(NEW YORK) — The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day” amid escalating tensions in the region, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken telling ABC News Wednesday the U.S. has seen “no meaningful pullback” of Russian forces and that Russian President Vladimir Putin could “pull the trigger” at any point.
More than 150,000 Russian troops are estimated to be massed near Ukraine’s borders, U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as U.S. officials have urged all Americans to immediately leave Ukraine.
While Putin and the Kremlin claim that Russia has started to withdraw some troops from near Ukraine’s borders, ABC News has learned Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade by Wednesday. It remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack his neighbor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, celebrated a national “day of unity” Wednesday.
Russia has denied it plans to invade and has demanded the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Latest headlines:
-Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops in last few days, White House official says
-UK’s top military intel officer says Russian buildup continues
-Russian troops in ‘firing positions’: State Dept.
-Biden holds call with German Chancellor Scholz
-Ukriane’s Zelenskyy addresses nation on ‘unity day’
-Moscow claims concern Kyiv preparing for attack against Donbas
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Feb 16, 8:51 pm
Harris to meet with Ukrainian president in Munich this week
Vice President Kamala Harris this week will make one of her most significant foreign policy trips since taking office, heading to Germany to lead the U.S. delegation at the Munich Security Conference — where she will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We are in a very decisive moment,” a senior administration official told reporters as Harris prepared to lead the U.S. delegation, calling it a “resounding signal that engagement with our allies and partners is an absolutely critical part of our overall diplomacy in our approach to this situation.”
During the Wednesday night call, senior administration officials said the tensions with Russia will be a major focus of the vice president’s time abroad, with her schedule featuring a “series of high-stakes, high-level diplomatic talks.”
Harris’ most notable meeting will be with the Ukrainian president on Saturday.
“That’ll be a real opportunity to underscore our commitment to Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity and to further coordinate the diplomatic efforts that have been underway to provide economic, and defensive security in Ukraine,” an official said.
Harris is also expected to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and the leaders of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
She will deliver keynote remarks at the conference, where she is expected to address the situation on Ukraine’s borders — touching on diplomatic, military and economic coordination of allies.
“The vice president will underscore how that unity is a source of strength that will allow us to respond quickly and severely to any further Russian aggression,” an official said.
ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Feb 16, 7:24 pm
Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops in last few days, White House official says
Russia has increased its presence along the Ukrainian border by as many as 7,000 troops in the last few days, with some arriving Wednesday, a senior White House official told ABC News.
The assessment comes a day after the Russian government said it has started to withdraw some troops from near Ukraine’s borders.
The official didn’t comment on the total number of Russian forces currently along the border.
President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Russia has “more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine and Belarus and along Ukraine’s border.” It’s unclear if that number includes any of the new troops cited by the official.
Private satellite imaging company Maxar on Wednesday released over two dozen new images from the last 48 hours that continue to show Russia’s heightened military activity in Belarus, Crimea and western Russia.
They include images that show a new 20-strong attack helicopter unit deployed in Belarus, a field hospital in Belarus and a pontoon bridge that has appeared across a river in Belarus, four miles from Ukraine’s border.
At least three of the images indicate some troops have departed or are preparing to depart, according to Maxar, though it’s unclear where the troops are going.
ABC News’ Mary Bruce and Patrick Reevell
Feb 16, 6:11 pm
Biden holds call with German Chancellor Scholz
President Joe Biden had a secure call Wednesday afternoon with German Chancellor Scholz, according to the White House, ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveling to Germany on Thursday for the Munich Security Conference.
The two leaders “reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “underscored the importance of continued transatlantic coordination on diplomacy and deterrence measures,” the White House said.
Scholz visited the Kremlin and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday. The German chancellor has said that war is “unimaginable” and shouldn’t be an option since Ukraine has not formally requested to join NATO, as Russia demands it be barred from doing so.
“That is why it is somewhat peculiar to observe that the Russian government is making something that is practically not on the agenda the subject of major political problems,” Scholz said earlier this week.
“That is, after all, the challenge we are actually facing. That something that is not at all an issue now is being made an issue,” he said.
Feb 16, 5:10 pm
UK’s top military intel officer says Russian buildup continues
British Army Lt. Gen. James Hockenhull, chief of defense intelligence, said Wednesday that the U.K. has also not seen evidence that Russia is withdrawing substantial forces from near Ukraine, matching comments from NATO and U.S. officials.
“We have not seen evidence that Russia has withdrawn forces from Ukraine’s borders. Contrary to their claims, Russia continues to build up military capabilities near Ukraine,” Hockenhull said in a rare public statement.
“This includes sightings of additional armored vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Ukraine’s borders. Russia has the military mass in place to conduct an invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
Russian units that are supposedly pulling back appear to actually be returning to their home bases that are already located next to Ukraine. Security analysts say that Russia appears to simply be shuffling its forces for the time being, while more continue to arrive.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian in the French Senate Wednesday also said, for now, they are unable to say whether Russian troops are withdrawing or rotating but that Russia has all the elements in place for an attack.
