You mean, like WMD in Iraq? Or Libya? "We came, we saw, he died"?

Ukraine is not in the Nato. If Putin had serious interest in "claiming" it he could do it. And it would make more sense than occupying the Baltic states. He would be able to take the Baltic states. But the Baltic states ARE in the Nato. And they provide little advantage.

How did a Russian say about the Crimea Island? "Another poor region we have to feed...".

I currently see very little interest on Russia's side for geographic expansion. But geography is still on their agenda since "buffer states" have always and will always be part of Russian military strategy.