Indeed, we in the West tend to see rosy diplomatic outcomes where there are none. And—the Russians would be the losers if they went nuclear. Not least because they would be destroying the very territory they seek to gain. And the fallout would float over them, destroying Russia itself.

What about a few ripe y tactical nukes? Then they will have opened themselves up to nuclear war with the west, and shredded their relations with China. Lose, lose, lose.