Minority Report: Ukraine as Bugbear

"One could attribute Russian attempts at hacking and influencing the 2016 general election to retaliation for the CIA's involvement in Ukraine, or to a personal vendetta against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with regard to Ukraine ahead of the Maidan revolt, or to rousing anti-Putin sentiment in Russia: ... Five years ago, he blamed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the anti-Kremlin protests in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square. "She set the tone for some of our actors in the country and gave the signal," Putin said. "They heard this and, with the support of the U.S. State Department, began active work." (No evidence was provided for the accusation.) ..."

"But after looking at the mission and history of NATO, the integral role of natural gas to Europe's industry and continuity, Ukraine's role as a conduit for Russian gas to European states, one might come to a very different conclusion. Especially given the death of Alexander Litvinenko on UK soil by radioactive poisoning and the downing of Malaysian Air flight 17, a passenger plane carrying passengers who lived across several NATO countries. Has the U.S. been asked to provide protection to"

The piece proposes that the 2016 U.S. election hacking and related events may be part of a larger geopolitical struggle involving NATO and energy security. Possible Russian motives include retaliation for CIA involvement in Ukraine, a vendetta tied to Hillary Clinton, or domestic anti-Putin sentiment. NATO's mission and history receive attention alongside Europe's dependence on natural gas and Ukraine's role as a conduit for Russian gas to European states. The death of Alexander Litvinenko and the downing of Malaysian Air Flight 17 are presented as consequential incidents linking Russia, UK, and multiple NATO countries, raising questions about U.S. protective commitments.

Read at Emptywheel