KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City detective convicted of fatally shooting a Black man will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs ruled that Eric DeValkenaere, who is white, can stay out of prison during the appeal of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">conviction for second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal</a>&nbsp;action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.

DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings argued at an earlier hearing that he should be allowed to remain out of prison during his appeals because he is not a flight risk and the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.

Youngs, who convicted the former detective in a bench trial in November, said in a hearing in January that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after they were convicted.

But in his ruling Tuesday, Youngs said “the defendant’s incarceration without bond or other conditions that I might impose on him is not necessary to ensure his appearance at future proceedings,” KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/kcpd-detective-who-killed-cameron-lamb-will-be-granted-bond-on-appeal" target="_blank">reported</a>.

DeValkenaere has remained free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.

DeValkenaere is schedule to be sentenced March 4. Youngs’ ruling means the former detective will not be jailed immediately but would serve whatever sentence the judge imposes if his appeal fails. He faces up to four years in prison on the manslaughter charge and at least three years for armed criminal action.

Lamb was shot while backing a pickup truck into his garage on Dec. 3, 2019, after chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.

DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">testified at his trial</a>&nbsp;in November that he fired after he saw Lamb point a gun at his partner, Troy Schwalm.

Prosecutors argued police did not have a legal reason to be on the property and had staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed.

When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the officers violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.

DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force in January.</a>&nbsp;Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592994941014.png" alt="DeValkenaere photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>DeValkenaere photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Kansas City detective convicted of fatally shooting a Black man will remain free on bond while his conviction is appealed, a judge ruled Tuesday.Jackson County Circuit Court Presiding Judge J. Dale Youngs ruled that Eric DeValkenaere, who is white, can stay out of prison during the appeal of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">conviction for second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal</a>&nbsp;action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.DeValkenaere’s attorney, Molly Hastings argued at an earlier hearing that he should be allowed to remain out of prison during his appeals because he is not a flight risk and the judge found “no evidence of malice” in DeValkenaere’s conduct.Youngs, who convicted the former detective in a bench trial in November, said in a hearing in January that he had never in 13 years on the bench allowed a defendant to remain free on bond after they were convicted.But in his ruling Tuesday, Youngs said “the defendant’s incarceration without bond or other conditions that I might impose on him is not necessary to ensure his appearance at future proceedings,” KSHB-TV&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/kcpd-detective-who-killed-cameron-lamb-will-be-granted-bond-on-appeal" target="_blank">reported</a>.DeValkenaere has remained free on $30,000 bond since he was convicted.DeValkenaere is schedule to be sentenced March 4. Youngs’ ruling means the former detective will not be jailed immediately but would serve whatever sentence the judge imposes if his appeal fails. He faces up to four years in prison on the manslaughter charge and at least three years for armed criminal action.Lamb was shot while backing a pickup truck into his garage on Dec. 3, 2019, after chasing his girlfriend’s convertible in a stolen pickup truck.DeValkenaere&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-race-and-ethnicity-kansas-city-933d3aba9b37c83145fba5818d557c02">testified at his trial</a>&nbsp;in November that he fired after he saw Lamb point a gun at his partner, Troy Schwalm.Prosecutors argued police did not have a legal reason to be on the property and had staged the shooting scene to support their claims that Lamb was armed.When he convicted DeValkenaere, Youngs said the officers violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. He did not address the allegations that evidence had been planted.DeVlakenaere was suspended from the police force after his conviction and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-police-shootings-kansas-city-2af535a9a637024a23b3530c1c20cc2e">left the force in January.</a>&nbsp;Police have not said if he was fired, resigned or retired.

Ex-KC officer remains free amid manslaughter appeal

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident continue asking the public for help to locate a&nbsp; silver 2012-2018 Ford Focus, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 2p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a vehicle versus a bicycle accident in the 5500 block of SW Burlingame Road. 

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene southbound after striking the bicyclist.&nbsp;The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate the driver of the silver Ford Focus.&nbsp;The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (785-251-2200)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645568563830.png" alt="The Ford Focus, pictured here driving southbound on SW Burlingame Road, is now missing the passenger side mirror.-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>The Ford Focus, pictured here driving southbound on SW Burlingame Road, is now missing the passenger side mirror.-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident continue asking the public for help to locate a&nbsp; silver 2012-2018 Ford Focus, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 2p.m. Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding a vehicle versus a bicycle accident in the 5500 block of SW Burlingame Road. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene southbound after striking the bicyclist.&nbsp;The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital by American Medical Response with non-life-threatening injuries.The Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate the driver of the silver Ford Focus.&nbsp;The vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (785-251-2200)

Sheriff: Search continues for car that struck Kan. bicyclist 

HAYS —A recent fight between two men in Hays, led to the discovery of stolen property taken from area storage units and the subsequent arrest of both.

After initially being called for a disturbance between 29-year-0ld Richard Kody Lyon and 44-year-old Alvino Damian Almerez, police learned Almerez had threatened Lyon with a machete, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.

"While investigating that crime, the patrol officers and detectives uncovered they had also been committing storage unit break-ins," he said.

Lyon was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.

Almerez was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property and aggravated assault.

While a portion of the recovered property has been returned to owners, Scheibler said some is still with the department.

"If you haven't checked your storage unit lately, please check it and if you are missing property, please give us a detailed list," he said.

Those reports can be directed to Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at (785) 625-1030.

"He will need a good description of your stolen property to cross-check with the recovered property to see if it has been located," an announcement from the department said. "Serial numbers, model numbers and brand names along with good descriptions of the missing item will be important to give to Detective Gillan, along with when your storage unit was broken into and the location of your storage unit."

While the work continues to get the stolen property back into the hands of owners, Schiebler praised the work of the officers.

"(It was) a really good job by the patrol officers investigating the initial report, but also that began to expand off into other criminal activity and they were able to follow up on those also," he said.

And the investigation also continues.&nbsp;

"We suspect there may be other people involved, so if anybody has any information they should contact Detective Gillan," Scheibler said.

