I have no idea! You and I have the same credibility as our state media, as they echo Biden spokepeople and Biden himself, who also have absolutely no idea what Putin is planning.
Seems very obvious to me what Putin will do. He's already recognized Donetsk and Lugansk as independent countries, which means that as far as Russia is concerned, they are no longer part of Ukraine. Those "republics" will ask for and receive Russian military aid, so Russia will oblige and move into those two states and, if necessary, battle the "foreign" Ukrainian military invaders with help from the separatist militia which will no longer be separatists. But Russia will not go farther than those too provinces/states/republics or whatever they might be called UNLESS other states in Ukraine make similar pleas which are accepted, and that's possible in the south which is also has a majority pro-Russian sentiment.
Putin moving into western Ukraine is of no interest to Putin as his military would be in hostile territory and incur casualties that will hurt him at home, and Putin knows this so he won't do that. The civil war in Ukraine that's been running for the last 8 years will end.
The Deep State will whine and cry about it, and impose sanctions, and life will go on.
Playing chess while Brandon is teething on a black checker.
“ On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. ” ~ H. L. Mencken
Putin and Russia's military leaders have drawn important lessons from the Soviets' imperial past.
That's a big problem for Putin. Stalin killed millions of Ukrainians, or so we're told today, and that's still within living memory. So Ukraine will be extra sensitive and ready to compare Putin to Stalin with any and all civilian deaths that occur. In that way, going into western Ukraine would be a huge disaster, a repeat of history that would be most unwelcome. Putin will be assertive but cautious.
I hear the Russian peacekeepers arrived in Donbass in busses and trucks and not in armored tanks.
Correct.
The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. - Dr. Eldon Tyrell
Godfrey Smith: Mike, I wouldn't worry. Prosperity is just around the corner. Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner. My Man Godfrey (1936)
“I am not one of those weak-spirited, sappy Americans who want to be liked by all the people around them. I don’t care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. My affections, being concentrated over a few people, are not spread all over Hell in a vile attempt to placate sulky, worthless shits.” - William S Burroughs