Saturday 25 August 2012

Greenpeace vs Gazprom: May Not End Well

Now fair play to the Greenpeace lads, they put their bodies on the line. They're at it again, this time in Russian waters, protesting against a Gazprom Arctic drilling operation.

But they may find Gazprom a different proposition to, say, the pussycats at Shell.

The more distant parts of Russia have always been governed by local warlords: but they still run up gas bills.  And in Russia, they've always known how to collect monies owing - they learned it the hard way when they were under the Mongol yoke.  So every year Gazprom despatches armed convoys to collect the kopeks from all the distant meters.

So their willingness to be, errr, decisive is not in doubt.  

As for Greenpeace; as it happens, right now Gazprom is not flavour of the month with the Putin regime (we may return to this another day).  But Western intruders are intruders, and everything hinges on whether Volodya is still in Pussy-Riot mode. He hates foreign NGOs, and he may be willing to see an example made.

You want martyrs ..?  Could get nasty.

ND

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

ND Even use the Great Knout? Very nasty.

Anonymous said...

Hmm... given that Gazprom are sliding bags full of cash to anti-fracking activists in Europe to protect their investment in Nord Stream this will be a non event. They'll stage some footage and use the opportunity to bring some cash back - any customs chaps reading this - I suggest the vessels involved and folk on board are thoroughly searched for bundles of used cash on their first western port call agter any Gazprom related northern cruise...

Nick Drew said...

Gazprom ? sliding bags full of cash ?

Evidence, please !

Anonymous said...

They may have picked the right time to get away with it. Putin is playing sanctimonious over the Assange issue - he can hardly turn around and get heavy handed with Greenpeas at the same time.