THE SQUIZ

US President Joe Biden has vowed to stop Russia’s war on Ukraine in his first State of the Union address (for the uninitiated, that’s the annual message delivered by the president to the US Congress). Upping efforts to push back on Russia, Biden announced the closure of US airspace to all Russian flights and said the “ill-begotten” gains of Russian oligarchs located – like their yachts in Miami and luxury apartments in New York – will be seized. Biden warned that without consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression wouldn’t be contained to Ukraine. “Throughout our history we’ve learned our lesson – when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” he said.

SO CONGRESS IS ON SIDE?

There was a lot of love for Ukraine from those gathered… Lawmakers wore blue and yellow – Ukraine’s national colours – in a clear display of support for the besieged country. Ukraine’s ambassador to America Oksana Markarova – who was given a standing ovation – was a guest of First Lady Jill Biden, who wore her support on her sleeve. It was a rare show of unity in a politically divided Washington. And it’s not just the politicians throwing Ukraine a bone… Yesterday saw an American corporate backlash against Russia, including aerospace giant Boeing suspending major operations in the country, as well as parts, maintenance and technical support services for local airlines. Apple has also halted all product sales in Russia and limited Apple Pay and Maps.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND IN UKRAINE?

Yeah, it’s not good for Ukraine right now as Russia intensifies its attack on the country. Hundreds of people are feared dead in the southern port of Mariupol after hours of sustained shelling. Russian paratroopers landed in Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv yesterday afternoon, while the southern city of Kherson has also reportedly fallen. The huge convoy of tanks and trucks heading towards Kyiv stalled after running out of petrol and food, but it’s back on the road and is closing in on the capital. Russia has warned residents to flee before a wave of attacks from “high-precision weapons”. And for the first time, Russia’s defence ministry has given a rundown of casualties from the war, saying 498 soldiers have been killed and 1,597 wounded. That’s significantly less than Ukraine’s claims that it killed 5,840 Russians. Russia says 2,870 Ukrainian troops are dead but Kyiv has not released any figures.

There’s a lot going on here, so now’s the time to get the backstory to this big news story. We’ve got your back with #SquizShortcuts on the West’s sanctions on Russia. And if you want more, here’s some details about the Ukraine-Russia relationship. You’re welcome…