Putin is going ‘small, trying to save face, since the bigger goal of all of Ukraine was unattainable. Putin underestimated the fury and fight and obstinacy of the Ukrainians.
What Putin got was huge losses of soldiers and military equipment and, most important to him, prestige.
He’s not going away quietly, and HAS TO finish what he started, otherwise, he’s going to be in deep doo=doo with his military and the Russian people, where respect for him will be completely gone. He might even have to disappear from view, so, he’s got no choice but to finish what he started, even if the goals have been diminished.
“he’s got no choice but to finish what he started, even if the goals have been diminished”
That’s a very weak position to be in strategically, since he isn’t going to be making decisions based on what is objectively the best option, but rather based on his own survival. If the Ukrainians are smart they can take advantage of this kind of stubbornness to bleed the Russians dry.