"God was on the side of the nation that had the oil." 

—Prof. Wakimura, Tokyo Imperial University

Russia is one of the world's largest producers of petroleum, natural gas, and coal.

In Europe, despite decades of taxes on hydrocarbons, subsidies for green energy, and net-zero plans, hydrocarbons still supply 70% of E.U. energy.  And Russia supplies the lion's share of this: 40% of E.U. gas, over 25% of their crude oil, and nearly half of their coal come from Russia. 

Russia is also a big exporter of energy-dependent metals such as iron, steel, and aluminum and is the world's third-biggest producer of gold, the money for troubled times.

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was the birthplace of Russia twelve centuries ago, and many Ukrainians speak Russian and feel Russian.  If Western hostility to Russia causes more Russian fuels and food to go east to China, Siberia, the Koreas, Japan, or Taiwan, there will be a mad scramble by Europeans to replace them.

Russia remembers defeating two European "Grand Armies" — both Napoleon and Hitler were beaten by cold weather and the lack of fuels and food.  Napoleon's horses ran out of hay, Hitler's Panzers ran out of fuel, and both invaders faced starvation and frostbite. 

"The war was decided by engines and octane." 

—Joseph Stalin

"Above all, petrol governed every movement."

—Winston Churchill

Putin is unlikely to fear energy competition from Danish windmills, Spanish solar panels, or Australian ethanol.  Russia is building gas pipelines while Biden and his green friends closed the Keystone XL pipeline (to deliver oil from Canada) and declined to renew U.S. gas drilling leases.  The USA even became an importer of Russian crude oil and petroleum in 2021.

Russia has a huge landmass.  It is the world's largest exporter of wheat and a big exporter of barley, corn, sunflower, and canola. 

Anything that impacts Russia's exports of food or fuels will cause chaos in world energy and food markets.

Just one wicked winter may destroy Russia's enemies once again.

And if the two superpowers of Eurasia do decide that this is the time to enlarge their empires, we will not stop them with net-zero energy, wind power, battery-powered tanks, a biofuel navy, or submarines on the never-never. 

Putin and Xi meet in 2018 (photo credit: kremlin.ru).

Viv Forbes is a science graduate with experience in coal, oil, and gas exploration and production.  His first paid job was geological mapping in the Bowen/Surat Basin in Queensland, funded by the Australian government to assist the search for oil.

Food and Fuel for Thought :

Why Ukraine Matters to Russia:
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/why-ukraine-matters-to-russia-so-much-52281

Germany turns back to coal and natural gas as millions of its solar panels are blanketed in snow and ice:
https://worldnewsera.com/news/startups/germanys-green-energy-failure-germany-turns-back-to-coal-and-natural-gas-as-millions-of-its-solar-panels-are-blanketed-in-snow-and-ice-tech-news-startup/

While the West went weak-Green, Russia became the 2nd largest gas supplier on Earth:https://joannenova.com.au/2022/02/green-weakness-enables-wars-punish-russia-by-burning-more-coal-gas-shale-and-nuclear-power/

Ukraine and Energy Realism:
https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2022-2-26-ukraine-and-energy-realism

Blood for Oil: The Quest for Fuel in World War II:
https://eiaonline.com/history/bloodforoil.htm

Russia, NATO, USA, and Europe:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/russia-us-your-aggression-stops-here/5771771

https://www.unz.com/article/the-land-where-history-died-part-1/