Could be a geopolitical move to gain resources, I've read some analysis that Russia's strength is currently peaking and will decline, and the territory that has

Could be a geopolitical move to gain resources, I've read some analysis that Russia's strength is currently peaking and will decline, and the territory that has been captured in Ukraine has coastal land around newly discovered gas fields. If that's the case I doubt that it would have been done if the current outcome was known in advance.