Apparently there are now discussions over whether to send the F-16 as well as tanks!
This sounds like an even worse idea to me, and it probably isn't going to happen for a while even if they agree to send them, but regardless - the war has reached the point where such discussions are seriously occurring.
Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Here is the archive of important pieces of analysis from throughout the war that we've collected.
January 30th's update is here on the site and here in the comments.
January 31st's update is here on the site and here in the comments.
February 1st's update is here on the site and here in the comments.
February 3rd's update is here on the site and here in the comments.
Sorry, no update today, Xi Jinping has put me inside this giant balloon. Apparently we're testing a new kind of mass surveillance + mind control technology to turn everybody into communists? Not sure where I am right now but I heard aircraft going by yesterday. I'll be back on solid ground by Monday.
Links and Stuff
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Add to the above list if you can, thank you.
Resources For Understanding The War Beyond The Bulletins
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. I recommend their map more than the channel at this point, as an increasing subscriber count has greatly diminished their quality.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have good analysis (though also a couple bad takes here and there)
Understanding War and the Saker: neo-conservative sources but their reporting of the war (so far) seems to line up with reality better than most liberal sources. Beware of chuddery.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are fairly brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. The Duran, of which he co-hosts, is where the chuddery really begins to spill out.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent journalist reporting in the Ukrainian warzones.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Telegram Channels
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
Pro-Russian
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ Gleb Bazov, banned from Twitter, referenced pretty heavily in what remains of pro-Russian Twitter.
https://t.me/asbmil ~ Now rebranded as Battlefield Insights, they do infrequent posts on the conflict.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/riafan_everywhere ~ Think it's a government news org or Federal News Agency? Russian language.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ Front news coverage. Russian langauge.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of the really big pro-Russian (except when they're being pessismistic, which is often) telegram channels focussing on the war. Russian language.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine
Any Western media outlet that is even vaguely liberal (and quite a few conservative ones too).
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
Last week's discussion post.
F-16s are not all operated at the same level. There are many different versions(blocks) including mid-life upgrades optional for countries. As a preamble I'd say the F-16 became ubiquitous because it is the standard multi-role fighter. The F-16 was never the superior interceptor, the US uses F-15/22 for that. The F-16 did a lot of things well and at the best operational costs(due to single engine), but it was never seen as some wonder plane like the current propaganda. The 90s was dominated by the fixation over F-22 and stealth becoming the "endgame". Then modern European figthers like the Rafale, Typhoon, Grippen are all superior and more modern.
The earlier versions the blocks A/B(used by some NATO countries) are pretty outdated fighters far and away incapable of measuring up to modern standards including the Su-30 and above family. They were initialy superior to the Mig-29s but only up to par against the Su-27. In BvR engagements(long distance missile fights) the F-16 has no advantage over the Russians, simply because the AA-12 still is a damn monster which was for decades the best AA missile in the world in terms of maneuverability + range. The "solution" to defeating it was always to turn away and run.
The "standard" versions are the block C/D 52s. These were the most popular "modern" version but it is also a package from the 90s and it works as well as any old car is supposed to work if well maintained. These only exist in Poland and Turkey. The US wont supply these since it is a key fighter for many of its allies.
The real "good" shit are the most modern versions IMO you can be absolutely sure these will never make it to Ukraine, not only they are expensive but the risk of espionage is too high. If they are concerned about Abrams tech then modern F-16s are also impossible.
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