Day 337: At Least One Killed in Renewed Missile Attack on Kyiv

Facts

• Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said at least one person was killed and two more were injured after Russia launched renewed missile attacks on the capital on Thursday. "As a result of a missile hitting a non-residential building in Holosiivskyi district," Klitschko said, "there is information about one person being killed and two people injured." He also confirmed that those with injuries had been taken to hospital.
• Blasts were also recorded in the regions of Vinnytsia and Odesa, where officials said two energy infrastructure facilities were struck. There were no reports of additional civilian casualties resulting from the attacks.
• Russian strikes also targeted an energy facility in the Zaporizhzhia region overnight, while extensive shelling has continued to be reported in the Kherson region. Ukrainian officials said three civilians were killed and nine more have been injured in Russian attacks on Kherson in the past 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, in Donetsk, Russian attacks in the region killed one civilian and injured seven more over the past day. Pro-Russia officials from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) reported that two civilians were injured in Ukrainian attacks for the same time period.
• Elsewhere, following announcements from the US and Germany that they would both send battle tanks to Ukraine — M1 Abrams and Leopard 2s respectively — Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked both countries for the "historic achievement" in his nightly address on Wednesday. However, he quickly turned his attention to Ukraine's desire for long-range missiles and fighter jets, which allies have thus far refused to send.
• "We have to unlock the supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. "It is important," he continued, "for us to expand our cooperation in artillery. We have to achieve the supply of aircraft to Ukraine."
• Meanwhile, following the announcement that the US and Germany will send tanks to Kyiv, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia increasingly views the actions of both countries as "direct involvement" in the conflict.

Sources: Pravda (a), Pravda (b), Ukrinform, President, and Tass.

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