The threat wasn’t to attack. It was more of a warning, saying that if NATO was to step onto Russian soil he would use them.
Nuclear weapons are basically a defensive weapon. You never aim to use them but you have them as a deterrent. No country wants to mess with it or test whether a nuclear nation would use it
To do so is suicide, both to call their bluff or to use the weapons. So you get into a state where militarily no one can do anything (except wage a war in a country that doesn’t have nuclear weapons).
That’s kinda the purpose of nuclear weaponry. To use then it’s basically game over for everyone everywhere.
LesserAbe@lemmy.world 11 months ago
I think they weren’t ever going to use them because they know they would get nuked in turn. Once it became clear the bluff wasn’t working, makes you look weak to use a threat and not follow through.
BeanGoblin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 months ago
Plus many of them are so poorly maintained they likely wouldn’t launch anyway. Missiles have a lot of upkeep
Skua@kbin.social 11 months ago
While this may well be true, Russia has so many nukes and nukes are themselves so destructive that it's kinda cold comfort even if 90% of them fail
Forester@yiffit.net 11 months ago
Comrade what do with mini ICBM no longer function?
I have a best solution we take derelict submarine insert many warhead call it Poseidon. Is Gloria’s Soviet superweapon Dah.
Sharpiemarker@startrek.website 11 months ago
Yep. Mutually Assured Destruction.
Some countries will use the threat of nuclear war to get what they want. But what they want often involves still being alive afterwards. Putin, like the rest of the leaders of countries with nuclear arms, knows that a nuclear strike demands a nuclear response. There is no other option and unfortunately the whole world suffers as a result.
1984@lemmy.today 11 months ago
Although I don’t think pootin cares about his people and wont care if they get killed.