I don't know much about the Chechen and Balkan topics but it may be worth to consider as an alternative the conflicts in Afghanistan. It might be a popular choice in the class as this is one of the real big conflicts that have spanned the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 prompted a variety of international involvement in support of the defending Mujahideen to beat them back - perhaps most notably from the CIA under Carter and Reagan, but also from a then-little known fellow named Osama bin Laden. Direct CIA support to bin Laden is still highly disputed but it might be a fun topic to talk about, there is certainly plenty to say about it.
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