memeorandum: The Object of Their Ire … In August 2019, New York State attorney general Letitia James was on a boat … (Rebecca Traister/New York Magazine)

11:40 AM ET, February 28, 2022

Top Items:

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.

Discussion: Politico, Washington Examiner, The Atlantic, National Review, WAVY-TV, Bloomberg, New York Post, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Euractiv, Financial Times, Axios, Forbes and The Daily Wire

Alan Blinder / New York Times:

Ukraine and Russia Meet as Kyiv Remains in Cross Hairs — The Treasury Department announced a freeze on Russian Central Bank assets. Delegations from Kyiv and Moscow were meeting for talks in Belarus, even as Ukraine said dozens were killed in a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.

Wall Street Journal:

Putin Finds Himself Isolated, Out of Touch as Invasion of Ukraine Sputters — Russia's leader is peddling an alternative narrative to suit his needs, and his behavior is making his inner circle appear uncomfortable — With much of the world moving against him, economic sanctions piling …

Discussion: Foreign Policy and The Independent

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: Washington Post, The Blue State Conservative, The Political Insider and The Atlantic

Associated Press:

Live updates: US official: Belarus may join Ukraine invasion — The latest on the Russia's invasion of Ukraine: — WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. intelligence official says Belarus is expected to send troops into Ukraine as soon as Monday to fight alongside Russian forces that invaded Ukraine last week.

Illia Ponomarenko / The Kyiv Independent:

Sources: Belarus to join Russia's war on Ukraine within hours — As Russia fails to inflict quick defeat upon Ukraine after four days of fierce hostilities, Vladimir Putin is about to pull his Belarusian ally, dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko into his war of occupation.

Discussion: CNN, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, WFLA-TV, Austin Kocher, WAVY-TV, Balloon Juice, Townhall, Washington Post, New York Times and Washington Post

Financial Times:
Ukraine war latest: Kyiv to issue ‘war bonds’ to fund armed forces

Discussion: The Guardian

Washington Post:
Historic sanctions on Russia had roots in emotional appeal from Zelensky

CNN: CNN poll: Most Americans want US to do more to stop Russia, but most also oppose direct military action

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: A presidency transformed

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Independent

Wall Street Journal:
Ukraine Leads the World

Discussion: Washington Post, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, UnHerd, Making Sense …, Newslit Daily, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Current, Power Line, Comment is Freed and WAVY-TV

Max Boot / Washington Post:
Putin's war of aggression has mobilized the strongest international outrage since 9/11

Discussion: USA Today, Fox News, Against the Grain and CBS News

Washington Post:
With Russian nuclear forces on alert, Ukraine crisis enters more dangerous phase

Discussion: New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Status Kuo, Skeptic, Insider, Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, The Full Belmonte and Japan Times

New York Times:

The West's Plan to Isolate Putin: Undermine the Ruble — Measures announced over the weekend aimed at restricting the Russian central bank's ability to support the ruble appear to be having an immediate impact. — By targeting Russia's central bank with sanctions, experts said …

Discussion: CNN, HotAir, Bloomberg, Financial Times, eurofieldnotes, Jacobin, Pandemic Capitalism, One America News Network, Behind the Iron Curtain, The Guardian, t zero, Euro Weekly News Spain, lewrockwell.com, The Kyiv Independent and Japan Times

U.S. Department of the Treasury:

Treasury Prohibits Transactions with Central Bank of Russia and Imposes Sanctions on Key Sources of Russia's Wealth — In Coordination with Allies and Partners, Treasury Actions Restrict Access to Billions in Central Bank Assets and Sovereign Wealth Fund — Treasury Sanctions Russian …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, OFAC, Reuters, CBS News, The Daily Caller, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Politico, TASS and REFORM.by

Natasha Turak / CNBC:

Russia central bank more than doubles key interest rate to 20% to boost sinking ruble — The bank also said it would be freeing 733 billion rubles ($8.78 billion) in local bank reserves to boost liquidity. — Russia's stock and derivatives markets will stay shut on Monday, the central bank said.

