Finland will apply to join NATO; Russian invasion 'losing momentum': Live Ukraine updates
USA TodayOct 19, 2022
Day 81 Roundup: Turkey Sets Demands over Nordic NATO Bids, Russians Forced Out of Kharkiv
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The Facts
Turkey has demanded that Finland and Sweden must cease support for Kurdish militant groups and end the ban on sales of some arms to Ankara before they take further steps to join the Western military alliance NATO. The nordic countries announced a firm intention to move away from decades of neutrality on Sun., in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
British intelligence has suggested that Russia has lost roughly a third of the ground forces it deployed to Ukraine, and that its failure to achieve any substantial territorial gains in the Donbas region marks the country falling "significantly behind schedule."
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.