While the men are currently detained in the Ellis County jail, he said, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645568379240.png" alt="Lyon-photo Ellis County" />
 <figcaption>Lyon-photo Ellis County</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostHAYS —A recent fight between two men in Hays, led to the discovery of stolen property taken from area storage units and the subsequent arrest of both.After initially being called for a disturbance between 29-year-0ld Richard Kody Lyon and 44-year-old Alvino Damian Almerez, police learned Almerez had threatened Lyon with a machete, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler."While investigating that crime, the patrol officers and detectives uncovered they had also been committing storage unit break-ins," he said.Lyon was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.Almerez was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property and aggravated assault.While a portion of the recovered property has been returned to owners, Scheibler said some is still with the department."If you haven't checked your storage unit lately, please check it and if you are missing property, please give us a detailed list," he said.Those reports can be directed to Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at (785) 625-1030."He will need a good description of your stolen property to cross-check with the recovered property to see if it has been located," an announcement from the department said. "Serial numbers, model numbers and brand names along with good descriptions of the missing item will be important to give to Detective Gillan, along with when your storage unit was broken into and the location of your storage unit."While the work continues to get the stolen property back into the hands of owners, Schiebler praised the work of the officers."(It was) a really good job by the patrol officers investigating the initial report, but also that began to expand off into other criminal activity and they were able to follow up on those also," he said.And the investigation also continues.&nbsp;"We suspect there may be other people involved, so if anybody has any information they should contact Detective Gillan," Scheibler said.While the men are currently detained in the Ellis County jail, he said, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Police: Kan. man's threat with a machete led to stolen property

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend incident at a Kansas home.

Just before 2a.m. February 20, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City for a battery-in-progress, according to a media release.

Officers met with a woman who alleged a physical altercation had occurred between her and a man known to her. 

The investigation revealed that the woman and the man, identified as 31-year-old Victor Roman Viurquez&nbsp; of Garden City got into an argument, and Viurquez told the woman to leave the residence. 

As the woman attempted to leave, Viurquez allegedly became upset and forcefully removed a bracelet from the woman, injuring her wrist and preventing her from leaving. Viurquez also allegedly broke the woman’s phone and damaged the windshield of her vehicle.

Officers attempted to speak with Viurquez, but he refused to exit his residence and surrender to police. The Garden City/Finney County SWAT team responded to the area to assist. After nearly 6 hours, Victor surrendered to police and was taken into custody without incident. 

Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges for Domestic Battery, Robbery, Criminal Damage and Criminal Restraint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645549689299.png" alt="Viurquez-photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Viurquez-photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend incident at a Kansas home.Just before 2a.m. February 20, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City for a battery-in-progress, according to a media release.Officers met with a woman who alleged a physical altercation had occurred between her and a man known to her. The investigation revealed that the woman and the man, identified as 31-year-old Victor Roman Viurquez&nbsp; of Garden City got into an argument, and Viurquez told the woman to leave the residence. As the woman attempted to leave, Viurquez allegedly became upset and forcefully removed a bracelet from the woman, injuring her wrist and preventing her from leaving. Viurquez also allegedly broke the woman’s phone and damaged the windshield of her vehicle.Officers attempted to speak with Viurquez, but he refused to exit his residence and surrender to police. The Garden City/Finney County SWAT team responded to the area to assist. After nearly 6 hours, Victor surrendered to police and was taken into custody without incident. Viurquez is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges for Domestic Battery, Robbery, Criminal Damage and Criminal Restraint.

Police arrest suspect after 6-hour standoff at SW Kansas home

MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden ordered heavy U.S. financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs on Tuesday, stepping up the West’s confrontation with Moscow, even as Russian lawmakers authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside their country.

Biden, in a brief address from the White House, accused Putin of flagrantly violating international law in what he called the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” and promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.

The president joined the 27 European Union members who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine. Germany also announced it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia — a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

“None of us will be fooled” by Putin’s claims about Ukraine, the U.S. President said.

Biden said he was also moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia. The prime minster of Estonia and presidents of Latvia and Lithuania on Friday had made a direct plea to Vice President Kamala Harris for the U.S. to step up its presence in the Baltics.

Biden said the U.S. would impose “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.

“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” Biden said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”

The president announced what he called a first tranche of sanctions as Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the areas’ independence on Monday. It was unclear how large the Russian deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were already fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied.

Members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages across the continent</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe</a>.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He added that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action –- it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.”

The European Union soon followed, with a first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Biden had said would result in severe sanctions against Moscow.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.”

The Biden administration’s rhetoric hardened considerably in less than 24 hours. The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region, noted “that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014” and that “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.”

The administration initially resisted calling the deployment an invasion because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus.

Biden said, “These are totally defensive moves on our part” and the U.S. has no intention of deploying its forces in non-NATO-member Ukraine. But Biden also said the U.S. and its allies “will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.” The organization’s mutual-defense pact considers an attack on one member to be an attack against all.

For weeks, Western powers have been bracing as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence in the borders that existed when they declared their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-europe-united-nations-881717d75ad21662562dec7b5c8f43b0">from around the world was quick.</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While Washington clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.

“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”

But he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”

Poland’s Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered eastern Ukraine, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”

The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn’t confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.

The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The Russian moves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-germany-europe-berlin-79e3dafb0d231f6a033613b7dab78cdf">pushed Germany</a>&nbsp;to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.

If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”

Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy sought to project calm, saying in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”

His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.

Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-poland-vladimir-putin-f00872897f338dbedd857cd1d880e9d3">hourlong televised speech</a>&nbsp;on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.

