The Russian-Georgian War actually proved that no, Russia doesn't do everything For the Evulz. Saakashvili was wrong to try to seize Ossetian territory (land that had been de facto independant since the Soviet Union's collaose, along with Abkhazia), and Russia responded by thrashing him. Was it a bit more than a tit-for-tat? Yes, but I would argue that said bitchslap of the Georgian military is what prevented the conflict from dragging out and killing more people. In fact, for Russia, this was rather reserved, since by their historical MO, they would have occupied Tblisi....
The Russian-Georgian War actually proved that no, Russia doesn't do everything For the Evulz. Saakashvili was wrong to try to seize Ossetian territory (land that had been de facto independant since the Soviet Union's collaose, along with Abkhazia), and Russia responded by thrashing him. Was it a bit more than a tit-for-tat? Yes, but I would argue that said bitchslap of the Georgian military is what prevented the conflict from dragging out and killing more people. In fact, for Russia, this was rather reserved, since by their historical MO, they would have occupied Tblisi....