The Russians were doing this long before Ukraine. Ultimately, Putin is looking to reconstitute the Soviet empire (including the Warsaw Pact) and perhaps expand beyond that). I don't think he's motivated by money. It's like mountain-climbing - people climb them for the thrill of it. The Russians are a lot like the pre-war Germans - they feel they weren't truly defeated and want a rematch. While it would be nice if Russia turned its attentions to China, and they wiped each other out, the unfortunate reality is that Russian animosity is mainly directed at the West, which outlasted the Soviet empire.
No, I fear he is doing much more than that.
He wants the old Russian Empire back. Which means the west Coast of North America.
From what relatives in Seattle have said, there are large numbers of Russians already there.