Russia

Day 68 Roundup: Attack on Mariupol Resumes Amid Hope For Further Evacuations

MAY 1 2022·Updated SEP 19 2022

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Image credit: Reuters [via The Guardian]

The Facts

Russia reportedly resumed attacks on Mariupol on Mon., following the evacuation of more than 100 civilians from the Azovstal steel plant over the weekend during a brief ceasefire. Mariupol City Council says another evacuation convoy is expected to depart early Tues. At least 100 adults and 20 children are trapped at the plant.
CNN
The UN and the Red Cross are assisting in the evacuation efforts. Evacuees are expected to be taken to the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia but, as of Mon., the weekend convoy had not yet arrived there.
guardian
Meanwhile, a rocket strike hit the port city of Odesa, reportedly killing a teen and injuring a second child, according to Ukrainian officials. Russia also claimed to have destroyed a runway and a hangar filled with Western-supplied weapons near Odesa on Mon.
NPR
Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a separate attack that reportedly destroyed 2 Russian patrol ships in the Black Sea on Mon. Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, was also hit by two explosions earlier in the day.
CNN
Meanwhile, Russia reportedly continued ground assaults in the eastern regions of Ukraine, but did not make any substantial gains according to Western military analysts.
ISW
Elsewhere, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told an Italian publication that Russia's military wouldn't "artificially adjust" its operations in time for a victory on May 9 – a national holiday that celebrates Nazi Germany's surrender to allied forces in WWII.
South China Morning Post

Sources Split

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The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

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 a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.

PBS NewsHour

Pro-Russia narrative

NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking their promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided tragedy in Ukraine.

National Security Archive