I wonder if there is any way Russia can stop and save face…they ain’t going to stop if it makes them look like losers
i'm sure this is what you meant, but allow me to rewrite that first line:
I wonder if there is any way Putin can stop and save face…he ain’t going to stop if it makes him look like loser
and you are absolutely correct, at this point Putin has pushed all his chips to the center of the table - he's all in. he cannot retreat. like all strongmen, he is dependent on projecting strength. to admit that he effed up and miscalculated would open a lot of doors to dissent... and he won't do anything that may threaten his grip on power.
this is what makes this whole situation so scary: there is no off-ramp. as long as putin is in power, we're riding this rollercoasters until the bitter end.