Russian missile strike kills 40 in Dnipro, Kremlin seen preparing for long war
PBS NewsHourDec 24, 2022
The Facts
One of Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy's top advisors, Oleksiy Arestovych, resigned on Tuesday after sparking criticism over comments he made following the blast at a Dnipro residential block on Saturday that killed dozens of civilians and injured scores more.
Arestovych had told a journalist that it looked as though a Russian missile had fallen onto the apartment building after being shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. He apologized and removed the post but later emphasized that his conclusion was only a preliminary theory.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Arestovych made an incorrect statement that was immediately rejected by the Ukrainian Air Force, which said it didn't have the means to shoot down Russian Kh-22 missiles. After disseminating misinformation without understanding the facts related to both the bombing and Ukrainian weaponry, he did the correct thing and resigned.
Pro-Russia narrative
Given that Arestovych is a self-proclaimed propagandist for Ukraine, the accusations against him make little sense. Russia's attack on Dnipro did not target civilians, but rather legitimate military targets and, as stated by Arestovych, the residential block was damaged by Ukrainian air defenses.
