sure. losing the whole Donbas area woudn't mean it, either? losing another big city? Dnipro, for example, as it's right next to Donbas? that's probably how partners think, not letting us strike back and destroy rus airbases or oil plants?

indeed, why bother? russia is losing even when taking more ukr lands and killing hundreds of civilians daily. (50+ killed by russia in Poltava two days ago, 7 - including 3 little kids - yesterday in Lviv. - 70 houses destroyed in the city's historical center. Sumy every day, Kherson - every day, Odesa - evey day, Kharkiv - every day.) It's not clear how it's losing. but anyway... who cares about lands and people if russia is losing? why strike back and make it angrier, if it's losing "thanks" to Ukrainians' deaths?

Dozens or missiles on people's heads every day and night (9-hour air siren in Kyiv today's night - I'm there so I know it for sure), but russia is losing. Okay.

P.S. Sorry, Chris, I don't mean to argue your article or points... That particular phrase has just triggered me, as we are bombed daily, destructions are awful, and many - too many - are killed for this first 5 days of September, and nerves are... you know, hard to stay cool... especially when you're not allowed to defend yourself and you don't know if you wake up the next morning or get buried under your home's ruins... Sorry!