As I said. The difference is the choice of nations not be beligerents with each other in the first place and not be ruled by real dictators in the second place.
It has been Putin’s decision to remain a beligerant with NATO and the west in the post Soviet era. That did not have to be and he did not have to create a dictatorship. Minus both those elements, Russia would not have sought Urkaine to lose its independence and their shared border would not be a security issue.
Putin continues a Russian problem. Creating security issues that mask it really just seeks donomination of its neighbors and then claims the other nation’s mutual defense measures with others is the issue.
Serbia didn’t choose to be a belligerent with NATO, but they were attacked anyway.
No only that, they had a province of their country severed off and given to someone else.
NATO is an aggressive and tyrannical force that should have been disbanded in 1991.