Russia/Ukraine conflict

[SwedishAdvocate]

It's my understanding that Gripens are a great fit for Ukraine but the problem is that there aren't nearly as many Gripens in the wild as f-16s.

As I understand it, and from memory:

Denmark and the Netherlands have announced the joint transfer of up to 61 F-16s to the Ukrainian Air Force. Norway has announced the donation of 5-10 additional airframes. Belgium may send an addtional undisclosed amount of airframes, but not before 2025 at the earliest. They currently have 44 aircraft. So that would be the max amount of airframes they can send. If UKR recieves all of those that would total at most 115 F-16s. And as mentioned that number would not be on site in UKR until some time in 2025 at the earliest. IIRC the Belgian F-16s don't have much service life left.

UKR has also asked for F-18s from the Australian Air Force. They could potentially transfer some 14 aircraft 4-6 months from now. They would then have some two years of service life left. Australia has 41 of these F-18s in total. So over time maybe some 27 additional F-18s could be delivered to UKR.

UKR has previously asked for some 200 Western 4th gen fighters in total.

If Sweden provides some 18 Gripens in addition to the F-16s and F-18s, UKR would still at least be some 26 aircraft short of their preferred ~200 aircraft. And that's assuming all of the aircraft mentioned above are operational at the same time. But unfortunately they won't be for long (if at all) before the Aussie F-18's will have to be retired regardless...

So as I understand it, UKR is still going to be wanting even more Fighter jets if they can get them.

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Belgian Air Component - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Belgium agrees to send F-16s to Ukraine, but not before 2025

Such a decision will need to be confirmed by the country’s next government following elections in May.

www.defensenews.com

Lapsed contract could deliver Aussie fighter jets to Ukraine

Plans to transfer old RAAF jets could be revived while Canberra will consider Ukraine’s request for year-round supply of Australian coal.

www.afr.com

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/22/europe/f-16-jets-ukraine-analysis-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

 

[wdolson]

It's my understanding that Gripens are a great fit for Ukraine but the problem is that there aren't nearly as many Gripens in the wild as f-16s.

There are spare F-16s becoming available because various countries are converting to the F-35. These F-16s are being taken directly out of frontline service and transferred, so they have little need for much work before they are transferred. The F-18s from Australia have been sitting for a few years and need to be restored to some degree. Though I think the F-18 is a better option for Ukraine. It's built for more rugged service than the F-16.

The Gripen does have the problem that there are not that many of them and all the ones that are built are all in service somewhere. An air force will have to weaken its force to transfer Gripens. The Gripen is a good fighter for Ukraine too because it's built for use from ad hoc airfields.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Always a clear signal of a functioning democracy (/S), an incumbent with an 80% approval rating:

Haha, yeah, that'd be the 80% who haven't died in Ukraine yet (or aren't in a gulag).

Putin is polling slightly lower among the 330K soldiers and mobiks who have died.

Budmo!

 

[navguy12]

(Ukraine’s former president Leonid Kuchma) finished with a warning to the west, and to those contemplating leaving Ukraine to its difficult fate. “I want to say only one thing: we will not retreat. We will stand until the end,” he said. “We will never give up – no way. If you help us, we will win. If you stop helping us, we can die.” He added: “But then you will be the next ones Russia wants to destroy.”

US will ‘lose face before world’ if it abandons Kyiv, says ex-Ukraine president

Exclusive: Leonid Kuchma describes history behind Putin’s attack as new edition of his 2003 book Ukraine Is Not Russia is published

www.theguardian.com

 

[navguy12]

Also from my morning Guardian news feed (why is Hungary and groups like The Heritage Foundation so supportive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?):

 

[Tiger]

Also from my morning Guardian news feed (why is Hungary and groups like The Heritage Foundation so supportive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine?):

Follow the money:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733921765661806991

 

[Tiger]

Hope nothing bad happens in that meeting, would be sad to lose such a bunch of goodfellas:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733878005137625174

 

[AudubonB]

Upon the graves of my father and uncles and on behalf of the not years but the five and six decades they unceasingly worked against totalitarianisms of all stripes, I would, if this is true, put all of those Heritage Foundation traitors into Guantanamo…forever.

 

[SPadival]

unceasingly worked against totalitarianisms of all stripes, blah blah blah …….. Guantanamo…forever

Oh the irony. Your ancestors will be rolling in their graves over the existence of Guantanamo.

 

[Crutonius]

Oh the irony. Your ancestors will be rolling in their graves over the existence of Guantanamo.

"But did you know? America bad?"

 

[AudubonB]

Here’s an ironic - albeit way off-topic - tidbit, as way of response:
Another (gringo) uncle of mine owned a 10,000-acre ranch in Cuba. The family never has relinquished title to it.

More:
I’ve been to Guantanamo. I also have had a 1-on-1 with Fidel, in Cuba (It wasn't the right situation to tell Fidel the above, but I did tell the Finance Minister).

