Labelled as"the largest military conflict in Europe since the 21st century",the Ukraine crisis has acted as a catalyst,drawing the Western academic community's renewed focus towards the"turbulence"in Sino-Russian relations.Within these analyses,certain"mainstream"views have emerged,highlighting the perceived fragility,weaknesses,differences in Sino-Russian ties,colluding with some politicians to cast a pessimistic,disparaging,and alienating light.Conversely,there also exist"counter-current"opinions that advocate for resilience and an egalitarian approach,prioritizing commonalities at their core and striving for an objective comprehension of the nuanced,new dimensions of Sino-Russian ties.From the lens of crisis and opportunity dialectics,there are potentials for a mutual transition between"mainstream"and"counter-current"viewpoints.However,given the Ukraine crisis's timing at a pivotal juncture between the old and new global order,it will undoubtedly be a winding and complex journey for Western perceptions to evolve from"counter-current"back to a refreshed"mainstream".Particularly as the"mainstream narrative"has become entrenched within Western ideological frameworks,it will persist as a significant barrier to adopting a"counter-current"stance.