ABC News’ Matt Seyler, Patrick Reevell and Anna Rabe
(NEW YORK) — Tippecanoe County prosecutor Patrick Harrington is calling for the Indiana State Police to investigate an alleged incident caught on video that showed a Purdue University police officer with his elbow pressed against the neck and face of a Black student in the snow.
Purdue student Adonis Tuggle told ABC News he and his girlfriend were driving to his apartment from Purdue’s recreational center on Feb. 4 when they began to have a “disagreement.” He said they pulled over and were arguing on the side of the road when Purdue University police officer Jon Selke and other officers arrived.
Officers were called to the south side of the campus after a bystander made an “urgent” call to police saying it appeared a woman was being held against her will, Purdue University police chief John Cox said in a statement.
According to Tuggle, 24, their argument was over a “minimal topic,” and the police did not need to get involved.
“Officer Jon Selke arrived on the scene and he was automatically on go-mode just assuming it’s a threat or a dangerous situation, when in actuality, it was just a couple having a disagreement, which isn’t anything uncommon,” Tuggle told “Good Morning America.”
Tuggle said his girlfriend tried to tell Selke the situation was under control and that he was her boyfriend, but Selke told her to “shut the —- up,” according to Tuggle.
He said this escalated the situation.
“That’s when I stepped forward in front of my girlfriend to take over the conversation, and I told Officer Selke, ‘OK, so don’t tell my girlfriend to shut the —- up. There’s no need to be disrespectful,” Tuggle said.
Tuggle said Selke then grabbed his arm, threw him against his girlfriend’s truck and punched him. The two eventually fell into the snow. This is when Tuggle’s girlfriend, who has asked ABC News not to be named, begins to record the altercation.
In the video, Tuggle can be heard saying “stop it, please” and “you’re choking me” while his girlfriend asks Selke to get off of him and taps him. Selke then tells Tuggle’s girlfriend that he will tase her if she touches him again. The video ends once more officers arrive at the scene.
Neither campus police nor Selke responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
The one-minute video of the incident has been shared across social media, sparking outcry and debate on and off Purdue’s campus.
“All you have to do is watch the video. What has changed in America is everyone has a cell phone. Everyone has a camera, so if it’s an officer with his knee on George Floyd’s neck or an officer at Purdue University with his elbow in Adonis’ neck, that’s brutality and that has to stop,” the Tuggle’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth said.
Tuggle was arrested and charged with resisting arrest. He paid his $250 bond and was released after an hour in the Tippecanoe County jail. Tuggle said shortly after the incident he temporarily experience a lot of pain in his shoulder and his joints.
Cox said in a statement on Feb. 9 that “no physical injuries were suffered in the incident.”
The Indiana State Police will independently review all evidence associated with the police call and response, including all available video evidence, witness statements, and police reports, Purdue said in a statement.
The evidence and results of the investigation will then be sent to Harrington, who will then decide whether to press charges.
Cox said campus police conduct an internal review whenever an officer uses force during an arrest. Cox said Selke was put on leave until further notice after the officer received death threats. It is unclear if the leave is paid or unpaid.
Tuggle’s family asked for an independent investigation before the prosecutor’s request. Stroth said the family wants Selke to be held accountable for his handling of the situation and for all body camera footage and evidence to be released publicly.
“The video from body-worn cameras will be made available, as will all findings and evidence from the internal review when complete,” Cox said in a statement.
Tuggle’s mother, Cornelia Dawson, said after watching the video, she doesn’t understand how the situation escalated.
“The only thing I’m thinking is, ‘I’m missing something.’ He had an argument and then and then what? None of it makes sense,” Dawson told “GMA.”
Dawson sent a letter to Purdue University President Mitch Daniels after the incident, asking for him to bring justice to Tuggle and to ensure that incidents like this don’t happen to any other student. She said she’s disappointed after being a Purdue supporter for so long.
“Like a lot of parents, I was walking around feeling proud. He’s at Purdue, prestigious Purdue. I became an ambassador. I bought the mugs. I had T-shirts, so I’m still in disbelief,” she said.
Purdue University said it “welcomes the prosecutor’s action and believes it to be a positive step, having previously requested an independent review by the ISP,” according to a press release.
“There are no subjects Purdue takes more seriously than campus safety, student well-being, and proper police conduct,” Daniels said in a statement on Feb. 10.
He said Purdue asked for not only a review from the ISP, but also the Purdue Police. Once both reviews are done, Daniels said all findings will be released.
Tuggle said he has interacted with police officers before and is often fearful of what could happen if a situation were to escalate.
