Day 273: Russian Strike in Zaporizhzhia Hits Maternity Ward, Kills Newborn

Facts

• According to Zaporizhzhia region head Oleksandr Starukh, an overnight rocket attack launched by Russia between Tuesday and Wednesday struck a maternity ward in the town of Vilniansk, killing a newborn baby. "Our hearts are overflowing with sorrow: a baby, who has just arrived in this world, has been killed," he said in comments published on Telegram.
• Meanwhile, a Russian attack on the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region struck a residential building and an outpatient clinic, killing two civilians and injuring two others, local officials said.
• In Donetsk — which remains the scene of the heaviest fighting — one civilian was killed and eight others were injured in the last 24 hours, local officials reported. Russian attacks were also reported in the regions of Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk, with no additional reports of civilian casualties.
• Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a renewed drone attack on Crimea late on Tuesday. According to Russian officials, two drones were shot down on approach to the Balaklava Thermoelectric Power Plant, while three others were shot down over the waters of the Black Sea. There were no reports of civilian casualties or damage to infrastructure as a result.
• Elsewhere, Britain's defense minister Ben Wallace announced that Britain is sending helicopters to Ukraine for the first time. Wallace said three Sea King helicopters would be provided, the first of which is already in the country. The news follows a commitment to provide 1K surface-to-air missiles and 125 anti-aircraft guns.
• Finally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sparked anger and criticism after he was pictured wearing a scarf that features a historical map of Greater Hungary — the country's former kingdom which includes modern-day Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine — during Hungary's pre-World Cup friendly game against Greece on Sunday. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it will summon the Hungarian ambassador to Ukraine over the matter.

Sources: Pravda, Guardian, and Euro.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by PBS NewsHour. 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, as provided by National Security Archive. 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.

Predictions