If it was about "the Land" your words, then why did Russia not take all of Georgia (it took 2 Georgian Oblasts in a week so the rest of Georgia then would have been a cake walk.......before NATO/US got their arses into gear!
Similarily why did russia not take Moldova years ago rather than defacto taking Transnistra .
IMO my theory fits all 3...IE: that Russia wants to create border disputes with all 3 which precludes them from joining NATO according to NATO's own membership prerequisites......which either 3 joining NATO was a red line for Russia due to the national security importance Russia places on the Red Sea/Sea of Azov.
Russia has more land pickled with natural resources than it know what to do with. That said, China will be in there like Flynn post this war developing/extracting Russia's energy and metal resources thereby minimising its reliance on Aus. because we said that China is our #1 enemy and we have outlawed any Aus State from joining China's BRI