I know not your background, but it is possible I know more of the situation than do you.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

Allegedly:

"Military intelligence hacks Russian tax authorities​

by Elsa Court andThe Kyiv Independent news deskDecember 12, 2023 4:56 PM2 min read

Ukrainian cyber units hacked into thousands of servers of Russia's tax system, extracting sensitive information before destroying the tax database, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Dec. 12. [...]

According to HUR, defense ministry and military intelligence cyber units hacked into the central server of the Federal Tax Service, as well as 2,300 regional servers in Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea, infecting them with malware.

The entire database of the tax system was destroyed, as well as backup copies, HUR said. Intelligence suggests that "Russia will not be able to fully resuscitate its tax system." [My u.]

The Russian IT company Office.ed-it.ru, which operated a database of the Federal Tax Service, was also a victim of a similar attack.

The hacks resulted in the "complete destruction of the infrastructure of one of the main state bodies" of Russia and revealed a multitude of tax data, which is now in the hands of Ukraine, HUR said.

HUR did not specify the exact date of the hack but said that Russia has "been unsuccessfully trying to restore the work of the Russian tax authorities for the fourth day in a row."

Experts estimate that the Federal Tax Service will not be functional for "at least a month." [..."

Military intelligence hacks Russian tax authorities

Ukrainian cyber units hacked into thousands of servers of Russia's tax system, extracting sensitive information before destroying the tax database, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Dec. 12.

kyivindependent.com

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

There has allegedly been Swedish Specialist Personal on site in UKR to assist with repairs of CV90 Combat Vehicles.

In Swedish and paywalled:

”Stridsfordon 90 är det bästa Europa gett oss” | SvD

Ytterligare en ukrainsk enhet brukar nu svenskt pansar. SvD når den 93:e brigaden från Bachmuts ruiner, där soldater vittnar om ett dödläge – men ser ljusglimtar. Och nu får de hjälp av svenska mekaniker på plats.

www.svd.se

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

Allegedly:

"Poland will demand full mobilization of the West to help Ukraine. Only a united West can help win the war. I can no longer hear about 'war fatigue'," new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking in the Sejm before the vote to approve the composition of his government said.

twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734541759131115715

https://twitter.com/x/status/1734541759131115715

 

[madodel]

Note this is not all Russians. Just the ones destined for the meat waves.
Russians banned from travel to hand over passports within five days: Decree

 

[madodel]

Allegedly:

"Poland will demand full mobilization of the West to help Ukraine. Only a united West can help win the war. I can no longer hear about 'war fatigue'," new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking in the Sejm before the vote to approve the composition of his government said.

twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734541759131115715

https://twitter.com/x/status/1734541759131115715

And Orban will demand zero mobilization of NATO to not piss off his benefactor.

 

[Crutonius]

Allegedly:

"Poland will demand full mobilization of the West to help Ukraine. Only a united West can help win the war. I can no longer hear about 'war fatigue'," new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking in the Sejm before the vote to approve the composition of his government said.

twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1734541759131115715

https://twitter.com/x/status/1734541759131115715

I wish him success in this. Ukraine is going to need it. I don't think my country is going to be much help until we get the Putin simps out of the government.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

I wish him success in this. Ukraine is going to need it. I don't think my country is going to be much help until we get the Putin simps out of the government.

I'm not as pessimistic. There still seems to be more than enough support both in Congress and among the American Public to pass more Military Support to UKR. Remember when Tesla got funding from Mercedes Benz (?) on Christmas Day (?) which saved the company from going Bankwupt... Hopefully though – more US funding for UKR will pass sooner than Christmas Day (and yes – I know Congress will be closed that day...)

 

[X Fan]

I'm not as pessimistic. There still seems to be more than enough support both in Congress and among the American Public to pass more Military Support to UKR. Remember when Tesla got funding from Mercedes Benz (?) on Christmas Day (?) which saved the company from going Bankwupt... Hopefully though – more US funding for UKR will pass sooner than Christmas Day (and yes – I know Congress will be closed that day...)

Telegraph article suggesting Biden wants UKR to hold back on winter OPS and just be defensive:

Biden says failure to pass Kyiv aid bill will be ‘Christmas gift’ for Putin

Ukraine’s leader meets members of Congress in last-ditch attempt to convince hesitant Republicans to back $61bn package of military aid

www.telegraph.co.uk

btw: if Biden wants to fund UKR then he should cut a deal with the Republicans and agree to more border controls (which the USA needs anyway)

 

[Crutonius]

Telegraph article suggesting Biden wants UKR to hold back on winter OPS and just be defensive:

Biden says failure to pass Kyiv aid bill will be ‘Christmas gift’ for Putin

Ukraine’s leader meets members of Congress in last-ditch attempt to convince hesitant Republicans to back $61bn package of military aid

www.telegraph.co.uk

btw: if Biden wants to fund UKR then he should cut a deal with the Republicans and agree to more border controls (which the USA needs anyway)

I'm all for that. I'm on the left but I don't have a problem with securing our border. But what the Republicans want is rather extreme, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2/text

The first item on the list is building the wall that Trump promised to build and it goes on from there. It's something that not even Trump could get passed with the GOP controlling both chambers. Which makes me think they're not serious and they're just trying to sink aid to Ukraine.