Military analysts and regional experts fear that the stakes will be even higher during the second year of Russia's war in Ukraine, as Moscow appears set to unleash a major offensive this month ahead of the one-year anniversary of the invasion and is preparing its bulked-up military for an extended, bloody slog.

Russian President Vladimir Putin initially expected that the invasion would be a short affair, with his troops easily dominating Ukraine, decapitating Kyiv's leadership, and swiftly installing a pro-Russian government. But those plans soon devolved into a dragged-out, full-scale war thanks to a determined Ukrainian military and a massive influx of weaponry and aid from Western nations, particularly the United States.