they can't, they promised quick victory over Russia in 2022.
They did not.
They absolutely did.
Remember how in the very first day the US offered to lift Zelensky to family, and his response "I need ammo, not a ride"? To offer a sanctuary is not an action of somebody who expects the other side to collapse quickly. Similarly, the early arms shipments were geared towards creating a resistance movement in Ukraine capable of asymmetric warfare against an occupier, not conventional war against conventional armies. It was only once it became apparent that Ukraine would not collapse that the focus shifted to heavier weapons. Again, clearly not anticipating a quick victory.
It was not military experts, but economists -civilian academics, not NATO officials - who expected the Russian
economy to collapse quickly. They, obviously, were wrong.
Actually, many of them expected Ukraine collapse quickly.
They were misinformed about actual size of russian "invasion" force
Before the invasion, there were comments about how the Russian army was smaller but better trained that the Soviet army was. After the invasion it became apparent that the training levels were clearly worse.
I recall one enthusiastic Russian commenter saying "just wait for the desants entering the fray. In fact, they did enter on day one and were decimated.
As for the FSB and SVR, who promised that the Ukrainians would welcome their brotherly liberators, how did that promise turn out?
You are busted.
You clearly more informed about things than pretend to be. You are a liar.
Ironically, that the idea of "special military operation" instead a war was not just propaganda - it was what the Russians were led by their intelligence services to expect to happen - a quick shock-and awe campaign, real fighting over in a few days, complete control of the country in two weeks and the troops home after six months. The Russian intelligence services expected the Ukrainians to welcome the Russian troops or at the very least be unwilling to fight back.
It seems absurd now, but I recall an incident during the early days, when a Russian patrol ran out of fuel and sought out an Ukrainian police station, fully expecting to get help. Even the troops were told that they were liberating friendly population from a small and unpopular clique. It turned out that the Ukrainians stood behind Zelensky and fought with determination to defend their independence and freedom.
