Well, not so unusual, if you observe how clever Putin is getting.
Putin spent a lot of time and effort to create a situation where Russia could defend an ethnic group that was mistreated by the territorial government. He established the fact of mistreatment acceptable to the UN and got Russian peacekeepers authorized by the UN. With Russia strong and rich, his military new and prepared, the US overextended and in debt, NATO Europe unwilling to sacrifice, he baited Georgia, successfully. Why would he not paint additional small nations that opposed him with the color of Georgian human rights violations, it grants justification.
Putin learned this from the treatment of Serbia over Kosovo, and he said then that this should not stand. It was fair warning.