PN is dead on about the Soviet paranoia of being invaded. It's part of their mental make-up. History goes back even farther if you include Imperial Russia.
That other short corporal, the French one, did a number on the Russians as well as the examples given previously.
So, why in the hell is NATO going right up to the Russian border? The US putting its ABM sites in Poland? Yes, I know the physics won't support that site negating Russian ICBMs, but the thought of a US and/or NATO base that close to the border? C'mon...........
It gives Putin considerable pause for thought and I can't really blame him.
Regarding the returning F-111s and the SR-71 meeting, I did a story on the raid and the crews commented specifically about the overflight and wingrock.