At the time the military action started, Russia didn't have an...

At the time the military action started, Russia didn't have an army big enough to occupy Ukraine. It was thought this war would weaken Russia. What it did was wake up the military manufacturing might of the soviets. It was a bad mistake. The west deception of the 2015 Minsk peace negotiations. Pouring billions in arms. Ignoring Putin's warnings on NATO expansion east. Treating Putin like the previous bumbling Soviet and Russian leaders. Sanctions. Ignoring his warnings. All moves to weaken Russia. Bad mistakes and all they did was break the EU and put the USD at risk for the position of world reserve currency.
You probably see it differently, but am pretty sure the Russian people don't.