Russia invades Ukraine as Biden announces sanctions and pledges NATO defense

Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by land, sea, and air, bombing Kyiv and other cities. President Biden calls it "a premeditated attack" and announces the first tranche of sanctions targeting Russia's largest banks, Sberbank and VTB, blocking them from U.S. financial markets. The sanctions initially exclude Russia from SWIFT because European allies aren't ready for that step. Biden deploys additional U.S. forces to Germany and Poland to reassure NATO's eastern flank, but explicitly rules out sending U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine. He warns "If we don't move against him now with these notable sanctions, he will be in Poland."