After the collapse of the Soviet Union, tiny sparks ran across its territory, hardly noticeable even on a large wall map of the country. On a global scale, nothing has happened. But for individuals and entire nations, these sparks were huge fires that killed thousands of people, swallowed up the entire past life of the survivors, and destroyed the very habitat of small peoples.
In any war, the civilian population of the country where the hostilities are fought is the first to suffer. And although...