aezmvp said:
We are not there yet. The attack on the Sig is definitely an escalation along with the naval combat warning at the Russian ports, but you'll have to see some more ships actually sunk by USV to make that point. I don't believe that the Russians have a pipeline large enough to supply Crimea so hitting tankers would be a pretty effective strategy but the retaliation from Russia is likely to be pretty bad at the ports. Worth it? Probably.
With all due respect, you cannot win a war thinking about a mythical retaliation calculation.
Russia is going to expend ever missile / drone it can get its hands on to win this war regardless of Ukraine's tactics. Lobbing them at apartments or at grain depots is just for narrative. It may even save UKR lives to have them send them at docks and silos rather than electricity infrastructure or apt buildings (albeit the rest of the world may be hungry).
I don't' think you were implying nukes, other than escalating to that point, UKR can do anything that isn't a war crime. If UKR believes that its children will be abducted and its male population will be conscripted and killed in Russia's next war, you have to accept that Russia is going to retaliate. I UKR and Poland know this better than the West.