Why assume this hasn’t gone precisely to plan?

It seems unlikely to me that Russia wanted to totally subsume Georgia in an invasion, they just wanted controlling influence, which they will now have.

Remaining as an occupying force has a very high price the Russians know all too well. Remaining as a potent, valid, proven threat is a much lower costs for more or less the same end result.

It seems clear that Russia had some very specific military goals that were accomplished in quick, day-long raids. We may or may not ever know what those were.

Their geopolitical goals are accomplished as well. The former republics, particularly those that border more on Asia than Europe, are now on notice that their freedom only stretches so far.

I’d be surprised if the length of this incursion was not precisely what the Russians planned for.