They did not shy away from leveling Chechnya, in case you are attributing some sort of inherent virtue to RF military and political command.
Complex internal and external equations are scoping RFs actions, just as they do any other aggressive military power's behavior. US doesn't have to live next to future generations of its leveled victims. Russia's victim, in this case, lives next door and is family. And sure I know of the famous Russian Indian affinity, but there remains the appearance that only brown nations get that treatment. Including from Russians. Something to keep in mind ..