“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645558203900.png" alt="Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — President Joe Biden ordered heavy U.S. financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs on Tuesday, stepping up the West’s confrontation with Moscow, even as Russian lawmakers authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside their country.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F491628512503524%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=145" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Biden, in a brief address from the White House, accused Putin of flagrantly violating international law in what he called the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” and promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.The president joined the 27 European Union members who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine. Germany also announced it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia — a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.“None of us will be fooled” by Putin’s claims about Ukraine, the U.S. President said.Biden said he was also moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltic states on NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia. The prime minster of Estonia and presidents of Latvia and Lithuania on Friday had made a direct plea to Vice President Kamala Harris for the U.S. to step up its presence in the Baltics.Biden said the U.S. would impose “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.“That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” Biden said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”The president announced what he called a first tranche of sanctions as Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the areas’ independence on Monday. It was unclear how large the Russian deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were already fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied.Members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages across the continent</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe</a>.Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He added that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action –- it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.”The European Union soon followed, with a first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets.With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Biden had said would result in severe sanctions against Moscow.“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.”The Biden administration’s rhetoric hardened considerably in less than 24 hours. The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region, noted “that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014” and that “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.”The administration initially resisted calling the deployment an invasion because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.Biden on Tuesday said he was authorizing the redeployment of some U.S. troops who are already stationed in Europe to bolster the security of NATO’s Baltic allies, particularly in light of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus.Biden said, “These are totally defensive moves on our part” and the U.S. has no intention of deploying its forces in non-NATO-member Ukraine. But Biden also said the U.S. and its allies “will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.” The organization’s mutual-defense pact considers an attack on one member to be an attack against all.For weeks, Western powers have been bracing as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence in the borders that existed when they declared their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.Condemnation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-europe-united-nations-881717d75ad21662562dec7b5c8f43b0">from around the world was quick.</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While Washington clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”But he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”Poland’s Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered eastern Ukraine, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn’t confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.The Russian moves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-germany-europe-berlin-79e3dafb0d231f6a033613b7dab78cdf">pushed Germany</a>&nbsp;to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy sought to project calm, saying in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-poland-vladimir-putin-f00872897f338dbedd857cd1d880e9d3">hourlong televised speech</a>&nbsp;on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.

🎥 Biden: No justification for Russia's actions in Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigated a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City late Tuesday afternoon, according to a media release from KCPD.

Officers worked with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and just before 6p.m. cleared the package and determined it to not be a threat. 

&nbsp;The investigation continues into the origin and nature of the package.

The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions during the investigation.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City, according to a media release from KCPD.

Officers are working with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and are investigating.

The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions. Police asked the public to void this area and be aware of potential traffic delays in the downtown area.

The Bomb and Arson command post bus was on the scene to provide detectives with all of their tools and resources to investigate and evaluate the package as safely as possible.&nbsp;Bomb and Arson detectives continue to use their resources to investigate the package.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigated a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City late Tuesday afternoon, according to a media release from KCPD.Officers worked with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and just before 6p.m. cleared the package and determined it to not be a threat. &nbsp;The investigation continues into the origin and nature of the package.The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions during the investigation.------------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious package call inside of City Hall in downtown Kansas City, according to a media release from KCPD.Officers are working with City Hall staff to evacuate the building. The Bomb and Arson Detectives responded and are investigating.The streets surrounding City Hall, 11th and 12th / Oak to Locust, were blocked off in all directions. Police asked the public to void this area and be aware of potential traffic delays in the downtown area.The Bomb and Arson command post bus was on the scene to provide detectives with all of their tools and resources to investigate and evaluate the package as safely as possible.&nbsp;Bomb and Arson detectives continue to use their resources to investigate the package.

Update: KCMO City Hall evacuated due to suspicious package

SEDGWICK COUNTY — During a special Tuesday afternoon meeting, board members for USD 259-Wichita, the state's largest school district, voted to remove the mask mandate effective end of day Thursday, March 10. The district spring break is the following week.

In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.

During Tuesday's special meeting, board members listened to speakers in favor of and against the mandate.&nbsp;

The board voted on February 7 against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.

Despite Tuesday vote, the federal mandate still requires masks on school buses and school district transportation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645555754791.png" alt="Board members during Tuesday special meeting on masks-photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Board members during Tuesday special meeting on masks-photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — During a special Tuesday afternoon meeting, board members for USD 259-Wichita, the state's largest school district, voted to remove the mask mandate effective end of day Thursday, March 10. The district spring break is the following week.In August, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for all district buildings. It went into effect August 30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645556086875.png" alt="Photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>During Tuesday's special meeting, board members listened to speakers in favor of and against the mandate.&nbsp;The board voted on February 7 against a proposal to immediately remove the district's mask mandate and make masks optional.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645556151177.png" alt="Photo USD 259" />
 <figcaption>Photo USD 259</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite Tuesday vote, the federal mandate still requires masks on school buses and school district transportation.

State's largest school district delays end to mask mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBTQ people in the case of a Colorado web designer who says her religious beliefs prevent her from offering wedding website designs to gay couples.

The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Lorie Smith. The Denver-area designer offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website services, but she says her religious beliefs would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website. She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs. Doing those things, however, would run afoul of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-phillips-colorado-discrimination-weddings-denver-960d0fbefb77ddb78de89780cf8b4881">a Colorado anti-discrimination law</a>. Smith had argued the law violates her free speech and religious rights.

The Supreme Court said in taking the case that it would look only at the free speech issue. It said it would decide whether a law that requires an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The case is expected to be argued in the fall.

Smith’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner, said in a statement after the court agreed to hear the case that “Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent.”

In a 2-1 ruling last year, the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-colorado-b3892f44fe98711fdbfe9390c8836eff">denied Smith’s attempt</a>&nbsp;to overturn a lower court ruling throwing out her legal challenge. The panel said Colorado had a compelling interest in protecting the “dignity interests” of members of marginalized groups through its law, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.

The law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, is the same one at issue in the case of Colorado baker Jack Phillips that was decided in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The high court said at the time that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with anti-religious bias against Phillips after he refused to bake a cake for two men who were getting married. But it did not rule on the larger issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to LGBTQ people.

The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom represented Phillips and represents Smith.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBTQ people in the case of a Colorado web designer who says her religious beliefs prevent her from offering wedding website designs to gay couples.The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Lorie Smith. The Denver-area designer offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website services, but she says her religious beliefs would lead her to decline any request from a same-sex couple to design a wedding website. She also wants to post a statement on her website about her beliefs. Doing those things, however, would run afoul of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-phillips-colorado-discrimination-weddings-denver-960d0fbefb77ddb78de89780cf8b4881">a Colorado anti-discrimination law</a>. Smith had argued the law violates her free speech and religious rights.The Supreme Court said in taking the case that it would look only at the free speech issue. It said it would decide whether a law that requires an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The case is expected to be argued in the fall.Smith’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner, said in a statement after the court agreed to hear the case that “Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent.”In a 2-1 ruling last year, the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-colorado-b3892f44fe98711fdbfe9390c8836eff">denied Smith’s attempt</a>&nbsp;to overturn a lower court ruling throwing out her legal challenge. The panel said Colorado had a compelling interest in protecting the “dignity interests” of members of marginalized groups through its law, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.The law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, is the same one at issue in the case of Colorado baker Jack Phillips that was decided in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court.The high court said at the time that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with anti-religious bias against Phillips after he refused to bake a cake for two men who were getting married. But it did not rule on the larger issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to LGBTQ people.The Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom represented Phillips and represents Smith.

