Weakness often begets rapid innovation in warfare. Wonder if the success of this attack will serve as the plausible promise for many more attacks via open source copying. Russia is very vulnerable to physical systems disruption since it is, at heart, an energy corporation. A couple more attacks of this type would heavily discount Russian financial instruments (already suffering a high 17% discount due to political risk according to Citi) and generate deep direct losses from lower exports of energy.
"The plant supplies about 10 percent of Siberia’s energy needs, including several major aluminum smelters belonging to Rusal, the world’s largest aluminum producer. It has been shut down since the accident and could be out of service for a significant time. Repairs are estimated to take from two to four years." Associated Press
"A decision was taken at the start of the year at a meeting of the council of the mujahideen of the Emirate of the Caucasus, led by Caucasus Emir Doku Abu Usman, to activate an economic war against Russia on its territory. To carry out these tasks, subversive groups were created and sent to a host of Russian regions with the aim of carrying out industrial sabotage. The priority targets laid out for them are gas pipelines, oil pipelines, the destruction of electricity stations and high-voltage power lines, and sabotage at factories." Riyadus-Salikhiyn, Battalion of Martyrs (Kavkaz Center).
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This looks like something right out of the Chechen Independence Scenario I wrote back in 2005:
"The new Chechen strategy, enabled by a small percentage of the tens of thousands of Chechen exiles scattered throughout Russia, emerged with multiple attacks on the critical sections of Gazprom's natural gas pipeline network to the north and south of Moscow. The simplicity of the attacks were alarming."
Scenario "Chechen Independence" (Part 1) January 2005
"Nation's are no longer self-sufficient, they are interdependent and increasingly reliant on their ongoing ability to perform in global markets. Fall behind in this competition and currencies collapse, debt becomes exorbitant, and domestic stock markets plummet. A sharp slap of Adam Smith's invisible hand can quickly turn a weak state into an economic basket case. As a result of this progress, the target for a moral victory doesn't rest within the nation-state, but rather the global market"
Scenario "Chechen Independence" (Part 2)