I hope you're right. I grew up learning about the Cold War. Didn't think I'd have to experience it, but these fuckers refuse to leave power unless they die, and even then the survivors just Weekend at Bernie's the corpse like Feinstein.

It's the only card he's still holding that means anything to the western nations he's in a proxy war with.

Nobody wants a nuclear war, which is why he's betting on western nations erring on the side of caution when he does shit like this.

Can't believe this shit-hole country was an actual threat ever.

We have representatives of the US political party leading for President right now echoing Kremlin propaganda on the floor of Congress and their candidate is cheered on and welcomed for saying he'll be a dictator who will undermine Western diplomatic relationships opposing Russia and would even encourage Putin to invade those countries, all while state level party representatives are literally saying that 'democracy' is a bad word that they oppose.

How the fuck is Russia not an "actual threat?"

There's more to modern warfare than nukes, missiles, and tanks. And by the end of November Putin stands a very good chance of having won the kind of megalomaniacal victory that Stalin or Hitler couldn't have possibly dreamed of.

Vlad took a swig of his “Coffee” at his station. His commander had said something about “make sure you use the drill launch codes during the test”

Vlad pondered the sticky note that had been on his work station since he got there. 2 lines of numbers written haphazardly on aging yellow paper loomed before him. Was it the top one that was real, or the bottom. Surely the drill code would be used more and should be on top. But the real code is more important, so it should be on top.

His radio chirped, and the angry voice of his commander squealed out. It was time.

He took a coin from his pocket and flipped it, tails, bottom code it is. He entered the numbers and hit the worn red button on his console.

As he heard the rumble of rocket engines from deep in the bunker, he knew his luck was as rotten as ever. He swigged his coffee one last time.

Unfortunately, imo this does sound as the start a new serious escalation. I could be wrong, but they really don't like the continued support Ukraine is getting and want to stop that. Especially extra aid and maybe in this new phase , support coming from influx of extra military from abroad. Also, according to internal rumors in Russia, their war economy is slowly killing their home economy. Lots of domestic business are closing shop, and many people have been working in warfactories. Also when planes, trains and other stuff massively starts falling apart, something which already has been happening, they won't be able to maintain the supply lines. So probably very soon (summer) we'll see a very heavy offensive from 2 or 3 sides, and they really don't want extra trouble, as apperantly this wars costs are trememdous in their scale. The longer it takes, the lower the win chances for Ruzz will become, though I wonder atm, if anyone in the top even knows what their actual plans could be. I surely don't hope something like " If we can't have it, nobody will" , like Stalin did, and they'll turn the place into a wasteland.

Fyi via ap ap link "It was the first time that Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, though its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises. Tactical nuclear weapons include air bombs, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions and are meant for use on a battlefield. They are less powerful than the massive warheads that arm intercontinental ballistic missiles and are intended to obliterate entire cities."

Is the poop deck what I think it is?

account age less than a day

Yup, that checks out

Because you're a fan of authoritarian oligarchs who carve up their own country amongst other oligarchs and their corporations and is trying to turn Europe into a bunch of satellite oligarchies?