Russian Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseev indicated that the scale of assets blocked abroad mirrors the amount of foreign assets frozen within Russia. He noted that in some instances smaller banks have managed to swap these holdings, a detail he attributed to ongoing negotiations. This assessment was reported by TASS on that day.
Moiseev explained that the measures already adopted have effectively produced what he described as retaliation—a strategic, targeted form of bargaining. He noted that there are already separate repercussions in particular circumstances, and discussions on these issues are continuing among involved parties, as reported by the same source.
According to the deputy minister, some small banks could currently choose to withdraw modest sums from overseas by exchanging them for foreigners’ frozen funds. He characterized these as isolated, ad hoc adjustments rather than a broad, coordinated shift in policy, and he confirmed these local arrangements are occurring outside any single, unified framework. The information was conveyed in statements summarized by TASS from officials familiar with the situation.
Earlier, the Central Bank of Russia warned citizens about the risks of keeping funds in foreign banks. Simultaneously, Deputy Chairman Alexei Guznov indicated that the regulator is preparing a range of scenarios for restoring international reserves held abroad and potentially returning assets that have been blocked in foreign jurisdictions. These developments reflect the ongoing tension between national financial controls and international capital flows, a topic closely watched by analysts in Canada and the United States for its implications on cross-border liquidity and stability.
Last spring, Russia’s Ministry of Finance estimated the value of gold and foreign currency reserves blocked abroad at around 300 billion dollars. This figure has been cited in official briefings as a benchmark for discussing the scope of international restrictions and the preparedness of Moscow to respond through measured, strategic moves in its financial architecture. The discussion continues to shape how financial authorities perceive risk, collateral, and the resilience of the national reserve framework, a subject of interest to policymakers and investors alike in North America.