High court takes case involving refusal to serve gay couples

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering two proposals that would make it harder for police to seize and keep cash and property from people suspected in crimes.

One bill would require law enforcement to get a criminal conviction before seizing assets. A second bill would create a new process for criminal forfeiture of property worth less than $100,000 and prevent law enforcement from seizing less than $200 cash or vehicles worth less than $2,000.

Currently, law enforcement can go to civil court to get approval to take property officers believe is linked to a crime. Supporters of the process say it serves as a deterrent to crime and provides important funding for law enforcement.

The latest completed KBI report on the practice statewide said that in 2020 law enforcement agencies seized $5.1 million cash and $1.2 million in other property. Out of that, law enforcement agencies took $2.1 million in cash and nearly $800,000 in other property through the civil forfeiture process.

In one recent case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-colorado-marijuana-medical-marijuana-6d41f1053f142075b735464107e3b0d5">a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;has been filed by a company that was transporting cash from legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri challenging the seizure of nearly $166,000 last May. Law enforcement officials have defended the seizure because marijuana use remains illegal in Kansas.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter testified on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association that many seizures are related to traffic stops of couriers for drug dealers who often claim the money isn’t theirs.

“During these stops, probable cause exists to search the vehicles,” he said. “Large amount of money is seized and the mules do not claim the money as theirs, do not know how it got there and were only instructed to return the car to someone they do not know in Mexico.”

Jefferson County Attorney Joshua Ney supports forfeiture reform. He said the current law creates a potential for “profit motive” in law enforcement and prosecutor offices.

Jon Lueth with the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity said police shouldn’t be able to claim property until after someone is convicted of a crime.

“A substantial portion of these seizures never results in criminal charges or a conviction,” he said. “This data reveals that law enforcement in Kansas is frequently using this power to seize the property of innocent Kansans without the necessary due process protections normally provided in our criminal justice system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586208701830.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering two proposals that would make it harder for police to seize and keep cash and property from people suspected in crimes.One bill would require law enforcement to get a criminal conviction before seizing assets. A second bill would create a new process for criminal forfeiture of property worth less than $100,000 and prevent law enforcement from seizing less than $200 cash or vehicles worth less than $2,000.Currently, law enforcement can go to civil court to get approval to take property officers believe is linked to a crime. Supporters of the process say it serves as a deterrent to crime and provides important funding for law enforcement.The latest completed KBI report on the practice statewide said that in 2020 law enforcement agencies seized $5.1 million cash and $1.2 million in other property. Out of that, law enforcement agencies took $2.1 million in cash and nearly $800,000 in other property through the civil forfeiture process.In one recent case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-colorado-marijuana-medical-marijuana-6d41f1053f142075b735464107e3b0d5">a federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;has been filed by a company that was transporting cash from legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri challenging the seizure of nearly $166,000 last May. Law enforcement officials have defended the seizure because marijuana use remains illegal in Kansas.Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter testified on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association that many seizures are related to traffic stops of couriers for drug dealers who often claim the money isn’t theirs.“During these stops, probable cause exists to search the vehicles,” he said. “Large amount of money is seized and the mules do not claim the money as theirs, do not know how it got there and were only instructed to return the car to someone they do not know in Mexico.”Jefferson County Attorney Joshua Ney supports forfeiture reform. He said the current law creates a potential for “profit motive” in law enforcement and prosecutor offices.Jon Lueth with the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity said police shouldn’t be able to claim property until after someone is convicted of a crime.“A substantial portion of these seizures never results in criminal charges or a conviction,” he said. “This data reveals that law enforcement in Kansas is frequently using this power to seize the property of innocent Kansans without the necessary due process protections normally provided in our criminal justice system.”

Kan. lawmakers may make it harder for police to seize cash

By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-22/a-push-to-dump-the-kansas-food-sales-tax-could-run-into-election-politics">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE&nbsp;— Buying groceries has become more difficult for Patty Wiggins.

Previously,
 a week’s worth of groceries cost the retired nurse about $30. But as 
inflation over the last year made seemingly everything more expensive, 
the groceries cost about $50.

To help fill that gap, Wiggins, who 
lives in Lawrence, supplements her groceries through her local food 
bank, Just Food. Wiggins said she wished she wouldn’t need to do that, 
and there is some hope that some relief is on the way.

Kansas 
lawmakers are debating a bill that would eliminate state sales tax on 
food. If the bill becomes law, it would wipe out the state’s 6.5% sales 
tax on food and provide a little more spending room for shoppers like 
Wiggins.

“(Spending) $10 or $20 more a month may not sound like a 
lot,” Wiggins said. “But it makes a difference, especially when you live
 like me on a fixed income.”

Despite apparent bipartisan support 
for dumping the sales tax on food — it’s a top priority of Democratic 
Gov. Laura Kelly and the change has support from Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt, her likely re-election opponent in November — the effort looks 
shaky at best.

Already, one state Senate committee has amended the proposal to delay the end of the tax by a year, to Jan. 1, 2024.

The
 Republican-controlled Legislature has also tried to tie the measure to 
other, more partisan tax changes. And GOP lawmakers could be reluctant 
to give Kelly a win on cutting taxes in an election year.

Republican
 state Sen. Caryn Tyson from southeast Kansas chairs the tax committee 
and said the elimination of the sales tax on food has been complicated 
by another major tax bill. The governor lobbied hard for a change in law
 that will let the state give roughly $1 billion in potential tax 
incentives to a company — its identity hasn’t been made public — if it 
delivers on promises for a manufacturing plant with thousands of jobs.

Tyson
 said if the company chooses to move to Kansas, the state would be 
providing millions of dollars in incentives to the company for years. 
Erasing the sales tax on food could cost the state from $320 million to 
$785 million a year in revenue. Tyson said the tax giveaways to a new, 
large employer would make it harder to afford the lost money to the 
state that would come with exempting food from the sales tax.

