Unfortunately, Ukraine lost one F-16, together with pilot. It happened on Monday, during massive missile and drones attack. Plane wasn't hit, pilot made mistake and crashed. It's very sad, considering how long they waited for it, how little they got and how long it takes to prepare pilot:
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/29/europe/ukraine-f16-crashes-intl/index.htmlAnd seems that things in Pokrovsk direction is getting worse each day, Russia is advancing without much resistance
https://t.me/arrowsmap/5694?singleLike I already said, I don't understand Kursk operation when such things is happening there.
Is Ukraine's new ballistic missile, a miracle weapon, surprising? If it goes into the series, then it turns out to be a formidable weapon.
I expect it's going to be good, but not game changer unfortunately. Ukraine is making quality weapons, but when it comes to mass production, there is main problem. Ukraine is capabble to produce only small number of it. Especially when we talk about missiles. This why there is such little use of Neptune missiles.
Prokhorov's is getting ugly to be honest. Everyone is wondering where does the Ukrainian command intend to put a more solid defence and I am struggling to understand why the F*** they are not building a proper trench system. Trenches if unmanned do not stop shit, but it is far easier to defend. To give proper credit, it is the first thing the Ruzzians did in Kursk, well away from the front - a different thing is if they are going to find operatives that will not run when attacked, but at least they dig-in.
I have heard some people speaking of an adaptive defence that sacrifices land to create more losses to the enemy. This might be intentional - Ukraine in Prokovsk - along with Kursk to try force a new mobilisation in Ruzzia that may be just too much. Syrskyi is not stupid and understands the Ruzzian style of war perfectly, there may be more that it meets the eye on this.
Overall, I think the Kursk offensive was a good idea. It buys cheap land where it can be bought. Achieving a similar territorial advance not to mention the prisoners captured takes months and thousand of dead anywhere else in the front. It is a trade card.
What Ukraine is doing well is causing economic pain. If the new ballistic missile - home grown = can be used it will cause even more economic pain and much closer to places that actually matter for Putin's regime. It will not win the war on its own, but it will give a very good incentive in a negotiating table.
btw, today another massive oil facility has been hit. We could bet for how many days is this one going to burn.
I still see a 2025 of fight, and I wish I am wrong.
1. at the same time you argue that he should be judged, but not set free by a judge on bail? You have stopped to make sense, do you realise it?
2. You are willing to discuss this, but not Navalny... nor people arrested for holding a blank piecce of paper? Or the many generals accused of corruption in a country where every general is corrupt?
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Meanwhile, first F16 already down
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/38166Crashed, not taken down, it is written right there in big letters at the top - but I guess you are interpreting to fit your own narrative.
I do not know what is worse, but crashed. Bad for the pilot, but the good thing about the f16.. there must be thousands out there gathering dust. It is like Bradleys... so many many many. However, you also should look at the number of interceptions, that may give you a clue of how intensively the f16 are helping stopping cruise missiles and drones.