Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly had his invasion announcement queued up and ready to go "live."
The Daily Beast cites Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta in reporting that Putin filmed his announcement of a "special military operation" in Ukraine three days ago, though it wasn't broadcast until early Thursday morning in Russia.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
That's also about when Putin announced Moscow would recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, a precursor to a full-scale invasion. As the Daily Beast writes: "Russian-based Conflict Intelligence Team pointed out that Putin was wearing the exact same suit and tie in Thursday's broadcast as he wore when he announced that Russia was to recognize two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine."
Aside from apparently filming the two annoucements at the same time then spacing out their broadcasts, Russia also reportedly issued a no-fly notice dated Feb. 22, per the CIT. "That could suggest that a mass invasion of Ukraine had been planned for February 22, but was delayed for reasons we do not know," wrote the group.
-
Scorching hot sauces that pack a punchThe Week Recommends The best sauces to tingle your lips and add a fiery kick to your food
-
Syria’s strange post-Assad electionThe Explainer Sunday’s limited vote ‘suited the phase Syria is undergoing’, says interim president
-
Why did the China spying case collapse?Today’s Big Question Unwillingness to call China an ‘enemy’ apparently scuppered espionage trial
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsionSpeed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
