And, as has been noted elsewhere, Russia has already lost.
They'll never rule Ukraine again. If they had won in that 1st three days, actually beheaded the Ukrainian government, it would have been the end of it. Russia now needs to not only win a ground war but also permanently occupy and suppress a highly motivated population who have seen that the "mighty Russian war machine" is no such thing. They also know that European nations are strongly behind them, even if the USA is too weak to stand up straight. Nations who understand with crystal clarity that Russia must be taught that they are a part of the region, not its ruler.
Wen
simon_brooke