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| It's Thursday, OnPolitics readers. |
| In somber news, Ukrainians are trying to flee the country as Russian forces barrage major cities with missile strikes. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation against the neighboring country Wednesday under the pretense of demilitarizing the nation. |
| Many Ukrainians only had time to grab bare necessities, such as food, clothing and important documents, before evacuating. Long lines formed outside of ATMs and gas stations as banks closed and roads were bombed. |
| "We are on the verge of devastation," said Ukrainian art curator Natalia Zabolotna. "I wanted to grab my niece this morning, her little children and drive them to our home town of Cherkasy ... but the road was bombed. We are stuck here in Kyiv." |
| It's Amy and Chelsey with today's top stories out of Washington. |
Putin the 'pariah' |
| President Joe Biden promised swift retaliation against Putin Thursday for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. |
| "Putin's aggression against Ukraine will end up costing Russia dearly – economically and strategically," Biden said during an address from the White House. "We will make sure that Putin will be a pariah on the international stage." |
| The president also announced a new round of sanctions against Moscow, including bans on key U.S. exports to Russia. The sanctions do not include removing the country from SWIFT, an international financial system that shifts money between banks around the world, because European allies have yet to fully support that step. |
| Biden also authorized additional U.S. force capabilities for deployment to Germany as part of the North Atlantic Alliance's efforts to boost defenses on NATO's eastern flank. |
| At least 40 people have been killed and dozens others wounded in the attack against Ukraine so far, according to Oleksii Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. |
| Could the Russian invasion be the start of WWIII?: Putin warned in a televised address ahead of the attack that any interference would "lead to consequences you have never seen in history." |
| The latest from Ukraine, straight to you: Sign up for the Ukraine-Russia crisis email. |
Real quick: stories you'll want to read |
| • | A look inside Putin's playbook: By sending troops into Donbas, it was hard to pinpoint the level of Putin's escalation. This is one of Putin's strategies, according to experts, to keep his adversaries off balance by obfuscating his intentions. | | • | FBI investigating HBCU threats: After a spate of bomb threats to scores of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and places of worship, the FBI said Wednesday authorities in dozens of offices nationwide have deployed for an aggressive investigation. | | • | Who is speaking at CPAC? The Conservative Political Action Conference kicked off today in Orlando. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis are among those slated to speak. | | • | Poll: Americans are for diversity on SCOTUS: A wide majority of Americans believe diversity should be considered when weighing nominees for the Supreme Court, but the country remains deeply divided over just how much race and gender should matter in those decisions, according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk poll. | |
Donald Trump has yet to back someone in 2022 Ohio Senate race |
| Former President Donald Trump revealed his uncertainty about Ohio's U.S. Senate candidates at a rally last summer when he polled the crowd to see who garnered the most enthusiasm. |
| But he did not announce his own preference — and months later, not much has changed. |
| Most contenders in the GOP primary have made Trump a central part of their campaigns, and it's no secret that they desperately want his endorsement. But associates of the former president say he has issues with everyone in the field, from questions of loyalty to concerns about their ability to win a general election. |
| Trump, eager to back winners to keep his reputation as the ultimate Republican power broker, has also held off endorsements in crowded Senate primaries like those in Pennsylvania and Arizona, as well as Ohio. |
| When could we expect an endorsement? Trump associates, who discussed Ohio on condition of anonymity, said they don't expect Trump to endorse until closer to the May primary, but added that he's mercurial and could pop out a statement any time. |
| Who is the frontrunner? The leading candidates in the GOP primary include former state Treasurer Josh Mandel, former Ohio Republican Party chair Jane Timken, investment banker Mike Gibbons, "Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance and state Sen. Matt Dolan. |
| Want to support the people of Ukraine? These apps and websites can help you send money. Take care and stay safe, OnPolitics readers! -- Amy and Chelsey |
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