Ukraine Reports 'Massive' Russian Air Attack Over Kyiv
Russia reportedly attacked Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and the western city of Lviv with 29 cruise missiles and 28 drones early on Sunday. According to the head of Kyiv's military administration, Sergiy Popko, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed over a dozen missiles, and the damage had been minor....
Facts
- Russia reportedly attacked Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and the western city of Lviv with 29 cruise missiles and 28 drones early on Sunday. According to the head of Kyiv's military administration, Sergiy Popko, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed over a dozen missiles, and the damage had been minor.1
- Ukraine claims Moscow launched the cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers stationed at the Olenya airbase, some 1.8K km north of Russia's border with Ukraine. It alleged that the missiles were of the Kh-101/Kh-555 types.2
- Poland claimed that one of the missiles briefly entered its airspace near Oserdów, adding it would demand 'explanations' from the Kremlin over 'another violation of the country's airspace' as well as called on Moscow to 'stop terrorist air attacks' on Ukraine.3
- The country's Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Poland had activated its air defense systems and that it would have shot down the missile, which the army said was traveling at about 800 km per hour, 'had there been any indication it was heading for a target on Polish territory.'4
- The alleged strike on Kyiv comes after Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin reportedly vowed revenge after an attack on a Moscow concert hall on Friday killed at least 133 people. Putin and the FSB security service claim that the Islamic State (IS) terrorists had contacts in Ukraine.5
- However, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky denied any involvement in the incident, accusing Putin of seeking to 'shift the blame' onto Kyiv. IS's Afghanistan affiliate has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, while Russian media claims the perpetrators were natives of Tajikistan.6
Sources: 1The Moscow Times, 2The Independent Barents Observer, 3Associated Press, 4France 24, 5Independent and 6The Times of Israel.
Narratives
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by The New York Times. Russia, which has no regard for the millions of Ukrainian civilians, is looking for excuses to step up the war. Linking Ukraine to the assault in the Crocus City Hall attack is simply aimed at stoking fervor for the Kremlin's failure. Putin has sent hundreds of thousands of terrorists to fight and be killed in the war in Ukraine. It's time they turned their back on their brutal Russian masters.
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by RT. While the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday's rampage and Kyiv denies it had anything to do with it, there are clear signs of a Ukrainian link to the barbaric terrorist act on innocent people. Putin will justly and inevitably punish the perpetrators and organizers of the massacre. If they turn out to be the Kyiv regime, Russia won't deal with them and their ideological inspirations any differently.
