If Gazprom would simply turn off the gas and say f* off to the fines, they would signal to ask buyers that they are willing to disregard contracts for political reasons. This would significantly undermine confidence in doing business with them, and likely lower prices people would pay for their gas.
Or maybe those courts which could somehow force Russia to pay fines for turning off gas should force Russia to pay fines for invading Ukraine.
First, in Aug. Russia cuts NS1 to 20% citing supposed repairs: "Gazprom in July cut gas deliveries via NS1 to 20% of maximum capacity, citing turbine repair delays that it blamed on Western sanctions against Russia because of the war."
There, they say "oh hey but look you have NS2 so why don't you certify it".
Then, they turned it off completely:
"The state-controlled firm disclosed Friday flows on NS1 would be closed from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 during scheduled maintenance on its only currently operating compressor at a key station, Portovaya CS."
Again, they say "well you can always use NS2". But when Europe didn't bite the bullet and surrender to their demands, they made it even more obvious that the only route for gas would be NS2, by blowing NS1.
If this was UK or US sabotage, they would have blown NS2 completely, while possibly leaving NS1 alone.
Links:
https://www.naturalgasintel.com/russias-gazprom-plans-3-day-...
https://www.naturalgasintel.com/russias-planned-shutdown-of-...
Except NS2 had also exploded.
Even if it didn't, can you explain the purpose of this all? What is there to be gained? NS1 had bigger capacity, which meant more money.
Except it didn't there was a single pipe of NS2 left untouched, if you think it was the US why did they leave a single pipe for Russia to use as leverage to certify NS2?.
More pedantic, but doesn't change my point.
They don't really influence the big politics. Not for the last 20 years or so, at least. Semibankirschina is long gone.