Russian tourists stuck in Bali and Thailand without money

Hundreds of Russian tourists on the resort island of Bali have found themselves stranded on the island, after their ability to withdraw funds was cut off due to sanctions imposed on Russia after its war on Ukraine.

Russian tourists were unable to withdraw cash abroad, due to the sanctions imposed on "Russian money".

Last week, Visa and MasterCard revealed that they had suspended operations in Russia, while a number of banks in the country had been cut off from international payment systems.

According to Reuters, these decisions have left Russian travelers in Bali, Indonesia "shattered" and unable to get money from ATMs.

Speaking to Reuters, tourist Konstantin Ivanov, 27, revealed that he had not been able to access his money for days.

"This has caused a big problem for us," he said. "We were completely left out of our finances.. It's as if they were completely frozen and we can't use our finances here."

Ivanov added that he may have to find a job while he is there in order to save on living costs.

Meanwhile, the manager of a local coffee shop explained that he had noticed fewer Russian customers in recent days, and that those who came were often paid by cash rather than credit card.

Reuters indicated that about 1,150 Russians entered Indonesia in January 2022, and there are other tourists in other countries.

Also in Thailand, nearly 7,000 Russians were stranded due to flight cancellations.

Although the sanctions prevented Russian travelers from using the global payment system Swift, embassy spokesman Denis Tetyushin said there was alternative assistance.

He explained that Pushta Bank in the country offers a virtual card through the Chinese "Union Pay" system, adding: "It is free and people can open it wherever they are."

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