“What stops Russia from cutting it off WITHOUT the control of Ukraine?”
Russia’s desperate financial dependence on oil and gas export revenue.
Putin has killed the goose that laid golden eggs.
Customers are leaving at an historic rate, and the collapse in revenues is coming at the Russian Government budget like a speeding freight train.
It wasn’t what I was asking. The goose was dying by itself as evident by long-time NS2 empasse.
Russia is going to replace customers before the customers would be able to replace Russia though.
Gas and oil revenues are up and the ruble is currently higher than before the war.
https://nypost.com/2022/04/11/russia-earning-huge-oil-gas-profits-despite-western-sanctions/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/29/investing/russia-ruble-dollar-debt-payment/index.html