Original Message

 where you been?

Russia is definitely an anomaly give over the last 150 years their homeland has been invaded and decimated three times.  Their governmental state of mind is very very defensive, assuring the best defense is an offense.

When the Berlin Wall collapsed and Germay reunited, USSR dissolved, and so on, Russia was assured NATO would not move eastward.  For whatever reasons NATO did move eastward - choose your study!

Russia is not messing around with the idea of feeling it must isolate itself with more peripheral geography.  

Put the concerns of Communist countries on one plate and when one pushes forward the other/s may move on their own objectives as well.

Not a time lacking tension, and possibly for their own POV valid reasons.  Sucks, but is what it is.