Ukraine (closed; covers till August 2014)

[Biggus]

kaur---did you notice that the Mu-28 seemed to be a cross between the Hind 24 and the US Army AH64 Apache newer version? Who says industrial espionage is not alive and well via the FSB.

AH-64 first flight: 1975
Mi-24 first flight: 1969
Mi-28 first flight: 1982
The Hind was heavily influenced by the Cobra doctrinally, but not necessarily technologically. The first flight date for the Hind was far too close to that of the Cobra for there to have been a great deal of borrowed technology being used. I have read that the -28 was quite influential on the development of the Apache. Mind you, it's taken an awfully long time for the Russians to actually put the -28 into service.

Take a step further backwards.

What gave Russia the belief that they could get away with an invasion of Georgia?

Kosovo, perhaps?

Russia perceives the West as being happy to ignore national sovereignty when it is convenient, therefore Russia does the same.