What's Putin's aim with all of this? To secure yet more territory and "citizens"? To test NATO's resolve once and for all? Seems a little far-fetched, although, strategically, a move against eastern Ukraine could make sense. Anything more could risk disaster.
Personally I suspect this posturing is more for domestic consumption i.e. to keep him and Russia in the west's limelight and/or divert attention away from Russia's economic plight and bungled Covid response.
Either way he can't keep his troops camped out for that long in this weather.