Russia was ridiculed at the start of the war. Two years on, it has reasons to be confident

• Ukraine's stout resistance at the start of the war roused hopes that an outnumbered and outgunned army could beat back Russia's invading forces.
• Two years on, Russia is basking in recent gains on the battlefield, has ramped up weapons production at home, and could mobilize hundreds of thousands more men if it needs to.
• Billions of dollars worth of American military aid for Ukraine remains blocked with further struggles likely ahead as war and funding fatigue grow in the run up to the U.S. presidential election.

When Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, the stout resistance mounted by the country's armed forces and overwhelming Western support for Kyiv — along with some obvious military overreach by Moscow — raised hopes that Ukraine's outnumbered and outgunned army could beat back the invading forces.

Fast forward two years and hopes of a Ukrainian victory look diminished and increasingly hollow, as do Western pledges to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes."

As it stands, billions of dollars worth of American military aid remains unapproved with further struggles likely ahead, as war and funding fatigue grow in the run up to the U.S. presidential election — a vote that could see an administration installed that's less sympathetic to Ukraine's war needs.

On the battlefield in Ukraine, meanwhile, the front lines have been broadly static for months, save for recent gains that have been made by Russian forces in the east of the country.

Kyiv continues to insist it is not being given the proper tools to fight Russia as effectively as it could do, and there have been reports of morale ebbing among front line forces who are facing ammunition and personnel shortages. Internal political frictions and the replacement of