“Talking to one of these neo-fascist Russians is like talking to an emissary representing the Mongol Hordes.”
Mongol emissaries only had two ultimatums. Surrender or die. IIRC, one of them had his head returned to the Khan in a basket. Every man, woman, child and animal in the city was slaughtered.
That is what the Kwarezmians did. Unfortunately for them, their entire culture and civilization was destroyed. Too bad, because they would have probably been a strong counter to the Iranians and Russians. The Russian Czars actually bought the mongols off for a few hundred years. I believe the tribute also required them to be ruled by the Mongols however. I have read some accounts of the Mongols campaigns in the Far East. In some cases they would completely sack and destroy one city. Then they demanded tributes from the nearby cities to keep the peace. Let us hope this more kinder and gentler version of the Mongol DNA is at play here in Georgia. Perhaps the Ukraine and Azerbijan will get by with just paying tributes.