Hmm, in many ways it doesn't look good but Russia is hurting too. The advances you talk about are so minimal for so much cost it would take forever for Russia to defeat Ukraine on the battlefield. It is the propaganda war that will win Russia the war if as it seems now the US will abandon Ukraine and Europe is too disorganized and cowardly to step into the gap. Was/is it actually unwinnable? Vietnam defeated France, the US, and China with not much outside help, Afghanistan defeated Britain, Russia, and the US without much outside help. Ukraine has more help and have held on for 3 years and even counterattacked. Why couldn't they fight Russia to a standstill if they had full western support?