CNN Inside Politics

The deputy mayor of Mariupol on Ukraine's southeastern coast, says intense shelling is "destroying our city." The assault follows Russia's first military gain as they now control the southern port city of Kherson. As the bombs fell, Vladimir Putin was telling French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that the war would continue. Meanwhile, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky makes an impass...

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield says Russia's arsenal inside Ukraine includes weapons banned under the Geneva Convention. Her claim comes amid violent new clashes, as Russia makes plodding but important new gains in and around major Ukrainian cities. More negotiations are scheduled, but there's not much optimism they'll produce anything. We cover it all in today's episode, which in...

Ukraine's two largest cities are under intensifying Russian attack. In Kyiv, air raid sirens are blaring again, and a massive TV tower was hit. Ukraine says five people were killed. In Kharkiv, a Russian rocket detonated directly in front of a government building. At least ten are reported dead there. Our team of reporters brings you the latest developments, including an important new CNN intervie...

Russian rockets are sowing a fresh round of fear and death in Ukraine's second-largest city. At the same time, CNN reporters in Kyiv hear several large detonations, followed by sirens going off across the city. New satellite images show a stark three-mile long Russian military convoy. All this as the delegations from Russia and Ukraine negotiating in Belarus head home. We have all the latest devel...

Russian troops are attacking Ukraine from the north, east and south and bombing is ramping up in Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is rallying his citizens to take up arms and defend the country as officials say Russian troops are facing logistical problems and low morale. Russia's Vladimir Putin seems unconsidered with a near global opposition to his invasion and it's still unclear wha...

Joe Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. But as the president prepares to formally introduce Jackson at the White House, Russia unleashes new assaults on key cities in Ukraine, and an intelligence report suggests Kyiv could fall in days. CNN is on the front lines of the confrontation with reporters covering all the developments. To le...

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The latest intelligence indicates the border city of Kharkiv could be particularly at risk. But Ukraine's foreign minister says there are no plans to evacuate the city. Meanwhile, Latvia's prime minister says Russian forces and tanks have moved into regions of eastern Ukraine that Vladimir Putin recognized yesterday as "independent." Our reporters report live from Kyiv on the latest developments i...

A top aide to President Biden says what Vladimir Putin is doing is "the beginning of an invasion. An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway. Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014. I don't know how much more clear I can be." Those words have huge international significance, given the president's promise of "swift and severe sanctions" should Russia invade. To learn more about ho...

Joe Biden says he'll meet with Vladimir Putin but only if the Russian leader doesn't invade Ukraine. The problem: American intelligence says Putin's already ordered his commanders to do exactly that. Plus, a warning from three top Democratic campaign gurus: a midterm shellacking is coming if the White House doesn't stop celebrating and start listening. And, a weekend case study in how Washington R...

This morning in Munich, Vice President Harris warned there is a "real possibility" of war in Europe. In Washington, President Biden is set to meet with his National Security Council days after declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling on Western nations to do more to help defend his country and is asking...

An emotional judge Regina Chu sentenced former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter to two years in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright. Potter has said she mistakenly drew her gun instead of her Taser when she fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in April 2021. Chu strayed far from the sentencing guidelines, handing down a significantly less harsh sentence than the 1...

President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and Defense Secretary Austin are all sounding red alert today. Their message? That Vladimir Putin is not telling the truth about what Russia is up to, and that despite his claim of pulling back troops, all indications are that he's prepared to attack Ukraine. CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward is on a tour with the Ukrainian military an...

Russia says they're pulling back troops from the Ukrainian border, but the United States and allies aren't buying it. Plus, Covid backlash at the ballot box as San Francisco voters recall three school board members in a revolt fueled by pandemic decisions to keep kids home. And, the January 6 committee homes in on Donald Trump's plan to steal the election by using fake electors. To learn more abou...

Amid a flurry of activity -- troops, helicopters and machinery all moving around Ukraine in the past 24 hours -- Russia claims some of its forces are returning to base, and Vladimir Putin says he's willing to talk. But a source tells CNN a Russian attack -- this week -- is more likely than not. Plus, Donald Trump's accounting firm cuts ties with the former president, saying it can no longer vouch...

As the world waits for Vladimir Putin's next move, we explore what US officials say they think is the Russian president's plan for war: a shock and awe campaign from the air followed by an on-the-ground onslaught that ends with Kyiv surrounded. Plus, new details on Mitch McConnell's midterm recruitment strategy: His plan to retake power in Washington counts on keeping the "goofballs" who repeat Do...

President Biden warned Russia's Vladimir Putin in a phone call Saturday the cost of an attack on Ukraine would be "swift and severe." That, as more than 100,000 Russian troops stand ready on three sides of Ukraine. The US evacuated most of its embassy on Saturday and several countries urged its citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. Still, Ukrainian President Zelensky is calling for calm a...

The former president removed boxes of records from the White House -- some clearly marked "classified" -- tried tearing documents to shreds and may have flushed some down the toilet. Were those actions illegal? Plus, President Biden cautions "things could go crazy quickly" in Ukraine. And, a big week of Covid change for millions of Americans. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy,...

The latest economic figures show the consumer price index rising 7.5% over the past year -- the fastest rate since 1982 -- just as a new CNN poll reveals Americans see little or no good happening in Washington and increasingly doubt President Biden’s handling of the pandemic and economy. Plus, sources tell CNN there’s a giant gap in the White House record of calls to and from former President Dona...

New York Governor Kathy Hochul says she’ll end her state’s mask mandate for businesses tomorrow – the sixth Democratic governor to roll back Covid restrictions this week. Plus, brand new CNN reporting on why Mike Pence decided to rebuke Donald Trump last week. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...

A member of the House Republican leadership says there’s no problem with the RNC censuring two of their own. But it’s a different story in the Senate. Plus, the Supreme Court sides with Alabama Republicans on the Congressional map, even though a lower court found it diminished the power of black voters. We examine its effect on the Voting Rights Act and the midterms. And, a big Covid shift as more...

France's Emanuel Macron is at the Kremlin and Germany's Olaf Scholz gets an audience in the US. Plus, when will life look more like normal? Two US states say a big step is ending mask mandates next month. And, the January 6th committee is debating whether to subpoena Mike Pence after the former VP calls what Donald Trump asked him to do “un-American.”  To learn more about how CNN protects listener...

Former Vice President Mike Pence made his strongest break from his ex-boss, calling him "wrong" for believing Pence could have overturned the 2020 election. Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee censured the two GOP lawmakers on the January 6 committee, and referred to the insurrection as "legitimate political discourse".Plus, President Biden touts good economic numbers. But are Americans f...

There is no new episode of the Inside Politics showcast. If you haven’t already, please check out CNN’s other podcasts and showcasts at cnn.com/audio. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The President authorizes new deployments to Eastern Europe, as tough talk from the Kremlin dims hopes for a diplomatic end to the Ukraine crisis. Plus, Donald Trump says the insurrectionists deserve pardons. And, Chuck Schumer’s struggle to navigate a 50/50 Democratic Senate.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...