EVERYTHING IS GOING SWIMMINGLY FOR VLAD: Russian ruble plunges nearly 30% against the dollar amid sanctions over Ukraine invasion.

But beware: Sanctions Expert Warns of Global Economic Instability From Sanctions. “The unprecedented intensity and breadth of Western sanctions on Russia raise concerns about the overall effect on the global economy and the potential for escalation by Russia, a U.S. sanctions expert said. . . . The U.S. and its allies have banned trading in the debt of the Russia’s government and some its largest banks, prohibited sale of key technologies, and cut off its largest banks from the international bank messaging service Swift while allowing provisions for energy-related transactions to continue. They also took the rare step of sanctioning some transactions with the Central Bank of Russia. That will impair the central bank’s ability to defend the Russian currency, the ruble, which has fallen sharply since the invasion began. Europe has also banned Russian private and commercial airlines from its airspace. The weekend developments have already caused the ruble to plunge and U.S. stock-market futures to decline.”

NIALL FERGUSON: First Biden betrayed the Afghans. Now he’s thrown Ukraine to the wolves.

A FORMER STUDENT SENDS THIS:

@thewellnesstherapist I'm sorry but there's no hope of ever being able to occupy a country full of people who just pick up mines and move them while a lit Marlboro dangles from their lips. #ukraine #russia ♬ original sound – Azadeh G

My response: That looks like an anti-vehicle mine and those are designed not to go off unless there’s a heavy weight on them. Don’t they teach you kids anything in school nowadays?

WELL: More than 150 senior Russian officials sign open letter condemning Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as ‘an unprecedented atrocity’ and warn of ‘catastrophic consequences’ while urging citizens ‘not to participate.’ “The deputies said they were ‘convinced’ Russian citizens do not back the war and blamed Putin ‘personally’ for ordering troops into Ukraine in an attack ‘for which there is no and cannot be justification’. . . . It was a surprising step for Russian officials to speak out against Putin, who usually holds an iron grip on dissent and last week televised a meeting with Moscow’s top security chiefs in which they appeared to be railroaded into backing his plans to invade Ukraine.”

For this to happen at all is an indication that Putin is seen as weak.

I CERTAINLY HOPE NOT: Will ‘woke’ survive the war? “Even as rockets rained down on Ukraine, Western elites worried about how the war would affect LGBTQ people, as if Putin might have developed queer-seeking missiles. Others voiced concern that grandparents huddled in bomb shelters beneath the pockmarked streets of Kiev might not be social distancing. The New York Times lamented that few of the Ukrainians fleeing for their lives were wearing masks. . . . Meanwhile, former US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed dismay at what he called the ‘emissions consequences’ of war in Europe.”

It’s hard to kill stupid.

THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED:

THERE SEEMS TO BE AMAZING WORLDWIDE UNITY ON THIS: Australia to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. “Australia will provide lethal military equipment to Ukraine to help the Ukrainians resist the Russian invasion. The Australian government’s announcement Monday gave no details on what material it may be sending. The move follows an offer on Friday of non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies and a $3 million contribution to a NATO trust fund for support of the besieged country.”

Meanwhile, what countries are stepping forward in support of Putin? Even China is distancing itself.

UPDATE: A friend, an actual first-generation Australian-American, texts: “Now all my ancestral island needs to do is stop going Putin on its own people.” Yeah, I can’t help but feel that some of the enthusiasm for this among the West’s ruling class is based on the hope that it will distract their own citizens from the actions of the past two years.

Also: The Russians Have Paused the Invasion But Aren’t Losing. I dunno, I’m inclined to think that in these circumstances, if you’re not winning, you’re losing, especially as opposition solidifies worldwide. But what do I know? I’m just a simple law professor with a personal website.

And I like this T-shirt.

MORE: Texting with a friend I commented: “I’m pro-Ukraine, but I get nervous when the establishment agrees with me.”

He replies: “I’m just liking Ukraine pantsing Russia for all the reasons you’ve mentioned. Makes China think twice. Underscores the value of an armed citizenry. Makes Putin look like a fool.”

All good things. But if the establishment is this happy, should I be? Maybe.

OPEN THREAD: Hurry boys it’s waiting there for you.

SPACE: SpaceX makes its case for space sustainability with latest Starlink launch.

WHEN RULERS FEAR THE CITIZENS, IT IS NOT A REPUBLIC: Terrifying truck drivers result in fences going back up on Capitol Hill.

Flashback: Biden’s militarized inauguration showcased Democrats’ insecurity.

Nothing says, “This was a perfectly normal election, and now it’s time to come together as a united nation,” like having your swearing-in behind 12-foot-high razor wire surrounded by 25,000 troops whose loyalty you doubt. That’s what we witnessed at President Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday: a grim testament to the fundamental insecurity and fragility of the re-ascendant liberal elite.

Democrats no doubt hoped that the optics of this military-heavy presidential installation would convince ordinary Americans that the republic is in peril from the populist ferment that sent Donald Trump to the White House in 2016 and garnered more votes four years later than any GOP ticket, ever. It’s a peril that can only be addressed by, in James Comey’s lovely phrase, “burning down” the Republican Party.