“We 
have to be good stewards of the state’s money,” Tyson said. “That has to
 be taken into consideration when working on other kinds of 
legislation.”

Along with pushing back the start date of the food 
sales tax cut, the amended bill also includes making changes to the 
state’s sales tax on utilities.

Sen. Tom Holland, the top-ranking 
Democrat on the tax committee, wants the food sales tax to go away in 
July — not a year and a half later.

Holland also said Kansas can 
afford to offer the incentives to a manufacturer and cut the sales tax 
because the state expects to have more than $2 billion in surplus at the
 end of the fiscal year in June.

“We need to get that tax relief back to Kansas families,” he said. “The best way we can do that is a sales tax refund bill.”

Advocates for the cut have said it is needed now to give Kansans a break when food prices are skyrocketing.

The
 U.S. Department of Labor says the country saw a 7.5% increase in rate 
of inflation over the last year, which is the largest increase since 
1982.

Wiggins, the retired nurse, said she saw a small increase to
 her Social Security checks. But she said that didn’t make much of a 
difference.

“It’s all gone because of the inflation,” Wiggins 
said. “They say inflation has hit certain portions of the groceries. But
 what I see in the stores, it has hit everything.”

She is not 
alone. Brain Walker, president for the Kansas Food Bank based in 
Wichita, said many of the more than 200,000 Kansans his organization 
serves would benefit from food sales tax relief. Removing the tax would 
immediately allow them to put more food on their tables, he said.

People
 with lower incomes are disproportionately affected by the tax, Walker 
said. He used the example of a four-person family making $20,000 a year 
purchasing the same amount of food as a four-person family making 
$100,000 a year. While the families buy the same amount of food and pay 
the same amount of tax on it, the family with a smaller household income
 pays a larger percentage of that income toward the tax.

“To us, 
it makes really good sense,” Walker said. “When you cut the sales tax, 
you aren’t favoring anybody — both groups of folks get the relief. But 
the help it extends to a struggling family is huge.”

Debates
 about giving breaks to consumers and whether the state can afford the 
lost revenue — Republicans note that the state’s financial surplus is 
propped up by federal pandemic aid that won’t continue in years to come —
 come in the midst of an election year.

Kelly, who is running for a
 second term, has repeatedly called for the cut of the tax. It featured 
prominently in her State of the State address in January and her “Axe 
the Food Tax” slogan plays in her re-election campaign. Kelly says it 
would save the average Kansas family about $500 a year.

But Schmidt also asked lawmakers to make a cut this year.

In
 a letter to Republican legislative leaders in November, Schmidt called 
for the lawmakers to eliminate or at least significantly reduce the tax 
on groceries because of inflation.

Wiggins said she hopes lawmakers don’t delay on approving legislation.

“It would be nice to think they would pass it and get started changing (the tax),” she said. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Dylan
 Lysen reports on politics for the Kansas News Service. You can follow 
him on Twitter @DylanLysen or email him at dlysen@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645553088412.png" alt="Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-22/a-push-to-dump-the-kansas-food-sales-tax-could-run-into-election-politics">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE&nbsp;— Buying groceries has become more difficult for Patty Wiggins.Previously,
 a week’s worth of groceries cost the retired nurse about $30. But as 
inflation over the last year made seemingly everything more expensive, 
the groceries cost about $50.To help fill that gap, Wiggins, who 
lives in Lawrence, supplements her groceries through her local food 
bank, Just Food. Wiggins said she wished she wouldn’t need to do that, 
and there is some hope that some relief is on the way.Kansas 
lawmakers are debating a bill that would eliminate state sales tax on 
food. If the bill becomes law, it would wipe out the state’s 6.5% sales 
tax on food and provide a little more spending room for shoppers like 
Wiggins.“(Spending) $10 or $20 more a month may not sound like a 
lot,” Wiggins said. “But it makes a difference, especially when you live
 like me on a fixed income.”Despite apparent bipartisan support 
for dumping the sales tax on food — it’s a top priority of Democratic 
Gov. Laura Kelly and the change has support from Attorney General Derek 
Schmidt, her likely re-election opponent in November — the effort looks 
shaky at best.Already, one state Senate committee has amended the proposal to delay the end of the tax by a year, to Jan. 1, 2024.The
 Republican-controlled Legislature has also tried to tie the measure to 
other, more partisan tax changes. And GOP lawmakers could be reluctant 
to give Kelly a win on cutting taxes in an election year.<h2>Can the state afford it?</h2>Republican
 state Sen. Caryn Tyson from southeast Kansas chairs the tax committee 
and said the elimination of the sales tax on food has been complicated 
by another major tax bill. The governor lobbied hard for a change in law
 that will let the state give roughly $1 billion in potential tax 
incentives to a company — its identity hasn’t been made public — if it 
delivers on promises for a manufacturing plant with thousands of jobs.Tyson
 said if the company chooses to move to Kansas, the state would be 
providing millions of dollars in incentives to the company for years. 
Erasing the sales tax on food could cost the state from $320 million to 
$785 million a year in revenue. Tyson said the tax giveaways to a new, 
large employer would make it harder to afford the lost money to the 
state that would come with exempting food from the sales tax.“We 
have to be good stewards of the state’s money,” Tyson said. “That has to
 be taken into consideration when working on other kinds of 
legislation.”Along with pushing back the start date of the food 
sales tax cut, the amended bill also includes making changes to the 
state’s sales tax on utilities.Sen. Tom Holland, the top-ranking 
Democrat on the tax committee, wants the food sales tax to go away in 
July — not a year and a half later.Holland also said Kansas can 
afford to offer the incentives to a manufacturer and cut the sales tax 
because the state expects to have more than $2 billion in surplus at the
 end of the fiscal year in June.“We need to get that tax relief back to Kansas families,” he said. “The best way we can do that is a sales tax refund bill.”<h2>Inflation pressure</h2>Advocates for the cut have said it is needed now to give Kansans a break when food prices are skyrocketing.The
 U.S. Department of Labor says the country saw a 7.5% increase in rate 
of inflation over the last year, which is the largest increase since 
1982.Wiggins, the retired nurse, said she saw a small increase to
 her Social Security checks. But she said that didn’t make much of a 
difference.“It’s all gone because of the inflation,” Wiggins 
said. “They say inflation has hit certain portions of the groceries. But
 what I see in the stores, it has hit everything.”She is not 
alone. Brain Walker, president for the Kansas Food Bank based in 
Wichita, said many of the more than 200,000 Kansans his organization 
serves would benefit from food sales tax relief. Removing the tax would 
immediately allow them to put more food on their tables, he said.People
 with lower incomes are disproportionately affected by the tax, Walker 
said. He used the example of a four-person family making $20,000 a year 
purchasing the same amount of food as a four-person family making 
$100,000 a year. While the families buy the same amount of food and pay 
the same amount of tax on it, the family with a smaller household income
 pays a larger percentage of that income toward the tax.“To us, 
it makes really good sense,” Walker said. “When you cut the sales tax, 
you aren’t favoring anybody — both groups of folks get the relief. But 
the help it extends to a struggling family is huge.”<h2>Election politics</h2>Debates
 about giving breaks to consumers and whether the state can afford the 
lost revenue — Republicans note that the state’s financial surplus is 
propped up by federal pandemic aid that won’t continue in years to come —
 come in the midst of an election year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636397666116.png" alt="courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly, who is running for a
 second term, has repeatedly called for the cut of the tax. It featured 
prominently in her State of the State address in January and her “Axe 
the Food Tax” slogan plays in her re-election campaign. Kelly says it 
would save the average Kansas family about $500 a year.But Schmidt also asked lawmakers to make a cut this year.In
 a letter to Republican legislative leaders in November, Schmidt called 
for the lawmakers to eliminate or at least significantly reduce the tax 
on groceries because of inflation.Wiggins said she hopes lawmakers don’t delay on approving legislation.“It would be nice to think they would pass it and get started changing (the tax),” she said. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”Dylan
 Lysen reports on politics for the Kansas News Service. You can follow 
him on Twitter @DylanLysen or email him at dlysen@kcur.org.

