I meant they are in a much better position today than they were 6 months or a year ago, when their frontlines were under massive stress and the initiative was fully with Russia. Look back in this thread, even in January of this year, goom and I think you or djunior were discussion the possibility of a complete collapse of Ukraine's defenses, or how it was probably only a matter of months until Kramatorsk/Sloviansk would fall.
In recent weeks, Russia's initiative on the ground has lost almost all of its steam, Ukraine was even able to retake some minor territory. Russia's war logistics and its economic backbone are getting pummeled by Ukrainian drones, and Russia doesn't seem to find a counter. All in all, Ukraine's chances of fighting this war to a stalemate have increased dramatically compared to where these odds were 6-24 months ago.
Ukraine is successful striking Russian refineries maybe some other industries to a lesser extent but success on the actual front lines is non-existent. It's essentially guerilla warfare now, make the costs as high to Russia.
Idk how you can look at news of Kostyantynivka almost being taken coming out the last few weeks and come to the conclusion that Ukraine is somehow doing good on the actual battlefield. The Russian progress is slow but it's happening. Not going to list every fortress taken but there's several that have been in Donetsk over the last 6 months, 12 months and years.
Ultimately the prize is all of Donetsk and Russia has systemically moved one way in that oblast.