Moscow and Saint Petersburg would get nuked in return. You don't want that. — Olivier5
If "the only feasible retaliation available to Russia" is using tactical nuclear weapons then Putin should use them as soon as possible. — neomac
Moscow and Saint Petersburg would get nuked in return. You don't want that. — Olivier5
Russia has nothing left but this. — Christoffer
It's clear that the invasion is a massive failure so they will try and do anything to show Russian might and power again. — Christoffer
they either have the choice of nuking everyone or live in shame. — Christoffer
But nuking everyone will make them the worst people in the history of mankind so they have little choice but to live in shame. — Christoffer
Russia is rapidly becoming a real dumpster fire of a nation, where no one will want to live, work, or be associated with. That legacy will haunt Putin and his minions until someone breaks it to reform the country. — Christoffer
There is no prospect of World War III, Russia’s army is in chaos, ill equipped and poorly trained. Largely a spent force. — Punshhh
The Putin apologists are proving unhinged. — Punshhh
Unlikely.
Russia using nuclear weapons against a non-NATO country would be a big escalation but probability is pretty low it would lead to a strategic nuclear exchange. There is no rational for striking Russian and risk strategic exchange. — boethius
There's something rotten in the Putinistan kingdom... — Olivier5
It may of course be the case that Lavrov is full of shit but the people who unhesitatingly regurgitate Western propaganda as per the above are verifiably full of shit. — StreetlightX
Russia using nuclear weapons against a non-NATO country would be a big escalation but probability is pretty low it would lead to a strategic nuclear exchange. There is no rational for striking Russian and risk strategic exchange. — boethius
After the war, Iraq—pressured to own up to the attacks—acknowledged that it had "consumed" 1800 tons of mustard, 600 tons of sarin, and 140 tons of tabun. All told, according to Iran's Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs (FMVA), the chemical onslaught killed nearly 5000 Iranians and sickened more than 100,000. That doesn't include Iraqi victims: In March 1988, Iraq's forces attacked its own citizens with mustard and nerve agents in Halabja, killing as many as 5000 and wounding 7000.
Sulfur mustard, a family of compounds first used in World War I, left the deepest and most visible scars on survivors of the war. Three decades later, about 56,000 Iranians are coping with lingering health effects from the blistering agent, ranging from skin lesions and failing corneas to chronic obstructive lung disease and possibly cancer, says Tooba Ghazanfari, an immunologist at Shahed University here.
Or then the war can continue. Putin might simply admit that it's a war. Of course he will portray it in a way that Russia is fighting a war with NATO, but anyway. The weapons assistance to Ukraine is large at least.In any case, the Americans seem to have realised that Putin might be utterly beaten in Ukraine. Early May was Putin’s deadline, in time for V day, or whatever it is called there. Instead that will be about the time that the Western banks declare they won’t accept repayments in rubles, and the four-hour queues for sausage will once again become reality for the vast reality of Russians. — Wayfarer
Now, just because it would be the only retaliation available simply because all conventional weapons are pretty much already engaged, doesn't mean they would use them.
Putin could be "the bigger man" and explain later that nukes were on the table but he decided not to use them. — boethius
... Or ... or, the Kremlin is looking for the context to emerge where using nuclear weapons makes sense to the ordinary Russian and key allies. — boethius
then the war can continue.. — ssu
All it needs to do is donate a few missiles to Ukraine.
— Olivier5
Fantasy. — boethius
With what resources? — Wayfarer
I'm not so sure about that. There are limits on just what weapons the US will give to Ukraine.If the Russian nuke Kyiv, you can bet the Ukrainians are going to nuke Moscow. — Olivier5
There are limits on just what weapons the US will give to Ukraine. — ssu
They would support retaliation, I think, if it comes to that. But the US is not the only player. Europe cannot tolerate a nuclear terrorist state at its doorstep. Ukraine also has the capacity to build their own nukes, given a year or two.
4m — Olivier5
Russia has a lot to lose if it uses nukes against Ukraine. First, what would actually Russia achieve with using tactical nukes? — ssu
Assuming if there would be a large Ukrainian formation nicely packed up, then tactical nuclear weapon could take out of action one Ukrainian formation. — ssu
A concentrated use of let's say strategic bombers with conventional weapons would come close to a similar strike, but wouldn't actually create any outcry. — ssu
The simple way to counter the use of nukes is to spread your forces and not have large formations, large airfields or concentrations that would be optimal for nuclear weapons. Or then Putin could attack civilian targets and get some Ukrainian city to be remembered similarly as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. — ssu
For starters, if Russia uses nukes against Ukraine, I doubt that China, India or South Africa among others will be as if nothing has happened and openly do business with Russia. Let's just remember that there are countries that are willing to buy that Russian gas and oil. Especially for China to back the use of nukes against a non-nuclear state would be a tough spot. — ssu
And Ok, if you do use one or two tactical nukes, what if Ukraine doesn't budge? What if Zelensky is the real McCoy continues fighting and doesn't throw in the towel? Iranians didn't throw in the towel when Iraq used chemical weapons against them. — ssu
Six months ago, it was a fantasy that Ukraine would ever get Javelins. Now they have thousands. And one month ago, it was a fantasy that Ukraine would ever get heavy artillery from NATO. Now the Canadians and US are giving them dozens of M777 Howitzers. — Olivier5
Putin’s plan was the Ukrainian army would fold and Russia would install a puppet regime in days or st most weeks. — Wayfarer
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