Day 96 Roundup: Russian Forces Advance in Severodonetsk; EU Leaders Agree on Partial Oil Embargo

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    Image copyright: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP [via Al Jazeera]

    The Facts

    • Regional gov. of Luhansk Serhiy Gaidai said on Mon. that Russian soldiers have advanced into the outskirts of Severodonetsk. Heavy fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues, according to Gaidai, amid Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's comments that Donetsk and Luhansk are Moscow's "absolute priority."

    • Meanwhile, Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik, leader of the opposition liberal Golos party, has urged Western countries to send further military aid to Ukraine to help repel Russian forces. In a visit to the UK, she said that long-range rockets would be crucial to Ukraine's military success.

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    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.

    PBS NewsHour

    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.

    National Security Archive

    Metaculus Prediction

    Establishment split

    CRITICAL

    PRO

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