Zelenskyy Decries Lack of Missile Defenses After 18 Killed in Chernihiv

Facts

• Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week again decried the lack of Western military aid arriving in the county after Russian missiles killed 18 people and injured dozens more in the northern city of Chernihiv on Wednesday.¹
• After the attack destroyed a hotel and damaged several multistorey residential buildings, a hospital, and an education facility, Zelenskyy said: 'This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defense equipment and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient.'¹
• Zelenskyy did not hold back his criticism for Western allies in remarks earlier in the week either. After the US, and its allies in the UK, France, and Jordan shot down roughly 300 Iranian missiles headed for Israel, Zelenskyy said: 'The whole world saw that Israel was not alone in this defense — the threat in the sky was also being eliminated by its allies.'²
• As he fielded questions from reporters on Tuesday, Matthew Miller, the US State Department spokesman, said: 'I think it is important to note the context that we have an entirely different relationship with Ukraine and Israel, in that our relationship with Israel goes back decades in terms of a security partnership.'³
• Meanwhile, with US military aid still tied up and being debated in Congress, multiple reports suggested a rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War, a US military think tank, said delays in US aid were already resulting in 'marginal tactical advances' for Russia, adding that future attacks could result in bigger gains.⁴
• On Wednesday, in his evening address, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine's military had successfully struck a Russian airfield in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. On the same day, Zelenskyy signed into law a bill that changes how Ukrainian soldiers are mobilized.⁵

Sources: ¹Guardian, ²Washington Post, ³Newsweek (a), ⁴Newsweek (b) and ⁵Reuters.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. Only a minority of Ukrainians truly believe they can win this war. Despite this reality, out-of-touch liberals and elites continue to pursue the fantasy that Ukraine can defeat a much larger country that currently produces more artillery than the US and Europe combined. There's no reason to carry on funding this failed war effort.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Post. MAGA Republicans are so desperate to hang Ukraine out to dry that they're latching on to the opportunity provided by the Iranian attack on Israel to pass separate funding bills. By doing this, they hope to pass military aid for Israel, but not for Ukraine. This will hurt the interests of both US allies, as well as hinder America's own goals.
• Pro-Ukraine narrative, as provided by POLITICO. Ukraine is of course extremely grateful for all the aid Western countries have provided. However, the situation has to be discussed frankly. The spate of recent Russian attacks on Ukraine simply wouldn't have happened without delays to further support. Ukraine is urging the US to do all it can to make sure this European country gets the help it needs in the face of Russian aggression.

Predictions