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Men hold weapons during a basic combat training for civilians in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine. © AP

YOICHI NAGAI, NQN senior staff writer

February 15, 2022 03:21 JST

TOKYO -- As tensions surrounding the Ukraine situation mount, Russia finds itself once again in a familiar, if coincidental, pattern of playing a crucial role in years that end in "2" throughout the annals of history.

In 1812, Napoleon embarked on his doomed expedition to Russia. In 1922, Russians formed the Soviet Union. And in 1962, the U.S. and Moscow faced off during the Cuban missile crisis.