Consider the Russian attempts to seal off Grozny…Granted, this is a smaller area being surrounded, and the Russians have probably learned a thing or two since way back then, but on that score, a lot of footage of Russian troops in Ukraine could be easily confused with footage from Chechnya…Hell, some of it probably IS footage from Chechnya, but the fact that large portions their military hasn’t evolved since the mid to late 90s is telling in a different way.
That is certainly one credible way of looking at it.
However, as you put it "the Russians have probably learned a thing or two".
I Agree, and would like to add, Chechnya II is somewhat unique, I believe there was massive amounts of Russian anger toward Chechnya and Chechens over Belsan, and it had a bearing on the violence used and the results.