The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

[CmdrKing]

The last thing China wants to do with it's overaging population is, repeat the same bullshit Putler just did. More than a million Russians are gone and will never come back and that's on top of the war-casualties and Russia had a critical shortage of young people of fertile age before already. China is paying very close attention to the outcome of this failed adventure and won't make a move before it can disunite the Western World and Russia Made that really, really really not a thing going to Happen any time soon.

In my mind, since basically the second week of this or so when it was clear this would not be over before May Day, I imagine Xi Jinping spending a few moments each day skimming the latest on Russia's activities and quietly seething over how far back this puts his long-term plans and hoping he can extract enough resources and ownership of key industries from Russia's husk to salve his pride.

[Draco Dracul]

I dunno, I could easily see China using nukes on its own territory against invaders, and then what? Neither Europe nor the US will want to start a nuclear exchange, and neither can afford to put serious sanctions on Chinese trade.

Much depends on how the nuclear weapons are used, and when.

Why would they use nukes on thier own territory? They have the single largest army in the world and would have a lot of advantages just by being the defender in the war.

[clearspira]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63243313

Russian civilians being told to leave Kherson. Another ''annexed territory that you dare not attack and I am not bluffing'' about to be captured.

[Riedquat]

The last thing China wants to do with it's overaging population is, repeat the same bullshit Putler just did. More than a million Russians are gone and will never come back and that's on top of the war-casualties and Russia had a critical shortage of young people of fertile age before already. China is paying very close attention to the outcome of this failed adventure and won't make a move before it can disunite the Western World and Russia Made that really, really really not a thing going to Happen any time soon.

In my mind, since basically the second week of this or so when it was clear this would not be over before May Day, I imagine Xi Jinping spending a few moments each day skimming the latest on Russia's activities and quietly seething over how far back this puts his long-term plans and hoping he can extract enough resources and ownership of key industries from Russia's husk to salve his pride.

Not sure why he would be seething when one quite probably end result is Russia practically being a Chinese vassal. China's probably the only big winner.

[Frustration]

Why would they use nukes on thier own territory? They have the single largest army in the world and would have a lot of advantages just by being the defender in the war.

There are tactical nukes that are designed to do things like destroy bridges. They're not all megaton terrain-destruction weapons.

[Frustration]

And what happens when they retire? And in the meantime? A reduction in the numbers of disgruntled young men who can't get laid would likely be welcomed by the Party. It's not as though the nation had a labor shortage.

[Draco Dracul]

Why would they use nukes on thier own territory? They have the single largest army in the world and would have a lot of advantages just by being the defender in the war.

There are tactical nukes that are designed to do things like destroy bridges. They're not all megaton terrain-destruction weapons.

A) Why would they use nukes for that rather than conventional weapons that don't qualify WMDs and don't irradiate the area?
B) I'm not sure how anyone would make enough headway to necessitate that, especially since it would basically have to be a naval invasion.

[clearspira]

Why would they use nukes on thier own territory? They have the single largest army in the world and would have a lot of advantages just by being the defender in the war.

There are tactical nukes that are designed to do things like destroy bridges. They're not all megaton terrain-destruction weapons.

A) Why would they use nukes for that rather than conventional weapons that don't qualify WMDs and don't irradiate the area?
B) I'm not sure how anyone would make enough headway to necessitate that, especially since it would basically have to be a naval invasion.

I would suggest watching the 2022 update to Chuck's ''The Day After'' review.

[Frustration]

So-called 'suitcase' nukes can be easily carried by a single individual; as such, they'd be ideal for sabotage when significant damage is needed but conventional explosives would be too massive for convenience.

Also, nuclear weapons vary wildly in the degree to which they irradiate and leave residual radiation - the really nasty ones had to be specially engineered to leave long-lasting radioactivity behind. Japan experienced relatively little aftereffects of the two nuclear weapons detonated on its soil. Little consolation to those that *were* affected, sure, but the ground wasn't poisoned for generations, or even one generation.

[Madner Kami]