All is not quiet on the eastern front.

The lead starts right now.

Russia's war against Ukraine enters a new phase with their assault on the Dombas region

now begun.

Russia's reported plans to, according to an intercepted communication, quote, level everything

to the ground as a group of Ukrainian fighters hold down a steel plant near Mariopol and

become the new symbol of resistance and desperation.

Anti-tank missile systems, helicopters and munitions and more growing concerns in

the U.S. that the flood of weapons headed to Ukraine might end up in the wrong hands.

Plus, sky high celebrations as most mask mandates for public transit end marking a landmark

moment in the pandemic.

Welcome to the lead I'm Jake Tapper and we start today in our world lead at top aid

to Ukraine's president now warning not a single place, town, city or village in Ukraine

is safe as the Kremlin announces a new phase in its unprovoked war against its neighbor

to the west.

Today the fate of the town of Mariopol rests on an unknown number of Ukrainian fighters

trying to defend the city's iron and steel factory of four square mile complex.

They have rejected multiple calls from the Russians to surrender in part because of the

estimated 1000 civilian sheltering in the factories basement, the as of battalion of

Ukraine sharing this video saying that these are the innocent men, women, children, babies

who did nothing to deserve this bombardment and are now at the mercy of Putin's military.

Despite relentless shelling and bombing from Russian forces, a local official tells CNN

...