I think that would be the mindset of Putin.
What complicates things a bit these days for him, is that the Chinese do not want a nuke war. They have a lot to lose and do not necessarily share Putin's desire to go full Armegeddon just to cap off his legacy and to restore Russian glory, whatever that is. The Chinese support Putin in public but they are plenty pissed at him because he has given invading and annexing old territory a bad name and a very bad look. The Chinese definitely do not want Taiwan back looking like Aleppo- although Putin is fine with that and already three quarters of the way there.
Yes, if left to himself, Put would lop a tactical nuke into the sea or out in the countryside just to get people's attention. I don't know think the Chinese would allow that though and if Putin did it, well, it's Russia and North Korea against the world then. The Chinese just want Putin to advance their belt and road initiative in the region and to control al the Uyghars in the central asian republics that are beginning to gang up on China. He doesnt want to buy into every problem that goes with Putin.
What a mess.