memeorandum: A Syrian rebel commander's advice to Ukrainians on how to fight Russian invaders (Josh Rogin/Washington Post)

7:30 PM ET, February 28, 2022

Top Items:

Sanctions Leave Russian Economy Reeling — Delegations from Kyiv and Moscow met in Belarus, even as Ukraine said dozens were killed in a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. The Treasury Department announced a freeze on Russian Central Bank assets.

Discussion: Associated Press, Grid News, CBS News, Telegraph, Washington Post, The National Interest, The Mahablog, Political Junkie, Wall Street Journal, Politico, CNN, Insider, Townhall, Breitbart, Reason, Nieman Lab, RedState, KyivPost, HillReporter.com, BizPac Review, Space.com, The Guardian, Variety, Associated Press, Politico, Atlantic Council, One America News Network, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, The Daily Wire, Morning Shots, The Kyiv Independent, Washington Post, CW39 Houston, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, Raw Story, Instapundit, The Full Belmonte, The Economist, New Statesman, The Chronicles of DeusX, Insider, Bloomberg, Fortune, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, New Republic, Metro.co.uk, Washington Post, Based Politics, NATO, Reuters, Euro Weekly News Spain, Breitbart, The Guardian, RedState, Associated Press, Associated Press, HotAir, Mediaite, Political Wire and BizPac Review, more at Mediagazer »

Ben Judah / Slate:

The Terrible Truth So Many Experts Missed About Russia — Vladimir Putin didn't always rule his country alone. Now he does, and the dictator appears to care little about the consequences of his actions. — The belief that Vladimir Putin was bluffing, that he would never give the order …

Discussion: Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Rolling Stone, Emerging Markets … and The Daily Caller

Maura Reynolds / Politico:

‘Yes, He Would’: Fiona Hill on Putin and Nukes — For many people, watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine has felt like a series of “He can't be doing this” moments. Russia's Vladimir Putin has launched the largest ground war in Europe since the Second World War. It is, quite literally, mind-boggling.

Discussion: Lawfare, Mediaite and Associated Press

Greg Miller / Washington Post:
Ukraine invasion opens faint, but once unthinkable, fissures between Putin and Russian oligarchs

Discussion: Japan Times

Zachary Evans / National Review:
Biden: Americans Should Not Be Worried about Nuclear Conflict

Discussion: ABC News, Washington Examiner, Associated Press and Skeptic

Allahpundit / HotAir:
Russia is taking off the gloves in Kharkiv

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, PolisPandit, Lucian Truscott Newsletter and Instapundit

Josh Rogin / Washington Post:

A Syrian rebel commander's advice to Ukrainians on how to fight Russian invaders — Ukrainians have joined a gruesome but not-so-exclusive club — victims of unprovoked Russian military attacks and reported war crimes. The Syrian opposition, which has been attacked by Russian forces for almost seven years …

Michael K. Lavers / Washington Blade:

Warlord who persecuted gay Chechens killed in Ukraine fighting — Magomed Tushayev killed during Ukrainian military skirmish — Magomed Tushayev, (L) & Ramzan Kadyrov (Photo via Illia Ponomarenko, defense reporter, The Kyiv Independent) — One of the top warlords and close advisor …

Discussion: Al Jazeera and The Times of Israel

Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
After a Fumbled Start, Russian Forces Hit Harder in Ukraine

Discussion: Insider, Associated Press, The Daily Wire and Kyodo News+

Axios:
Russian forces shell civilian areas as first round of peace talks ends

Discussion: Financial Times, Conservative Brief, UPI, Politico and Washington Examiner

CNN:
US officials fear the worst is yet to come for Kyiv

Discussion: Reason, Fox News, ThinkCivics+, The Daily Beast, Political Wire, One America News Network, The Krich Report and Hell World

Kori Schake / The Atlantic:
Putin Accidentally Revitalized the West's Liberal Order

Discussion: Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, RedState and Wired

Bloomberg:

U.S. Bans Transactions With Russian Central Bank, Wealth Fund — President Joe Biden's administration on Monday banned U.S. people and companies from doing business with the Bank of Russia, the Russian National Wealth Fund and the Ministry of Finance. — The moves by the U.S. Treasury's Office …

Discussion: The Guardian, The Moscow Times, Financial Times, Insider, Washington Post, Voice of America, Human Events, New York Post, Nsbb, CNBC, CNBC, Associated Press, CBS News, ABC News, UPI, HotAir, Metro.co.uk, Talking Points Memo and The Guardian

Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Watching the Russian Economy Collapse before Our Eyes

Discussion: WAVY-TV

Yun Li / CNBC:
Bill Ackman says it's time for U.S. troops to defend Ukraine and set a ‘real red line’

Discussion: Fox News, American Purpose and Insider

U.S. Department of the Treasury:
Treasury Prohibits Transactions with Central Bank of Russia and Imposes Sanctions on Key Sources of Russia's Wealth

New York Times:
The West's Plan to Isolate Putin: Undermine the Ruble

Natasha Turak / CNBC:
Russia central bank more than doubles key interest rate to 20% to boost sinking ruble

Discussion: Reuters, CNN, Sky News, NPR, Nsbb, Wall Street Journal, Deseret, TASS, Newslit Daily, The Daily Caller, NBC News, Forbes, BBC, Just The News and UPI

Andrew Romano / Yahoo News:

Poll: 74 percent of Americans call Russia's Ukraine invasion unjustified — 46th and current president of the United States — In the opening days of the war in Ukraine, the fractious American public is remarkably united in opposition to Russia's invasion, with 74 percent saying the breach …

