Well, you have at least temporarily stabilized the Russian state (or at least Putin's position within it). I suspect this was the primary purpose, along with th

Well, you have at least temporarily stabilized the Russian state (or at least Putin's position within it). I suspect this was the primary purpose, along with the belief that Ukraine and Crimea in particular are fundamentally Russian. Though things didn't go as planned and the longer this persists the more authoritarian (rather than simply depoliticized kleptocratic) the state must become to maintain it. It's a delicate balance, and the economic costs are high, but Putin is quite skilled at maintaining it. Concern for individual lives has never been a great concern in Russian wars. From a state propaganda point of view, they have patriotically battled the Nazi Jew Gay Needle Freaks who, along with NATO and "the West", are plotting the extermination of Russia and right thinking culture, but are doomed to fail due to their degenerate beliefs. It doesn't need to make sense.