First, I would like to address the current situation. I believe that the U.S. had thought far ahead on a lot of this and we have planned a lot of this from the beginning. I think we’ve wanted to see a long slow burn on resources to now get to the point of using their own money to fuck them, deploying the f-16s, and green lighting uses of weapons on Russian soil.
To answer your question: sadly, I think we’ll see a nuke at some point. I saw GW Bush speak at the end of 2022. He basically said that he might do a tactical nuke, “like a cone in a controlled area….but why? He would ruin the land he wants to use.”
Unfortunately, I think we are at a point where we can’t control his tantrum of power. 1) if there’s a close war where Russia is running out of resources, he’ll use a juke to gain a large advantage and want Ukraine and the West to beaten into submission. 2) If Ukraine really starts whipping their ass, I think this pisses off Putin a lot and he pushes a button to get more bodies and then walks away.
No matter the case. I’ve said this before and seen many experts say it. Win or lose, this will be the end of the current regime. Russia does not come out of this stronger, wealthier, economically prosperous, more respect, military prowess, etc. Journalists from the beginning have called it a massive miscalculation. They’re right and all they do is write.