That's just the thing. Whether they win or lose their nation is rubble, and unfortunately, in a sense have already lost. Russia's intent all along was to either annex or destroy Ukraine for a number of reasons. As Russia attempts to regress back to the Soviet era, they cannot tolerate a progressive, westernized, culturally similar neighbor outperforming them, particularly with Ukraine, which not only is vital to the cultural pride and identity of Russians (origin of the Cossacks, etc), but is also arguably the most powerful of the former Soviet republics, and symbolically, the first of the Soviet republics to declare independence, starting the demise of the Soviet era. It’s also a warning to the other former Soviet republics if they don’t tow the line should Moscow come knocking.

Russia is like a drunken, abusive ex-boyfriend who shows up at his ex’s house and lights it on fire because they’ve moved out, moved on, have a new job, and is doing better without him.