Your assumption that the end goal of sanctions is ‘save Ukrainian lives’ is incomplete. If the end goal of sanctions is to prevent World War Three by deterring Russia from invading the Baltics or other NATO countries and/or deterring China from invading Taiwan, then the trade-off looks very different. Because preventing WW3 is a goal that justifies very large sacrifices in human life.
Your assumption that the end goal of sanctions is ‘save Ukrainian lives’ is incomplete. If the end goal of sanctions is to prevent World War Three by deterring Russia from invading the Baltics or other NATO countries and/or deterring China from invading Taiwan, then the trade-off looks very different. Because preventing WW3 is a goal that justifies very large sacrifices in human life.