Hello from CNN, I'm Taylor Galgano with the five things you need to know for Wednesday, February 21st.

House Republicans are entering a critical moment in their efforts to impeach President Joe Biden.

Today they interviewed James Biden, the President's brother.

House Republicans are trying to prove that the President profited from one of James's business ventures in 2017.

But today, James said the president played no role in it and

received no benefits from it.

This has another key part of Republican's case seems to be falling apart too.

Alexander Smyrdoff was an FBI informant,

and House Republicans previously touted his claims

that a Ukrainian oligarch paid millions of dollars

to the Biden family and bribes.

But now, Smyrnoff has been charged with lying to the

FBI and about making up those very claims. CNN's Manu Raju confronted

Representative Jim Jordan about this development today.

But your promotion of a bribery scheme was false.

Not at all.

But Joe Biden bragged about it.

And what Smirov said is not true.

We do concede that.

Well, yeah, that's what the FBI is saying.

Russia's defense minister claims the military has captured Krinky, a key village in the Herson region. But Ukraine denied this, saying defense forces continue to hold their positions.

And this comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to celebrate capturing the eastern

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