"Go beat/kill this guy" is violence, yet it's just words. Putin haven't killed people with his bare hands(at least for a few years...)But who wouldn't call him violent?
If your sanctions cause people to die, of hunger, sickness or anything else, it's violence.
I'm not against sanctions depending on the circumstances, but you're just wrong
1. "Go beat/kill this guy" is specific targeted incitement.
2. Sanctions are not the same as a blockade. What you're describing is a blockade. To be more specific, suspending trade is not the same an active blockade. I haven't seen any indication to see the current sanctions could even function as a blockade.
The same as the guy in the article was imprisoned by the United States?
EDIT: Putin puts people in jail for not following marching orders. The U.S. puts people in jail for not following sanctions. It doesn't seem logical to draw a distinction on what is or is not warlike (bullets vs sanctions) based on who jails people, since they both jail people who disobey orders. I assume other factors would be more relevant?
If your sanctions cause people to die, of hunger, sickness or anything else, it's violence.
I'm not against sanctions depending on the circumstances, but you're just wrong