Sanctions are draining Russia's economy - and are likely costing Putin close allies. Three people's banks in China stopped payment transactions with Russia.
If all Chinese banks stop accepting yuan payments from Russia, it would pose a major problem for Russia. Russia's central bank admitted it had limited options other than the Chinese yuan for its reserves. The behavior of the allies would indicate that Russia wants to radiate great self-confidence to the outside world. However, there are concerns about the future of the Russian economy.