For Russia, is the energy a political tool?

Absolutely. Energy is power. And Russia is the world's largest exporter of oil and the world's largest exporter of natural gas. The USSR was also a major oil exporter.

The Kremlin used energy to exert influence over the Warsaw Pact countries and other satellites. And currently under Putin and Medvedev Russia leverages growing global demand for oil and gas to assert Russia's authority on the international stage.

Examples of the political nature of energy in Russia include: a) threatening to cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine; and b) maintaining government control over companies involved in oil and gas exploration and production, and punishing individuals who threaten such control (e.g. Khodorkovsky).

Russia opposes efforts to reduce its control over energy supplies and/or to provide alternatives to Russian oil and gas. For example, Russia's military involvement in the Caucasus is driven by the desire to ensure control over the transit routes for oil and gas to the Black Sea and Europe.