I used the rebels against the main argument that just dropping expensive military hardware into enemy hands isn't enough to win wars.

As for comparing it to a state level, again, I believe some form of competency is needed.

So far, I've seen videos of Russian soldiers who are already captured or deserted from their positions. What exactly is the morale of these people? Some interviews even reveal they had no idea they were actually meant to partake in an invasion.

For the Ukrainian defenders, they know their lives are on the line and that motivates them to try and fight back.