Putin's commodities ban threat puzzles Russian firms and officials
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian officials and managers are perplexed by President Vladimir Putin's surprise threat to limit exports of strategic commodities in response to Western sanctions, and wonder if it can be realised without hurting Russia more than the West.
Putin made the suggestion 23 minutes into a routine government meeting on Wednesday, asking Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to come up with some ideas that would not harm Russia's interests.
Yet many of Russia's commodities such as oil, gas, nickel, titanium, gold and diamonds are already subject to various levels of voluntary or mandatory import restrictions or even bans imposed by the West itself.
Russian government officials and company executives were caught off guard.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/putins-commodities-ban-threat-puzzles-142730195.html