Putin's self-sanctioning of Russian energy supplies will be absorbed by Europe, but Moscow will never be able to replace those customers, Kremlin critic Bill Browder says

Russia's natural gas supply cuts will eventually be overcome by Europe and Moscow will never be able to replace them.

The Russian president is only hurting himself and showing signs of desperation because of the halt in flows on the Nord Stream 1 line, according to the man who has been a critic of Putin. It will hurt Russia's economy more than Europe's.

He's effectively self-sanctioning by shutting off theNord Stream line. It's going to hurt western Europe. It is going to hurt the UK. He told CNBC that the pain can be absorbed. Putin won't be able to replace the customers for all the gas he sells into Europe.

He said that most of the Russian gas was sold to European customers. There are limits on how much Russia can move supplies to other countries.

Europe is taking measures to become independent from Russian energy and that poses a problem for Russia's economy in the long term.

"He's done himself an amazing self- sacrifice, which will serve our purposes, serve Ukrainians' purposes in the end," he said.

Russia's isolation from the West could cause it to spiral into a recession, according to other analysts. Russia has cut energy supplies to European countries.

Putin is a very mean person. He is ready to cause himself pain, to cause his enemies pain.