Number of online articles mentioning sanctions on Russia worldwide 2022-2024

Which of the Western sanctions on Russia were the most covered in online news? Around 5,300 news pieces contained the combination of keywords "Russia," "import," and "ban" in 2024. In that year, the number of online articles mentioning trade sanctions on Russia was significantly lower than in 2022 when the Russia-Ukraine war began. Furthermore, the news of several Russian banks being removed from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) was mentioned in around 65,600 online articles around the world over the course of 2022, though the coverage of that topic decreased significantly in 2023 and 2024. The SWIFT ban was one of numerous sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. To compare, Schengen visa restrictions for Russian tourists were mentioned in almost 4,200 online articles in 2024.

Online news coverage of trade sanctions on Russia

Trade restrictions on Russia were widely covered by global online media in 2022 and 2023. Among the Western import bans of Russians goods, the restrictions on energy sources were the most covered, particularly because a significant portion of Russia's budget comes from oil and gas sales. In 2024, around 2,000 and 1,600 online articles mentioned import bans on Russian oil and gas, respectively.