> Why have a war in Ukraine, if you can just put your own president in charge? And manipulate everyone’s opinion? They did and he got removed in a revolution i

> Why have a war in Ukraine, if you can just put your own president in charge? And manipulate everyone’s opinion? They did and he got removed in a revolution in 2014. > Why not fix issues in Belorussia? Belorussia is a dictatorship with a firm grip on the media and public opinion. > Why not win over all the other ex soviet states back? Because they didn't forget the occupation, and some others had a war on their hands if they went a bit too much west (Georgia, Ukraine).