Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country

[Dartz]

--Putin also announces that current sanctions are tantamount to a declaration of war

Ah, so I assume he's going to start invading Poland any day now since we're already at war, right?  Or is it just whining?

He's escalating the rhetoric in the hopes that the spectre of a wider conflict might get someone to back off.

A polite term for whining like spanked child.

The sanctions are working. By one leaked FSB report, Russia will utterly collapse by June. The actions taken by the central bank have made this even more likely - even if EU sanctions are lifted tomorrow, the whole thing's a zombie economy.

The correct response is to sit and let them squeal. Don't escalate the sanctions further unless the situation in Ukraine gets more brutal

--American and the EU are playing each other's roles. The EU is piling on the sanctions, throwing ALL THE WEAPONS while America is haring intelligence, talking to people, putting a few sanctions on and shipping weapons on the quiet.

-Beware the worm that's turned.  Will Europe return to its 8 decade slumber after this?

Eight decades ago there wasn't really a "Europe" to speak of.  Now, there are still countries, but they only really vary in whether they hate Putin a little, a moderate amount, or hate Putin a whole lot.  Europe today is stronger and more unified than it was in the Roman Empire, which is to say, ever.  Fighting a war against Poland implies fighting Germany, France, Austria, Britain, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey.  I've played enough EU4 to be legitimately scared of that alliance.  Not sure why Putin isn't.

Nuclear weapons are a double-edge sword. Once you have them - you're also fair game for those others who have them. He's gambling they won't react, for fear of someone being forced into a position of going Nuclear.

As world powers go - the EU as a collective is generally relatively herbivorous - happy to trade, open its doors, conduct dialogue and assimilate new members and go about its way like a shitty United Federation of Planets. This is the first time it's brought the hammer as a collective and it is frightening the damage economic war can do. Usually, it's limited by the economic damage you're willing to suffer yourself - but in this case, the EU is going in boots first and is taking the pain to make Russia feel worse.

Also, from Twitter.  This view is a reminder that Russia really only controls land within shooting distance of the main roads:

If even. They're getting fairly hammered in the North. Things are different in the South -- there're slow gains for Russia. And there're some parts of Ukraine like Sumy that'll not be too pretty - it's completely cutoff.. The troops are out of food and ammo - so it's goiong to get medieval when they get hungry.