[A strike]

That’s still stupid.
Putin never needed to think that Ukraine would be a simple takeover target; he, like all the world KNEW that it would have been had he gone in with the force he had available. He chose not to do so mistakenly believing that the US/UK that governs Ukraine would be rational.
But of course now you are going to spew deepState/vampiressVicky/CIA/MI6/OsamaBidementia bullSchiff

[adorno]

But of course now you are going to spew deepState/vampiressVicky/CIA/MI6/OsamaBidementia bullSchiff

Not me. I leave that kind of stupidity to people like you.

But, Putin did think that Ukraine was going to be simple takeover target, since it wasn't in the same category of military power as Russia. Plus, with a weakened U.S. and a weak president,Putin thought that the U.S. would not be an obstacle for the invasion. That was simple-thinking by Putin ,and it's the same kind of thinking coming out of you.

Remember...

Keep silent and let people think you a fool, or open your mouth and remove all doubt. IOW, keep your simple-minded thinking to yourself.