“Like most Black males in America, especially out here in Indiana, when I see the police, unfortunately I get uncomfortable,” he said. “I get on guard trying to make sure, ‘OK, let me make sure everything’s OK, my ID information’ whatever that it is so hopefully things can go smoothly.”
Stroth is grateful that Tuggle is safe after the incident.
“He was injured and he was traumatized, and it’s serious, but thank God the outcome is different than others that we see every month in America,” he said.
(NEW YORK) — A viral video of police responding to a fight between two teenagers at the Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey over the weekend has drawn outrage and prompted an internal investigation over the officer’s apparent treatment of the Black teenager.
The video, which was taken by a bystander, appears to show the two teens arguing and then they begin to throw punches at each other. Shortly after, two Bridgewater Township police officers arrived at the scene and broke up the altercation. However, only the Black teenager, who was identified as an eighth grader named Kye, was handcuffed after being thrown to the ground, the video showed.
“They basically tackle me to the ground and then the one – the male officer put his knee in my back and then he starts putting me in cuffs,” Kye told ABC News station WABC in New York, in an interview that aired Tuesday night. “And then the female officer came over and put her knee on my upper back too and started helping putting cuffs on me. And while [the other teenager] was just sitting down on the couch watching the whole thing.”
In the video, the female officer sits the other teen who exchanged punches on the sofa and then appears to put her knee on Kye’s neck as she assists the male officer in handcuffing him.
The other teenager involved in the fight, who has not been identified by ABC News, was not handcuffed.
The Bridgewater Township Police Department told ABC News in a statement that police have asked the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office to assist in an internal investigation of the incident.
“We recognize that this video has made members of our community upset and are calling for an internal affairs investigation,” police said, urging anyone with additional videos of the incident to share them with law enforcement.
Frank Roman Jr., deputy chief of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, told ABC News in a statement that the incident is being investigated by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Internal Affairs Unit.
Troy Fischer, the senior general manager of the Bridgewater Commons Mall, told ABC News that after the fight, both teenagers were “immediately banned from our property for the next three years.” He directed further questions about the incident to police.
Kye told WABC-TV that the fight allegedly started after the high schooler picked on Kye’s friend, who is a 7th-grader.
“My friend was arguing with the older kid and so I kind of just jumped into a fight, and since he’s older, he was on top of me and he’s bigger,” Kye said. “I was just confused and mad about it.”
Kye’s mother, Ebone Husain, told WABC that she wants as many people to watch the video as possible.
Asked what she wants to see happen, Husain said that she wants the officers to “become unemployable.”
Amid the outrage, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy responded to the incident in a tweet on Tuesday evening.
No-knock warrants in Minnesota under scrutiny after fatal police shooting
“Although an investigation is still gathering the facts about this incident, I’m deeply disturbed by what appears to be racially disparate treatment in this video,” he wrote. “We’re committed to increasing trust between law enforcement and the people they serve.”
Bridgewater Township Mayor Matthew Moench also released a statement responding to the incident.
Moench said that he is “completely confident that the Prosecutor’s review will be impartial, objective and thorough” and urged the public not to jump to conclusions before the investigation is complete.
ABC News’ William Gretsky and Ben Stein contributed to this report.
(LVIV, Ukraine) — NATO’s secretary general warned that Russia appears to still be increasing the number of its troops near Ukraine, despite Moscow announcing it has begun withdrawing some military units from the border.
Ukraine on Wednesday held a nationwide “Unity Day,” hanging flags and holding ceremonies to sing the nation’s anthem on the day that U.S. officials had said a Russian invasion could take place. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instituted the public holiday in an apparent signal of defiance that also indicated Ukrainian skepticism that an attack would take place.
Russian officials, meanwhile, mocked claims that the attack would materialize Wednesday, saying it illustrated Western “hysteria” around Russia’s buildup of troops close to Ukraine. Russia’s military a day earlier said some of its troops have started to withdraw after completing “exercises” and on Wednesday said that process was continuing, releasing new video showing a trainload of armored vehicles rolling across a bridge from Crimea to Russia.
But NATO’s secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that despite the few videos released by Russia, the alliance so far sees no evidence of actual withdrawal and that more troops have continued to arrive.
“So far we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground. On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues the military buildup,” Stoltenberg told reporters before a two-day meeting of NATO’s 30 defense ministers in Brussels.
“We are, of course, monitoring very closely what Russia does in and around Ukraine. What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way and so, so far, no de-escalation,” he said.
But Stoltenberg said the alliance still hoped Russia would choose a diplomatic way out of the crisis, noting recent statements from President Vladimir Putin expressing a readiness to engage with the West.
“Of course, we hear all the messages about diplomacy and we are ready to engage in diplomatic efforts with Russia,” Stoltenberg said.
