[ought-six]

“I don’t remember Reagan starting a hot war in on Russia’s border, and then sending Ukraine front-line weapons there.”

Neither do I. But I do remember the USSR (really, Russia, because Moscow called all the shots) starting a hot war on its border in 1979 (Afghanistan); Russia starting a hot war on its border in 1993 (Chechnya) and again in 1996 (Chechnya); Russia starting a hot war on its border in 2008 (Georgia); Russia starting a hot war on its border in 2014 (Ukraine); Russia starting a hot war on its border in 2022 (Ukraine).

[BobL]

Yep and we knew enough to KEEP CLEAR of the Soviets during the Cold War, and so never had to deal with nuclear scenarios.