Push to dump Kansas food sales tax could run into election politics

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect who was in possession of police property missing since December of 2020.

On Monday night, officers were sent to the 700 block of N. Fourth Street in Salina after report of suspicious activity. Once there, they made contact with Shadd Boese, 47, of Salina, who was in the driver's seat of a Toyota Land Cruiser, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Boese had an active warrant from Salina Municipal Court for failure to appear.&nbsp;During a search of the vehicle, officers located an X26P Taser that had been stolen from a police officer during a vehicle burglary in Saline County in December 2020, according to Forrester.

&nbsp;Boese was also in possession of methamphetamine that was without a tax stamp, as well as some narcotic pills.&nbsp;

Boese was arrested on requested charges of Felony possession with intent to distribute, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, No drug tax stamp and Possession of stolen property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645541262071.png" alt="Shadd Boese. Photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Shadd Boese. Photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect who was in possession of police property missing since December of 2020.On Monday night, officers were sent to the 700 block of N. Fourth Street in Salina after report of suspicious activity. Once there, they made contact with Shadd Boese, 47, of Salina, who was in the driver's seat of a Toyota Land Cruiser, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.Boese had an active warrant from Salina Municipal Court for failure to appear.&nbsp;During a search of the vehicle, officers located an X26P Taser that had been stolen from a police officer during a vehicle burglary in Saline County in December 2020, according to Forrester.&nbsp;Boese was also in possession of methamphetamine that was without a tax stamp, as well as some narcotic pills.&nbsp;Boese was arrested on requested charges of Felony possession with intent to distribute, Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, No drug tax stamp and Possession of stolen property.

Police find Kansas officer's Taser taken during burglary

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/corvette-seizure-prompts-house-bill-altering-vin-mandate-for-antique-vehicles/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Richard Martinez bought a
 restored 1959 Chevrolet Corvette for $50,000 from an Indiana dealer in 
2016 that the Kansas Highway Patrol labeled as “contraband” that must be
 seized and destroyed under state law.

The Johnson County resident was sent a notice warning of the 
forfeiture action by KHP because a trooper discovered during a mandatory
 registration inspection a defect with a vehicle’s identification 
number. Martinez wasn’t aware of the problem, and law enforcement 
officers said there was no question he was an “innocent owner” of a car 
with VIN issues. Still, the Corvette was seized so it could go to a 
crusher.

Martinez filed a lawsuit in Johnson County District Court — a 
proceeding still active five years later. The district court scheduled a
 conference proceeding for next week.

In the meantime, the Kansas House voted Monday to approve a bill that
 would amend state law on antique vehicles to work around the statute 
declaring a vehicle or trailer with a “destroyed, removed, altered or 
defaced” VIN must be seized as contraband and reduced to scrap metal.

Overhaul of the law would create an exemption for people who removed 
and promptly reinstalled a VIN or manufacturer’s serial number on a 
vehicle at least 35 years old as long as that work was associated with 
repairs or restorations. In addition, House Bill 2594 would carve out an
 exception for antique vehicle owners who didn’t know or had no reason 
to know the antique vehicle was stolen.

Rep. Leo Delperdang, R-Wichita, said old vehicles frequently required
 repairs to areas housing VIN plates that could result in making it 
appear as if something was amiss. In this case, Martinez wasn’t under 
investigation for criminal conduct nor would KHP allow the vehicle to be
 sent back to the seller in Indiana.

“I don’t blame the Kansas Highway Patrol with what they’re doing in 
this case,” Delperdang told his House colleagues. “They’re doing their 
job. I blame the rule makers. That’s us in this room. We have the 
ability to do something for the better moving forward.”

He said the Kansas law caused intense anxiety among antique vehicle 
clubs and at automobile restoration shops where parts of multiple 
vehicles were used to put together a complete vehicle.

Col. Herman Jones, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, 
objected to the bill. He said existing KHP procedure allowed a person 
who wanted to remove a VIN plate to cooperate with troopers to document 
the removal and reinstallation to avoid the threat of seizure in Kansas.

He recommended that if the House bill advanced that a provision be 
added mandating vehicles to be inspected by KHP before removal of a VIN 
plate.

“This would allow us to document the vehicle’s identity and the 
removal process, thus protecting innocent citizens of Kansas from fraud,
 while still holding those accountable who traffic in stolen vehicles,” 
he said.

