>>521209548
This is what happens when corrupt buffer states forget their role. Georgia and Chechnya tried threatening Russia's national security and allow Nato to slip past the Caucasus mountains in the 90's and 2000's. Now Ukraine has been duped into doing the same thing but with the Carpathian mountains and Crimea.
Russia still controls Kaliningrad and Transnistria which mark out Russia's ideal front line in a war with NATO. Russia won't let NATO slip past these naturally forming defensive barriers otherwise they don't stand a chance.

>>521214196
Go look at Finland on a map. There is only one viable passage to invade into Russia, the rest is lakes, forests and swamps.

>>519269643
>>519269772
>>519271898
>>519275432
In a war against NATO, Russia doesn't have the manpower to sustain huge front lines. They are trying to push out to naturally forming barriers of mountains, sea and deserts to protect the access points around them. Crimea, the Bessarabian gap and the Polish gap are in Ukraine and if Russia loses, its gg for any future conflict with NATO. Chechnya and Georgia tried the same shit and were invaded.