Nuclear weapons require frequent and expensive maintenance in order to stay operational.
Looking at Russian weapons performance so far as a whole, it looks like maintenance of anything has not been a priority
Exactly. Like most things Russian. They are a miserable people, having very low-level education, low-level skill sets, and low-level ambition - except when it comes to invading their neighbors ... In that they excell.
Historically, “Russians” are an ignorant easily-frightened people, whom have always been led by arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic, manipulative psychopaths.
If you actually study Russian history, you will discover that the “Russians” are mostly white Europeans, who reside west of Caucasus Mountain range that divides Europe from Asia. “Mother Russia” is basically Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Everything west is a mishmash of various ethnic tribes - Mongolians, Chechens, Tartars, etc - peoples whom the “Russian” Czars (a word derived from “Caesar”) concquered over the centuries so to expand their “Empire.”
I gurantee you that, in studying how poorly the Russian military is doing in taking Ukraine (recall this “special military operation” was supposed to require 48 hours to achieve it’s goal of “de-nazification” and de-militarization” of Ukraine. We are now in day 140!) the Chinese are eyeing the eastern most provinces of Russia - territory that originally belonged to the Chinese.
Strike “west of” ... Should be “east of” (duh!)