Sam MacRoberts, litigation director of the Kansas Justice Institute, 
said the current seizure process relied upon by KHP violated the state 
and federal constitutions because it enabled government to take an 
innocent person’s property without due process. He said the statute 
guiding KHP was too vague to be properly enforced.

“Innocence matters,” MacRoberts said in a brief submitted to the 
Johnson County District Court. “The government should not get to destroy
 Mr. Martinez’ car for a wrong he did not commit. That is 
unconstitutional.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645480601283.png" alt="The Kansas House granted preliminary approval Monday of a bill dealing with quirk of state law allowing Kansas Highway Patrol to seize and destroy vehicles with changed or altered vehicle identification plates. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas House granted preliminary approval Monday of a bill dealing with quirk of state law allowing Kansas Highway Patrol to seize and destroy vehicles with changed or altered vehicle identification plates. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/corvette-seizure-prompts-house-bill-altering-vin-mandate-for-antique-vehicles/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Richard Martinez bought a
 restored 1959 Chevrolet Corvette for $50,000 from an Indiana dealer in 
2016 that the Kansas Highway Patrol labeled as “contraband” that must be
 seized and destroyed under state law.The Johnson County resident was sent a notice warning of the 
forfeiture action by KHP because a trooper discovered during a mandatory
 registration inspection a defect with a vehicle’s identification 
number. Martinez wasn’t aware of the problem, and law enforcement 
officers said there was no question he was an “innocent owner” of a car 
with VIN issues. Still, the Corvette was seized so it could go to a 
crusher.Martinez filed a lawsuit in Johnson County District Court — a 
proceeding still active five years later. The district court scheduled a
 conference proceeding for next week.In the meantime, the Kansas House voted Monday to approve a bill that
 would amend state law on antique vehicles to work around the statute 
declaring a vehicle or trailer with a “destroyed, removed, altered or 
defaced” VIN must be seized as contraband and reduced to scrap metal.Overhaul of the law would create an exemption for people who removed 
and promptly reinstalled a VIN or manufacturer’s serial number on a 
vehicle at least 35 years old as long as that work was associated with 
repairs or restorations. In addition, House Bill 2594 would carve out an
 exception for antique vehicle owners who didn’t know or had no reason 
to know the antique vehicle was stolen.Rep. Leo Delperdang, R-Wichita, said old vehicles frequently required
 repairs to areas housing VIN plates that could result in making it 
appear as if something was amiss. In this case, Martinez wasn’t under 
investigation for criminal conduct nor would KHP allow the vehicle to be
 sent back to the seller in Indiana.“I don’t blame the Kansas Highway Patrol with what they’re doing in 
this case,” Delperdang told his House colleagues. “They’re doing their 
job. I blame the rule makers. That’s us in this room. We have the 
ability to do something for the better moving forward.”He said the Kansas law caused intense anxiety among antique vehicle 
clubs and at automobile restoration shops where parts of multiple 
vehicles were used to put together a complete vehicle.Col. Herman Jones, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, 
objected to the bill. He said existing KHP procedure allowed a person 
who wanted to remove a VIN plate to cooperate with troopers to document 
the removal and reinstallation to avoid the threat of seizure in Kansas.He recommended that if the House bill advanced that a provision be 
added mandating vehicles to be inspected by KHP before removal of a VIN 
plate.“This would allow us to document the vehicle’s identity and the 
removal process, thus protecting innocent citizens of Kansas from fraud,
 while still holding those accountable who traffic in stolen vehicles,” 
he said.Sam MacRoberts, litigation director of the Kansas Justice Institute, 
said the current seizure process relied upon by KHP violated the state 
and federal constitutions because it enabled government to take an 
innocent person’s property without due process. He said the statute 
guiding KHP was too vague to be properly enforced.“Innocence matters,” MacRoberts said in a brief submitted to the 
Johnson County District Court. “The government should not get to destroy
 Mr. Martinez’ car for a wrong he did not commit. That is 
unconstitutional.”

Corvette seizure prompts Kan. bill retooling VIN mandate for antique vehicles

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Police have identified a man and woman killed in a shooting in Kansas City that also critically wounded a 5-year-old boy.

The shooting was reported just before 1 a.m. Monday at an intersection between the Santa Fe and Oak Park West neighborhoods, police said. Arriving officers were pointed to a vehicle in a parking lot where they found 34-year-old Jermaine Jackson and 31-year-old Ashley Pettiford and Pettiford’s 5-year-old son inside, all suffering from gunshot wounds.

Jackson and Pettiford were pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, but police later said he was expected to survive.

Police have not indicated they have any suspects in the shooting.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man and woman were shot dead and a young child was critically wounded in an overnight shooting in Kansas City, police there said.

Police were called just before 1 a.m. Monday to an intersection between the Santa Fe and Oak Park West neighborhoods for reports of a shooting, according to a news release issued by Kansas City police. Arriving officers were pointed to a vehicle in a parking lot. Inside the vehicle, police found the two adults and a boy under the age of 10 with gunshot wounds.

Paramedics declared the two adults dead at the scene. The boy was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. Officials later said the child was in critical but stable condition.

Police were canvassing the area for any witnesses to the shooting. The names of the victims were not immediately released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645462997877.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — Police have identified a man and woman killed in a shooting in Kansas City that also critically wounded a 5-year-old boy.The shooting was reported just before 1 a.m. Monday at an intersection between the Santa Fe and Oak Park West neighborhoods, police said. Arriving officers were pointed to a vehicle in a parking lot where they found 34-year-old Jermaine Jackson and 31-year-old Ashley Pettiford and Pettiford’s 5-year-old son inside, all suffering from gunshot wounds.Jackson and Pettiford were pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, but police later said he was expected to survive.Police have not indicated they have any suspects in the shooting.-----------KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man and woman were shot dead and a young child was critically wounded in an overnight shooting in Kansas City, police there said.Police were called just before 1 a.m. Monday to an intersection between the Santa Fe and Oak Park West neighborhoods for reports of a shooting, according to a news release issued by Kansas City police. Arriving officers were pointed to a vehicle in a parking lot. Inside the vehicle, police found the two adults and a boy under the age of 10 with gunshot wounds.Paramedics declared the two adults dead at the scene. The boy was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. Officials later said the child was in critical but stable condition.Police were canvassing the area for any witnesses to the shooting. The names of the victims were not immediately released.

