Wretchard has the key point right: Airpower will keep this one localized with minimal damage if airpower is used astutely.

In 1914, the astute use of the Royal Navy COULD have contained what became World War I.
The reasons the UK crapped out on that play in favor of trench warfare can be found in “Social History of the Machine Gun”.

Make no mistake, Putin and company are the agressors in this one. Unwilling to use the free market to prosper from their considerable oil and gas resources, they are attempting extortion wherever they can. Some extortees have decided they do not wish to be extorted. Fair enough.

Additionally, Russia has been seething over Georgia being its own country. And being somewhat successful at it. The S Ossetian enclave has provided their wannabe imperialists with a sanctuary from which they attempt to subdue their former province.

They have miscalculated their own capabilities
and that is what has led to the fighting.

Georgia remains a country friendly to the USA
and should be kept free and independent. With
Red, White and Blue Zoomies preventing Russian air superiority, those well-upgraded SU25s can reinforce Georgian geographic advantages and persuade the bear to return to its den.

The air arm is a force multiplier. Georgia has enough to multiply if they own their own air space. Uncle Sam should give them title insurance.

And by the way, tell those Russians to leave the imperialism to Americans. We are much, much better at it than they will ever be.
Wherever we go, our superior culture takes root because it offers something better. Their can make no such offer.