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The Ukraine invasion: the political, economic and humanitarian costs

The snow-covered body of a serviceman lies next to a destroyed Russian rocket launcher vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Friday, Feb. 25. Russian troops bore down on Ukraine's capital Friday, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter. Russia's invasion of democratic Ukraine has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to force Russia to end its assault. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The snow-covered body of a serviceman lies next to a destroyed Russian rocket launcher vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Friday, Feb. 25. Russian troops bore down on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Friday, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter. Russia's invasion of democratic Ukraine has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to force Russia to end its assault. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

With Thursday's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, the world order has been shaken. Hours after the invasion began, President Joe Biden announced a second tranche of sanctions against Russia, which include measures against several more Russian banks and wealthy individuals. He asserted that the NATO alliance has never been stronger, and he warned that there will be hardships to bear throughout the world.

There are reports this morning that Russian forces are closing in on Kyiv, the capital and Ukraine’s largest city.

Today, analysis and reflections on the invasion.

Tom's first guest is Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a scholar of Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. She holds a Master’s degree in Regional Studies from Harvard University, and she’s a Penn PhD Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon joins us on Zoom from Richmond, Virginia.

Then, Tom speaks with Eric Hontz, a Baltimore businessman who works in Ukraine, and whose wife was born and raised in the Donbass region of Ukraine. Mr. Hontz, who serves as the Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia at CIPE, the Center for International Private Enterprise in Washington, DC, discusses the economic and personal impacts of the Russian aggression.

Eric Hontz joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.

Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon is a Russia scholar at the University of Pennsylvania; Eric Hontz is a businessman and a deputy regional director for Europe and Eurasia Programs at CIPE. (photo credits Laurence Kesterton, CIPE)
Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon is a Russia scholar at the University of Pennsylvania; Eric Hontz is a businessman who works in Ukraine, and serves as deputy regional director for Europe/Eurasia Programs at CIPE. (photo credits Laurence Kesterton, CIPE)

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Rob is a contributing producer for Midday.