Throughout Russia's history, it has been involved in many external and internal “attacks”. The Russian Empire fought wars and expanded its territory through force. Since the end of the 18th century Russia occupied Belarusian lands and treated it as a part of so-called “Russian world”. Beginning in the early 1990s, just as the former Soviet republics were establishing their independence, Russia became aggressive against Moldova and sided with separatists in the Abkhazian and South Ossetian regions of Georgia. Post-Soviet Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in the beginning of 2014. It brutally suppressed Chechnya. It also has been a combatant in Syria, attacking hospitals and civilian infrastructure. And finally, Russia began the war against Ukraine in 2022. Despite it, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and members of the Russian delegation have been granted visas to attend the 77th United Nations General Assembly.