Russia’s military said units from its western and southern military districts, that have amassed thousands of troops near Ukraine, have begun returning to their bases. The defense ministry on Wednesday said the western military district units had completed loading their tanks onto transports and were now beginning a “1000 kilometer” journey back to their home base.
Russia is continuing to hold huge exercises in neighboring Belarus and in the Black Sea, which are due to run until the end of this week.
Western and Ukrainian officials, as well as independent military analysts have expressed skepticism that the announced moves reflect a true pull-back, noting that previously announced withdrawals have amounted to little more than shuffling forces around.
U.S. officials also said they have not seen a real withdrawal.
“On the contrary, we continue to see forces, especially forces in the vanguard of any renewed aggression against Ukraine, continuing to be at the border, to mass at the border,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America” Wednesday.
Russia has amassed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of Ukraine, a presence that includes long-range artillery, advanced aircraft and dozens of attack helicopters. U.S. officials have warned in recent days that some of the troops appear to be moving into “firing positions”.
Satellite photographs from a private company and videos spotted on social media by open source researchers appear to show that for now Russia has continued to move forces closer to the border with Ukraine. A large number of cellphone videos have appeared on TikTok that seem to show convoys of tanks and armored vehicles moving in the Belgorod region that borders Ukraine.
The Russian state newspaper Izvestia cited defense ministry sources that the units re-basing were the western district’s 3rd Motor Rifle Division and the southern district’s 42nd Guards and 150th Motorized-Rifle Division. But analysts said that the units’ home base are located close to Ukraine in any case. The 3rd Motor Rifle Division is based in the town of Boguchar, only about 60 miles from the border. It means the units rather than pulling back from the border are simply moving to a different location along the border.
Belarus’ foreign minister Vladimir Makey said at a press conference on Wednesday that all Russian troops would leave his country after the joint drills end February 20.
U.S. officials continue to believe it is likely Russia will launch a large-scale invasion, potentially as early as this week, although they don’t believe Putin has made a final decision yet. ABC News learned that U.S. officials had briefed allies that Wednesday could be the day of the attack because they had information Putin has ordered his military to be ready to go from that day.
The U.S. assesses that Russia now has all the necessary forces in place to launch a major attack if Putin chooses. It believes such an attack would not be limited to eastern Ukraine but would target the capital Kyiv, aiming to decapitate the government in a lightning strike planned to be over within 72 hours. The operation would be preceded by large-scale cyber-attacks and aerial bombardments against critical infrastructure, before Special Forces enter Kyiv to target Ukraine’s leadership. Russian forces in neighboring Belarus would sweep in from the north, according to the U.S. assessment.
A cyber-attack hit the website of Ukraine’s defense ministry and two of its largest state banks on Tuesday night. The cyber defense department of Ukraine’s national security service said the DDoS attack was very large, but the damage appeared limited, it said due to preparations Ukraine had taken in recent weeks. After some disruption in online payments, the two banks, Privat Bank and the State Savings Bank, said their systems were working again. The security service said the U.S. was assisting Ukraine in protecting itself against the attack.
Ukraine’s government has appeared more skeptical of the invasion risk, with senior officials saying they did not see signs Russia was preparing to attack Wednesday.
President Zelenskyy inspected military exercises in the Rivne region near Belarus, wearing army fatigues. In an address filmed selfie-style on his phone earlier Wednesday, he told Ukrainians, “Our shared desire to live unites us, to live together in peace. We are in Ukraine and no one can defend our home like we can.”
In Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine, hundreds of cadets at a local military academy gathered around a towering flag pole on Wednesday morning for a ceremony, where they sang the national anthem, which begins “Ukraine is not dead yet.”
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — With fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine remaining a “distinct possibility,” President Joe Biden is sending a stark warning to Americans about what he says could be very real economic consequences at home — especially at the gas pump.
“I will not pretend this will be painless,” Biden said Tuesday while preparing Americans to be prepared for higher energy prices in the U.S. if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to attack Ukraine and the Biden administration in turn puts its “powerful” sanctions in place.
The average price of a gallon of gas reached $3.51 on Wednesday, according to AAA, up roughly a dollar from a year ago and the highest level since October 2014. And in just the last month, prices in more than a dozen states have jumped 25 cents.
Russia is the second largest oil producer in the world, and if it invades and U.S. sanctions then keep its oil from the world market or make it more expensive, and ABC News Chief Business Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis reports some analysts predict prices at the pump in the U.S. could jump as much as 50 cents.
Pres. Biden says Russian invasion of Ukraine could impact energy prices.
“I will not pretend this will be painless…We’re preparing to deploy all the tools and authority at our disposal to provide relief at the gas pump.” https://t.co/D9IPWPkiUhpic.twitter.com/OzJrnsBQx4
Polls show Biden already is being blamed for higher gas prices as part of the worst inflation in nearly 40 years — more than 7% last year — and it’s a big political problem for him and Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections.
ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega pressed the White House on what Americans should be ready for.
“Worst case scenario, what should they expect if this happens,” Vega asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday.
“If Russia decides to invade, there could be consequences here at home, and that could have an impact on energy prices, which could have an impact on prices at the gas pump,” Psaki said.
“He also wanted to be very clear and direct with the American people about what the impact could be and the fact that in his view, defending democracy and liberty is never without costs, but we need to convey to the American people exactly what that could look like.”
Psaki said “all options are on the table” to help bring down the price of gasoline and President Biden has been trying to get ahead of a major impact by shoring up supplies with allies and energy producers.
“We are taking active steps to alleviate the pressure on our own energy markets and offset rising prices,” said Biden.
Several Democratic senators have introduced legislation to temporarily suspend the 18.5 cents per gallon federal gas tax for the remainder of the year to help bring the price at the pump down.
The White House has not taken a position on the proposal.
In January, senior administration officials said they had been working with countries in North Africa, Asia, Europe and Asia to “ensure the continuity of supply” and lessen the price shock that comes with a shortage.
President Biden discussed global energy supplies with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on Feb. 9 and when he hosted Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani at the White House on Jan. 31.
Despite the outreach and calls to pump more oil, Saudi Arabia has decided to abide by a five-year-old deal between OPEC+ countries and will not increase its production to full capacity, according to The Wall Street Journal.
(ATLANTA) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected as early as next week to loosen its guidance on indoor masking as COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to drop and the White House considers a new nationwide strategy to move past the pandemic.
In a press briefing Wednesday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency was looking at new metrics for relaxing pandemic guidance, including masks, and would deliver that updated guidance “soon.”
The idea would be that local communities could relax COVID restrictions, such as indoor masking, based on such factors as ICU bed capacity. While Walensky hasn’t offered specifics on what the benchmarks might entail, she has said hospitalization levels are a key barometer.
“We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen,” Walensky told reporters.
The upcoming guidance comes as an increasing number of Democratic governors have already announced plans to lift mask mandates at the end of February or in March. Those decisions have largely been seen as a political calculation, driven by pandemic fatigue among voters.
The CDC has urged states to continue to recommend masks so long as the case number remain high, even as it considers new benchmarks. NBC News first reported on the timing of the expected guidance as early as next week.
“Omicron cases are declining, and we are all cautiously optimistic about the trajectory we are on,” Walensky said Wednesday. “Things are moving in the right direction that we want to remain vigilant to do all we can so that this trajectory continues.”
The White House denied any political involvement in the timing of the CDC’s upcoming announcement. President Joe Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address on March 1 in which he’s expected to lay out his own detailed plan to move the nation forward.
When ABC News asked at the press briefing if the Biden administration had pressed the public health agency for new guidance by the end of the month — ahead of Biden’s speech — a White House official insisted the CDC had not been given a timetable.
Jeff Zients, Biden’s chief COVID coordinator, said: “CDC is clearly in the lead here on the substance and the timing of masking guidance.”
(INDIO, Calif.) — Coachella is dropping all COVID-19 restrictions ahead of this year’s festival.
“In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022,” a statement on the Coachella website reads.
The update comes after organizers announced last October that Coachella 2022 would require attendees to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test. That was amended from the initial policy announced by Coachella organizer Goldenvoice and its parent company, AEG Presents, which required full vaccination for admittance.
While no COVID-19 protocols will be enforced at Coachella ’22, its website notes that the policy is subject to change, depending on “applicable public health conditions.”
Additionally, the site now includes a “COVID-19 warning,” which cautions that the virus is an “extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.”
“There is an inherent and elevated risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place or place where people are present and there is no guarantee, express or implied, that those attending the festival will not be exposed to COVID-19,” the site reads.
Coachella ’22 takes place April 15-17 and April 22-24, and will be headlined by Billie Eilish, Ye — the artist formerly known as Kanye West — and Harry Styles .
The festival hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the pandemic.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.8 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 925,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
About 64.5% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 16, 12:44 pm
Updated mask guidance from CDC could come next week
Updated mask guidance from the CDC is expected to come as early as next week, officials confirmed to ABC News.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky did not elaborate on the timing at Wednesday’s White House briefing, only saying the CDC could “soon” update its guidance.
“We are looking at all of our guidance based not only on where we are right now in the pandemic, but also on the tools we now have at our disposal — such as vaccines, boosters, tests and treatments — and our latest understanding of the disease,” Walensky said. “We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen.”
Walensky added, “Omicron cases are declining and we are all cautiously optimistic about the trajectory we are on … but we want to remain vigilant to do all we can so that this trajectory continues.”
