Russia and Ukraine Trade Aerial Attacks

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Facts

  • A day after Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks of the war, Russia responded by launching missiles and drones at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine in the early hours of Monday.[1]
  • Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia launched a total of 35 missiles and 23 drones that targeted the regions of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy, adding that 22 missiles and 20 drones were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.[2]
  • In Kyiv, Ukrainian officials reported that two people were injured and a number of non-residential buildings were damaged. 16 people were injured in Sumy as damage was reported to an educational facility and at least five apartment buildings. One person was also injured in Kharkiv, amid damage to a house and three non-residential buildings.[3][4][5]
  • It comes a day after Russia's defense ministry alleged it had shot down all 158 drones deployed by Ukraine over 16 Russian regions on Sunday. Nonetheless, a number of fires were reported at fuel depots, power plants, and oil refineries across the country.[6][7]
  • Meanwhile, Russian forces appeared to have ramped up offensive operations in Ukraine's east, with Ukraine's General Staff reporting 182 combat clashes on Sunday — roughly a third of those near the Donetsk city of Pokrovsk. 'The situation at the front remains difficult,' the update said.[8]
  • According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US military think tank that tracks troop positions in the conflict, Russian forces made additional advances near Pokrovsk over the past day, as well as near Donetsk City elsewhere in the region. ISW also reported that Russian forces had advanced near the city of Kharkiv, as well as near Kupyansk in the region of Luhansk.[6]

Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]Ukrainska Pravda (a), [3]Ukrainska Pravda (b), [4]Ukrainska Pravda (c), [5]Ukrainska Pravda (d), [6]Understandingwar, [7]TASS and [8]Ukrainska Pravda (e).

Narratives

  • Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Once Ukraine's offensive in Kursk fails, as it was always destined to, Kyiv's officials will realize they have to start negotiating for peace. Russia has always favored a peaceful settlement, but was forced to take military action to protect the Russian-speaking people of the Donbas region after Ukraine chose to disregard the Minsk agreements.
  • Pro-Ukraine narrative, as provided by Ukrainska Pravda. Days after stating that peace talks are no longer relevant, Russian Pres. Putin has once again changed his mind and suggested he wants the war to end through dialogue. Putin continues to distort reality by suggesting that Russia is the victim, when it is the one that has terrorized Ukraine with its aggression.

Predictions