“Ukraine has returned to Russia,” the article, which ran on RIA Novosti and has since been taken down, said.

Source: Russian state news accidentally publishes article saying Russia has defeated Ukraine and restored its ‘historical borders’

The article, since deleted, said Russia had been restored to historical borders including Belarus and Ukraine.

This suggests Putin thought the attack on Ukraine would take 1-4 days and be done, much as they had done with Crimea in 2014.

Coldstreams