More than half of Russia's nuclear weapons are definitely not combat-ready, they have been standing and rotting for decades. Even what is shown on TV is just a show-off, missiles are launched in ideal conditions, not in combat. In fact, it's going to get worse.
It is very significant that Russia recently arrested top generals for corruption.
In China and Russia now any top person can be arrested for corruption.
By contrast in the UK and U.S. top people know that there is no chance of being arrested because it is they who control the investigators. Look at the Fat Leonard scandal which is the only recent case of even mid level corruption being pursued.
Your point also ignores the underlying Russian history. Russians still alive do know war and will paint themselves dirty if necessary to win. The U.S. only knows war from the experience of being heavily armed with expensive weapons shooting at primitive armies without technology. Russian weakness is usually their version of a bluff.
