One killed and 14 injured in overnight Russian attack on Ukraine's Odesa
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Putin Talks Israel-Iran War, Ukraine Conflict in St Petersburg
Above: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 20, 2025. Image copyright: Contributor/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Of all of Putin's deranged statements, the one about Russian soldiers' boots stands out, because for Ukraine, they've brought nothing but death, destruction and devastation. Russians do not care about their own people, demonstrated by the more than a million of their soldiers killed, and though the U.S. has called for peace, Putin's plan is to seize more territory and to kill more Ukrainians.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia and Ukraine have a long history and of course they are one people. Russia has always respected Ukraine's right to independence and sovereignty, but its own declaration of independence states that it must be a neutral, off-bloc and non-nuclear state. If Ukraine can return to these values, a peace deal can be agreed.