Wagner Founder Has Putin’s Support, but the Kremlin’s Side-Eye
New York TimesNov 22, 2022
Day 354: Ukraine Says Russian Soldier Death Rate Highest Since First Week of War
Image copyright: AP [via The New York Post]
The Facts
After Ukraine reported "massive" shelling from Russian forces on Friday and continuing into Saturday, Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, ruled out peace talks with Russia, saying they're "out of the question."
Despite the shelling having hit power facilities in six regions — as reported by Ukraine's energy minister — the state-owned power utility company, Ukrenergo, didn't implement any further consumption restrictions on Sunday, avoiding power cuts in Kyiv and the regions of Odesa and Dnipro.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Making sure Ukraine continues to be well-armed is the only way to fend off Putin and Russia in this unprovoked war of aggression. The US and NATO must not simply offer up their latest and most hi-tech weapons however; combat is about supply lines, and the West must ensure basic equipment and ammunition are kept flowing as needed.
Establishment-critical narrative
Multi-billion dollar weapons packages will make little difference in the outcome of the war. The US has been meddling in Ukraine since the end of the Cold War, and what we're witnessing is a geopolitical Ponzi scheme to benefit those aligned with the military-industrial complex. War is a lucrative racket.