The Russians are passive at best. They were also in Iraq but posed no threat at all before and up to the invasion. They will simply cut and run when things get hot.
Passive? Their weapons sure as hell aren't "passive;" and they have a well established practice of leaving plenty of those behind (in the hands of terrorists, thugs or other anti-Western elements) when they "cut and run". Russian weapons are being used to kill American soldiers today in Iraq, Afghanistan and potentially in many other places besides.