@The Other Baldwin - Just speaking from over twenty years' military experience, retired senior officer. Logistics wins wars, whether you are Russian, American, or whatever. If you cannot supply and support a force, that force won't be effective for long. Not "western logic", just common sense. Far as the number of troops deployed for this operation, suggest this number is all Russia can really spare. That's why they asked Kazakhstan and Belarus for help, and why they've brought in Chechens now. Today's Russian Army is a mere shadow of the
old Red Army from my Cold War days. This army has commitments in a number of places, such as along the borders of China, Iran, and the Baltic States. There needs to be soldiers in the restive Muslim areas. Needs to have soldiers to man the training system. Also keep in mind that only a certain number of soldiers in any army are infantry trigger-pullers. Supply and support take numbers of troops. Many soldiers are in the artillery and armor branches. And I wouldn't call the Russian VDV second-rate soldiers, but they were pissed away by fourth-rate planning.
As previously stated, Putin's intent was for a three-day quick campaign to take Kyiv/Zelensky, Kharkiv, Odessa, Mariupol, and likely a few other places. Decapitate and hamstring Ukraine. Didn't happen. As also previously stated, Russia suppresses initiative on the part of their noncommissioned officers/company grade officers/field grade officers, meaning generals and colonels MUST go up front and run the battles. Gets a number of them killed. These high-ranking officers are better used behind the lines overseeing the big picture and dealing with strategy. This isn't "western logic", this is common sense.
Now the war is a grind. Russians cannot take Kyiv or else they wouldn't have "redirected forces away". Kyiv and Zelensky were the primary target. The Russians will eke out some sort of victory, but it sure won't be what was envisioned when this operation was conceived in Moscow.