Kremlin decision to target Ukraine’s cities was political, not tactical
GuardianOct 10, 2022
The Facts
The US and Germany have vowed to urgently deliver advanced missile defense systems to Ukraine following a wave of Russian attacks across the country on Monday. While the US didn't publicly specify which systems would be sent, Germany announced it would deliver four IRIS-T SLM systems – reportedly capable of defending against missiles at a range of up to 25 miles (40 km).
Ukrainian officials said a total of 19 people were killed and 105 were injured in Monday's attacks, which spanned across 12 regions and the city of Kyiv. They added that as many as 301 settlements remain without electricity. The bombings were widely condemned by officials from Ukraine, Europe, the US, and elsewhere.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia's strikes served a clear purpose - they met terrorist attacks on Russian territory with a firm and decisive response. If this unflinching message goes unheard, and more terrorist acts continue, only the Ukrainian leadership will be responsible for the consequences.
Nerd narrative
There's a 42% chance that there will be a large-scale armed conflict in Russia before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.