Free Republic

Video has emerged of Donald Trump again praising Vladimir Putin—just as the Russian president was launching his invasion of Ukraine. The clip, obtained by the Democratic super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, shows Trump calling Putin "very smart" for the steps he had taken in the days before the large-scale military attack on Russia's neighbor. The footage was filmed during a fundraiser at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, which took place on Wednesday evening. At the event, Trump defended his previous praise of Putin for recognizing two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine and sending Russian troops to the...

Russia has today launched all-out war on Ukraine with simultaneous attacks coming from south, east and north, by land and by air. Missiles and bombs rained from the sky, tanks rolled across the border, helicopters buzzed in and explosions were seen across the country after Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack. By midday Monday, the skies over Kiev swarmed with Russian attack helicopters which seized control of Gostomel air base. But Ukrainian forces launched a fight-back with ground forces moving in to retake the air field as jets streaking over the city, followed by reports that up to four...

The European Union (E.U.) sought to place itself in front of Russia’s territorial ambitions Thursday as it announced the “strongest, the harshest package” of sanctions to punish Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. No E.U. military action was promised to bolster the threats of sanctions and trade boycotts after the E.U.’s leading nation Germany only sent 5,000 helmets to Ukraine when they asked for military hardware and ammunition in the face of earlier Russian threats.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a military operation in Ukraine, claiming it’s intended to protect civilians.

World stock markets plunged and oil prices surged by nearly $6 per barrel Thursday after President Vladimir Putin launched Russian military action in Ukraine. Market benchmarks tumbled in Europe and Asia and U.S. futures were sharply lower. Brent crude oil jumped to over $100 per barrel on unease about possible disruption of Russian supplies. The price of U.S. benchmark crude briefly surpassed $98 per barrel. The ruble sank 7.5% to more than $87 to the U.S. dollar. The future for Germany’s benchmark DAX index lost 5.3% and London’s FTSE 100 was off 3.3% as Europe awakened to news of explosions...

More than 40 Ukrainian troops and at least 10 civilians have been killed in the hours since Russia launched attacks on the country, Ukraine's leadership said Thursday.

Breaking. Live on ABC, ETC. RUSSIA IS INVADING UKRAINE. FULL SCALE INVASION. KYIV UNDER DIRECT ATTACK. MISSILE ATTACKS INTO MARIUPOL. ATTACKS FROM SEA ON ODESSA. RUSSIA CALLS THIS A "SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION"

Russian President Vladimir Putin announces a "military operation" in Ukraine's Donbas region He urges Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine to lay down weapons and return to their homes Putin warns that Moscow's response will be "instant" if anyone tries to take on Russia Ukraine's foreign minister accuses Russia of starting a full-scale war, and urges the UN "to do everything possible" to stop it BBC Kyiv correspondent James Waterhouse says a Ukrainian government official has given an indication of the breadth of the Russian military action so far. The official says there have been cruise missile strikes launched this morning...