Kinda surprised that Russia hasn’t tried a different approach.
In my view, with these combatants, drones are an effective defensive tool to protect contested ground.
If I was Russia and if I wanted to steer away from the traditional Russian offensive approach (attrition), maybe try something different.
If you think of this conflict as feudal, and Ukraine is the castle, what do you do? Siege.
Do things that make the castle uninhabitable (taking the nuclear option off the table). Destroy their dams, water treatment and storage facilities, power generation and distribution, roads, bridges, railways, etc. Move Ukraine back to 1825 and let the people inside the castle turn on each other in order to survive. Wait a year or so, then just walk in.
Conserve your military and dig in to protect against the drones and whatever counterattack Ukraine could attempt. All offensive action at this stage should only be focused on moving Ukraine back to 1825, not further ground advances.
When it is obvious what your strategy is, then start the propaganda communication to tell Ukraine that as soon as Zelensky is gone and Ukraine starts dealing in good faith to end the conflict on reasonable terms, the “1825 strategy” will stop.
“”””Do things that make the castle uninhabitable (taking the nuclear option off the table). Destroy their dams, water treatment and storage facilities, power generation and distribution, roads, bridges, railways, etc. Move Ukraine back to 1825 and let the people inside the castle turn on each other in order to survive. Wait a year or so, then just walk in.””””
Russia was doing all that the first couple of years, even the dam, and they really went after the electricity.