Putin's "nuclear" and "gas" blackmail-military-strategy is all that he has left in his war toolbox.

In my last blog entry (16 August) I wrote that,

"It is now time for Putin's stalwart 'siloviki' to finally act to prevent Putin from unleashing such a nuclear disaster [at the Zaphorizia nuclear plant in Ukraine] that will, inevitably, light the fuse of WW3." (blog entry : 16 August 2022)

Heather Chen: MSN (CNN) : 22 August 2022

It would now seem, as reported by Marco Giannangeli (left), that,

"Senior Russian officers are becoming increasingly concerned about Vladimir Putin's conduct of the Ukrainian war, intelligence sources have revealed.
...
It follows a meeting in Paris last month between MI6 and a senior Russian civil servant, where it was claimed that a coterie of high-ranking Russian Army and Air Force officers were drawing up contingency plans to “impede" Putin's control of military policy.
...
Though it was not clear when they would strike, arrangements have already been made to give the group of officers safe haven in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, sources said. 

Following the deaths of 14 Generals killed on the front lines and a raft of sackings, the Russian premier [Putin] is now personally making operational and tactical decisions “at the level of a colonel or brigadier” ( Express : 21 August 2022) (my emphasis)

Putin's strategy, it would seem, does not only have as its central theme his 'nuclear-blackmail' strategy regarding the Zaphorizia nuclear plant in Ukraine.

As summer begins to give way to autumn,  Putin is upping the stakes to ensure that the population of the EU, in no uncertain terms, suffer the freezing cold of the coming winter in their homes.

As reported by Christoph Steitz and Thomas Escrit
...
"Russia will halt natural gas supplies to Europe for three days at the end of the month via its main pipeline into the region, state energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) said on Friday, piling pressure on the region as it seeks to refuel ahead of winter.

The unscheduled maintenance on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany, deepens an energy standoff between Moscow and Brussels which has already helped send inflation surging in the region and raised the risk of rationing and recession." (Reuters : 19 August 2022) (my emphasis)

They further report that,

"The move will bring further disruption particularly for Germany, which depends largely on deliveries from Moscow to power its industry

The European Union has accused Russia of using energy as a weapon. Moscow has denied the charge and has blamed sanctions for the drop in exports" (ibid Christoph Steitz and Thomas Escrit)

It is therefore no wonder that German Chancellor Scholtz, currently on a three day visit to Canada, 

"....  plan to discuss energy security and the transition to clean energy, "including through secure access to key resources like clean hydrogen and critical minerals," according to the Prime Minister's Office." (Marie Woolf and Mia Rabson : CTV News (taken from: Canadian Press) : 21 August 2022) (my emphasis)

All, however, is not well with this visit.

As further reported by Marie Woolf and Mia Rabson,

"Ukraine has criticized Trudeau and his government for a decision last month to agree to a request from Germany to exempt Siemens Canada from sanctions against Russia so it could return a turbine for use in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that supplies natural gas to Germany.
..
 Canada’s permit also allows Siemens to import, repair and return five other turbines used in Nord Stream 1, according to their maintenance schedule, and is valid until the end of 2024.
...
In an interview, the Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, Yulia Kovaliv (right), called again for the waiver to be cancelled." (ibid Marie Woolf and Mia Rabson)

                         Ukraine and Germany testify on return of gas turbine to Russia: Global News : YouTube : 4 August 2022 

And as reported by Todd Prince (left),
...
Putin has tried to turn the tables on the EU by reducing gas flows to the bloc at a faster pace, helping drive prices to record highs and sparking fears that Russia might completely halt exports this winter.
...
Even if the war in Ukraine were to end immediately, irreparable damage has been done to the decades-old symbiotic gas relationship between Europe and Russia, he said.

“After building a reputation as a reliable gas supplier for more than 50 years, Russia has thrown it out the window in five months,” Ed Chow [energy analyst at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)] said." (RFERL : 4 August 2022) (my emphasis)

It is therefore no wonder that, "a coterie of high-ranking Russian Army and Air Force officers were drawing up contingency plans to “impede" Putin's control of military policy." (ibid Marco Giannangeli)

The cost of Putin's "nuclear" and "gas" blackmail-military-strategy will be heavily borne by the Russian public, both present and future.

 

(to be continued)