1/ NATO Secretary General warned that Russia’s false claim that the U.S. is working with Ukraine to develop biochemical weapons could be used by the Kremlin as a pretext for the use of chemical weapons. “We must remain vigilant because it is possible that Russia itself could plan chemical weapons operations under this fabrication of lies,” Jens Stoltenberg said. “That would be a war crime” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby added: “It is of the Russian playbook that that which they accuse you of they’re planning to do now. Now, again, we haven’t seen anything into it indicates some sort of imminent chemical or biological attack right now, but we’re watching this very, very closely.” Kirby also said Russian forces are “broadening their target sets” after rockets hit a Ukrainian military base near the Polish border. (Politico / Reuters / ABC News / Washington Post)

2/ The Kremlin instructed Russian state media to feature Fox News host Tucker Carlson “as much as possible,” according to a leaked memo produced by the Russian Department of Information and Telecommunications Support. The 12-page war memo told Russian media that it is “essential” to use more Carlson segments in their coverage because he “sharply criticizes” the actions of the United States and NATO and his position on the war in Ukraine is “Russia is only protecting its interests and security.” On March 9, Carlson repeated Russian disinformation that the United States set up biowarfare labs in Ukraine were “totally and completely true.” The following day, a “recommendations for coverage” memo from the Russian agency advised state media to relay the message that “activities of military biological laboratories with American participation on the territory of Ukraine carried global threats to Russia and Europe.” The document also encouraged hosts to allege that the “the United States is working on a ‘biogenocide of the Eastern Slavs.’” The claims of U.S.-run “biological research facilities” in Ukraine are not true. (Mother Jones / The Guardian /