Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks “regime Change” and would likely invade Ukraine’s rest, says a former Director for Russia in the National Security Council.

“You’ll see him, given his size and all the talk we’ve heard regarding Ukraine’s statehood and general rhetoric, I’m sure [Putin]Go all the way,” Jeffrey Edmonds said on Wednesday to CNBC’s SquawkBox Asia.

Putin directed troops to enter two pro-Moscow regions in eastern Ukraine on Monday, He announced that he would recognize in writing the autonomy of separatist territories.

The U.S. and U.K. responded quickly to Russia’s incursion by imposing new sanctions on Tuesday. These will be applied against Russian individuals, financial institutions and sovereign debt. Russia’s actions are being called out by President Joe Biden constitute the beginning of “an invasion”Ukraine may be threatened with more U.S. sanction.

Putin is likely to travel “all the way towards the capital,” Edmonds stated, in reference to Kyiv (the Ukrainian capital).

You’re witnessing a number of false flag operations. These claims… [that]Edmonds said that the East’s people are being forced to resist the Ukrainian offensives.

Russia’s state-controlled media previously claimed According to Ukrainian officials, they had used shelling against Moscow-backed rebels from the East.

The U.S. warned Moscow that it could make false claims regarding the conflict to justify an invasion of Ukraine.

“This is the pretext he’s trying to create so that when he actually invades the rest of Ukraine, that’s his reason for going in,” said Edmonds, who is currently a senior analyst at CNA Corporation, a security research and analysis firm.

When asked if he meant a Regime change was his response. He said, “We’re.”

It has not withdrawn any troops as claimed earlier. Russian has amassed more troopsIn recent days, at its border to Ukraine. The U.S. estimates Moscow has stationed between 169,000 to 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine — up from 100,000 on Jan. 30.

Edmonds explained that Putin should not just retain the secessionist territory because of the large military buildup.

He said, “He has these territories since 2014. So just moving more troops there doesn’t get him what he needs.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated Tuesday that there are “all indications” Russia has plans to attack Ukraine.

“We are seeing that the troops are leaving the camps more often and moving into combat formations ready for strike. “We also observe the continuing provocations in Donbass as well the false flag operations they use to try and create an excuse for an attack.” Stoltenberg said at a press briefingAfter an extraordinarily successful meeting of NATO Ukraine Commission.

Donbass can refer to eastern Ukraine’s industrialized region, which is where Donetsk (and Luhansk) are situated.

Edmonds explains that Putin is attempting to strengthen Russia’s security in Europe as the primary reason for his aggression against Ukraine.

He stated that Moscow should be deeply involved in all decisions and the structure of Europe. It’s all about “restoring Russia in the position, which it believes leads in Europe.”

U.S. Secretaryof State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called off his planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey LavrovMoscow’s troop movement in Ukraine continues,

The sanctions will be “biting” and have a direct impact on the Russian economy, but this has been a “hot conflict for eight years,” said Jonathan Katz, a director of Democracy Initiatives and senior fellow with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. This was in reference to Russia’s illegal 2014 annexation and occupation of Crimea.

Katz said that, “We have passed the threshold with Putin’s speech two days back and his willingness go into Donbass as Russian troops.” He added, “I believe we are further away from peace than we were three, five, or two weeks ago.”

“Hot conflict, Cold War — I think they’re both mixed together into what is, unfortunately, going to be something that the United States, NATO, the EU and its partners will be dealing with for a long time,” he said.