Day 180 Roundup: Ukraine Braces For Intensification of Attacks Following Moscow Car Bomb
The Facts
Ukraine is bracing itself for an intensification of Russian missile attacks following a Moscow car bomb that killed the daughter of Aleksander Dugin – a prominent Russian philosopher and ally to Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin. A rise in the intensity of strikes is also anticipated as Ukraine is set to celebrate its independence anniversary this week.
Ukrainian officials denied responsibility for the attack on 30-year-old Darya Dugina and a former Russian MP, Ilya Ponomarev, who lives in Kyiv, claimed the attack was the work of Russia's National Republican Army, a previously unknown anti-Kremlin partisan group. However, commentators in Russia blamed Ukraine and called for strikes on "decision-making centers."
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 an 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.