Putin had already stopped supplying gas through the pipelines, blowing them up did not change anything for him. But it absolutely did change the moves that woul

Putin had already stopped supplying gas through the pipelines, blowing them up did not change anything for him. But it absolutely did change the moves that would be available to any post-Putin government in Moscow. Blowing up the pipelines instantly de-funded any upcoming revolution. Add a "plausible culpability" mock attack by Ukrainians who likely actually believed that their handlers were on the Ukrainian side and not Russia to foster division in the west and you have a clear "why wouldn't Russia do it?" situation.