Quote Originally Posted by Jolt View Post
To be honest, I think Russia is a giant with clay feet. As I already had said in the Ossetian Thread, Russia is impossible to maintain united, given it's gigantic size. Providing war comes, if Russia suffers some setbacks/defeats in the European Front and in the Pacific front (If they make an offensive and that offensive is turned back by NATO), then the most probable outcome would be a military coup, with each side blaming the other for the failure in the war. That would be followed by a polarization of Russian Forces and consequent Civil War. Amongst the chaos, several small nationalistic rebellions would certainly spring up. (The Caucasus would certainly light up in rebellion again), NATO would then start to pick sides (Thus actually allying with the Russians, or a part of them) and eliminate the divided Russian force. No missiles, no nukes. That is what I think it would happen, in general terms.
interesting article that may add some colour to your deliberations:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/JH19Ag04.html