The Ukrainians seem to be making progress in the northeast:

In its first response to the gains made by Ukrainian forces in the last few days, the Russian Defense Ministry has said that “the decision was made to regroup Russian troops in the areas of Balakleya and Izyum and redirect their efforts in the Donetsk direction.”

The ministry said in a series of statements Saturday: “The operation to liberate Donbas included a number of diversionary and demonstration actions marking the actual troop activities,” and claimed that Russian forces had “destroyed more than two thousand Ukrainian and foreign combatants, including well over 100 armored vehicles and artillery in three days.”

The ministry said the “Russian Federation’s forces were reduced and redeployed to the DNR [Donetsk People’s Republic] over three days,” and had “opened heavy fire on the enemy in order to prevent incurring losses.”

The ministry did not acknowledge any retreat from Kharkiv, suggesting instead a planned redeployment.

Earlier Saturday, the ministry briefing displayed a map of territorial control in Ukraine showing that Kupiansk and Izium were still in Russian hands. Neither city is any longer held by Russian forces.
Ah. A "planned regroup", not "getting our asses kicked".

In June, 1862, George McClellan got his ass handed to him along the Chickahominy during the Peninsula Campaign. He retreated but refused to use that word, preferring to say he "changed base". The Confederates knew a whupping when they saw it and joked:

Henceforth when a scoundrel is kicked out of doors,
He need not resent the disgrace,
But cry: “My dear sir, I’m eternally yours,
For your kindness in changing my base.”

Let us hope Russia changes base all the way out of Ukraine in the near future.