Walensky also stressed that it is still critical for Americans to continue to wear masks if they are symptomatic, have been recently exposed or if they are 10 days post-COVID-19 diagnosis.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 11:47 am
Deaths projected to drop in weeks to come
Forecast models used by the CDC suggest that daily COVID-19 fatalities will finally begin to fall in the U.S. in the weeks to come.
The ensemble model estimates that only eight states have a greater than 50% chance of having more deaths over the next two weeks compared to the past two weeks, and two states and territories have a greater than 75% chance of seeing an increase.
The models predict the U.S. death toll will be at approximately 968,000 by March 12.
The CDC obtains the forecasts from the COVID-19 Forecast Hub at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where a team monitors and combines forecasting models from the nation’s top researchers. The team then creates an ensemble — displayed like a hurricane forecast spaghetti plot — usually with a wide cone of uncertainty.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 10:50 am
Deaths increasing in 15 states
The U.S. daily case rate has dropped to 144,000 — an 81% drop since the peak about one month ago, according to federal data.
But experts continue to caution that the pandemic is not over, with the country reporting millions of new cases every week and 97% of counties still reporting high transmission. Experts also point out that many Americans are taking at-home tests and not submitting their results, so case totals may be higher than reported.
Deaths — a lagging indicator — remain high.
The U.S. is reporting an average of 2,200 lives lost to COVID-19 each day.
Fifteen states are reporting at least a 10% increase in daily death rates over the last week: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos
Feb 16, 10:00 am
Report highlights mounting evidence vaccines can significantly reduce risk of developing long COVID
A new report from the United Kingdom’s public health agency highlights mounting evidence that getting vaccinated can significantly reduce the risk of developing long COVID.
Most people recover fully from COVID-19 but some experience symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog for months after infection.
The U.K. report summarizes the results of 15 previously published studies on long COVID from around the world. Collectively, these studies suggest that people who have been vaccinated are far less likely to develop long COVID.
-ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos, Sony Salzman
Feb 16, 7:37 am
WHO: Weekly global number of COVID-19 cases fell by 19%
The global number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases fell by 19% during the week ending on Feb. 13, compared to the previous week, according to a weekly epidemiological update released Tuesday by the World Health Organization.
Meanwhile, the number of newly recorded deaths from the disease that week remained similar to that of the previous week. Just over 16 million new cases and just under 75,000 new fatalities were reported worldwide during the week of Feb. 7 to Feb. 13, the WHO said.
All WHO regions reported decreases in the number of weekly cases except for the Western Pacific region, which reported an increase of 19%. The number of new weekly deaths increased in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific region, the African region and the region of the Americas, while it remained similar to that of the previous week in the European region and decreased in the Southeast Asia region, according to the WHO.
(NEW YORK) — Alaska Airlines announced its first-ever subscription-based offering, Flight Pass, which offers travelers with varying budgets and lifestyles a chance to travel along many West Coast routes for a year.
The program, launched Wednesday offering members up to 24 roundtrip flights a year to the most popular routes within California, including nonstop service from California airports to select Nevada and Arizona destinations for a fixed monthly rate.
There are two annual plans for Flight Pass subscribers to choose from based on the best value or most flexibility; the key difference is in the length of the required advanced booking time.
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(NEW YORKI) — The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day” amid escalating tensions in the region.
More than 150,000 Russian troops are estimated to be massed near Ukraine’s borders, President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as U.S. officials have urged all Americans to immediately leave Ukraine.
Biden said that the U.S. has “not yet verified” claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin that Russia was withdrawing some troops from near Ukraine’s borders.
ABC News has learned Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade by Wednesday, but it remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack his neighbor. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a national day of unity Wednesday.
Russia has denied it plans to invade and has demanded the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Feb 16, 12:43 pm
Moscow claims concern Kyiv preparing for attack against Donbas
Moscow is concerned that Kyiv might use the current situation to launch an attack against the Russian-controlled areas in the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine, according to Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The events of recent weeks allow us to state with confidence that the goal of this campaign was to create an information curtain to pump up the Kyiv regime with arms,” Zakharova said during a press briefing in Moscow on Wednesday. “There is an understanding that this situation will be used by the Kyiv leadership for a suicidal aggression against Donbas.”
Zakharova said if there is “political will,” the Minsk peace agreements — which were signed in 2014 and 2015 in an unsuccessful effort to end the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian army and the Russian-backed separatists forces in Donbas — can be implemented within “a few months.” But she warned that “any sudden move” in Ukraine could have “fatal consequences.”
“The hysteria fanned by the West has put severe psychological pressure on the population of Ukraine, but it is up to them to deal with it,” she told reporters. “We are concerned about another thing. It is a country in a hot phase of an internal conflict and, therefore, people’s condition, including their mental state, is important. Because any sudden move, including on the contact line, any shot, any provocation may ultimately lead to some fatal consequences.”
