BORNHOLM, DENMARK - SEPTEMBER 27: The photo was taken by the Anadolu Agency.
On September 27th, 2022, seismographs near Bornholm,Denmark recorded two explosions coming from theNord Streampipeline. Don't expect Russian President Vladimir Putin to come clean like Gorbachev did when he came clean.
Two days after the Chernobyl disaster, Swedish scientists detected radiation coming from the soviet union. The Soviets admitted to the world what had happened in Chernobyl after the detection of radiation.
The Russians have lied about energy infrastructure damage before to weaponize their energy resources or geographical position. There have been a number of prewar disputes with Ukraine, as well as attempts to hold Kazakhstan's energy exports hostage due to its defiance of the Ukrainian government. The Russians blamedstorms, poor equipment, and a rubber duck in every case.
The attacks onNord Stream are worse than we've seen before. There is a point of no return. Europe is going to be in a recession as a result of these attacks. Methane is a major pollutant in the ocean and environment.
Even if the battlefields of Ukraine fall silent, there can't be a negotiated reopening or delivery restart. It was impossible to estimate when the gas network system would be restored according to the Russians. Europe is going to have the worst energy crisis since the Arab oil embargo of 1974 this winter.
European leaders have blamed Russia for the problem. The Polish Prime Minister said that the presumed attack was the next step in the situation in Ukraine. The president of the European Commission promised the strongest possible response to attacks on European energy infrastructure. Norway deployed its armed forces to guard its oil and gas infrastructure.
Climate Minister Dan Joergensen and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod are speaking to the press. The photo was taken by Emil Helms, Ritzau Scanpix and agence France-Presse.
Why would the Russians sabotage and deny? It's not novel or secret that hostility towards Europe and Ukraine is not new. Russia's stated aims and strategy are unaffected by the shutoff of gas. Western financial institutions, Russia's lack of leverage or soft power, and the devastating impacts of sanctions against Russia are the answer. Russia can void its obligations towards European stakeholders without legally breaking contracts if Nord Stream is shut down suddenly through force majeure.
The domestic vulnerability of Putin is one of the reasons he is so focused on this transparent strategy. Russian oligarchs who have not yet fallen out of a window but may still be wavering in their dedication to Putin have no choice but to acquiesce to his leadership.
The rationale for Putin's strategy is not likely to work. The decision to shut down theNord Stream 2 was a blow to Russia. Europe is alreadydiversifying its energy sources, especially with the recent opening of the Polish-Norwegian gas line, but Russia is still dependent on imported manufactured products. Russia relied on European capital and technology more than Europe did.
The move by Russia to attack energy infrastructure in the West is not a sign of strength but of desperation. Russia's economy is faltering, its military is sub-par, and Putin may lose his grip on power in months. Hundreds of thousands of Russian men are exercising their right to vote.
The Russians are trying to leave their country to avoid the war in their homeland. The number of Russians entering Georgia has gone up by 45 percent. The photo was taken by the Anadolu Agency.
Russia tried to make Europe kneel by attacking theNord Stream. The best thing the West can do is deny force majeure and penalize Russian businesses and their partners that are related to the contracts that have been attacked. Europe needs to recognize this act of aggression as a sign of the end of current and future purchases of Russian energy and to look elsewhere for gas supplies in the future.
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