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Day 27 Close: Ukraine Claims Successful Counterattacks, 3K Children Allegedly Deported by Russian Forces
Image copyright: Nacho Doce/Reuters [via The Telegraph]
The Facts
Ukraine on Tues. claimed several successful counterattacks northwest of Kyiv, and repelled Russia assaults in Donetsk and Luhansk. No Russian offensives in the northeast have been conducted in the past 24 hrs.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have forcibly deported 2,389 Ukrainian children from Donetsk and Luhansk towards Russia, according to Ukraine's foreign ministry.
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 re-write 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.