KC police ID victims in fatal shooting that injured 5-year-old 

MOSCOW (AP) — The White House on Tuesday began referring to Russian troop deployments in eastern Ukraine as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">an “invasion”&nbsp;</a>after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Joe Biden has said would result in the U.S. levying severe sanctions against Moscow.

Several European leaders said earlier in the day that Russian troops have moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognized their independence — but some indicated it was not yet the long-feared, full-fledged invasion.

Later, the White House signaled a shift in its own position.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.”

The White House decided to begin referring to Russia’s actions as an “invasion” because of the situation on the ground, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The administration resisted initially calling the deployment of troops because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, the official added.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also alluded to the Russian action as being an invasion in a twitter post commenting on Germany chancellor Olaf Scholz decision to halt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Russia’s actions.

The U.S. president “made clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine, we would action would act with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 does not move forward,” Psaki said.

For weeks, Western powers have been bracing for an invasion as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine. They warned an attack would cause massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages in Europe&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe&nbsp;</a>— and promised swift and severe sanctions if it materialized. The European Union and Britain announced Tuesday that some of those measures were coming.

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>&nbsp;in a conflict that has killed over 14,000 people. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence “in borders that existed when they proclaimed” their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under the rebel control and that include the major Black Sea port of Mariupol.

Putin’s move to recognize the territories’ independence opened the door for him to formalize his hold on them and send forces in, though Ukraine and its Western allies have charged Russian troops have been fighting there for years. Moscow denies those allegations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645539632172.png" alt="On Monday night, President Biden signed an Executive Order to deny Russia the chance to profit from its blatant violations of international law-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Monday night, President Biden signed an Executive Order to deny Russia the chance to profit from its blatant violations of international law-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — The White House on Tuesday began referring to Russian troop deployments in eastern Ukraine as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">an “invasion”&nbsp;</a>after initially hesitating to use the term — a red line that President Joe Biden has said would result in the U.S. levying severe sanctions against Moscow.Several European leaders said earlier in the day that Russian troops have moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognized their independence — but some indicated it was not yet the long-feared, full-fledged invasion.Later, the White House signaled a shift in its own position.“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.”The White House decided to begin referring to Russia’s actions as an “invasion” because of the situation on the ground, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.The administration resisted initially calling the deployment of troops because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, the official added.White House press secretary Jen Psaki also alluded to the Russian action as being an invasion in a twitter post commenting on Germany chancellor Olaf Scholz decision to halt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Russia’s actions.The U.S. president “made clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine, we would action would act with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 does not move forward,” Psaki said.For weeks, Western powers have been bracing for an invasion as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine. They warned an attack would cause massive casualties,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-business-russia-europe-a4e956253d3640084f8bdfaa2c901be8">energy shortages in Europe&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-tokyo-europe-e6b1a6678833d81272b2dd7b130aa25a">economic chaos around the globe&nbsp;</a>— and promised swift and severe sanctions if it materialized. The European Union and Britain announced Tuesday that some of those measures were coming.Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade — and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-boris-johnson-europe-emmanuel-macron-2b7c2949ae3168effce9d0cb2584bb32">recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine</a>, where government troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-moscow-bcd0c04a2aa146e76b7e757f482f27bb">have fought Russia-backed rebels</a>&nbsp;in a conflict that has killed over 14,000 people. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has recognized the rebel regions’ independence “in borders that existed when they proclaimed” their independence in 2014 — broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under the rebel control and that include the major Black Sea port of Mariupol.Putin’s move to recognize the territories’ independence opened the door for him to formalize his hold on them and send forces in, though Ukraine and its Western allies have charged Russian troops have been fighting there for years. Moscow denies those allegations.Condemnation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-asia-europe-united-nations-881717d75ad21662562dec7b5c8f43b0">from around the world was quick.</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While the U.S. clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.“Russian troops have entered in Donbas,” the name for the area where the two separatist regions are located, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine.”But in a distinction that could complicate a European and Western response, he added: “I wouldn’t say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”Poland’s Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered Ukraine’s east, with Javid telling Sky News that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive.”The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters that the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn’t confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian.In response to the moves thus far, top EU officials said the bloc was prepared to impose sanctions on several Russian officials and banks financing the Russian armed forces and move to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets. They gave few details.EU foreign ministers are meeting later Tuesday to discuss the measures — but they did not appear to include the massive punishment repeatedly promised in case of a full-fledged invasion.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals.While he said that Russian tanks have already rolled into eastern Ukraine, he warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.”The White House has also moved to respond, issuing an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures — likely sanctions — were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.The Russian moves also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-germany-europe-berlin-79e3dafb0d231f6a033613b7dab78cdf">pushed Germany</a>&nbsp;to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.As world leaders scrambled to decide on their response, legislation that will likely set the stage for a deeper move into Ukrainian territory moved through Russia’s parliament.The bills, which sailed quickly through the Kremlin-controlled parliament, envisage military ties between Moscow and the separatist regions, including possible deployment of Russian military bases in the separatist regions.Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, sought to project calm, telling the country in an address overnight: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don’t owe anyone anything. And we won’t give anything to anyone.”His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will be in Washington on Tuesday to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the current crisis and describing Ukraine’s bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-poland-vladimir-putin-f00872897f338dbedd857cd1d880e9d3">hourlong televised speech</a>&nbsp;on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.“Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security,” he said.Russia says it wants Western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members. Moscow has also demanded the alliance halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe — demands flatly rejected by the West.Putin warned Monday that the Western rejection of Moscow’s demands gives Russia the right to take other steps to protect its security.Sweeping through more than a century of history, Putin painted today’s Ukraine as a modern construct used by the West to contain Russia despite the neighbors inextricable links.In a stark warning to Ukraine, the Russian leader charged that it has unfairly inherited Russia’s historic land granted to it by the Communist rulers of the Soviet Union and mocked its effort to shed the Communist past in a so-called “decommunization” campaign.“We are ready to show you what the real decommunization would mean for Ukraine,” Putin added ominously in an apparent signal of his readiness to raise new land claims.Amid the soaring tensions, U.S. President Joe Biden and Putin tentatively agreed to a meeting in a last-ditch effort to avoid war. But the U.S. always said that if Russia moved in, the meeting would be off.