure unlikely due to its excessive radicalism – it could harm ordinary citizens of Russia.
CNN reported that the main target of US sanctions would be members of Vladimir Putin's inner circle and Russian oligarchs. They may be hindered from travel and have limited access to US banks and credit card systems. Sanctions against the Russian government debt and the energy sector are also named among the possible restrictive measures.