[TrumpCard]

If Russia is going to fully destroy and take over Ukraine, why not develop ten nukes and send them Russia's way? I'm not advocating this, I just wonder how long it will take for Ukraine to reach that conclusion.

Ukraine might have enough fissile material for one small device. Even that isn't for sure. Supposedly they got rid of all they had, but I suspect there is enough "laboratory" material around to make one such device. They can't test it, it may not go off at all. Ten such devices are IMHO not possible.

As some of my other posts have indicated, I do think there is a point where organized resistance ceases. The Ukrainian people will not be wiped off the face of the earth unless things do go nuclear. They aren't suicidal, and realize blowing up a few Russian cities really won't help them.

What a cheery post.  I'm hardly the board's resident optimist, but for now I am keeping up my hopes that Russia's winter offensive won't net too much Ukrainian territory.  I am concerned about a stalemate, but I don't really think the entire Ukrainian state is likely to collapse.  I suspect Ukrainians living in Kyiv, for example, will be better off as citizens of a stub version of Ukraine that continues to resist a full takeover than as citizens of a Russian-owned territory.  I can't imagine that life is great for Chechens or Dagestanis, for example.

[TrumpCard]

If Russia is going to fully destroy and take over Ukraine, why not develop ten nukes and send them Russia's way? I'm not advocating this, I just wonder how long it will take for Ukraine to reach that conclusion.

Ukraine might have enough fissile material for one small device. Even that isn't for sure. Supposedly they got rid of all they had, but I suspect there is enough "laboratory" material around to make one such device. They can't test it, it may not go off at all. Ten such devices are IMHO not possible.

As some of my other posts have indicated, I do think there is a point where organized resistance ceases. The Ukrainian people will not be wiped off the face of the earth unless things do go nuclear. They aren't suicidal, and realize blowing up a few Russian cities really won't help them.

What a cheery post.  I'm hardly the board's resident optimist, but for now I am keeping up my hopes that Russia's winter offensive won't net too much Ukrainian territory.  I am concerned about a stalemate, but I don't really think the entire Ukrainian state is likely to collapse.  I suspect Ukrainians living in Kyiv, for example, will be better off as citizens of a stub version of Ukraine that continues to resist a full takeover than as citizens of a Russian-owned territory.  I can't imagine that life is great for Chechens or Dagestanis, for example.