It is a feeling thing, you don’t actually get more vertical space because most games don’t change the vertical field of view with the aspect ratio. If you’re playing on 16:9 and you go to 4:3 it should give you more vertical space. But the games I’ve tested the the vertical field of view stays the same. Vertically you see just as much as with 16:9, but horizontally you see less because the aspect ratio gets cropped horizontally. Same applies with 21:9 and 16:9. You get the same amount of vertical space with 21:9 as you do with 16:9, the actual difference is in horizontal space.
The difference you feel is just an illusion. Even in that video I agree that 4:3 really does feel like you’re getting more vertical space. However the cropped sides break the illusion and show that you’re not actually seeing more vertically. But it’s a feeling thing so there’s no wrong or right answer. If you feel like you’re getting more vertical space from 16:9 then you’re getting more from 16:9. I don’t feel that so I appreciate the extra horizontal space.
Someone probably should the governmental stick up their ass for this. I’m pretty sure all the parts that end up in Russian arsenal have export restrictions and should, in theory, have strict oversight. You can’t just export into another country and forget about it. If those parts want to be to be exported into another country that information should come back to the seller(or the government agency, don’t really remember the specifics) who then have to give clearance for that and any future exports. But you can’t keep track of under the table deals. Hopefully this gets investigated and justice is served but I don’t have much faith.