Not interesting at all. The Russians have no interest in occupying the whole of Georgia. As I’ve stated before think like a Russian commander in overall charge of this campaign. It was pointless stopping at the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Georgians would simply shell and conduct airstrikes on the Russian forces there. They had to push back the Georgian forces and that involved limited incursions into Georgia proper. They also had to deliver a powerful message to Georgian forces that they wouldn’t accept them in positions surrounding these disputed regions.
Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Instead of thinking that this was an attempt to take over and occupy Georgia and make further moves on other nations think of it as a final solution to Russians problems in Georgia. They finally have South Ossetia and Abkhazia annexed. Problem solved for the Russians. No occupation of Georgia and no tying down of hundreds of thousands of forces as an occupying force.
The Russians have the territory that they came for. The Georgians know that they will never be able to retake those regions. They are lost to them for good. The Russian pull back to the borders of their annexed regions with the option of striking back at any Georgian force stupid enough to come within artillery range. All the Russians have to wait for now is an international peacekeeping force to deploy into Georgia and to set up buffer zones around the borders. Game set and match for the Russians.
"The aggressor has been punished, having sustained considerable losses. Its armed forces have been disorganised," he added.
So exactly how does punishment fit into the Russian military strategy ? Are the Russians now the Judge, Jury and Punisher on the battlefield ?