The official said that success for Russia might be the consolidation of Russian control over the Donbas and the creation a land bridge with Crimea, and in what he termed a worst-case scenario, there could be a renewed attack on Kyiv.

The official added that despite these possible outcomes, the invasion of Ukraine would remain a strategic mistake for Russia, given the substantial losses its army has suffered, the stubborn resistance of Ukraine and the way the war has changed Europe's security architecture to Russia's detriment.