Let's look at what's happening right now in the Ukraine/Russia war according to Strategy Page. Here some high points from
a longer article:
In early August 2024, Ukraine sent several thousand troops and hundreds of vehicles into Russia. This incursion into the Kursk region, which borders northern Ukraine, was meant to demonstrate, especially to the Russian people, how weak the Russian military had become.
The Russian military was very slow in reacting and after eleven days, the Ukrainians managed to seize 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory with 82 towns and villages. This included the town of Sudzha. Russian leaders promise to halt the Ukrainian offensive and push them out, but that has not happened yet and may never happen. Russia is losing the war that it started in early 2022 by invading Ukraine.
The Russians are trying to mount an offensive in eastern Ukraine but the cost in casualties for every few yards of territory gained is enormously high:
Since early 2022, Russian forces have suffered nearly half a million soldiers killed, wounded or missing. A growing number of Russian troops are surrendering to the Ukrainian forces. Morale among Russian troops is low and getting worse while the Ukrainians have lost far fewer troops since 2022, and many Ukrainian soldiers have been in action for over two years and are far more experienced and better trained than their Russian counterparts.
Captured Russian soldiers are surprised at how well off the Ukrainian troops are and how well they treat the Russian prisoners. The Ukrainians observe the Geneva Convention rules for the treatment of prisoners, including allowing prisoners to let their families know they are safe and well. Russia tries to prevent Ukraine from notifying families of prisoners, but in the age of widespread internet use, it’s impossible to block all of those messages.
Not only are Russian troops demoralized, so is the citizenry, but there's not much either can do about the situation as long as Putin holds power:
Over two years of this have demoralized Russian military age men to the point where Russia cannot recruit many Russians to serve in Ukraine. Increasingly, Russia is trying to hire foreign mercenaries, or pay very high cash bonuses to reluctant Russians to fight in Ukraine. Neither is working. The sustained support Ukraine has provided for its forces is in sharp contrast to the dearth of support for Russian troops.
Inside Russia, business and political leaders are openly and privately calling on their President Vladimir Putin to get out of Ukraine and get the Russian economy free of the crippling sanctions.
The pressure on Putin is now very visible but he still refuses to quit. That has led to more rumors from inside Russia that Putin’s political, economic and military advisers are urging their president to back down before the situation inside Russia gets out of control.
The Russian tyrant probably has an entire staff of food tasters and not a few body doubles. No doubt he needs them.