> Blockade

That is not an option. They might as well bomb St. Petersburg - it's a seige, an act of war.

> the only language they understand is response with force, nothing else

I see no evidence of that.

Putin is in fact a political operator at a high level, and understands politics exceptionally well. Warfare is merely politics by other means, one tool in the toolchest (for people like him).

That's the only option, because otherwise you are saying that Russia can engage in acts of war against Europe and Europe can't respond. That's not how it should work. And what they do with cables is totally acts of war.

> I see no evidence of that.

Their Black Sea fleet hides in their ports, because they know the moment they'll try to roam, Ukraine will sink them. What other evidence do you need? It works.

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