“The land itself is not the prize, its the Russian troops.”
The Russians have committed many of their most famous units onto that (wrong) side of the River - the 7th Airborne Division (like the American 82d), at least two Spetnaz (Special Forces) Brigades and Guards (highest unit honor) units, including units of the 1st Guards Army (the elite of the Armor units, Russia’s pride and joy).
They also pulled the regular Russian units North of Izyum to send to Kherson, and the gap they left is where the Ukrainians are powering through now.