Russians have already started buying and this is one of the reasons we are seeing massive movements in bitcoin prices. Also, the world has realized that in a war situation, only the cash in hand and crypto in decentralized wallets are the safest way to store the wealth. The banks and plastic cards are useless in this situation. People are unable to use debit or credit cards if the governments/banks ban their usage in crisis situations.
Exactly.
Banks can't halt their ATMs and no one can ever withdraw their money even at desperate times. That's why purchases made through crypto have been happening there.
Although this news might not be from Russia, it's possible that it's also happening there.
News:
Danish Reporters in Ukraine Buy Used Car with BitcoinWith the war crisis, people in the affected countries will find a way how to get their assets to safety. And crypto is indeed a very good option because if they will send it to their own wallet, they have the full control and the government won't know its existence. So in this situation, they can buy from the exchange but they need to transfer it fast to noncustodial wallets where they have their own keys. Otherwise, if they will leave it to their centralized exchanges, the exchange can easily freeze their accounts in case their government mandates it.