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Day 19 Close: Conflict Talks Continue, US Warns China Against Involvement in Ukraine

    Day 19 Close: Conflict Talks Continue, US Warns China Against Involvement in Ukraine
    Last updated Jul 29, 2022
    Image credit: AFP [via Al Jazeera]

    Facts

    • The fourth round of conflict talks began by video-link on Mon. as Russia continued its heavy bombardment near Kyiv and the southern port city of Mariupol over the weekend. The talks will resume Tues.
    • This follows Russian air raids on a military training ground near the border of Poland on Sun. Ukrainian officals said 35 were killed and more than 130 were wounded in the attack.
    • An airstrike also struck a residential building in Kyiv on Mon., killing 1 civilian and wounding 3 others, Ukrainian emergency services said.
    • Meanwhile, Russian forces made minor territorial gains in Luhansk Oblast on Mon., but didn't carry out any major offensive toward Kyiv or in northeastern Ukraine. They're likely prioritizing improving logistics and reinforcing combat units.
    • Ukrainian forces succesfully halted resumed attacks from Kherson toward Mykolayiv and Kryvyi Rih, and continued to carry out successful local counterattacks around Kharkiv.
    • Chinese and US officials held talks in Italy on Mon. to discuss the impacts of the Russian invasion, amid disputed allegations Russia has asked for military assistance from China. The US reportedly warned China of "consequences" if they support Russia's war effort.

    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.

    Nerd narrative

    There's a 16% chance that Kyiv will fall to Russian forces by April, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


    Establishment split

    CRITICAL

    PRO

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