Discussion: Reuters, NBC News, BBC, The Economist, Al Jazeera, TASS, Forbes and Financial Times

Caitlin Ostroff / Wall Street Journal:
Russia's Ruble, Financial Markets Are Hammered by Sanctions

Discussion: Insider, HotAir, Washington Post, Bloomberg, CNN, Agence France-Presse, The Times of Israel, The Daily Caller, Nsbb, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, UPI, Sky News, Edward Slavsquat, New Statesman, BBC and Just The News

Bloomberg:
U.S. Bans Transactions With Russian Central Bank, Wealth Fund

Discussion: The Moscow Times, Financial Times, CNBC, CBS News, ABC News, Washington Post, CNBC, HotAir, New York Post, Human Events, One America News Network, UPI, Metro.co.uk and New York Times

Associated Press:
Ruble plummets as sanctions bite, sending Russians to banks

Discussion: Yahoo News, Washington Post, ING Think, The Kyiv Independent, NBC News, CNN, The Times of Israel and Nsbb

Financial Times:
Russia doubles interest rates after sanctions send rouble plunging

Discussion: Washington Post, Insider, Emerging World, Metro.co.uk and Chartbook

CNBC:
Biden administration expands sanctions against Russia, cutting off U.S. transactions with central bank

Discussion: Voice of America, NBC Los Angeles and Instapundit

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 …

Discussion: Associated Press and The Local

The Federal Council:
Switzerland adopts EU sanctions against Russia

Discussion: Insider, Reuters, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Euro Weekly News Spain, Live and Let's Fly, Associated Press, The Local, Euro Weekly News Spain, Euractiv, Forbes and Reuters

Elizabeth Piper / Reuters:
Britain widens Russian ‘dirty money’ crackdown with new law

Discussion: BBC, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and Political Wire

Melissa Eddy / New York Times:
In Foreign Policy U-turn, Germany Ups Military Spending, Arms Ukraine

Discussion: Bloomberg, Financial Times, Reuters, Politico, New York Times, Axios, Berlin Takes, UPI, Website of the Federal …, Yahoo News, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Wall Street Journal, Euractiv, Associated Press, Reuters and New York Times

New York Times:

Climate Change's Effects Outpacing Ability to Adapt, I.P.C.C. Warns — Countries aren't doing nearly enough to protect against the disasters to come as the planet keeps heating up, a major new scientific report concludes. — The dangers of climate change are mounting so rapidly …

Discussion: Politico, Grist, CBS News, Euractiv, DIRECT LEFT, Mother Jones, UPI, Los Angeles Times, CNBC, The Guardian, PBS NewsHour, Financial Times, The Daily Caller and Japan Times

France 24:
Russian official apologises for war in Ukraine at UN climate meet

Discussion: Тел …

Seth Borenstein / Associated Press:
UN climate report: ‘Atlas of human suffering’ worse, bigger

Discussion: Newsy and Washington Post

John F. Harris / Politico:

Relax, Democrats, Biden's presidency isn't screwed — After Democrats got routed in the 2010 elections, a reporter asked President Barack Obama if the results were a sign that voters considered him “out of touch” with their concerns and whether he was willing to change his leadership style in response.

Manveen Rana / The Times:

Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian mercenaries ordered to kill Ukraine's president … More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow to take control, The Times has learnt.

Discussion: Fox News, POLITICUSUSA, The Atlantic, The Times of Israel, The Kyiv Independent and emptywheel

BBC:

BP to offload stake in Rosneft amid Ukraine conflict — BP is to offload its 19.75% stake in Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft after Russia's “act of aggression in Ukraine”. — The oil giant had come under pressure from the UK government to make the move since Thursday's invasion.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, One America News Network, UPI, Euro Weekly News Spain, Bloomberg, Nsbb, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Post, WAVY-TV, Politico, Forbes and bp global

Shannon Osaka / Grist:
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has left a hole in the global energy market

Discussion: The Guardian and Human Events

Wall Street Journal:
Car Parts, Chips, Sunflower Oil: War in Ukraine Threatens New Shortages

Discussion: BBC and Euromaidan Press

Judd Legum / Popular Information:

Two members of Congress spoke at a white nationalist convention. These corporations are supporting their reelection. — Over the weekend, two members of Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), addressed a white nationalist convention.

Discussion: Washington Post, CBS News, BizPac Review and The Guardian

Associated Press:

Pandemic fears are fading along with omicron: AP-NORC poll — Omicron is fading away, and so are Americans' worries about COVID-19. — As coronavirus pandemic case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths continue to plummet, fewer people now than in January say they are concerned …

Discussion: Political Wire

NBC News:

Facebook, Twitter remove disinformation accounts targeting Ukrainians — Facebook and Twitter removed two anti-Ukrainian “covert influence operations” over the weekend, one tied to Russia and another with connections to Belarus, the companies said. — One of the operations …