Russians hate two things. The idea that they are being threatened with invasion. They see that as existential and have a societal imperative to literally go nuclear on anyone who they think wants a land war.
The other is a think we blow off and don’t understand the depth of. A feeling of inferiority leading to a very low tolerance for direct and massive insult requiring back down. They do have a line, and will indeed shoot at you in the right time and place.
That time and place might not be EXACTLY where our MBA Generals think it is.
“MBA Generals”
Ah yes. Col. Hackworth’s perfumed princes. The ones who have rubberstamped ‘transgender’ personnel and prosecuted a US soldier for stopping pedophilic rape by our “allies”.
Quisling paper pushers.