Discussion: Raw Story, Mediaite, The Political Insider and The Blue State Conservative

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

The tide has turned against the Russia apologists — and the neutrals — For the better part of five-plus years, Donald Trump attempted to inject some nuance into the GOP's posture toward Russia. It was a partially a strategy of necessity — given how Russia's 2016 election interference loomed …

Discussion: Raw Story, PRESS RUN, USA Today and The Independent

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:
Stern: Trump shouldn't praise ‘f—ing animal’ Putin

Discussion: Variety and Washington Post

Brian Schwartz / CNBC:

Russian oligarchs move yachts as U.S. looks to ‘hunt down’ and freeze assets — Some of Russia's wealthiest are moving their superyachts, potentially with the hope they can avoid having those items seized. — Data reviewed by CNBC from Marine Traffic shows that at least four massive yachts owned …

Discussion: The Local and Raw Story

Nick Cumming-Bruce / New York Times:

Switzerland says it will freeze Russian assets, setting aside a tradition of neutrality. — GENEVA — Switzerland, a favorite destination for Russian oligarchs and their money, announced on Monday that it would freeze Russian financial assets in the country, setting aside a deeply rooted tradition …

Charles Riley / CNN:
Two Russian oligarchs call for an end to Putin's war

Discussion: HotAir, Vanity Fair and The Guardian

Justin Bronk / rusi.org:

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Russian Air Force — On the fifth day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one of many unanswered questions is why Russia has launched a military campaign at huge cost with maximalist objectives, and then declined to use the vast majority of its fixed wing combat aircraft.

Politico:

Greene and Gosar increasingly isolated in Hill GOP after speaking at white nationalist event — Reps. Paul Gosar and Marjorie Taylor Greene are on an island among their fellow GOP lawmakers after appearing with a white nationalist group over the weekend. — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy …

Discussion: New York Times, Insider, CNN, Florida Phoenix, Jewish Journal, Mediaite, Digressions and Dysfluencies and Political Wire

Judd Legum / Popular Information:
Two members of Congress spoke at a white nationalist convention. These corporations are supporting their reelection.

Discussion: ABC News, Insider, The Daily Beast, Washington Post, New Republic, Vanity Fair, Salon and Right Wing Watch

CNN:

EXCLUSIVE: Prominent conservative judge who advised Pence on the 2020 election endorses Biden's Supreme Court nominee — The Biden White House is getting a major endorsement for Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson from a prominent conservative.

Discussion: Insider

JONATHAN TURLEY:
Who Really is Ketanji Brown Jackson?

Discussion: The Hill and NBC News

Maxwell Strachan / VICE:

Crypto Exchanges Refuse to Freeze All Russian Accounts — Binance, the world's largest exchange, said “unilaterally” banning users “would fly in the face of the reason why crypto exists.” — MS — Faced with a request by Ukrainian leadership to freeze the accounts of all people in Russia and Belarus …

Discussion: CNBC, New York Post, Bloomberg and Nsbb, more at Techmeme »

Aviva Abusch / Deutch, Ted:

Rep. Deutch Announcement on the 2022 Election — f t # e — (Washington) Today, U.S. Representative Ted Deutch (FL-22), Chair of the House Committee on Ethics, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism …

Discussion: Fox News, Washington Free Beacon, Jewish Insider, UPI, Politico and The Capitolist

Jim DeFede / CBS Miami:
Florida Congressman Ted Deutch Not Running For Re-Election

Discussion: RRH Elections, HotAir, Breitbart, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, Jewish Journal and The Hill

Mattathias Schwartz / Insider:

‘Putin might do the unthinkable’: Former intelligence chief warns that the conflict in Ukraine has increased the risk of nuclear war. … During the first few days after Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine, the images from the conflict were both urgent and remote.

David Ferrara / Las Vegas Review-Journal:

VIDEO: Nevada governor, first lady accosted, threatened at Las Vegas restaurant — ......We hope you appreciate our content. Subscribe Today to continue reading this story, and all of our stories. — A video obtained Sunday night by the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak …

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story and Political Wire

Axios:

Scoop: Zelensky pushes Biden on no-fly zone — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging President Biden and NATO to impose a “no-fly zone” over “significant parts” of the country, telling Axios in a statement that Ukraine “can beat the aggressor” if the Western allies “do their part.”

Discussion: HuffPost, HotAir, Breitbart, The Dossier, Common Dreams, Insider, Washington Post, The Drive, Outside the Beltway, National Review, The Washington Current, Washington Examiner, The Daily Wire, Mediaite and Political Wire

American Greatness:

The Suicide of a January 6 Defendant: ‘They Broke Him’ — Matthew Perna was failed by the country he loved. — Matthew Perna did nothing wrong on January 6, 2021. — The Pennsylvania man walked through an open door on the Senate side of the building shortly before 3 p.m. that afternoon.

Discussion: Law & Crime, Ace of Spades HQ and Washington Examiner

icc-cpi.int:

Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, on the Situation in Ukraine: “I have decided to proceed with opening an investigation.” — Last Friday, I expressed my increasing concern, echoing those of world leaders and citizens of the world alike, over the events unfolding in Ukraine.

Discussion: Insider, Politico, UPI, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, NPR, POLITICUSUSA and Amnesty International

Ty Ross / Occupy Democrats:

MUMBO JUMBO: Trump's former Acting Attorney General just destroyed his election fraud claims — Undercover journalist Lauren Windsor has struck again, convincing Trump's former Acting Attorney General to spill the beans that his former boss' election fraud claims are all “mumbo jumbo gunk.”