I'm pleased that someone would counter the usual "Russia did it" narrative, although I note your inevitable downvotes.
I read HN for the informed tech commentary, and I had always assumed that people who are smart at tech, would also be smart/rational in non-tech as well. But honestly, when it comes to Russia or Trump, HN is just as much an echo chamber as reddit.
Sorry, yes you are technically correct. What I meant is that most countries seeing significant numbers of people infected with coronavirus are also seeing excess mortality.
I guess it's probably the latter: RF wants to kill US fracking industry.
Maybe even payback for US trying to derail Nord Stream 2, or sanctions, or just all the anti-Russia bullshit in general.