Russia Is Struggling to Replenish Its Troops in Ukraine
TimeSep 09, 2022
Day 171: First Africa-Bound Ship to Deliver Much-Needed Grain Arrives in Ukraine; Russia Prepares for Prolonged War
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Image copyright: AP News
The Facts
While a UN-backed deal to restart Ukrainian grain exports saw a number of shipments go to Turkey and western Europe, the first ship destined for Africa docked in Ukraine's Yuzhne Port in the region of Odesa on Friday. The vessel is expected to carry 23K metric tons of grain to the Horn of Africa nation, Djibouti, where it will be unloaded and sent on to Ethiopia.
Ukraine, meanwhile, remains gripped by war. On Sat., Ukrainian officials reported that Russian artillery and rocket fire continued in many villages along the front lines in the Donbas, as well as in the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.
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 an 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.
Narrative C
A global food crisis was already exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Russia's war on Ukraine only made matters worse. With Ukraine being the world's fifth largest exporter of grain – reportedly making up 40% of the World Food Programme's wheat stock – the resumption of its exports is a welcomed relief. However, the only way to abate the global food crisis is to end the war.
