Would be great to know the feeling on the 'Russian street' . I share your optimism, and am inclined to see the small acts of dissent as cracks in the dam. Just waiting for the dam to burst and the Russians to oust putin.
Do have a nagging doubt mind that maybe putin has enough support, and has managed to stitch up state institutions to such a degree that he can just keep pushing on. The Russian military seem to place zero value on the lives of their soldiers. All logic suggests that these losses have to hurt him, but maybe they won't.