Russia won’t be making Ukraine into a vassal state.
That is the loss.
Ukraine may be able to take back Donbas, but that’s a stretch. However the fact that they kept the supposedly 2nd strongest ,military away is the victory
That and a buck will get coffee @ McD's.
Taking all of Ukraine wasn’t one of the goals. It was explicitly stated:
“In this regard, in accordance with Article 51 of Part 7 of the UN Charter, with the sanction of the Federation Council of Russia and in pursuance of the treaties of friendship and mutual assistance ratified by the Federal Assembly on 22 February this year with the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, I decided to conduct a special military operation...
At the same time, our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories.”
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/full-text-putin-s-declaration-of-war-on-ukraine
Their words, not mine.