Putin profits most from tension that maximises profit and influence.
So optimise for tension beneath the threshold of war.
Because war is bad for business. And business is booming selling energy to the EU.
It’s not hard to allow a “kill list” to be intercepted because it’s not going to be shared publicly due to the need to protect sources and methods.
But it’s easy to dangle it out and hook a sucker fish to create tension and potential embarrassment for the west.