This also highlights the problem of having to fight the war for the media. Russia is able to do things like strategic retreats, such as when they abandoned a bunch of territory in 2022, and take their time to plan their offensives precisely because Russia isn't focusing on the media angle. On the other hand, Ukraine is entirely dependent on the west being a proxy, so they're forced to constantly show visible results to their sponsors severely limiting their tactics and strategy.

I'm surprised this angle hasn't been discussed more, as it's a really important aspect of the war. On top of Russia enjoying a general advantage in material terms, it also enjoys a significant advantage in having the freedom to fight on their own terms.