Russia begins a barrage of both artillery fire and misinformation to drum up any excuse to go to war. Their claimed "troop withdrawal" turned out to be just another misdirection. Diplomatic efforts to calm the situation continue to fail.

The Russian legislature asks Putin to recognize the occupation authorities in Donbas as sovereign nations, but is rebuffed for now.

Russian "naval exercises" bring most of the Black Sea under their control.

Scandals in both the Eurovision Song Contest and the Winter Olympics.