Talk:Bombing of Nord Stream pipelines

As initial reaction, I considered not too implausible that Russians would do it, as a kind of burning the bridges before a major battle/ having their back against a river like in Kulikov battle, a first major win against the Golden Horde. But I now consider it as _very_ unlikely. For all the time past collapse of the Soviet Union, the elites (and most of intelligentisa) were strongly pro-Western, and the elite was keen to enrich themselves by trading natural resources to the West. They have not crossed any rivers, and that is why 8 years of attempts at Minsk, and 'we have not even started' said recently and acted now. Yes, there was long-running build-up of strong resentment, but hope to roll all it back did not die. Yes, they shut the nordstream 1 "for repairs", but this is the usual tactics to put some pressure, while remaining in control. Now, the control is gone, and so the ability to put that pressure, with a big hole now in the middle of the pipeline. (Yet still, for better or worse, the proverbial river is still uncrossed, with Putin at the 4-regions signing ceremony still mentioning feeding and warming the Westerns).

Americans denied at the UN being behind. Amazingly, this even may be correct. They did not shell Russian cities and kill Russian soldiers and civilians with American weapons, the Ukrainians did.

Russians were in no danger to lose the ability to do slow repairs, for as long as they wish. If they decided to burn bridges (they did not), there is no reason to hide it. Clearly, only US/NATO or Russia has the capability, and whoever did it, they both would know who did. It can be only hidden from lesser allies or general population. Yes, you can make some mileage at home blaming the West, but this theme is by now fully saturated.

On the other side of the pond, either mad rush for more warfare, hot or economic, whatever; punish this, reward that, with chances to be out of it totally missed; or perhaps fear to have less control as result of elections and/or European politics

--Resup (talk) 12:30, 2 October 2022 (UTC)

PS. 7 bars = 70 meters depth of water.