Russia's threat to cut off oil and gas supplies to Europe like they did to Estonia in 2007 due to a “repair operation” makes Putin sound a lot like Stalin in the 1948-1949 Berlin Blockade. Road and rail access to Berlin was also then cut off due to “repairs”. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
The blockade was a failure and backfired by hastening the establishment of NATO and an independent West Germany.
i read in the newspapers today that even china is beginning to get concerned about the russian recognition of abkhazia and so ossetia.
china has some fluid real estate too!