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They don't need many troops to defend fortified positions. IIRC you need at least 4 times as many troops if you want to gain territory. Perhaps more, given the density of mines and the lack of air support.
nick_h.-
More than probing, Ukraine is going to continue hammering away at scores of spots along the front until they punch through, like the sea against a bulwark. If they lose too much of their force and western support, they’ll have to dig in and we’ll have a WW1 style trench stand-off. Fortunately they still have upwards of 80% of their new kit, with more on the way including F16s.
I have literally zero info to back it up, but I have the conjecture that a thinking brain in Russia is afraid of an amphibious assault, hence the sudden extra harshness of Russia’s threatened response against any ship going towards Ukraine. They’ve hardened the approach by land to E. Ukraine and to Russia, and they have ample dominance in the air, so a miraculous assault from the sea could be the one way Ukraine could ruinously surprise them.
Leshaches
My personal guess is that the war won't be won inch by inch on the battle field, but rather following a societal collapse in Russia of some sort. A large number of dead and injured would most likely hasten this collapse so it's just a matter of grinding them down until things finally take a momentous turn all of a sudden. In my opinion looking a the battle maps for results is failing to see the (potentially) bigger picture.