Zakharova noted that Moscow is “no longer interested in” statements made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, whom she called a “NATO has-been.” She was referring to an announcement earlier this month that Stoltenberg will become Norway’s new central bank chief — all but confirming that he will leave his current post as head of the Western defense alliance.
“He is not a person whose statements Moscow would consider serious arguments,” Zakharova told reporters. “We will be focused on a serious conversation if our Western partners are ready for it.”
-ABC News’ Tanya Stukalova
Feb 16, 11:37 am
NATO defense ministers ‘gravely concerned’ by Russian military buildup
In his opening statement ahead of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed signals from Russia that they’re willing to continue to engage in diplomatic talks — but said NATO officials “have not, so far, seen any sign of de-escalation on the ground.”
NATO Defense Ministers issued a statement after their meeting concluded saying they are “gravely concerned by the very large scale, unprovoked and unjustified Russian military build-up in and around Ukraine and in Belarus.”
“We urge Russia, in the strongest possible terms, to choose the path of diplomacy, and to immediately reverse its build-up and withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments. We remain committed to our dual-track approach to Russia: strong deterrence and defence, combined with openness to dialogue,” the defense ministers said in a statement.
They wrote that NATO is deploying additional land forces in the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime and air assets, and has increased the readiness of forces.
“Our measures are and remain preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory. We are prepared to further strengthen our defensive and deterrent posture to respond to all contingencies,” the statement said. “Our commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is iron-clad. We stand united to defend each other.”
-ABC News’ Christine Theodorou
Feb 16, 9:30 am
US condemns Russian parliament vote to recognize Donbas
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned a vote by Russia’s parliament to call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize two Russian-controlled breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.
The Russian parliament passed a law on Tuesday that is a formal appeal to Putin to recognize the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, in an area of southeastern Ukraine known as the Donbas, where Russian-backed separatists forces have been battling the Ukrainian army since 2014. Such recognition would open a path for Russia to formally annex the two regions as it did the Crimean Peninsula almost eight years ago.
However, Putin indicated Tuesday that he will not immediately recognize the regions.
“To be clear: Kremlin approval of this appeal would amount to the Russian government’s wholesale rejection of its commitments under the Minsk agreements, which outline the process for the full political, social, and economic reintegration of those parts of Ukraine’s Donbas region controlled by Russia-led forces and political proxies since 2014,” Blinken said in a statement Wednesday. “Enactment of this resolution would further undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, call in further question Russia’s stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis, and necessitate a swift and firm response from the United States in full coordination with our allies and partners.”
Blinken did not specify what that response would be.
Feb 16, 8:52 am
Blinken: US has seen ‘no meaningful pullback’ of Russian forces
While the Russian Ministry of Defense said some of its troops positioned near Ukraine’s border would begin returning to their bases, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News’ Good Morning America on Wednesday that the U.S. has seen “no meaningful pullback” and described the situation as “deeply, deeply concerning.”
“On the contrary, we continue to see forces, especially forces in the vanguard of any renewed aggression against Ukraine, continuing to be at the border, to mass at the border,” Blinken said, emphasizing the choice to deescalate is squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“President Putin’s put in place the capacity to act on very short notice,” he said. “He can pull the trigger — he could pull it today. He could pull it tomorrow. He could pull it next week. The forces are there if he wants to renew aggression against Ukraine.”
Amid some tensions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials over the level of urgency here, Blinken defended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the former comedian is “taking it very seriously. He’s trying to maintain calm. He doesn’t want his people to panic. That’s the right thing to do. But I think the Ukrainians are taking it very, very seriously.”
ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked Blinken directly if the threat of attack in Ukraine is “today greater than it was yesterday.”
“From day to day, George, you can’t say it’s higher or lower. It’s there. It’s there. It’s real. We haven’t seen a pullback. We’d like to see one. If we see one, we would welcome it,” Blinken said. “We’re prepared for diplomacy. We’re prepared for aggression prepared either way.”
Feb 16, 8:31 am
Kremlin reacts to Biden’s speech on Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Russia has “grown tired” of listening to “threats,” referring to U.S. President Joe Biden’s speech the previous night.
“We’d prefer not to listen to various sorts of threats as to what would happen to us if we did something that we have no intention of doing,” Peskov told reporters during a daily call.
If the United States did not issue warnings about a Russian invasion of Ukraine and threaten consequences, then perhaps the Russian people would like Americans more, Peskov said.
“We have pretty much grown tired of [the threats],” he added. “If we heard such messages that would be free of threats, the Russian people would probably like them much more.”
Peskov noted that Russia hopes it would be able to begin a “negotiating process” with the U.S. over the Kremlin’s demands for security guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO, as well as confidence building measures such as limits on missile deployments and troops exercises.
