Report: Ukraine receives first batch of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets
NPR Online NewsJul 21
Russia Makes Fresh Advances in Ukraine
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Above: Ukrainian infantrymen from the 126th Territorial Defense Brigade train on land moving through the bush after landing from boats in training to carry out combat missions on water on April 16, 2024 in Kherson Region, Ukraine. Image copyright: Libkos/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Russian forces continued to make territorial advances over the past day of fighting in Ukraine, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Thursday.
ISW, a US military think tank that tracks battlefield progress in the war, said: "Russian forces continue to make slow, steady advances in the Pokrovsk direction" of Donetsk — a strategically important city west of Avdiivka that serves as a Ukrainian military transport hub.
The Spin
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Russian advances are taking place in Ukraine because the country's defenders have insufficient weapons and equipment. The West must speed up shipments and lift the restrictions on long-range weapons in order to support the defense of the nation against Russian aggression.
Pro-Russia narrative
The roots of the Ukraine conflict stem from trying to turn the country into a force to weaken Russia. As long as that aim continues, so too will Russia's Special Military Operation, along with its associated military gains.
