Ukraine Pulled Off a Masterstroke
AtlanticSep 12, 2022
Day 202 Roundup: Russian Officials Call on Putin to Resign; Kharkiv Again Without Electricity
The Facts
In the wake of a hasty Russian withdrawal, as Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kharkiv continues, as many as 49 municipal deputies in Russia have signed a petition calling on Pres. Vladimir Putin to resign. The petition, tweeted by a St. Petersburg municipal deputy, Ksenia Tortstrom, makes no mention of the war in Ukraine but says Putin's actions "harm the future of Russia and its citizens."
As Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his latest address claimed the counterattack has now retaken 2.3K sq mi (6K sq km), Vitaly Ganchev, a Russian-appointed official in Kharkiv, claimed Ukrainian troops in the region outnumbered Russia's by eight to one.
The Spin
Narrative B
Kyiv still faces hurdles in winning this war. While Ukraine's surprise counterattack in the north-east should be celebrated, going on the offensive could be costly. It takes a greater toll on ammunition, equipment, and troops, and extending supply lines as Ukrainians advance puts them at greater risk of being attacked or cut-off.
Nerd narrative
There's a 23% chance of a coup or regime change in Russia during 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
