I suspect the Russians know ALL about this conflict - they can keep it boiling away at low level but they're not stupid enough to get directly involved. It dates back years before the Soviet Union - it's like getting into N.Ireland, Yemen or Afghanistan - easy to get in, bloody difficult to get out.
The West isn't involved and is very unlikely to be so - the Russians are more likely to stir up the Turks and the Iranians rather than NATO