If Putin used nukes, I would think he would do it with two objectives: 1. Force Ukraine to surrender (or give in to peace conditions in favour of Russia). 2. Stop or reduce foreign weapons supply for Ukraine.
For that, the most likely targets for Russian (tactical) nukes would be traffic hubs near the Polish-Ukrainian border (but of course far enough on the Ukrainian side of the border so that it can’t be seen as an attack on a NATO country).
I don’t think it it likely that this would escelate into a US-Russia nuclear exchange (but of course the probability is a bit higher than zero).
If Putin used nukes, I would think he would do it with two objectives:
1. Force Ukraine to surrender (or give in to peace conditions in favour of Russia).
2. Stop or reduce foreign weapons supply for Ukraine.
For that, the most likely targets for Russian (tactical) nukes would be traffic hubs near the Polish-Ukrainian border (but of course far enough on the Ukrainian side of the border so that it can’t be seen as an attack on a NATO country).
I don’t think it it likely that this would escelate into a US-Russia nuclear exchange (but of course the probability is a bit higher than zero).