It's clearly not an accident.
It's also hard to believe it was Russia, since now they can't blackmail Europe.
Both Biden and Victoria Nuland have both publicly threaded to take out the pipelines on video no less.
It's also hard to believe it was Russia, since now they can't blackmail Europe.
Both Biden and Victoria Nuland have both publicly threaded to take out the pipelines on video no less.
Countries in Europe have been pretty clear that no-one is going to back down on supporting Ukraine in order to get some cheap Russian gas. So the pipeline is useless to Putin.
However, a rival oligarch/military leader/whatever in Russia could try to cut a deal with Europe and say that they promise to kill Putin and get Russian troops out of Ukraine, in exchange for agreements to resume the gas trade and no questions asked about who the money for the gas is going to.
So the pipeline is useless to Russia as long as Putin is in charge, but it's also a threat to Putin, personally, since it can be used to fund a coup against him. Therefore, he decided to sabotage it. If you think of Putin as a paranoid mafia boss foremost, and a politician and world leader second, this explanation makes sense.
They've said it, but what prevents them from changing their mind when domestic political pressure during winter increases? Well, blowing up the pipeline helps prevent it..
It's called planning for contingencies. Even if there was only a remote possibility of Germany folding, that's a contingency worth planning for.
Actually it’s been the opposite if you watch leaders speak and read between the lines. Only days ago, Macron gave an interview hinting that the Ukrainians may need to reach a negotiated settlement with Russia, and played coy with reporters when they asked if Ukraine might need to give up territory to do so. I’m willing to bet he (And especially the Germans) know something that the public doesn’t when it comes to the reality of the energy situation.
Sabotage would destroy the European coalition against Russian aggression they've worked so hard to build.
Really ludicrous conspiracy theory that makes an accident the most likely cause.