Narratives in Media Coverage of Ukraine

Zelenskyy Denounces Putin for Blaming Ukraine For Moscow Attacks

• After more than 130 people were killed in Moscow in a terrorist attack for which ISIS has claimed responsibility, Russian President Putin said that Ukraine had prepared a “window” for the suspects to escape.  Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that Putin was trying to blame “someone else for the attack,” that the methods were “absolutely predictable,” and that Putin is trying to turn the situation “in favour of his own personal power.” (NBC News; see also NBC News, Politico, Politico, Euractiv).

Missile and Drone Strikes on Ukraine

• Missile and drone strikes targeted Kyiv and Lviv on Sunday.  Russia launched 57 missiles and drones, marking the third largest missile attack in the past four days.  Ukraine destroyed 18 out of 29 missiles and 25 out of 28 attack drones. (Politico; see also Reuters, AP News). 
• One missile entered Polish airspace, prompting the Polish armed forces to launch “all necessary procedures” to protect its airspace.  The incursion runs the risk of escalating the war. (NBC News; see also AP News).
• A Russian-installed official said that Russian air defence shot down 10 missiles over Sevastopol. (Reuters).

Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

• The United States urged Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries after Kyiv increased strikes against Russian infrastructure over the past months.  Washington is concerned about driving up oil prices, but Ukrainian officials have said that oil refineries are “absolutely legitimate targets from a military point of view.” (Politico).
• Russia has also increased attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, damaging the Dnipro hydropower plant.  The more than 60 drones and almost 90 missiles launched by Russia were targeting Ukraine’s power plants and energy supply lines, leaving Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Khmelnytskyi without electricity. (Politico; see also Reuters, AP News, Euractiv).

EU Leaders Divided on Financing Defence

• EU leaders cannot agree on how to finance arming Ukraine.  For example, defence bonds are supported by France, Estonia, Poland, and others but are strongly opposed by Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. (Politico; see also Euractiv).
• AP News reports that there is a new sense of urgency in the EU over providing support to Ukraine.  EU leaders are worried about the commitment of the United States, the European elections in June, and further escalation of the war. (AP News).
• EU leaders are increasingly viewing the war in Ukraine as an “existential threat.” (Euractiv).

Scholz Says EU Will ‘Stand Together’ on Ukraine

• Despite his own coalition government fighting over aid for Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany and its European allies would continue to support Ukraine. (Politico).

Ukraine Says Russia is Preparing 100,000 Troops

• The commander of Ukraine’s ground forces says that Russia is preparing 100,000 troops who could be used in a summer offensive. (Reuters).

Ukraine’s Plans for Nuclear Reactors

• Ukraine hopes to sign a deal to buy two nuclear reactors from Bulgaria to compensate for the loss of the Zaporizhzhia plant. (Euractiv).

Author: Sophie Adams-Smith, Media Analyst, Promote Ukraine