Simple game theory. If they escalate the conflict there is a potential that western allies would also escalate the conflict in response. Russia tows the line between funding a minor conflict and disruption of their domestic economy in favor of a centrally planned wartime economy. Having an active conflict to engage in is also a benefit in and of itself. The U.S. for example is the most advanced military in the world because they have engaged in more or less a continuous series of conflicts since WWII that allow them a unique opportunity to experiment in tactics and technology that for most other nations remains theoretical and simulated.

So, in addition to the losses figures from before, there was a major mutiny, with a 1mln city (Rostov-on-Don) captured for a day, with 7 units of aircraft downed. And recently the Russian ministry of interior released figures that cases of organized crime have risen by 76% compared to a period before 2022 [_], because that's what happens when you take a bunch of convicts - some of which were convicted for life - and give them all a "get out of jail" card for 6 months of running with a gun.

You are claiming this is actually beneficial for the Russian Federation because all of that is outweighed by experiments in tactics, correct?

[_] https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2024/07/15/mvd-otchitalos-oroste-...

Things can be good for the military establishment and bad for the people. Being able to iterate on military tech in an active conflict is a unique opportunity for military planners and engineers. Just look at the united states military and how much was learned in the last couple decades of war.