Russia could have chosen the US Dresden, Hiroshima or Fallujah model of war: completely level cities with aerial bombardment, missiles and artillery, with no regard for civilian life, and then simply ‘roll in’ to machine gun whoever is left alive. But that is not what Russia is doing.
Russia regards the Ukrainians as a fraternal people in much the same, I imagine, as the Americans or Brits regard the Canadians and Australians. Russia wants to minimise civilian casualties but this is a much longer procedure, especially when the neo-Nazis are using civilians as human shields. It is thorny and time-consuming process. The Russians will get there but patience is required.
