A global recession is on the horizon - please read OP for mod warning

The pipeline can be shut on both sides. Turbines can pressurize gas in domestic system.

Your argument makes no sense. Germany caving and requesting gas through Nordstream is a situation where Putin has his cake and can eat it - its the best of both worlds, get paid for gas and continue to invade Ukraine. There is no downside to that scenario.

However having NS1+2 out of action is terrible for Putin - it means he no longer has leverage over Europe because he cannot supply enough gas to them if they cave to his demands (remove sanctions, stop supplying ukraine with arms). With NS out of the way there is no leverage and no alternative for Europe. The Russians would be mad to sabotage their own pipeline, it makes no sense whatsoever.

From an economic POV, the long term outlook for Eurozone is now that bit darker with the 2 pipelines out of action. 23 and 24 will be quite hard years, and may see significant amounts of European (German mostly) industry fold and probably move to the US with their cheaper energy costs. Good news for LNG suppliers though!

Russia had already stopped transiting gas through the pipeline to europe. NS1 was running at <10%, with intermittent shutdowns also. If they wanted to cut off gas, they could just do that. Bombing their own pipeline makes no sense. Also euro gas sales are far more than just a few % of GDP - they are worth a fortune there.

And the reason the gas was turned down at NS1 in the first place was as a bargaining chip against sanctions & supplies of weapons to ukraine. Now that NS is out of action, that leverage is gone. THere is no scenario where it benefits russia to have those pipelines blown.

Looks like BOE are stepping in and going printing pounds and buying bonds (much like the ECB) in order to control their interest rates and stop them from spiraling. Wonder will King Charles be on the newly printed pounds, surely it would be a good idea and kill 2 birds with the 1 stone :).

Big current account deficits, huge debts, polarized nation, huge wealth divides and now an extremely weak and disastrous leadership, what could go wrong.

I would say that Ukraine have more to lose than anybody. If they were found bombing Western European pipelines it would obliterate their support in Europe and likely in the US too, they would capitulate to the Russians without Western support and would likely cease to exist as a nation state. If Ukraine bombed nordstream it would be the single stupidest and most reckless move by a country in modern history.

For the Americans, they are currently enjoying their best relationship with Western Europe in a century. European counties are pitching up defence spending, are begging to join NATO and Russia are scrambling to survive in Ukraine. Why would they need to take a massive gamble that would threaten their relationship with their closest allies over a gas pipe that will likely never be used in any capacity again anyway?

Who are the only side taking massive reckless gambles at the moment?

Great we ruined the EU so we can stick it to Putin.

What a sham of a policy. Well sone USA you played a blinder. How many politicians were bribed along the way. In the words of US secretary of state "Fxuk the EU".

I honestly think the average person in Europe won't care less about what's happening in the Donbass this winter. We are 6 months into the war and interest is naturally waning among the public. Russia wouldn't last a wet week invading a NATO country so the EU ain't getting invaded.

We'll have 80k Ukrainians here by crimbo and apparently food price rises in Africa will lead to a mass exodus to Europe. Huge amounts of jobs will be lost this winter imo. Hopefully the budget restores consumer sentiment for a while.

The fact that they unilaterally are closing pipelines shows that they have no need to sabotage their own pipeline - they are perfectly capable of simply shutting the pipelines down themselves.

The lack of income would kill Russia long before Europe

ECB money printer go Brrrr...

Russia suggesting OPEC+ cuts production by 1 million barrels a day. The US is also due to stop the draw down from it's reserves in October of about the same amount.