this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2024
115 points (82.5% liked)

Ask Lemmy

26890 readers
1676 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions

Please don't post about US Politics. If you need to do this, try !politicaldiscussion@lemmy.world


Rules: (interactive)


1) Be nice and; have funDoxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them


2) All posts must end with a '?'This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?


3) No spamPlease do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.


4) NSFW is okay, within reasonJust remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either !asklemmyafterdark@lemmy.world or !asklemmynsfw@lemmynsfw.com. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].


5) This is not a support community.
It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email info@lemmy.world. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.


Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Tech Support

No Stupid Questions

You Should Know

Reddit

Jokes

Ask Ouija


Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

EDIT: For clarification, I feel that the current situation on the ground in the war (vs. say a year ago) might indicate that an attack on Russia might not result in instant nuclear war, which is what prompted my question. I am well aware of the “instant nuclear Armageddon” opinion.

Serious question. I don’t need to be called stupid. I realize nuclear war is bad. Thanks!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Saledovil@sh.itjust.works 29 points 2 months ago (3 children)

If Russia uses nukes, Russia, the state, will cease to exist. The Oligarchs know this, Putin knows this. Only an existential threat to the Oligarchs and Putin would result in a nuclear strike. And that's why there was no nuclear response to the Kursk incursion so far.

[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If NATO invades, Russia is doomed. Putin doesn't care that Russia would still exist after a NATO victory, all he cares about is himself and his legacy. Both of which would be destroyed in a NATO victory.

So he would launch the nukes and watch Russia get wiped off the map, because if he can't have it, no one can. And at least he would go out with a bang, rather than suiciding in a bunker.

The oligarchs would not be able to prevent it. They might hold the political power, but the military order to launch the nukes comes directly from Putin. The best we could hope for is conscientious officers refusing the order.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If the oligarchs ever thought Putin was legitimately about to use nukes, there would be a coup attempt.

Whether it would successfully stop the nukes is anyone's guess.

[–] Wrench@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yep, I agree. But Putin has held on this long while he has royally screwed the Russian economy, and exposed their bumbling military for what it is. The oligarchs would have ousted him already if it was easy.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

royally screwed the Russian economy

Has he though? And are they REALLY hurting? I don't see much evidence especially of the latter.

[–] zxqwas@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In addition It's also not a good idea to nuke a place you intend to occupy.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

There's also a risk that the weapons have been so poorly maintained that they'd fail silently or spectacularly, which would not be great for Russia's end of the mutually part of mutually assured.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

I bet they fizzle. By weight, tritium is one of the most expensive substances on the planet; do you think the people in charge of refilling the nukes have actually been doing so, or just stealing the money?

[–] creditCrazy@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

I do remember hearing that half of the users nukes were decoys that were only found out after the USSR fell so I do wonder if Russia is still bluffing with decoy nukes or if the decoy nukes were more prominent than we thought considering the a amount of fraudulent conventional weapons that the Ukraine war has revealed I suspect that Russia is still heavily dependent on bluffing with decoy nukes and the few that are intended to be real are poorly maintained or poorly made

[–] Vilian@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

If Putin get shoot in the head?, the oligarchs don't like him, and there's a gigantic amount of people wanting to get his place