Russia Includes Republic San Marino On List Of Unfriendly Countries Baffling Twitter And Inspiring Memes

By Aidan Walker
2288 views
• Published 2 years ago

Published 2 years ago

Russian state media published a list of 43 countries that it considers “unfriendly” today, including the very small European republic of San Marino, much to the internet’s confusion and amusement. The 43 countries on the list also include more well-known names like the United States, Australia, Japan and all of the European Union.


The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, as it's formally known, is a 24-square mile enclave in northeastern Italy that declared independence from the Roman Empire in 301 AD. It's the oldest republic in the world and has a population of about 34,000, which is a lot less than Russia’s or any other major player on the list. For many on Twitter, today was the first time they’d ever heard of it, inspiring bewildered reactions and memes.


Those who already knew San Marino existed before today expressed their admiration for the small but fascinating country, memeing their reactions to the country making the list for unknown reasons.


Many wondered about the thought process behind San Marino’s inclusion on the list, speculating in tweets as to why Vladimir Putin might have it out for the microstate.


Some speculated that the reason for San Marino’s inclusion had to do with Russian companies and oligarchs needing to move money around. San Marino, and other microstates like it, often have permissive tax laws that allow for the hiding of assets and money.


What the “unfriendly” designation technically means is Russian citizens and companies that have foreign currency debts of over $72,000 per month in the 43 unfriendly countries will be able to pay those debts back in rubles, the Russian currency that is rapidly decreasing in value. Essentially, this measure allows a Russian with a mortgage in San Marino or a Russian company that has bought bonds there to pay their debts and continue functioning despite sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.

What it means for San Marino long-term to be included on the list is still open for debate. Some speculated that, perhaps, some of the people who had just learned of the country’s existence might plan on visiting it sometime soon.


Top News

The "Chill Guy" meme copyrighted by creator Phillip Banks.

The 'Chill Guy' Meme Has Been Copyrighted By Its Creator Phillip Banks, Who Says He's DMCA Striking Brands Using It For Profit

Sophie Rain shrugging and a tweet reacting to her OF claim.

OnlyFans Creator Sophie Rain Claims Top Supporter Spent $4.7 Million On Her Content, But Many Are Saying It's Fake

Minecraft Movie trailer with the Children Yearn For the Mines meme reference.

'The Children Yearn For The Mines' Meme Mentioned In New 'A Minecraft Movie' Trailer, Sparking Renewed Interest In Child Labor

Lucky Luciano from the You Know I Had to Do it to Em meme in 2014 and 2024.

Lucky Luciano Had To Recreate His Iconic Photograph 10 Years Later In First-Ever Interview

Comments ( 1 )

Sorry, but you must activate your account to post a comment.