Ukraine is the focus, but Russian troops are in several ex-Soviet republics

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/02/ [login to see] /ukraine-is-the-focus-but-russian-troops-are-in-several-ex-soviet-republics
Pop quiz: Russian troops have been operating in how many former Soviet republics so far this year?

The answer requires an extended journey from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.

The obvious starting point is Ukraine, where Russia's military is waging an offensive in the eastern part of the country as part of a war now in its third month.

Many Russian troops who invaded on Feb. 24 came from staging areas in Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Lukashenko blames the war on Western countries, and has sought to portray Belarus as a victim.