But the whole aura was less Lincoln and more bananas. As in banana republic.

Still true.

IT LOOKS ALIVE: Curiosity Rover Snapped This Photo of a Tiny And Delicate Mineral ‘Flower’ on Mars.

EVERYTHING IS GOING SWIMMINGLY FOR VLAD: Russian forces have yet to capture a city in Ukraine, U.S. defense official says.

Related: Danish PM says volunteers can join Ukraine fight.

I can’t find anything linkable yet, but I’m told the French Foreign Legion is allowing its Ukrainian members (of whom there are quite a few) to take “home leave.” They’re solid, well-trained soldiers who will make useful cadre for the less-trained Ukrainian militias.

The European nations, with no one to look to but Slow Joe, are actually standing up to Russia on their own.

The trick will be figuring out a way to let Putin back down. In Sun Tzu’s words, “Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.”

Meanwhile, you’ve got to figure that any Chinese generals who’ve issued optimistic forecasts for how an invasion of Taiwan would go are rethinking. My own sense is that if China takes Taiwan it will be via subversion, not outright force. But this definitely underscores that.

Meanwhile, Putin (and the Chinese), after spending a decade trying to divide the West and seeing Covid exacerbate those divisions to an enormous degree, are now seeing the West come together. That can’t be encouraging for them.

UPDATE: Ukraine National Guard Shares Video of Fighters Greasing Bullets In Pig Fat for Chechen ‘Orcs.’ Putin’s plan was to terrify the Ukrainians out of any thoughts of resistance through fear of the fierce Chechens. It doesn’t appear to have worked out as planned, which seems to be par for the course so far this week.

Related: From Berlin streets to Sydney, global outpouring of support for Ukraine.

Also: Russia’s Ukraine attack forces Beijing into diplomatic dance.

It’s worth noting just how quickly the leadership of the West acted here. I suspect some of this is so that they have a golden road to retreat from the Covid nonsense, and a way to distract the citizenry from what was done to them, including the greatest transfer of wealth and political power in human history. Some of it is also based on historical memory that appeasing dictators who invade eastern European countries hasn’t worked out well in the past. And in Europe, some of it is people who saw the EU project in danger of collapse finding an opportunity to shore it up via a common enemy.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Via the comments to this post:

Also: EU Member Countries in Talks to Supply Ukraine With Jet Fighters.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has asked the European Union for jet fighter jets some EU countries plan to supply them, EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell said Sunday.

A person familiar with the talks later said that discussions are still ongoing. The person said any planes would be supplied directly by EU member states and not funded through an arrangement announced earlier for the EU to finance weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

Mr. Borrell said that Mr. Kuleba had requested planes that Ukrainian Air Force pilots can fly. Ukraine’s jet fighters are Soviet-built MiG and Sukhoi models.

Some current EU members that were once part of the USSR-led Warsaw Pact still fly such planes or have old ones parked.

Plus: Sweden to Send Military Aid to Ukraine – PM Andersson.. “Sweden is now proposing direct support for Ukraine’s armed forces. It includes 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 5,000 anti-tank weapons.”

MORE: From tonight’s Open Thread:

I suspect the Russian police are more likely to feel guilty than the Canadians did.

STILL MORE: Logistical, Strategic And Tactical Analysis Of The Russian War Against Ukraine. “At the moment, Ukraine probably controls the information war. That’s the way of things, and you may want to take that into consideration in your own assessments.”

Plus: “As best as can be determined, Putin’s original goal was to drive in heavy armor, rush to Kiev, surround the capital city, and then drop paratroopers in to kill or arrest Zelenskyy and his government. Then install a puppet regime, and leave (or leave some contingency of troops behind for stability operations). This seems to comport with the actions we’ve witnessed thus far. But Kiev wasn’t really surrounded and incapable of self-defense, and Russia didn’t control the battle space. The most amazing thing about this plan is the ability of the generals to sell Putin on the idea.”

MORE DOSES OF THE SAME VACCINE WHILE A VIRUS CONTINUES TO MUTATE SEEMS LIKE A BAD APPROACH ANYWAY: Fourth dose of COVID vaccine may not be needed for most people… yet.

BIDEN VOTERS POSTING THEIR L’S ONLINE: Elite investors have formed a quiet consensus: 2022 is going to be very, very ugly for the stock market.

THE ENTIRE APPARAT IS PIVOTING FOR THE MIDTERMS NOW: SNL to Liberals: It’s OK To Question Nonsensical Mask Mandates.

LISTEN, SUG: DON’T FORGET TO SAY YOUR PRAYERS — AND WEAR A MASK.

Here’s a link to the referenced document if you want to see it for yourself.

Flashback: The Unexpected Return of Duck and Cover.

(Classical allusion in headline.)

COLOR ME SKEPTICAL: New studies bolster theory that COVID-19 came from Wuhan market.