Or Chechnya, or Afghanistan, or Russian-Polish war (with WW2 and Ukraine it covers most of the post-WWI period, especially if one adds things like the China-Soviet conflict in 1929 when USSR was defending its colonial holdings). It isn't "exceptions". Russia, be it Grand Duchy of Moscow, Russian Empire, USSR or the current Russia has always been an aggressive state. You don't become such a large empire like Russian Empire or USSR without military aggression :)