Another experienced dev from Russia here.
I have the same situation. I tried to apply for a remote job at approximately 120 companies in different countries, including the US, UK and the EU. I keep track of them and the number is accurate. I have not had a single interview so far.
In average only one out of ten companies dignifies you with some kind of response, the rest just ignore. Out of those that respond only a handful say they do not hire remotely, in most cases you just see a meaningless reply template. If you are very lucky they may offer to interview you for an on-site position.
It is definitely not the lack of skills, motivation, discounts, etc. I composed different cover letters, I stated claerly that I was open to contract positions, I have tried everything. None of it works.
I tried recruitment agencies as well. They just ignore you even when you try to apply for positions that are explicitely remote.
I can get an interview at a Russian company easily and the difference is overwhelming.
It seems to me that there might be something fundamentally wrong with my applications and the thought about the political situation has crossed my mind as well.
But I believe it is most likely related to accounting and/or operational issues. The timezone issue makes it even worse. Looks like very few companies know how to deal with that type of employment and those are usually "consultants" working in your own country. The rest just redflag you immediately.
I guess they will only be willing to talk to you if you are a perfect 10/10 match for this position.
I am posting this for those who want to try the same thing. You may easily waste your time and end up with nothing. The naive and straightforward way does not work. At least for me.