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5:20 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.

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

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: Emerging Markets …, Mediaite and Associated Press

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: The Independent

Washington Post:

Russia-Ukraine live updates: Kharkiv is bombarded; high-stakes talks end with plans to continue — Western sanctions hit the ruble, and Ukraine has stymied Russian forces trying to capture Kyiv.

Discussion: KyivPost, Task & Purpose, Raw Story, BBC and The National Interest

Associated Press:

Ukraine seeks to join EU as round of talks with Russia ends — KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its bond with the West on Monday by signing an application to join the European Union, while the first round of Ukraine-Russia talks aimed at ending the fighting concluded with no immediate agreements.

Discussion: The Hill, Politico, The Daily Wire, WKBN-TV, KTLA, Newsy and Associated Press

Quinnipiac University Poll: 63% Of Americans Concerned Russia May Use Nuclear Weapons, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 7 Out Of 10 Say U.S. Troops Should Get Involved If Russia Invades A NATO Country

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

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

Wall Street Journal:
Putin Finds Himself Isolated, Out of Touch as Invasion of Ukraine Sputters

Discussion: HotAir, Washington Post, New York Times, BizPac Review, The Daily Wire, WFLA-TV, Washington Examiner and Foreign Policy

Washington Post:
The war in Ukraine isn't working out the way Russia intended

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, Insider, CNBC, Financial Times, Washington Post, CNBC, Associated Press, Voice of America, Human Events, Nsbb, CBS News, New York Post, 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

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

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

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

Discussion: Reuters, Fox News, Washington Post, OFAC, Bloomberg, UPI, Reason, Daily Kos, Musings of a Social Worker, The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, CBS News, HotAir, The Daily Beast, Politico, TASS, Radio Free Europe/Radio … and REFORM.by

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

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: Reuters, Mother Jones, HotAir, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Federal Council, Mediaite, Insider, New York Post, The Guardian, Financial Times, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, The Moderate Voice, Associated Press, The Local, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Live and Let's Fly and YouTube

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: Raw Story and The Local

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: The Daily Beast, Raw Story, CBS News, Rolling Stone, The Racket News, The Dispatch and Newsweek

Politico:

McConnell speaks out against Greene and Gosar's appearance at white nationalist event — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is condemning fellow Republicans who engage with white nationalist groups, just days after GOP Reps. Paul Gosar and Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke at the extremist-backed America …

Discussion: Mediaite, Salon, Political Wire and Digressions and Dysfluencies

Washington Post:
McConnell says no space in GOP for ‘white supremacists or anti-Semitism’ after two House Republicans participate in white nationalist's conference

Discussion: OnlyRobertAman, Right Wing Watch and BizPac Review

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:

Stern: Trump shouldn't praise ‘f—ing animal’ Putin — Howard Stern is ripping former President Trump for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the Ukrainian invasion, saying Republicans should never commend such an “enemy of humanity.” — “I used to love the Republicans …

Discussion: Washington Post

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Romney is right: MAGA Republicans are ‘almost treasonous’

Discussion: The Blue State Conservative, PRESS RUN, USA Today, Jihad Watch, Common Dreams, Robert Reich, Raw Story and Morning Shots

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: Washington Free Beacon, UPI, Jewish Insider and The Capitolist

John Wagner / Washington Post:
Rep. Deutch to leave House to lead Jewish advocacy organization

Discussion: CNN, Politico, NBC News and Washington Times

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

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

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: Reason, HotAir, Washington Examiner, Insider, The Drive, Washington Post, The Daily Wire, Outside the Beltway, National Review, The Washington Current, Vox, Mediaite and Political Wire

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, Bloomberg, New York Post and Nsbb, more at Techmeme »

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

Tariq Panja / New York Times:

FIFA Suspends Russia, Ejecting It From World Cup Qualifying — World soccer's global governing body suspended Russia and its teams from all competitions on Monday, ejecting the country from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup only weeks before it was to play for one of Europe's final places in this year's tournament in Qatar.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Insider, Reuters, Associated Press, National Review, Politico, Fox News, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, Japan Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Agence France-Presse, Lawyers, Guns & Money, WKBN-TV, Al Jazeera, TASS and Political Wire

Jennifer Medina / New York Times:

How Immigration Politics Is Driving Some Texas Hispanics to the G.O.P. — Former President Donald J. Trump's brand of populism has been widely viewed as an appeal to white voters. But similar grievances have resonated in the Rio Grande Valley in a profound way.

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

Financial Times:

EU freezes assets of Russia's leading oligarchs and allies of Putin — Alfa Group's Mikhail Fridman, financier Alisher Usmanov and Rosneft's Igor Sechin on Brussels blacklist — The EU has frozen the assets and imposed a travel ban on more than half a dozen of Russia's most prominent oligarchs …

Discussion: The Kyiv Independent

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Fox News's Jennifer Griffin fully loses her patience with Fox's Ukraine punditry — Among the many times in which punditry can go very wrong, few rank as high as wartime. And nothing demonstrates that better than some corners of Fox News right now. Tucker Carlson has spent years suggesting maybe Vladimir Putin isn't a bad guy.

Discussion: The Hill, Mediaite and The Daily Beast, more at Mediagazer »

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: Washington Examiner

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.”

David Montgomery / Washington Post:

Democracy May Depend on a New Partisan Battleground: Races for State Secretary of State — The once-sleepy, down-ballot elected office has suddenly become one of the most vital roles in the nation — In the turbulent weeks after the 2020 presidential election, Georgia Secretary …