> Nevertheless, this union of a weak neighbor + 1b block is steadily loosing land.

Last I saw (this weekend), the union of Ukraine+friends, was losing land at about 50-75 metres a day. As well as bopping off 35,000 enemy combatants a month off the 2026 Christmas party list. And russia can't (or haven't) matched those losses with recruitment.

a single soldier, perhaps two, sent 20km into opposing territory (the advance, the territory gained) doesn't mean actually controlling the ground. Just ask Vlad.