Today's military situation map via Ukrainian authorities:

Good pushback by Alexander Motyl, via Newsweek, against this particular narrative, titled Putin’s Invasion Of Ukraine: Don’t Blame The West:

Much Western thinking about the causes of the Russo-Ukrainian War is rooted in a myth. It posits that the West—or, more specifically, NATO—attempted to wrest Ukraine from Russia’s sphere of influence, thereby forcing Vladimir Putin to defend Russia’s legitimate strategic interests by going to war with Ukraine.

The logic is impeccable. The only problem is that there isn’t a shred of truth to this claim.

Later:

The fact is that Putin unleashed war against Ukraine for the same reasons that Saddam Hussein unleashed war against revolutionary Iran in 1980: to prevent revolutionary contagion, to punish the revolutionaries and to take advantage of their weakness to make territorial gains.

Given the previous suggestion by Russian authorities that Nemtsov's killing might have been perpetrated by Ukrainian agents, and speculation that it might have been connected to damning evidence he claimed to possess of direct Russian involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, we'll post this breaking story here:

Two 'Caucasus' Men Detained 'On Suspicion Of Committing' Nemtsov Killing

Comments from a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine last night:

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman: "Eastern Ukraine still appears to be in limbo as we await full implementation of the Minsk package of measures. The road ahead will be difficult but it is critical that all concerned strictly adhere to and commence good faith implementation of this agreement."

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic: "After over 6,000 killed, one million displaced, hundreds of thousands of refugees, continuing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, the conflict has still not reached the point of no return. However, the window of opportunity seems to be rapidly closing, we simply cannot afford to let this happen."

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announces the signing of legislation authorizing compensation to police officers killed or injured while "defending the territorial integrity" of Ukraine, or to their families.

Bernard Henri-Levy arguing for A Marshall Plan For Ukraine in The Kyiv Post today:

...[F]or the next 200 days you will be called upon to make proposals and suggestions about Ukraine's finances, to be sure, but also about public health, about strengthening the rule of law, and about fighting the open wound, the leprosy, that is corruption.

In the course of the task that awaits you, you will encounter eternal defeatists and professional cynics.

You will encounter those who go around saying that Ukraine is a leaky barrel that is not worth your effort.

You will encounter those who think that history and geography are destiny and fate and that Ukraine belongs almost by natural law in the Russian sphere of influence.

Do not let yourselves be intimidated.

For when your recommendations—followed in 200 days by the Marshall Plan of my dreams—see the light of day, the entire history of this region will be changed.
And you will have written a new page of the history not only of Ukraine but of Europe.