Russia - threadbanned users in OP

We really are in the depths of unknown waters with the end game here. We are no longer dealing with a rationale mind with Putin and we really dont know how he is going to react to the latest rounds of sanctions and more seriously, the military support the West is openly providing Ukraine. The Russian foreign secretary yesterday said that we have "reached the point of no return" as a result.

In order to see what this looks like you have to read the media across the world. There is no doubt that a high percentage of Russian people are only seeing the spin Russia uses. The Guardian ran a piece on how Russian and Ukrainian influencers are reacting but its in vein because many of them dont live in Russia and Russians dont have access to be influenced. Many Russians see the West/US/NATO as the enemy who wants Russia to fall and would invade if Russia didn't have nukes.

We are all holding out for the Putin to be removed domestically. Dont expect that to happy from his cabinet, after all they were hand picked for those roles by Putin himself. Just like Stalin they will be with him till the end. The general public won't mobilise because the police in Russia shut them down very quick.

The western media is also writing that China is not throwing its weight behind Russia. This is untrue. China has lifted import restrictions on Russian goods as the result of the restrictions imposed on Russia. The Chinese government has referenced the strong relations with Russia in Chinese media regularly over the past few days.

A poster a few pages back theorised that Russia could use a low yield nuke which may trigger NATO taking action. As hair balled as this sounds, Russia updated its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons a few years ago. It got some media attention. Russia gave itself permission to use nukes against conventional warfare if Russia is threatened. The wording gives them free reign and nukes can no longer just be considered a deterrent from their perspective.

Will they use a tactical nuke in Ukraine? Its unlikely but not improbable. Many military commentators speculated about it prior to the invasion. From a domestic perspective the average Russian would be shocked but less so if the spin is that it was a retaliatory defensive measure. However the international community would condemn Russia to great lengths. Would NATO respond? Unlikely, unless it is on NATO soil etc. I can't see China being ok with it either.

The question we have to ask is what will Russia do to get out of this when they are defeated on the ground. Daisy cutters? Chemical weapons? What if that doesnt have the desired effect? There is no way Russia will voluntarily withdraw with tail between the legs. They may push diplomacy again but Ukraine doesn't seem interested, unless Russia withdraw first.

So what will the injured Russian bear do when the moment comes and they have nothing else to lose?