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NPR Online NewsDec 29, 2021
Day 124 Roundup: 11 Killed, 50 Wounded in Shopping Mall Strike; Troops Turn Sights to Lysychansk
Image copyright: Reuters [via Reuters]
The Facts
At least 11 people were killed and 50 more injured after a crowded shopping mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was hit by Russian missiles on Mon., according to Ukrainian officials. Elsewhere, at least eight civilians were reportedly killed and 21 wounded in strikes on the Luhansk city of Lysychansk, and five were killed and at least 22 wounded in Kharkiv.
Meanwhile, as leaders of the G7 countries met for the second day of a three-day summit in Germany on Mon., Russia has turned its sights to Lysychansk – the last city under Ukrainian control in the region following the fall of Severodonetsk on Saturday.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.
Pro-Russia narrative
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.