You are clearly missing the point of the statement.

If I, a developer, stepped away from a project because I wanted to protect myself: the bridge could be mended from my side regardless of if I was willing to do so (…why hello secret police!) The termination of the bridge from the opposite side means I have lost my strategic value.

As I implied: putting personal feelings aside here- this was a net positive for those in Russia presently given the political climate.