Day 110 Roundup: Russia Accused of War Crimes in Kharkiv, Reports 3 Civilians Killed in Eastern Ukraine
The Facts
In a 44-page report issued Mon., Amnesty International accused Russia of committing war crimes in the Ukrainian border city of Kharkiv, alleging that hundreds of civilians have been killed "by indiscriminate Russian shelling using widely banned cluster munitions and inherently inaccurate rockets."
The medical director for the Kharkiv region, Maxim Haustov, told Amnesty that 606 civilians had been killed and 1,248 injured in Russian attacks between Feb. 24 and Apr. 28.
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 rewrite 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.