Kyiv Remains in Russian Cross-Hairs as Ukrainians Push Back  —  Civilians joined Ukraine's outgunned military in the country's desperate bid to stop Russia's offensive, winning increased support from other countries.  The E.U. said it would ban all Russian aircraft and finance the donation of weapons to Ukraine.

Historic sanctions on Russia had roots in emotional appeal from Zelensky … As the leaders of the European Union gathered for an emergency summit on Thursday night, momentum was already moving toward imposing tough new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin Declares a Nuclear Alert, and Biden Seeks De-escalation  —  When the Russian leader ordered his nuclear forces into “special combat readiness,” the U.S. could have gone on high alert.  Instead, the administration tried not to inflame him.  —  WASHINGTON — When Vladimir V. Putin declared Sunday …

The war in Ukraine isn't working out the way Russia intended … The war in Ukraine isn't going Russia's way.  —  Videos posted on social media show whole columns of tanks and armored vehicles have been wiped out.  Others have been stopped in their tracks by ordinary Ukrainians standing on the street to block their advance.

Live updates: War in Ukraine knocks down Asian stock prices  —  The latest on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine:  —  TOKYO — Asian stock prices have fallen after Western nations moved to tighten sanctions against Russia and as President Vladimir Putin escalated tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces on high alert.

Russian forces appear to shift to siege warfare in Ukraine- U.S. official … Russia, frustrated by early battlefield setbacks in Ukraine, could be shifting its strategy to siege warfare just as President Vladimir Putin raises the risk of a catastrophic miscalculation by putting nuclear forces …

How Should the U.S. Respond to Putin's Nuclear Provocation?  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's strategic nuclear forces to raise their alert status.  (Specifically, he has ordered Russia's “strategic deterrence forces” to “transition to special regime of combat duty.")

The big sanctions: A quick explainer  —  The goals and risks of SWIFT cutoff, central bank sanctions, etc.  —  The war in Ukraine rages on (For updates, check out my Twitter list).  Although they're still not thinking of getting involved militarily, the U.S. and European nations …

Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat shows how much is going wrong for him in Ukraine  —  No plan of battle survives contact with the enemy, but his has fared worse than many  —  The russian invasion of Ukraine is not going to plan.  In Kharkiv, the country's second city, Ukrainian defences appear to have repulsed a major assault.

In Foreign Policy U-turn, Germany Ups Military Spending, Arms Ukraine  —  Germany agrees to strengthen its military in the latest foreign policy about-face, amid pressure from allies and horror at Russia's attack on Ukraine.  —  BERLIN — It took an invasion of a sovereign country nearby …

How Zelensky Gave the World a Jewish Hero  —  As the Ukrainian president captivates the world with his bravery, he offers a reminder of the inroads Eastern and Central European Jews have made in overcoming their status as perpetual outsiders.  —  For those inclined to see history as depressingly cyclical …