Winter is coming

To many, the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine seems to have exposed the limitations of Russia’s military strengths, while some have even gone so far as to suggest the possibility of Russia opting for nuclear weaponry to save face. That may all be true, but in terms of this particular war, there is more to Russia’s arsenal than just AK-47s and military drones. The Kremlin can simply switch off the taps to their oil and gas supply into Europe.As a society, we all have our own independent opinions on war breaking out in any part of the world, and the Ukrainian conflict is no different. Whether you are for or against Russia’s advance into Ukraine, it appears that both sides have claimed victories on some fronts and conceded defeats on others. The Ukrainian resistance has been nothing short of admirable, considering Russia&#039;s status as a military superpower.Keeping warmMany scholars and military experts are convinced that the looming winter in Europe could possibly spell the end of the conflict in favour of Russia; this school of thought doesn’t seem too far-fetched. Of late, the Russian attacks have been very strategic, focusing mostly on energy infrastructure like power plants, the result of which would prove to be the difference in the looming extreme European winters.The majority of NATO members within Europe rely heavily on Russian gas to cook food and keep their homes warm, which is especially critical during the winter months.Bloomberg writes: "Russian gas has been attractive to Europe because it is easy to transport and almost always available."Its importance grew in recent years as some countries moved to end coal and nuclear power generation and production from their own gas fields declined. "Russian state-controlled company Gazprom was supplying about a third of all gas consumed in Europe," Bloomberg also writes, "and Germany, the EU’s economic powerhouse, relies on Russia for more than half of its gas and about a third of its oil."The writing is clear: Europe, to be specific, NATO, is at the mercy of Russian energy."You cannot win against someone you cannot say no to," renowned clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson said in a recent Pierce Morgan interview, referring to the magnitude to which Europe is dependent on Russian oil and gas.Marius Patrick Uwu-Gaeb is an opinion writer and edupreneur.mariusuw@gmail.com

Winter is coming

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-05

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Winter is coming

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-05

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