Pretty much
They view Russia as still soviet and Putin as an absolute dictator
Both wholly untrue
Russia is a largely capitalist oligarchy run by a strongman who faces actual elections and can be removed
Right now Putin still commands huge popular support as does this war in Russia
They see it as a war to free Russian ethnics in Donbass who’ve endured a heavy handed Ukraine since 2014 and actually even before that
A view I am sympathetic to having watching literally 100s of videos with the inhabitants and Putin press conferences where yes he’s asked repeatedly contentious questions
The further west one goes in Ukraine the less Russian ethnics and support for the Russian invasion
In Odessa for example support is maybe 60-70% unlike Donetsk where it’s 95%
One thing is people are afraid to speak lest ukranians come back
They fear the SBU and with good reason
Thanks for those objective, accurate comments.
Here is the case for Russia blowing up its own pipelines.
1-— Russia has put very little money into it. It has a 51% share of NS2 that was paid with borrowed money. Those payments to European banks are not being made anymore
2-— The video up above by Anders Puck Nielson makes many good points
3— Russian energy corps have a long history of speculating in the energy commodities markets. Even trying to move them. So before blowing it up, they place bets that natural gas markets will spike upwards. Betting particularly in the European gas markets.
4— See Patriot Fury posts for details on -—— Markets speculation by Russian Gazprom etc. and -— the money Russia borrowed from European banksters