Thursday 28 July 2022

Interlude: кто кого? - Putin's MO

No, not his medical officer (the US seems to be giving him something of a clean bill of health just now, despite the shakes and the dreadful steroid-y appearance of May).  In between posts on UK nuclear power plants, here we refer to a detail of the way Putin is conducting his operations, military and 'civil'.

Exhibit A: Odessa and the grain deal

No sooner has Russia signed the grain export deal, it bombards Odessa, the very port in question.

Exhibit B: Nord Stream 1

Despite much nervousness on the subject, gas deliveries from Nord Stream (1) did indeed recommence last Friday after its routine summer maintenance - albeit at the level of only 40% of capacity (despite demand for 100%), just as had been the case for several weeks before the maintenance, on a pretext the Germans and many independent sources insist is spurious.  Two days later, this flow is reduced to 20% on an even more spurious pretext.

There's a pattern here.  Make a modest conciliatory gesture, followed immediately by a punch in the face.  Proves who's boss.  кто кого?  Don't imagine we ever take any of our options off the table: we reserve our rights to do Absolutely Anything.  

I imagine they taught this stuff at KGB interrogation school. 

ND

8 comments:

Don Cox said...

It's difficult to see how peace negotiations can be possible with somebody who has that attitude. The same applies to the Iranian mullahs, who will promise anything you want and then break their promises as soon as convenient.

Unfortunately Putin may be right in thinking that somebody in Europe will crack under the pressure. On the other hand he may not be as clever as he thinks he is.

Don

Caeser Hēméra said...

It's the short term thinking of an embarrassed bully.

Had they kept the gas flowing more, Germany would have gone right back to the status quo, now they know Putin current has the nations balls in a vice, they seem to be learning.

I can't help but feel the Odessa strikes were more in response to Erdogan's calculated slight, and after Lavrov's poor widdle us act in Africa, I suspect a lot of Africa think they're full of shit now.

So, Russia may gain some short term wins from this, but long term?

More and more, Russia's attempt to show it's still a superpower just underlines how much it isn't.

And it's nothing fresh, wasn't so long ago Putin was busy questioning Khazakhstans existence, which looks to have not only cost him their support, but they're actively looking to distance themselves from Moscow.

Maybe there was a mistranslation, and Putin thinks the saying is "Piss off your friends, piss off your enemies even more"

Anonymous said...

(despite demand for 100%),

That'd be the same Germans who said they don't want dirty Russian gas?


Welcome to Clown world, populated by Claus Schwab and his WEF minions.


Talking of which, the dim bulb Liz Truss looks set to be appointed PM. Previously selected by CCO of course.

Tories get to choose between a puddle of shit, and a turd. Mugs.

Nick Drew said...

@ demand for 100%, that'd be the same Germans?

they are trying desperately to fill their storage before winter

curiously, just like last year, Uncle Vova isn't assisting them fulfil their inventory programme

djm said...

Don Cox

"On the other hand he (Putin) may not be as clever as he thinks he is."

One thing is for sure, Putin is way smarter than any of our Western leaders.

Don Cox said...

The politicians don't believe in Net Zero and Wokism: they just think the voters believe in them. It seems to be easy to mistake loud advocacy for a widespread popular movement.

Don

Sobers said...

"The politicians don't believe in Net Zero and Wokism: they just think the voters believe in them. It seems to be easy to mistake loud advocacy for a widespread popular movement."

Rubbish. They know perfectly well that making their voters shiver in the cold and calling them racist bigots is not popular with the masses. The unprecedented public revolts in places as diverse as Canada, France, Holland and Sri Lanka have made that point very clearly. Yet they continue with their policies unabated. Mainly because they have been told from on high thats how things will be, and stuff the voters.

Diogenes said...

>One thing is for sure, Putin is way smarter than any of our Western leaders.

Not sure he is but he knows enough to have the a cadre of smart people alongside the psychopaths he uses in Russia and beyond.

This is classic "how to boil a frog" strategy except we're going to have our nuts frozen off first. Seems the US military-industrial complex (remember them) will continue to ship arms to UKR while the finance is available.

After 2024 not sure if it will continue, as Putin will no doubt be pouring cash into PAC's and any group that supports his aim of having less smart people in charge elsewhere - a sort of race to the intellectual bottom.

As an aside, there is a funny story in the papers about Boris's "nanny". Apparently Lord Udny-Lister would wear a tinfoil hat when phoning Trump's people. Such jolly japes when there was serious work to be done. No wonder Putin thinks he can win this.