People see what they want to see. Others look at the facts. Others post opinions with no factual backing at all. I suggest this is your case. Particularly, what is the very big price of which you speak? Seriously, Russia seems to be doing fine. Are we looking at the same stats?
Fine? Leader of the Wagner group Prigozhin, said it took 20,000 dead Russian Wagnerites to take Bakhmut, a city which before the invasion had a population of 70,000.
The head of the Wagner mercenary force has said that 20,000 of its fighters have been killed in the battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, and warned that Russia could face another revolution if its leadership does not improve its handling of the war.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/24/wagner-head-warns-of-revolution-after-claiming-20000-fighters-killed-in-bakhmut
People see what they want to see.
That goes both ways.
I’m not going to recite everything Russia has gone through,
because you should already know.