Russia Reenacted Its Georgia Playbook in Ukraine
The lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bore a chilling resemblance to its approach to Georgia in 2008. Five days prior to launching its operation in Georgia, the Kremlin concluded the large-scale Kavkaz 2008 military exercise in the North Caucasus and announced a pullback. The Georgian example clearly shows that Russian rhetoric cannot be trusted.
Apart from heavy military mobilization near the Ukrainian border, Russia sought to construct a casus belli by spreading disinformation and accusing Ukraine of planning military provocations in its eastern
