“Why would Putin blow up the pipeline when he could simply shut it off?”
Domestic politics. Europe is weeks away from ending all gas imports from Russia. Putin used to make $20 billion a month selling gas to Europe. That money was about to vanish from the Russian economy.
By blowing up the pipeline and presenting Biden as a villainous mastermind behind the plot Putin can blame the economic crisis on the USA rather than his decision to go to war.
LOL!
This is ALL on the the Yalie neocon smart boys in the White Hospice.
They let King Puppet run his mouth [after Victoria Nuland made the same threat], and it doesn't matter who pulled the trigger, now.
Smart players wouldn't have gotten anywhere near this option being used.
Say WHAT!?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Huh??? 🤣
You really had to reach for that one, didn’t you.
Europe was NEVER going to completely cut off Russian Nat Gas supply, their people would FREEZE TO DEATH IN THE COLD AN DARK OF WINTER!
The EUROWEINIES in charge would make much noise and lots of blather about how EVIL the Russians are but they are not going to CRAP ON THEIR OWN DINNER PLATE.
So for awhile shut down deliveries and hope to make up supply elsewhere, restart the Nuke plants, cut down your forests and burn wood, or burn (OH MY GOD) COAL.
The ENVIRONAZIS would have their heads under any of those circumstances, do none of the above and the regular citizens would have their heads when Grandma and Grampa die from the cold!