WASHINGTON — Russians living in Miami and the French Riviera “who cannot do without foie gras, oysters or so-called gender freedoms” are traitors to their homeland, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, dismissing the effects of Western sanctions on Russian nationals with real estate assets overseas.
U.S. and European sanctions have decimated the value of the Russian ruble since Putin ordered a brutal military invasion of Ukraine three weeks ago, sending the nation’s economy into a tailspin.
Western powers are betting “on national traitors — on those who earn money here, with us, but live there,” Putin said, speaking at a meeting with regional leaders on the economic fallout from the crisis.