Biden during his speech Tuesday night again ruled out any guarantee on Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, saying the U.S. will not sacrifice fundamental principles and that countries have a right to choose their alliances. The Biden administration, however, has offered to engage with Russia on the confidence-building measures, which Western nations have put forward in the hope of persuading the Kremlin to choose a diplomatic route out of the crisis.
Feb 16, 7:48 am
Kremlin criticizes ‘Western hysteria’ around possible invasion
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that while he expects the “hysteria” in Western media outlets about the threat of a Russian invasion to continue, he hopes foreign journalists will ultimately admit that they were wrong.
During a daily call with reporters, Peskov was asked whether Western media reports that Russia would attack Ukraine on Wednesday could be described as the culmination of “information hysteria.”
“Frankly, the way the Western hysteria is developing indicates there is still a long way until culmination. There won’t be a remission any time soon, we should be patient,” Peskov said. “Still, it is very important that Western media outlets, in this case, the British ones, say at least at the end of every day that their predictions have been wrong.”
Feb 16, 6:55 am
Russia says some troops returning to base after loading up tanks
The Russian Ministry of Defense said Wednesday that troops from its Western Military District massed near Ukraine have completed loading their tanks and are now returning to their bases, some 1,000 kilometers (over 620 miles) away.
“Personnel of the units of the Western Military District’s tank army have finished loading their tanks and tracked armored hardware onto flatbed railcars and have embarked on a 1,000-kilometer march using various means of transportation back to their permanent bases upon completion of their routine drills,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
Russia has currently deployed forces from all of its military districts near Ukraine. The Russian military has said that the Western and Southern Military Districts are returning to their bases. Meanwhile, units from Russia’s Eastern Military District remain in Belarus, having traveled some 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles) there.
Feb 16, 6:33 am
NATO: ‘Russia continues their military build-up’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Wednesday that Russia has still shown no signs of de-escalation on the ground, despite claims of withdrawing troops from near Ukraine.
“We have heard the signs from Moscow about the readiness to continue diplomatic efforts, but so far we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference outside NATO headquarters in Brussels. “On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues their military build-up.”
NATO continues to monitor the situation “very closely,” as it remains unclear whether Russia is pulling back, according to Stoltenberg.
“What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way,” he told reporters. “So, so far, no de-escalation but of course, we hear also the message about diplomacy and we are ready to engage in diplomatic efforts with Russia.”
Stoltenberg explained that the Russian military has “always moved forces back and forth.”
“So, just that we see movement of forces of battle tanks doesn’t confirm a real withdrawal,” he said. “It has been a big up and down, back and forth, all the way, but the trend over the last weeks and months has been a steady increase in the Russian capabilities close to Ukraine’s borders. So Russia retains the capability of a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine without any warning time.”
As of Wednesday morning, there were still approximately 100,000 Russian troops at Ukraine’s borders, including in Belarus, according to Stoltenberg, who said he hopes the dialogue with Russia will continue and that the claims of withdrawal are true “because nobody has any interest in confrontation or war in Europe.”
“We are at a pivotal moment in the history of Ukraine, Europe and global stability,” he added. “We look forward to seeing evidence of the withdrawal of troops on Russia’s part, but we need to prepare for any eventuality, with that significant escalation of Russian troops that we have seen over the last weeks and months.”
Stoltenberg’s comments came ahead of a meeting of the military alliance’s defense ministers, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, to discuss the current crisis.
Feb 16, 5:36 am
Russia releases video showing more troops leaving Crimea
The Russian military released more videos on Wednesday morning purportedly showing troops pulling back from Moscow-annexed Crimea.
The footage aired on Russian state media, with one video showing a trainload of armour being carried across the Russian-built bridge that connects the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula to Russia’s mainland. Another video shows military trucks driving out of Crimea across the bridge, which Russian state media described as support troops leaving “exercises.”
However, officials in the West and regional analysts continue to caution that they have not yet seen significant movements of Russian troops pulling back from near Ukraine’s borders.
Meanwhile, massive military exercises continue in neighboring Belarus and are not due to finish until Sunday. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei said Wednesday that “not a single” Russian soldier will remain in the country once those drills end.
Feb 16, 5:05 am
Zelenskyy wishes Ukrainians ‘a happy day of unity’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wished citizens “a happy day of unity” on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy had said on Monday evening that instead of Feb. 16 being “the day of the attack,” he would make it “the day of unity” and declared an impromptu national holiday.
ABC News has learned that Russian President Vladimir Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade Ukraine by Wednesday, but it remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack the neighboring country.
“We are all united by our wish to live, to live in peace, to live a happy life with our families, parents and children. We have the full right to all of this, because we’re at home here, in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in an address on social media Wednesday morning. “Nobody will love our home as much as we do, and nobody can defend our home as we can. I wish you a happy unity day, my blue-yellow ones, a happy day of unity of Ukraine, in the east and west, in the south and north. It works only together, and when it works, we’re strong.”
