You know that thing Russia does where it's the successor state to the Soviet Union when it's convenient for them, and an entirely different entity when it's not

You know that thing Russia does where it's the successor state to the Soviet Union when it's convenient for them, and an entirely different entity when it's not? Yeah, that door swings both ways. Assurances made to the Soviet Union expired with the Soviet Union. And--big surprise here--some former Soviet republics don't wish to be dominated by Russia again. Given the choice, they would prefer to be dominated by the US, the UK, France, and Germany. They might not make the trains run on time, or keep everyone employed, but they do keep the toilet paper on the shelves.