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.
However 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.
I still see a 2025 of fight, and I wish I am wrong.