Liberty Rising Brief: Looking Ahead in Russia & Ukraine

“Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.” -James Madison

LOOKING AHEAD:

As we enter the weekend, tensions between Russia, Ukraine, and the international community continue to fester.

Good news for Ukraine, the country is not proceeding as quickly as Russia anticipated. However, even top US officials are unsure of why Russia isn't using more of its available force.

According to a U.S. Senior Defense Official,

We don't believe that the Russians have employed the full scope of their electronic warfare capabilities, and it's not clear exactly why.

Early Saturday morning, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy warned of an upcoming attack on Kyiv, the capital city. Although Ukraine still controls the key city, Russian forces are staging a multi-sided attack and combat has been ongoing.

An imminent takeover of Kyiv is in like with US predictions, as ALN's national security experts Paul Crespo reported,

Russian forces press closer to Kyiv as US fears capital could fall soon. Russian forces pressed closer to the capital, as air raid sirens blared, people huddled for shelter in deep subway stations and Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported “saboteurs” just miles from Kyiv's center. The city was jolted by pre-dawn explosions as the Biden administration cautioned lawmakers that the city could soon fall.

Meanwhile, the US announced plans to cut Russia off from the American banking system. In response to economic threats, including being ousted from international banking, Russia has legalized cryptocurrency payments.

Although the Russian government's plan to regulate crypto requires Parliament to pass new laws, according to CoinDesk, it's a significant step for a nation whose central bank had, in late January, called for a full crypto ban.

On top of international disregard are sanctions, the US' first course of involvement. According to CNBC, it is “unclear how much will be accomplished by sanctioning Putin individually, however. Putin publicly claims his salary of about $140,000 is his only source of income.”

Sanctions and other economic conflicts are to come into full effect in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for exclusive coverage by ALN.

In America, the economic toll is also emerging from the fog. However, President Biden is requesting $6.4 billion for the Ukraine crisis. The additional funds would be distributed to the State Department, the Department of Defense, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The funds are expected to be allotted toward humanitarian, security, and economic assistance in a bill currently in the works on Capitol Hill.

Reporting by the Wall Street Journal suggests,

The request could grow or change as the situation on the ground evolves, officials said. But for now, it includes $3.5 billion for the Department of Defense and $2.9 billion for the State Department and USAID for U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, Poland, the Baltics, and other allies.

On the ground, President Volodymyr Zelensky is striving to maintain the national spirit. “This night they will begin to storm,” he said early Saturday morning. “We all have to know what awaits us, and we have to withstand. The fate of Ukraine is being decided right now.”

Thank you for reading today's morning briefing, ALN will continue reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war as it unfolds.