I don't know why anyone is taking any of this seriously. For all we know, this was done to lure Ukraine into following them into Russia to fall into a set trap, or theater or withdraw and resupply without looking weak. It is odd that it looks like Putin had weakness, but they can always say that's what it was later and the propaganda will work like it always does.
I'm saying this in earnest and very much not trying to be rude or edgy, but the fact is a lot of people don't think about me/you/us at all, they're reciting things they think are normal to people they aren't close with like talking about the weather. Realizing some of my relatives I care about don't actually want to get invested in my life to the point of knowing I'm gay was a very freeing moment. Like understanding my grandma is 95 and doesn't want to try sushi now. And she was fine learning I married a man, but she wouldn't have brought it up. Decentralizing yourself from other people and realizing you have much more of a free slate than you think can be very helpful.