Good Evening,
It's Wednesday, February 23rd. |
Pentagon Assessment of Ukraine
In its most dire assessment yet, the Pentagon said on Wednesday that 80 percent of the 190,000 Russian troops and separatist forces in or near Ukraine are now in combat-ready positions, and that a full-scale military assault is most likely imminent, as the NYT reports.
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Ukraine Imposes State of Emergency
Ukraine’s parliament voted Wednesday to declare a state of emergency, as the Kremlin claimed that two separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for military intervention, as the Washington Post reports.
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Fast Spreading Omicron Subvariant
A more infectious type of the Omicron variant has surged to account for more than a third of global Covid-19 cases sequenced recently, as the WSJ reports.
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Executive Education
Drawing on insights from leading experts and the CSIS Reconnecting Asia Project, CSIS's “Belt, Road, and Beyond” executive education course explains what China's Belt and Road Initiative is, what it is not, and how it is impacting commercial and strategic realities on the ground. |
Video Shorts
Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Data Unpacked,” Testify,” “What's Happening,” “Preview,” and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel! |
In That Number
80%
The Pentagon said on Wednesday that 80 percent of the 190,000 Russian troops and separatist forces in or near Ukraine are now in combat-ready positions, and that a full-scale military assault is most likely imminent.
Source: NYT |
Critical Quote
“We will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.”
— President Joe Biden |
iDeas Lab
New CSIS satellite imagery analysis shows continued activity at the Sinpo South Shipyard. It is unclear if this activity is an indicator of continued work on the 8.24 Yongung SSBA (which plays a critical role in the underway development of submarine launched ballistic missiles), new work being undertaken on the infiltration mothership, an ongoing deception program, or a combination of these and other reasons.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.![]() ![]() ![]() |
Optics
(Photo credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images.) Civilians take part in a military training course conducted by a Christian Territorial Defence Unit on February 19, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. |
Recommended Reading
“Arm the Ukrainians Now” by CSIS's Eliot A. Cohen. |
This Town Tomorrow
At 9:30 a.m., join the CSIS Economics Program and the CSIS Korea Chair for a special conversation on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and economics and trade in Asia.
And, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program hosts a panel discussion with leading private sector voices on efforts to realize a hydrogen economy.
Then, at 3:00 p.m., the CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development holds a conversation on the future of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. |
Video
The CSIS China Power Project and CSIS Freeman Chair today hosted a discussion on the future of the bilateral relationship between Russia and China. |
Podcasts
In today's episode of The Truth of the Matter, CSIS's Seth G. Jones discusses the latest on the Ukraine crisis: “Vladimir Putin has said he's sending in Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other military equipment into a sovereign country without the approval or invite of that country. That is, in a very technical sense, and both letter and law, that is an invasion.”
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.
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Smiles
One of my closest friends, Scott, who knows more about music than just about anyone I know, sent me a Wilco clip that I’d never seen before. What I love most about this clip is that the song, “It’s Just That Simple” is one of the few songs not written and sung by band leader Jeff Tweedy. Rather, it was written and sung by bassist John Stirratt. It’s one of my favorite Wilco tunes. The song and Stirratt's vocals remind me of The Band’s bassist Rick Danko’s performance of songs like “It Makes No Difference.” Also, it doesn’t hurt that Stirratt is from New Orleans…
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| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
