Russia and Ukraine have been at war for more than two years. And despite predictions that thousands of economic sanctions would bring Russia to its knees, that hasn’t happened.

Why not? Gold.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Robert Huish of Dalhousie University explains how Putin’s move to tie the Russian ruble to gold has helped the country evade sanctions. But the price of gold fluctuates like everything else, he writes, “which is why Putin’s goal of turning the ruble into pure gold is not genius, it is desperate.”

Consumers have a role to play by refusing to buy gold from countries like Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates that buy up huge amounts of gold produced by Russia. That includes gold bars sold at Costco. But he also points out: “No single policy can thwart Putin’s goals — it requires disrupting the supply of gold beyond Russia, and that might well mean involving the U.A.E.”

Also today:

• Mentorship is key to improving social and economic outcomes for Black youth
• Floating crystals slow stellar aging — for some stars, this can delay death by billions of years
• Cheers to health? Uncovering myths around the health benefits of moderate drinking
• Operation Legacy: How Britain covered up its colonial crimes