u/Creepyfaction

In the past, the Soviet Union had a military presence far from it's borders such as in Syria, South Yemen, Vietnam, Angola, etc. In war planning, did these forces factor at all in an all-out conflict with NATO? By the 1980s, what was the plan for the troops deployed to Afghanistan if a war broke out in Europe?

Before they were broken up by Russia, it was said that Wagner Group operated its own aviation in Ukraine as well as in Africa, fielding the Su-24 which hasn't seen much use by the Russian Air Force in Ukraine as far as I know. What is known about this?