This Russian commander-in-chief Surovikin sounds like bad news. Known to the Russians as “General Armageddon" or “Cannibal”. Looks like he is going for the shock and awe tactic by overloading air defenses and blowing up electrical infrastructure.
Now is a good time for Zelensky to negotiate. Later he might have to negotiate with smoke signals and pigeons.
Winter is also coming so when the ground freezes and Ukraine is bombed back into the dark ages with North Korean purchased missiles, Russia will try to mop up Ukrainian forces.
There are some assumptions in your statement which warrant comment.
For one if he leads from the back, then what real difference will there be? The same useless and corrupt intermediary command structure will still be there. And it's not like Russia hasn't used atrocious tactics thus far in the invasion. For example Mariupol was levelled for the most part, and it did not shake Ukraine's resolve. If anything it strengthened Ukraine's resolve. As well as that of Ukraine's supporting partners from aboard. Every Russian escalation just convinces Ukraine even more that their very existence is on the line. And likewise validates the West's support of Ukraine.
Winter is just as much a problem for the Russian invasion, if not more so, than for Ukrainians who will be fighting on their own territory in winter conditions that they've known since their birth. Ukrainians everywhere rooting for their troops. Even eager to provide food for their Ukrainian boys. Russian troops on the other hand appear to be responsible for most of their own provision and if the summer time entrenchments and encampments were anything to go by...
Finally. Not "North Korean purchased
missiles" - It's "North Korean purchased
rockets". There's a big difference between missiles and rockets. Let alone when long distance cruise missiles are part of the conversation. The type of thing Russia is using to target Kyiv now out of spite is without a doubt in ever shorter supply for the Russian military. High tech sanctions have ensured that manufacturing replacements is highly challenging for Russia. Not that Russia has the industrial capacity to just resupply with high tech missile systems at a rapid pace to start with. It's high tech. The old cookie cutter stuff maybe... But that is exactly what Russia is getting from North Korea (why? Haven't you wondered?).
North Korea is estimated to have about 20 000 artillery pieces (rockets and shells) compatible with some or other Russian weapons delivery system. From the cold war. Which has a track record of "miserable artillery performance" (in their exchanges with South Korea). The rest of the claimed "millions" will be bullets.
Putin's regime miscalculated to a catastrophic degree. Most of Russia's messaging is designed for one thing only. Keeping Russians convinced it's not time for a regime change yet. While they hold their fingers crossed that maybe the West will finally be sufficiently intimidated to give them a political out.
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