President Vladimir Putin told Russia's defense ministry to deploy troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine to ‘keep the peace,’ in a decree issued shortly after announcing recognition for Russian-backed separatists there https://t.co/UBboQOoaJo pic.twitter.com/0helrYYLhr
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 22, 2022
Zelensky: “Important right now to see who our true friends are,” a nod to the West.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 22, 2022
A senior US official tonight wouldn’t call Putin’s order an invasion since troops have unofficially been here 8 years. And it’s unclear if this will trigger the punishments West’s been preparing.
Supporters in Donetsk set off fireworks and waved Russian flags as President Vladimir Putin announced he was recognizing the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine https://t.co/ub4Lgomn9K pic.twitter.com/1vr6KDn4sS
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 22, 2022
President Vladimir Putin, trying to buoy his case for Russian aggression, said Ukrainian statehood was a fiction. History suggests otherwise. https://t.co/4O3tjFtd0i
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 22, 2022
Russia facing new sanctions after Putin recognises breakaway regions https://t.co/xLV3ZfznpJ pic.twitter.com/qKZPPmX8pv
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 22, 2022
And to save you time with your whataboutism tweets, yes my country has done wrong and evil things in the past.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 22, 2022
Stop parsing "invasion." Putin just partitioned Ukraine by edict and is backing it up with force. That alone is reason to impose sanctions. Argue about which sanctions to impose, maybe, and leave some daylight for future moves, but this isn't about "is it an invasion."
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 22, 2022
UN ambassador to US slams Putin's peacekeeping forces as "nonsense" https://t.co/ooXaMrwKPH pic.twitter.com/aAebuUWQ3n
— The Hill (@thehill) February 22, 2022
Just saw this: https://t.co/8P3Dd6rr9j
— Voting Rights For Thee DiFi 🐳🌻🍦⚖️🧡🇺🇸 (@bettymcniel) February 22, 2022
WaPo front page parroted Putin spin, then they changed it pic.twitter.com/dJyIIF1LtV
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 22, 2022
Do we have to pretend this isn't absurd? Trump was the most predictable president in history. Like a stray dog, you pet him, he follows you home. Putin called Trump "a genius." Trumps responds, "The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia." https://t.co/7cb9LP4EVy
— Stuart Stevens (@stuartpstevens) February 22, 2022
As you listen to Republicans & Fox News run the domestic propaganda operation for Vladimir Putin, remember there’s a longstanding love affair between the GOP & Putin’s authoritarian govt.
— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@NickKnudsenUS) February 22, 2022
From 2018, when 8 GOP Senators celebrated July 4th in Moscow: https://t.co/WHQGnwcUyu
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined the United States and European leaders in swiftly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and promised a tough response https://t.co/UBboQO6zRQ pic.twitter.com/iX1dYL3TY2
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 22, 2022
financial sanctions on Russian businesses and oligarchs. But we should be under no illusion that one consequence for us will be soaring gas and oil prices, and far greater living standards squeeze. It will be economically painful but most would say a price we have to pay
— Robert Peston (@Peston) February 21, 2022
The Overnight Note 