They would be very pleased for Russia to drop a couple of tactical atomic weapons in or near Ukrainian borders, sure, because such a move immediately would shift the end of war beyond the event horizon of the current generation of inept, careless, whimsical, and histrionic Ukrainian, European, and Dem Party politicians. For example, the biggest fear of Zelensky's clique is an audit of the colossal sums of money and materiel they received from Harris-Biden administration and neocon bastards in the shadows of the Beltway. No Ukraine, or at least no Kiev, means no traces.

Precisely for that reason, I think, atomic weapons will not be deployed.

Moreover, that conflict is finely regulated, possesses all features of the flower war. I’m inclined to predict that impact will be minuscule, comparable to ritualized “exchanges” between Iran and Israel. Reaction from Russian side highly likely will be nondescript.