Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a uniquely widespread global rejection of all things Russian — going far beyond the aggression shown to other groups whose radicals or leaders have taken innocent lives.
International competitions have blocked Russian athletes, stores have tossed Russian-branded vodka, museums are pulling their Russian art, and restaurants are being vandalized.
The expulsion of Russian people and products reflects the unity with which the West has approached its reproach of Russia.
But it is also a more forceful application of a guilt-by-association than has been applied to other people loosely linked to an offending group.
For example, Americans and leaders in other Western countries worked to limit negative public perceptions of Muslims in the wake of radical Islamic terror attacks from 2001 and beyond.
The anti-Russian sentiment has hurt some small businesses with virtually no ties to the violence.
A New York City restaurant called Russian Samovar, which serves Russian cuisine, has faced threats and vandalism since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Its owner said the restaurant lost more than half of its business in the 24 hours after the invasion began.
Even some critics of Putin’s actions have questioned whether the complete exclusion of Russians from Western society is the proper response to the war.
Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa, for example, took aim at the European Film Academy for announcing a boycott of Russian movies, despite his own strong feelings about the violence in his home country.
“What is happening before our eyes if [sic] horrible, but I’m asking you to not fall into craziness. We must not judge people based on their passports,” Loznitsa reportedly wrote in a letter to the academy. “We can judge them on their acts. A passport is tied to the place we happen to be born, whereas an act is that a human being does willingly.”
Some Russians have been punished despite denouncing the violence in Ukraine that sparked the complete crackdown on Russians.
Famed Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko, for example, lost her ability to perform with the Metropolitan Opera last week after criticizing the war in Ukraine but withholding direct criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she has in the past supported.
Like many other international sports governing bodies, tennis federations have banned Russian players from competing despite a top women’s Russian tennis player, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, breaking with many Russian athletes and speaking out against the war in Ukraine.
The bans on Russians participating in international competitions have stretched across virtually all international forums.
Russian and Belarusian athletes were sent home from the Winter Games in Beijing last week after the International Paralympic Committee decided to expel the teams amid pressure from other competing countries.
The international soccer federation FIFA banned Russian teams and clubs from competition indefinitely.
Even Russian cats have been barred from international cat competitions.
The bans have extended beyond what countries or global institutions have implemented in efforts to isolate Russia further as Putin continues his military incursion in Ukraine.
A growing number of private companies are halting business in Russia in ways that have already begun to make life more difficult for the Russian citizens whose opposition to the war could eventually pressure Putin into changing his calculus.
Visa, American Express, and Mastercard have all suspended operations in Russia in protest of its invasion.
Electronics companies are refusing to ship new products to Russia as well. Samsung, Apple, and Microsoft all pledged to cut new sales of smartphones and other products to the Russian market.
Netflix has said no new users can sign up for its services. Studios such as Walt Disney and Paramount have announced they will not release new movies in Russia while the war proceeds.
Retailers across the country have even boycotted Russian vodka in what experts describe as a mostly symbolic effort to show opposition to the war.
