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  Let me start with a confession. "Putin would never do this," I've thought numerous times. He then goes ahead and does it. "Surely he'd never annex Crimea?" Yes, he did. "In the Donbas, he'd never launch a conflict." Yes, he did. "He would never invade Ukraine on a large scale." He's done it. I've come to the conclusion that "would never do" does not apply to Vladimir Putin. And this poses a troubling question: "He'd never be the one to activate the nuclear detonator first. Would he do it?" This isn't a hypothetical question. Russia's president has just put his country's nuclear forces on "special" notice, blaming Nato leaders for making "aggressive statements" about Ukraine. Pay attention to what President Putin has to say. When he announced his "special military operation" (in actuality, a full-scale invasion of Ukraine) on television last Thursday, he issued...

  In an effort to stem a 30 percent decline in the value of its currency, Russia has more than doubled its interest rate. As the rouble fell under new Western sanctions, the Bank of Russia upped the rate to 20% from 9.5 percent. The rouble's depreciation reduces the currency's purchasing power and threatens to wipe away ordinary Russians' savings. In Moscow, there were photos of long lines at cash machines as people withdrew money. Russia's central bank issued a calm appeal over the weekend, amid fears that fresh financial sanctions might ignite a run on the country's banks. It claimed to have "all of the resources and tools necessary to ensure financial stability." There would be too many people seeking to withdraw money from Russian banks if there was a bank run. Videos on social media appeared to show long lines building at cash machines and money exchanges in Moscow, with people concerned that their bank cards might stop working or that cash withdrawal...

  Ukraine conflict: Cities on high alert  On the fifth day of Ukraine's war against Russia's invasion, cities across the country remain on high alert. Russian troops attempted to rush the outskirts of Kyiv many times, but were unsuccessful, according to Ukraine's military. Officials described the combat on Sunday as "tough," with Russian soldiers shelling from "almost all angle. Overnight, the main cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv were targeted as well. They, like Kyiv, are still under Ukrainian control, but Russia has made considerable success in the south, capturing Berdyansk, a port town. Fighting is also ongoing in Mariupol, a strategically significant port city on the Sea of Azov near Russia-annexed Crimea. Ukraine has refuted reports that Russian troops had taken control of Europe's largest nuclear power facility in Zaporizhzhia, in the country's southeast. Russian forces took control of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant site last week. Ac...