Number of online articles mentioning sanctions on Russia worldwide 2022-2023

Which of the Western sanctions on Russia were the most covered in online news? Around 71,400 news pieces contained the combination of keywords "Russia," "import," and "ban" in 2023. In that year, the number of online articles mentioning trade sanctions on Russia was significantly higher 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. 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 23,400 online articles in 2023.

Online news coverage of trade sanctions on Russia

Trade restrictions on Russia were widely covered by global online media. Among the Western import bans of Russians goods imposed in 2022, the restrictions on energy sources were the most covered, particularly due to the fact that a significant portion of Russia's budget comes from oil and gas sales. In 2023, over 55,000 and 52.800 online articles mentioned import bans on Russian oil and gas, respectively.