-ping-
Not true. Russia has recently built South Stream and North Stream pipelines, which can carry gas without transiting Urkaine.
Putin realized Ukraine will be unstable, and acted accordingly.
Russia can strangle Ukraine economically if it wants to, but it doesn’t want to, and it would hurt Russia, too.
All the gas ORIGINATES in Russia. Why do they need to control Ukraine? They cna just shut down the pipelines at the border with Ukraine.
Putin does not wish to control all of the Ukraine. He just wants control of Crimea so he can control the development of new pipelines to Europe that link existing pipelines to new pipelines from recently discovered gas and oil plays in the Israel, Turkey , Cyprus and the Middle East.
Russia is also the source of Ukraine’s gas. And the pipelines are the source of Ukraine’s income. So shutting them hurts Ukraine more than Russia.
Actually, Russia has in the past shut off the gas to Ukraine because of debt and because some of the gas transmitted to Europe disappears on its way through Ukraine. As a consequence Russia has been building pipelines that bypass Ukraine just to give it some alternatives.
Ping, he will not stop, he will keep going to secure his only big source of hard currency.
Just for the sake of insurance Putin needs to up the financing of the anti-fracking litigators in Britain, Germany and France
The Russians may stop putting gas INTO the pipelines on their end, thus forcing Europe into ignominious CAPITULATION.
Ping.
Putin has a lot of options. Shame we don’t.....
And freeze solid? Not likely.
Putin is way ahead, Russia has built additional pipelines, and has full control of all of 'em.
What Putin doesn't want is pipelines built for Saudi group suppliers through Syria and Turkey, and it is unlikely they will be built.
Russia could care less about Western Ukraine.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Obammy’s State Department, interject ‘F the EU’ recently concerning the Ukrainian Crisis, they are definitely on top of this.
As a FREEPER said recently, nothing is so bad that his highness cannot screw it up worst.
My remarks don’t take away anything from your original point, which is that Russia might ultimately reoccupy Ukraine, or at least the western Russian portion.
I remember Mrs Gorbachev making the remark, when Ukraine became independent, that “we just can’t conceive of them as foreigners” or something to that effect.
Ukraine is going to be put to the test. What are they willing to pay for their independence. How badly do they want it.
Couldnt they just turn off the gas that flows into Ukraine? You know, in Russia?