Ordinary Russians are feeling the pain of sanctions and flight bans

It's been almost a week since Russia invaded Ukraine, and while Ukrainians are dealing with a military onslaught, Russians are feeling the pinch of Western sanctions.

Russians aredivided on whether President Vladimir Putin was right toattackUkraine, but they are all experiencing the painful effects of that decision.

The value of the ruble, Russia's currency, has dropped dramatically, and the fact that many parts of the world, including Canada, have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft has forced citizens to quickly change plans.

At Finlandskaya train station in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, CBC News spoke to a number of Russians about how the conflicthas upended their lives.

Olga Akimova, 31, lives in Malaga, Spain, but was in Russia to visit her family in a small town outside of Moscow.She wasn't meant to return to Spain until March 13, but due tothe general mood of fear and uncertainty, she was heading back early.

Because she can't fly directly anymore, Akimova was getting ready to board a train to Helsinki. From there, she will fly back to Spain.

While she acknowledgedthat Ukraine and Russia have been in dispute over territory in Eastern Ukraine, Akimovasaid the invasion was"terrible" and "can't be justified."

She was also concerned that "the situation can become more serious at any time ... I'm really scared."

WATCH | Olga Akimova describes her fear at how the conflict could escalate:

'I'm scared'

3 years ago

Duration 0:46

Olga Akimova, 31, explains that she's leaving Russia early after a visit to her hometown near Moscow.

EkaterinaVitiska, 32, was travelling with her son and mother. She was supposed to be on a flightto the Netherlands, but thatwas cancelled. She had an opportunity to get back to the Netherlands via Istanbul, but was leery about flying south, as Russian and Ukrainian forces are clashing in several locations along the Black Sea.

And so she, too, is taking the train to Helsinki, whereVitiska's husband will meet her and they willcarry on to the Netherlands.

Fears about long-term effects

Vitiska said that she fears for the long-term effects of the sanctions.

"I think with this whole economicsituation and work and everything will be just on hold here," she said. "I am very afraid that I won't be able to visit [my parents] as much as I was able, and help them as well with money, and bring them [to the Netherlands] whenever I want."

WATCH | Ekaterina Vitiska worries about the longer-term effects of the sanctions:

Concerned about Russian economy

3 years ago

Duration 0:32

Ekaterina Vitiska, 32, is worried about being able to move freely and see her parents as a result of the sanctions directed at Russia.

Outside Finlandskaya station, a man who gave only his first name, Sergei,was playing the accordion, a gesture he said was meant to lift the spirits of people walking by.

With him was a woman who gave her name onlyas Rosalea. She said shebelieves that Ukraine should be a part of Russiaand that Russia's military action was just a case of it defending itself.

Rosaleabelieves that the Western world simply assumes Russia's guilt in all matters and said that the sanctions are temporary.

The financial impact of sanctions

But others say the sanctions are already making daily life difficult.

Russians in Moscow and other cities talked to The Associated Pressabout how the recently implementedsanctions have played out in their daily lives, pointing to problems with converting rubles into foreign currency, long lines at ATMs and certain bank cards failing them.

Irina Biryukova in Yaroslavl, in a city about 250 kilometres northeast of Moscow, said she could only deposit a limited amount of money into her bank account through the bank ATMs.

"The majority of ATMs(of this bank) don't work to deposit (money)," Biryukova said.

Food prices, according to some businesses, have started soaring, too.

"All the main ingredients we prepare our products from have gone up in price by 30-40 per cent," said Ilya Oktavin, who runs delivery service at a Perm sushi bar.

Certain goods are also harder to come by because of actions by companies such as Nike, which on Tuesday night halted online sales with a statement on the company's website saying it "can't guarantee delivery of the goods to shoppers in Russia." On Wednesday, H&M announced suspending "all sales" in the country.

WATCH | Sanctions take their toll in Russia:

Sanctions, restrictions mean Russians have few ways to leave

3 years ago

Duration 2:30

Some Russians are scrambling to get out of the country, as sanctions and airspace restrictions enacted after Russia's invasion of Ukraine create limited options. Meanwhile, the pressure on protesters is heating up.

Potential impact on employment, prices

Kremlin critics are painting a bleak picture for Russia.

"We're facing growing prices, mass layoffs, delays in payment of benefits or pensions," opposition politician Yulia Galyamina wrote on Facebook Wednesday.

"Shortages of medicines and medical equipment. Aging and impoverished car and aircraft fleet.... We'll be remembering the 1990s as hardly the worst time. But I have only one question: for what?"

In what looked like an effort to prevent panic, Russian authorities on Tuesday launched a special website, titled "We're explaining," that talks about how various areas of life are functioning under the pressure of sanctions.

Worrying reports, like the ones anticipating a spike in prices, or saying that certain services don't work, are debunked on the website as "fake."

Some Russians, in the meantime, say that it's not so much the sanctions that worry them, but the deadly attack Russia waged on a neighbouring country.

"You know, sanctions bother me the least. I'm worried about Russia killing people in Ukraine," said Moscow resident Ivan Kozlov. "I wish it stopped the war no sane person with a conscience and capable of mercy and compassion in Russia wants."