I think that there is a difference between threatening to use nukes and actually using them. Threats make people scared and perhaps willing to compromise, which

I think that there is a difference between threatening to use nukes and actually using them. Threats make people scared and perhaps willing to compromise, which sows division among Ukraine's allies and favors Russia. However, I think that detonating a nuke in Ukraine would achieve the opposite. It would unite people in anger and revenge. This is why I think Russia's threats are probably empty. Of course, in any cases, mutually assured destruction works. People in Moscow have as little desire to be nuked as we have. They will remove the mad dictator before things get out of hands.