Russia’s nuclear exercises are intended to intimidate Western politicians and compel them to voluntarily take actions beneficial to the country, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The Kremlin continues to wield its nuclear weapons as part of a reflexive control campaign to influence Western decision-makers, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This is evidenced by the recent nuclear exercises conducted by the Southern Military District. One pro-Kremlin blogger directly linked these exercises to attempts to influence Western decisions, including…