They said they’d withdraw if the breakaway regions were recognised. If they wanted to occupy the whole country and expand they’d just continue as they are wouldn’t they?
Occupation of the countries you’ve mentioned would be untenable. It’d never last. Why didn’t they invade Georgia in 2008 if this was the plan.
I think they are just untrusting and overbearing and want outposts a la Transnistria, Kaliningrad, Ossetia to keep a tabs on things.