Also, the defeat of ISIS fighters in Syria and China’s pandemic surveillance state.
Good morning. We’re covering the potential fallout of U.S. sanctions on Russia, the defeat of ISIS fighters in Syria and China’s pandemic surveillance state. The most punishing sanctions that President Biden has threatened in an effort to deter an invasion of Ukraine could devastate the Russian economy. Analysts predict a stock market crash and other forms of financial panic that would inflict pain on Russia’s people. The “swift and severe” response promised by the U.S. could also roil other major economies, and even threaten the global financial system. British lawmakers will also consider broadening the range of sanctions available. Sanctions could foment anger against President Vladimir Putin. But resilience is part of Russia’s national identity, and three reactionary security officials dedicated to restoring former Soviet glory have Putin’s ear. On Sunday, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said the country sent an “urgent demand” to NATO to clarify its stance, a sign of hope for further diplomacy. Analysis: Some analysts warn that Russia might retaliate by cutting off natural gas shipments to Europe or with cyberattacks against American and European infrastructure. Ukrainian officials criticized the Biden administration for its warnings of an imminent Russian attack, saying they had needlessly spread alarm. Region: The U.S. and Germany are warning that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will not move forward if Russia invades Ukraine. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is determined to engage with Russia and shape a new European security order. Kurdish-led forces regained full control of a prison in northeastern Syria on Sunday, after a difficult fight to subdue the last Islamic State gunmen barricaded in a prison in a weeklong siege. The fighting was the most intense urban combat involving American soldiers in Iraq or Syria since the self-declared ISIS caliphate fell in 2019.
