It makes one wonder how people in central Europe survived the 80,000 years of their egalitarian existence on the continent without electricity and gas while being a nomadic peoples. It is as if Europe no longer knows how to make fire. Light a fire and gather around it. Easy. In fact, it is so easy, a caveman can do it.
Fuck it. If the Euros freeze to death this coming winter, they should have been watching "Alone" with the subsidized health care and other free shit. They should know how to survive.
Having lived there, I concur entirely. Things do change very fast and unexpectedly. The world would certainly be a better place if someone were to off him, but unless you have credible proof of it happening, I don't see it. It would have to be an internal coup, as no sovereign nation is going to assassinate a leader, no matter how much the world would benefit. To do so would break a cardinal rule and open oneself up to retaliation.
Nuclear power production depends on Russia a lot. Russia did not use this economic weapon. Did not use yet.
Russia is #6 on the export list for uranium (a bit over 5% of world supply), and one tenth that which is exported from Kazakhstan, which handles over 40%.
You're joking, right? Population pressure (population x consumption) was vastly lower, in rough equilibrium, aka sustainable, with annual incoming energy (sunlight). That is, their numbers were few, their consumption was low, and resources were plentiful. Today, their numbers have ballooned, thanks to the input of fossil energy, to many millions--impossible with fossil fuels. I question how long their forests can last if they make a big shift to woodburning. (Side note: I am gradually changing my thinking over to using the IPAT framework for impact and sustainability. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_=_PAT)
We've evolved and developed a system were this thing called the state will take care of our every need and protect us forever .