Pipes can be repaired. Russia has been slowing down supplies through the NS1 pipe -- down to 1/10th of Germany's normal supply before halting. [1] [2]

Blowing up a pipe that can be repaired to cause friction between allies? That's priceless. The fact that it's cause for speculation on Facebook, Reddit, HN, Twitter, etc shows exactly how disruptive of a move it was.

[1] https://www.spiegel.de/international/business/a-winter-of-pr...

[2] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/mystery-gas-leaks-hi... "Neither pipeline was pumping gas to Europe at the time the leaks were found..."

The begging back theory doesn't make sense. Sowing discontent and suspicion between allies right when some of them are electing Russia-frendly government has more merit.

It would be interesting to watch this evolving, if it wasn't fucking scary.

> when some of them are electing Russia-frendly government

What's wrong with that? I mean... we're either a democracy, and people choose their own government, or we're being governed by some other external force not obeying the wishes of the people.... if italy choses to be friendly with the russians, their people wanted that, so why not?

You can't really state that without bringing up the proven fact that the Russians have been running pro-Russian, as well as divisive campaigns all across the world.

You have a same bunch of politicians in and out of parliament, while people are going through locdowns, massive rinting of money, with scraps going to the people, lockdowns, record inflation and energy crisis, while those same politicians get paid more and more plus they steal even more, so people want some kind of change, any change, just to get rid of the current ones...

but no, it's the russians and their facebook posts, sure.

so... russia runs a few ad campaigns and we abolish democracy... that is, if the wrong side wins?

That's... not even close to what I was saying at all.