I'm not convinced that Russia has spent the money to maintain its nukes. Why would they when the money can be spent on yachts, fast cars and luxury mansions in nice places outside Russia. The nuclear threat has been enough up to now without a need to spend further useful money on it! Soldiers are
far more useful and cheap. Dead Russian soldiers don't need to be paid, fed or watered. When they are blown up they are probably beyond burying. A win-win for Putin and his chosen elite. I agree Russia is on the ropes, the question is, how do we manage its downfall and the repercussions that follow?
Whilst I agree with you on the maintenance of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, I don't want to be on the wrong end of a miraculously functional one.
So Putin's nuclear threat works, even though his arsenal is likely to be minimal. We all fear the functional nuke, but Putin and his thugs fear the NATO response to a nuke attack, which may or may not be nuclear. Xi Jinping fears such a scenario for a very good reason, China needs Russia intact!!
China will be happy to take the Siberian end, they don't need the European end. Siberia has all the resources.
Resources that once belonged to China.
Many years ago maybe, don't start going down that route otherwise you could argue that half of England should be Danish 🤣
Nice pastries!!