This. It seems to me powers behind the throne would rather risk their lives and overthrow Putin, than risk their lives and more in a nuclear MAD scenario. But

This. It seems to me powers behind the throne would rather risk their lives and overthrow Putin, than risk their lives and more in a nuclear MAD scenario. But there are many many alternatives before either of those two, so I imagine the vast majority are hoping against hope something else plays out, and they don’t have to decide between a risky coup attempt and certain nuclear annihilation.