(WJHL) – As the Russian invasion of Ukraine escalates, Tri-Cities residents weighed in on the impact they’re expecting to see at home.
After 100 News Channel 11 viewers filled out a WJHL.com survey, 48% of respondents said they are “willing” to face the potential economic impacts of sanctions against Russia. A further 21% said they were slightly willing, with a combined 31% of respondents saying they are neutral, slightly unwilling or unwilling.
Gasoline prices were far and way the main impact area anticipated by viewers, with 95% expecting to see prices at the pump rising. Grocery prices took second, with 56% of respondents citing concerns.
59 percent of respondents indicated that they are expecting a negative to significantly negative personal impact from sanctions, and a fourth of respondents anticipated no impact at all. 14 percent expected a positive impact, with 2 respondents expecting significantly positive results.
While changes in the grocery aisle and gas pump are largely expected by those who responded, several did not anticipate much change in how they shop. Approximately 41% said they aren’t likely to change, 34% said they are and a quarter were unsure.
A majority of respondents, 58% to be exact, told News Channel 11 that they are expecting to avoid Russian products in the future. In addition, 27% said they will seek out Ukrainian products, and 37% said they would not be altering their decisions.
30 percent of respondents said they expected sanctions leveled against Russia to last 6 months to a year. However, 40% said they expect the measures – which have already caused the Russian Ruble to plummet to historic lows – to continue for multiple years.
When asked why they believed sanctions could last so long, respondents cited multiple concerns.
“Russia has committed unforgivable actions and I don’t think the EU will ever forget this” one respondent said. “The US might or many Americans will but the world in general will never forget. It will take Putin dying or being replaced and many years of change before the world will ever trust Russia again and ever want to work with them again.”
Russia is now facing calls for international investigations after the bombing of areas that Ukrainian officials say held no military value and a thermobaric “vacuum bomb” allegedly killed civilians in Kharkiv. White House officials say that if the allegations are true, then the bombing could constitute a war crime.
“Sanctions against Russia and the potential collapse of the current Ukrainian economy will have long lasting impacts,” one said. “Expecting tech to be hit hard with Ukrainian production of Neon gas to be reduced or eliminated. The dependence on Russian oil will also have negative impacts on our local economy.”
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of Neon gas, according to tech publication Wired, and publication analysts say wartime disruptions could exacerbate the ongoing global chip shortage.
“I firmly believe that the sociopolitical unrest the invasion of Ukraine has caused will oust Putin,” another respondent said. “As a result, the EU and other NATO countries (US included) will ease sanctions, as it isn’t the fault of the Russian people and they should not be made to suffer.”
Several expressed hopes that the pressure placed on the Russian economy would end in the removal of president Vladimir Putin, either through the limited democratic means available to the Russian citizens or popular revolt.
