“attacks on civilians don’t demoralize them, they just make them angrier”
The terror bombings have no aim to win the war. They are for Russian domestics consumption.
His people know that the Russian armies are in constant retreat and that their “invulnerable” bridge went down. Putin has to get some Russian success on the news.
Flinging a small number of missiles into random spots of Ukrainian cities is the only way that Putin can conjure up a win to keep his people from revolt.
The reports and videos I have seen show there were hits that did not do much real damage.
In effect, the attack was to show hardliners something was being done and to strike terror into the minds of Ukrainians. As a side effect....... lots of press.
Meanwhile the Ukranian ass kicking is paused. It will resume at some place that is weak and there will be tremendous Russian losses as the ultimate result.