Final answer:
Napoleon's initial invasion of Russia seemed grand and destined for greatness due to his aspirations to expand his empire's borders and his military reputation as a strategic genius.
Step-by-step explanation:
Napoleon's initial invasion of Russia seemed grand and destined for greatness because he saw Russia as the last remaining major power on the continent that opposed him. He hoped to expand his empire's borders even further, ultimately aiming to conquer not just Russia, but also the European part of the Ottoman Empire.
To achieve this, he gathered a massive army of 600,000 soldiers. Additionally, Napoleon's previous military successes and his reputation as a strategic genius contributed to the perception of his invasion as grand and destined for greatness.