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Hey there, this is Mark Filipino, the host of the FT News Briefing.

Before we start the show, I want to let you know that I actually record the briefing the night before

it's published. So today's show, Thursday, I'm actually recording on Wednesday night New York time.

I mention this because events are moving quickly in the Ukraine conflict, so things could change

between now when I'm recording and by the time you listen. Okay, with that out of the way,

let's start the show. Good morning from the Financial Times. Today is Thursday, February 24th,

and this is your FT News Briefing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a special military operation in Ukraine,

and how might the Ukraine conflict affect the global economic recovery?

If you are effectively threatening World War III, the economic situation is going to get

very, very quickly. I'm Mark Filipino, and here's the news you need to start your day.

There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell and mess it up.

That was Ukraine's ambassador to the UN during an emergency security council meeting

early Thursday morning. He was speaking to Russia's ambassador shortly after Vladimir Putin

ordered a full-scale military invasion. There were explosions in several Ukrainian cities,

including the capital Keefe after Putin made the announcement on Russian state television.

Meanwhile, in the markets, the price of Brent Crude rose above $100 a barrel and stock features

dipped after the order. The FT's Moscow Bureau Chief Max Seton joins me now with more on Putin's order.

Hi, Max. So Max, what ultimately triggered this invasion?

Well, in the end, this is all just completely Putin's own decision. There was no real pretext,

...