Yevhenii Zavhorodnii/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
- Months before invading, Russia launched an unconventional warfare campaign against Ukraine.
- The goal was to destabilize Ukraine's government and undermine its response to the Russian attack.
- The Kremlin assumed its plan would work and and still launched the invasion when it didn't.
When the Russian military launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, almost everyone thought the smaller country was doomed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his advisers expected a lighting campaign lasting between three days and two weeks. Even US intelligence assessments foresaw a quick Russian victory.