First things first, I was on the Angel Research Podcast earlier this week, so if you'd like to hear me talk about the current state of geopolitical affairs, as well as defense contractors and potential stock investments, you should check that out here.
One of the key themes of that discussion was the war in Ukraine, how badly Russia has failed, and President Vladimir Putin's increasingly desperate efforts to regain some kind of traction.
It was a timely conversation because this week, a mysterious spate of explosions damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines that carry gas from Russia to Europe.
There's no smoking gun in regard to evidence, but Russian naval support ships and submarines were reported to be in the area at the time.
And really, who else would it be?
No other country is so petty, and no other country has anything to gain from such a wanton act of destruction.
So it's almost certainly Russia's way of making some kind of point.
What that point is remains unclear, but Russia has requested a U.N. Security Council meeting on the subject, so I guess we'll find out soon enough.
It's worth noting that the pipelines were idle since Russia curtailed its gas exports to Europe earlier this year in response to Western sanctions. There's also little environmental damage because natural gas isn't toxic and merely bubbles to the surface.
Again, that speaks to the symbolism of the act and its role in pushing some kind of political agenda.
It's simply menacing, and it's something Russia could point to as an excuse to retaliate or escalate its punitive measures against the West.
Russian propaganda agents immediately accused the United States of blowing the pipelines and floated the idea of hitting back.
"No sane person can doubt [the Nord Stream explosions] were sabotage [by the West]," retired Lt. Gen. Eugene Buzhinsky said on Russian state TV. "I do not know how we will respond, but I think that such actions cannot be left unanswered."
Other pundits seized on Tucker Carlson's insinuation that the Biden administration was behind the attack and that Russia would be justified in cutting internet cables under the sea between London and New York.
"Well, the cables, yes - why not?" Buzhinsky said in response to the suggestion.
That kind of an attack is certainly possible. In fact, it's something Russia has been preparing for for years.
It even has a special "ghost" ship that sneaks around the globe testing and tampering with undersea communications cables.
It's called the Yantar, and it's paid visits to countries all around the planet, including the United States.
According to the BBC, "The Yantar belongs to Russia's Main Directorate of Underwater Research (GUGI in Russian), part of the defense ministry."
It's based in Russia's secretive submarine base in the Russian Arctic, Olenya Guba.