Question about Post cold war era (10 points to best answer)?

I would disagree that Eastern Europe would be a logical Russian target for nuclear strikes.

Assuming Russia wishes to reestablish the empire of the Soviet Union,there's not much point in moving in to occupy countries that have been turned into radioactive slagheaps.Additionally,radioactive fallout from such nuclear strikes is far more likely to drift over Russia the nearer to that country those strikes are made,thus putting your own people and resources in danger.Much better to nuke an enemy far away,where fallout is far less likely to effect your own territory.Finally,the countries of Eastern Europe that have become democratic since 1991 don't possess nuclear weapons of their own,and are thus no threat to Russia in a nuclear war;were they to be attacked,using conventional ground forces makes far more sense.

The Russian political leadership is from the Cold War era,and has a Cold War mindset still,where foreign policy is a zero sum game.The West,and in particular USA,therefore remains the major enemy for Russia, in politics,economics, and war if it happens - be that war nuclear or conventional.