Russia’s heavy-handed pressure on Georgia and its support of secessionist movements in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two unrecognized republics within Georgia, inflames passions and risks destabilizing the already tense Northern Caucasus. Should instability ignite into open warfare, Russia will find it impossible to avoid the consequences.
但欺凌格鲁吉亚、摩尔多瓦，支持哈马斯或纵容北朝鲜似乎并不是出于俄国长远利益和战略需要的指引。导致上述行为的更像是简单、纯粹的不怀好意。俄国对格鲁吉亚的高压和对格鲁吉亚国内两个未获承认的共和国¾南奥塞梯（South Ossetia）及阿布哈西亚分离主义运动的支持进一步点燃了狂热情绪，很可能破坏本已岌岌可危的北高加索地区的稳定。如果不稳定因素最终引燃了战火，俄国会发现自己很难逃避战争带来的后果。