“So why is it his forces in central Russia?”
Russia claims it is a drill. Such a drill may be used as cover for the mobilization and eventual redeployment of the airborne and other troops to the Western Military District and the Southern military District bordering the Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Georgia.
Because that is where Ukraine is? It doesn’t always make sense. Our “Central Command” is in charge of Central Asia, but is in West a Florida on our East Coast.
It boggles the mind to make sense of this stuff.