> do they really think the sanctions would lift They know they won't. They know that the opposite would happen. Just one consequence of using a nuclear warhea

> do they really think the sanctions would lift They know they won't. They know that the opposite would happen. Just one consequence of using a nuclear warhead in a war of aggression: Complete economic isolation. No one in the western world would do business with them for decades to come, and no one who wants their business with the western world to continue would either. Just one small example of what such isolation would mean for Russia: Europe would cut off all gas and oil trades. Would be difficult for Europe, but in that scenario, not impossible to bear. For Russia however, that's 40% of the GDP gone, just like that.