Quote:
1. Launch another attack on Ukraine or another neighboring nation
2. Cut off energy supplies to the rest of Europe
3. Launch an all-out cyber war on Western and U.S. companies and government agencies
4. Nationalize foreign-owned or -controlled businesses inside Russia
|
#1 Putin could increase incursions in Ukraine or another former Soviet bloc country - Moldova, Georgia, etc.
#2 would be a great hardship to some European countries, temporarily, until pipelines and LNG export facilities are built. Of course, it also cuts off that revenue for Russia.
#3 would be somewhat welcome, IMHO, in the sense that it would light a fire under companies and governments to improve their cyber security. Note that a possible response to an "all out cyber war" would be for Western governments and telco companies to disconnect Russia from the Internet. Which would be fairly devastating for Russia's economy.
#4 has been happening for years, as Putin has been seizing private Russian companies and handing them over to his cronies, and in a few cases has done that to Western joint ventures as well. With the exception of oil companies, Western companies have rather limited operations in Russia. If Exxon has to take a writeoff when Putin tears up their agreements in Russia, of all the McDonalds' restaurants in Russia get shut them down, or the VW factory in Russia is nationalized, the impact (beyond those companies and their shareholders) will be minor.