Vox Sentences - "The beginning of an invasion"

The crisis at the Ukraine border is now being called an invasion; Western countries sanction Russia’s elite.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

Russia begins invasion of Ukraine, US says

Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

• In a Monday speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognized the independence of two regions of eastern Ukraine currently held by separatists loyal to Russia. Putin also ordered troops into the area to conduct “peacekeeping” operations — a significant development the US is now calling an invasion. [Axios / Jacob Knutson] 
• It’s not yet clear what the new Russian operation will entail, however, Putin has roughly 190,000 troops stationed near Ukraine’s borders. The US has expressed concern Russia may use the mission to create conditions justifying further use of force against Ukraine. [NBC / Carol E. Lee, Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander]
• Those troops were amassed over the past few months, as Putin demanded assurances that Ukraine wouldn’t be accepted into NATO. The US and its allies rejected those demands. [NYT / Anton Troianovski, Valerie Hopkins, Andrew E. Kramer, Michael Schwirtz and Shashank Bengali]
• In response to Putin’s announcement, President Joe Biden announced the “first tranche” of US sanctions on Tuesday. They target two Russian financial institutions and essentially cut the Russian government off from Western finance. Starting Wednesday, wealthy Russians and their families will also be targeted. [CNN / Kevin Liptak]
• Biden stopped short of unveiling a massive sanctions package, likely to limit the negative effects sanctions could have on the West, and to leave some options available should Russia further escalate its military actions. [Guardian / Joan E. Greve]

Western sanctions for Russia

• The Russian parliament on Tuesday approved Putin’s request to deploy troops outside the country — a move that could allow for a larger invasion of Ukraine. [CNBC / Chloe Taylor]
• In response, the European Union drafted sanctions targeting members of the Russian government as well as individuals and businesses with ties to the two separatist regions. [NYT / Matina Stevis-Gridneff and Stephen Castle]
• Germany halted certification of the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia — which would have brought Russian natural gas to Europe — to “send a clear signal to Moscow that such actions won’t remain without consequences,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday. [AP / Frank Jordans]
• The UK also announced its first set of sanctions, freezing assets of wealthy Russians and banks, barring them from entering the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says his government is ready to unleash further sanctions if the situation in Ukraine further deteriorates. [The Hill / Lexi Lonas]

• Striking a more neutral tone than the West, China’s ambassador to the UN encouraged a peaceful resolution that addresses all countries’ concerns. [CNN / Simone McCarthy] 

The three white men who murdered Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery have been found guilty of hate crimes. [Washington Post / David Nakamura, Hannah Knowles and Margaret Coker]

• Dr. Paul Farmer, global humanitarian and champion of access to health care for the world’s poorest, has died at 62. [Boston Globe / Bryan Marquad]
• The Supreme Court has officially ended Trump’s fight to keep White House records from the panel investigating the January 6 attack at the Capitol. [Reuters / Lawrence Hurley]
• The Queen of England, experiencing mild symptoms of Covid-19, has canceled all virtual engagements.[Daily Beast / Tom Sykes]

"Russia is incredibly unimportant in the global economy except for oil and gas. It’s basically a big gas station."

[Jason Furman, a Harvard economist and former adviser to President Obama, on Russia’s economy / NYT]

This year’s weird Winter Olympics were overshadowed by politics, Covid-19, and the threat of war. But, as NPR’s Tom Goldman explains, the biggest scandals were still about the sports. [Spotify]

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