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Russia turned the taps off in order to raise pressure for European concessions in order to turn them back on again. Germany has been tepid in its Ukrainian supp

Russia turned the taps off in order to raise pressure for European concessions in order to turn them back on again. Germany has been tepid in its Ukrainian support because they want to have their cake and eat it, too. Now they can't no matter what. With the pipes permanently broken (at least for this winter), Russia has lost that leverage.

cassepipe 4y ago
Especially since gas prices have gone up so I don't think Russia suffered the price of rationing delivery
Tade0 4y ago
> Russia turned the taps off in order to raise pressure for European concessions in order to turn them back on again. I don't want to sound dismissive, but that's a characteristically western take on things. Nord Stream 2 was largely redundant and Russia missed the window to use those pipelines against Germany by allowing it to fill it's storage. Russia is no stranger to causing damage to itself just to ensure that their enemies also suffer. Case in point: back in 2015, as retaliation to sanctions they banned some imports of food from the EU deeming it "unsafe for consumption"(a particularly funny reason for someone familiar with the respective food standards). Contraband was publicly destroyed, upsetting a considerable chunk of the Russian public.
- gpderetta 4y ago
  North Stream 1 was also hit.
- therusskiy 4y ago
  Putin treats Russians as his property, but money from gas goes directly into his and his friend's pockets. His friends he listens to. He also uses these money to arm police to keep population at bay. There's also some weird pride he takes in having gas. May be something else is in play here, but I don't think how this can be benefitial to his cause.
- hendrikrassmann 4y ago
  Little reminder that our (German) gas storage was only filled at 25% when the war started. On an unrelated note, we had sold big parts of that infrastructure to Russian companies.

cassepipe 4y ago

Especially since gas prices have gone up so I don't think Russia suffered the price of rationing delivery

Tade0 4y ago

> Russia turned the taps off in order to raise pressure for European concessions in order to turn them back on again. I don't want to sound dismissive, but that's a characteristically western take on things. Nord Stream 2 was largely redundant and Russia missed the window to use those pipelines against Germany by allowing it to fill it's storage. Russia is no stranger to causing damage to itself just to ensure that their enemies also suffer. Case in point: back in 2015, as retaliation to sanctions they banned some imports of food from the EU deeming it "unsafe for consumption"(a particularly funny reason for someone familiar with the respective food standards). Contraband was publicly destroyed, upsetting a considerable chunk of the Russian public.

gpderetta 4y ago
North Stream 1 was also hit.
therusskiy 4y ago
Putin treats Russians as his property, but money from gas goes directly into his and his friend's pockets. His friends he listens to. He also uses these money to arm police to keep population at bay. There's also some weird pride he takes in having gas. May be something else is in play here, but I don't think how this can be benefitial to his cause.
hendrikrassmann 4y ago
Little reminder that our (German) gas storage was only filled at 25% when the war started. On an unrelated note, we had sold big parts of that infrastructure to Russian companies.