People tend to forget that top Ukrainian strategists - by their background usually being 'Soviet' …
Correspondingly, 'war is continuation of politics by other means'.
People tend to forget that top Ukrainian strategists - by their background usually being 'Soviet' - are more stringent in applying von Clausewitz's rules of war than the Westerners.
Correspondingly, 'war is continuation of politics by other means'.
One of critical points in Ukrainian politics right now is a prevention of another of Putin's 'referendums' - in Kherson. From that point of view, this operation is perfectly serving its purpose.
Mauling the VSRF is the probable second reason - and working very well, too.