You are correct! However (from my POV) this was done with the intent of disabling any possibility of a counterattack or serious resistance.
Russia's ability seize it's desired positions is significantly greater if Ukraine has no functioning airforce or military infrastructure.
While this _does_ make it easier for Russia to invade the rest of Ukraine (again, because of a lack of military infrastructure) I still think it is a stretch that they will go for a full-country occupation.
While this is not exactly a parallel, think back to Operation Desert Storm. The US-supported coalition had no intent of occupying Iraq, but it's push into Kuwait was made _significantly_ easier after they completely annihilated a significant portion of Iraq's military structure (inside and outside of Kuwait).
It is a mistake to see Putin as mad, paranoid, or motivated by an inflated ego. His posture is that of an old-school Soviet intelligence officer.
AIUI, Ukraine cannot join NATO at the moment; it doesn't control its own borders (Crimea, Donbas).
If Russia annexes Donbas, then they're back to the previous problem: NATO on the border. Note that Russia has not annexed the part of Georgia they invaded; it is now supposedly an independent republic. My guess is that they would settle for independent republics in Donetsk and Luhansk. They don't want Global Nuclear War any more than we do. It's a shame Ukraine didn't agree to give them autonomy earlier; now it looks like Russia is determined to destroy the Ukrainian military infrastructure, and autonomy isn't any longer up for discussion.
Russia's ability seize it's desired positions is significantly greater if Ukraine has no functioning airforce or military infrastructure.
While this _does_ make it easier for Russia to invade the rest of Ukraine (again, because of a lack of military infrastructure) I still think it is a stretch that they will go for a full-country occupation.
While this is not exactly a parallel, think back to Operation Desert Storm. The US-supported coalition had no intent of occupying Iraq, but it's push into Kuwait was made _significantly_ easier after they completely annihilated a significant portion of Iraq's military structure (inside and outside of Kuwait).