The history of US anti-Russian sanctions shows that the West may also consider the scenario of disconnecting the Russian Federation from the Internet.
This was stated by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who was quoted by the government’s official website, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Usually in this case they say: “Well, who is going to cut us off there?” This, as it was said in one Soviet film, is philistine talk, because in fact they can cut you off from anything.
When our relations became complicated, for example, with the Americans, absolutely seriously - we know this, there were publications about it - the issue of cutting us off from the payment verification system was discussed. This is actually what is called a punch in the gut, it is, in fact, a declaration of war. But, nevertheless, it was discussed.
Why then not turn off this faucet connected to the Internet, especially since we know that the registration of domain names and a number of other functions, due to the way the Internet has developed, are carried out in the United States of America.
We have no confidence that at some point, in order to do something “pleasant” for us, we will not be disconnected from something,” Medvedev said.
He explained that Russia is trying to neutralize this threat.
“This is generally a dangerous thing. If someone cuts someone off, then, in fact, you can stop anything. A station, say, an energy station or something else, airplane flights. “Anything you can imagine,” Medvedev noted.
Let us recall that disconnecting Russia from the SWIFT banking system was discussed in the West during the intensification of hostilities in the Donbass.
Verkhovna Rada deputy Grigory Nemyrya, ex-head of George Soros's Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine, stated that Russia will be disconnected from SWIFT if Mariupol is captured by the LDPR militia.
Similar measures have already been taken by the West against Iran.
Disconnection from SWIFT could freeze all transactions of Russians with US dollars if they use the services of Russian banks - regardless of where these transactions are carried out, within the country or abroad.
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vladimir Ohryzko then called the disconnection from SWIFT the most painful possible blow to the Russian economy.
“Cutting off Russia, which is very connected with international financial institutions, transfers and settlements, will mean that in the short term the Russian economy will shrink,” Ogryzko assured.