(You’re right that the outer provinces won’t be back. Kosovo payback. Locals hated the Georgians, if it’s any consolation…)
“Locals” have been intermarrying with Georgians for centuries. They have much in common with Georgians and very little in common with Russians. It took 15 years of not-so-subtle support of nationalistic movements and giving away of Russian passports, plus the fact that Georgia is much poorer than Russia (no oil or gas of its own), to buy them.
I think that much of it is Russians in general are very insecure re: their role in the world. There is an amazing amount of antiamericanism mixed with envy in public consciousness. A good psychiatrist could have a field day with that. Peter Schiff would make lots of money if he moved to Moscow and tried to peddle his book there. Everyone just loves to hate America because they are richer and more powerful. (But, of course, no one would admit that)
United States is a superpower, so they can bomb and invade foreign countries at their whim and get away with it (Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan). If Russia can pull off something like that, it makes Russians feel proud about themselves.
