>it has always been Russia's stated position that they won't hesitate to use nuclear weapons as first strike weapon...

Nope. Again this is the direct opposite of the truth. Russia has a stated "No First Strike" policy. As does the USA. As does China. As does NATO. As do, I beleive, India, Pakistan and every other nuclear armed nation. It's one of the reasons [alongside MAD] that we've, so far, managed to avoid a nuclear conflict.

Other commenters have hinted at Russia staging a false flag 'dirty bomb' incident, to justify making a nuclear response. That's an alarming thought. But I think it's equally alarming to see how we're being manipulated by the media into accepting some kind of limited nuclear conflict as inevitable and being pre-programmed to accept the "He hit me first!" jutification --especially as [see my other posts on what Putin actually did and didn't say] it seems like the Russian people are being similarly prepared for similar justification.