When you think about this, it's important to consider motivation separately from execution. Because Putin's generals f'ed up the execution, the feeling is now that this was a massive error on Putin's part.

Which isn't really correct.

Just because you screw up the execution of a plan doesn't answer the question of why you came up with that plan in the first place. Everyone still has no answer for "why". Why this? Other than "Putin's ego".

I think in 12 to 18 months we will know.