I don't think there was any particularly clever strategic plan. And sadly I don't think any Ukrainian counter-offensive is going to make any particular difference.
Ukraine is the new Syria, the conflict will probably never end.
Ukraine is the new Syria, the conflict will probably never end.
The last Ukrainian counter offensive reclaimed vast swaths of lands. It’s not unreasonable to think they could get in range of shelling Crimea.
However, you're right that this is going to be a long war. At least as long as it has been going on already. And then it will probably turn into a frozen conflict like North/South Korea or "Turkish" Cyprus.