Why Russia's opening plan had a narrow window

Did Russia repeat the Dardanelles pattern by telegraphing its attack?

Yes; Russia needed a rapid seizure of Kyiv before Ukraine organized, but failure in the opening hours allowed outside supplies and political resistance to turn the campaign into a long war.

The initial airport and Kyiv operations offered a chance only if Ukrainian command collapsed almost immediately. Once resistance held and NATO partners began supplying equipment, the time horizon expanded from hours and days toward months and years. President Zelenskyy's decision to remain in Kyiv and his public messaging helped mobilize the political support required to sustain that flow. Politics has always shaped military endurance because earlier rulers likewise needed important religious, aristocratic, and commercial interests to support a war. The failed opening therefore shows that surprise must produce political collapse before an opponent can organize forces, allies, and supply.