Time frame. Even if there is a ceasefire or some negotiated peace later this year, if there aren’t real security guarantees for Ukraine, Russia will just rebuild its military and try again. If it wins this war, the political ramifications in Europe will be great and it will rebuild its forces and try to grab the Baltics. To be deterred from future aggression Russia needs to be sufficiently defeated that it won’t try again for a long time if ever. That means basically gaining nothing from this war.
So they suck now but they’ll get better if they win, but they won’t get better if they lose. That makes a lot of sense.