thus my “occupying force” qualifier.
If the native population resists and continues to resist, they will win, it’s just a matter of time.
The only way to win a war is to kill so many of the enemy and their families that they beg you to stop or they are all dead.
Russia would have to be willing to take out entire cities to win this, and they wont do that. So, it’s just a matter of time until they lose. Same as us in Iraq or Afghanistan or wherever.
Once the enemy “knows” you are willing to eradicate them entirely, they will line up 100 miles deep to surrender. But no country is willing to fight war like that anymore, and the result is always the same.
I have said since the day of the invasion that Russia could likely win the invasion, but lose the occupation.