Time will tell who is right. But, I fear Ukraine will run out of people (men and women) before Russia does. Without NATO Troops they are doomed. In a war of attrition the bigger country wins, without help. Without the French, Washington and the Revolution would have folded up. It will be over when winter hits. You know when it gets bad when the railroads are targeted and Kiev starts to look like Berlin 1945. No Nukes needed—just Vacuum Bombs—a few dozen dropped from Bears.
Not true. We lost wars of attrition in Vietnam and Afghanistan. The Russians also lost a war of attrition in Afghanistan. There are dozens of examples in history of a smaller country successfully defending its own territory against a larger country in a war of attrition. They win because they're more willing to pay the price of victory than is the larger country.