.gradual and repeated correction to the pitch angle,
It doesn't have to be neither 'repeated' nor 'gradual'. It is enough to read the report from the very similar Iclendair incident. The report uses phrases like 'automation trap', pilot confusion and pilots falling behind the airplane. They had 1000 ft more to play with than these 2 russian pilots so they managed to recover, but barely, with a single last ditch attempt to save themselves. If this crew had only 5-10 s to 'unconfuse' themselves that's not much.