The War Room: Russian forces today claim they have hit a factory in Kyiv that makes anti-ship and anti-tank missiles.

  This comes hours after the Russians admitted that their guided missile cruiser Moskva sank, although there’s a difference of stories about how and why.

 Ukraine claims they hit the ship with two missiles. The Russians say they had an accidental on-board fire the spread to the ammunition. They said the ship’s crew of 500 had been evacuated and the Moskva was being towed in stormy weather when it went down. 

  The Moskva, built in 1976, was the flagship of the Russian Black Sea fleet and the biggest ship the Russians have lost since World War II. The Moskva was the ship that early in the war challenged Ukrainian forces on Snake Island to surrender, earning the reply, “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.” Although her sinking does not represent a turning point in the war, it’s a stunning victory for the Ukrainians and an indication of Russian military incompetence. 

  In other action, Russian troops have occupied the center of the strategic southern port city of Mariupol, having taken a metal plant that was one of few remaining strongholds for Ukrainian forces. The Russians claim that 1,000 Ukrainian marines surrendered there.

  Taking Mariupol would help establish a land bridge between Russian territory and the occupied Crimean peninsula. It would be Vladimir Putin’s first major victory in his war on Ukraine. 

  In still other fighting, the Russians actually have the nerve to complain that Ukrainian helicopters attacked over the border into Russian territory. They say “moving at low altitude, acting deliberately, they carried out at least six air strikes on residential buildings in the village of Klimovo,” about 11 kilometers over the  border. They say at least six houses in the village were damaged and seven people, including a toddler, were injured.

  In economic developments, European Union officials are drafting an embargo on Russian oil products for all its members. An action like this has previously been avoided because it would be costly to Germany in particular and will be politically volatile throughout the union.

  The Union has already banned Russian coal for at least four months.

  The oil ban will not be put up for negotiation until after the French elections so as not to give leverage to the right-wing populist presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who’s friendly with Russia.

Police Shooting: In the latest controversial police shooting, protesters marched in the streets yesterday after the release of an April 4^th video in which a Grand Rapids officer shot a man in the back of the head and killed him after a struggle.

  The cop had stopped Patrick Lyoya, an immigrant who did not seem to fully understand the officer and who ran off, resulting in a struggle. Lyoya got up once before the wrestling continue, and then grabbed the officer’s taser. Lyoya eventually was back on the ground, still struggling with the officer on his back, when the cop drew his gun and fired.

Viral News: The Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency approval to the first Covid-19 test that can detect the coronavirus in a breath sample. 

  The InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer, is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. It gives results within a few minutes and analyze about 160 samples a day. It would be best used by trained operators in in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and mobile testing sites.

The Spin Rack:  Frank R. James, 62, has been arraigned in the Brooklyn subway shooting and ordered held without bail. — Home mortgage rates have  hit 5 percent for the first time in more than 10 years. We remember 8.5. — Two new Omicron variants of the coronavirus that cases Covid-19 are spreading through New York State. — The California Air Resources Board revealed a plan to phase out the sale of all new gasoline powered cars in the state by 2035.

Command and Control: Another January 6^th rioter who claims he was following President Trump’s command has been found guilty  of  theft of government property, illegally entering the Capitol, illegally protesting in the Capitol, and two counts of disorderly conduct in the Capitol.

  Dustin Thompson, a 38-year-old exterminator from Ohio, stole liquor and a coat rack, evidently because Donald Trump needed them.

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