A stark message to the world.

I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one.

The lead starts right now.

America's top diplomat at the United Nations Security Council today laying out how Russia

could lie to try to justify going into Ukraine.

It might be a mass grave for a fake chemical attack or a staged drone strike, Secretary

of State Antony Blinken says.

Part of Eastern Ukraine was just shelled.

CNN is on the ground.

And words Americans have been waiting to hear for two years, the most populous state in

the nation entering the so-called endemic phase of COVID, meaning they're going to try

to learn to live with it and lift restrictions, might your state be next, then two teenagers,

one white, one black, both in a fight in a New Jersey mall.

Why was only the black teenager thrown to the ground and handcuffed by police?

Well, his mother is speaking out.

Welcome to the lead I'm Jake Tapper and we start today with our world lead and warnings

from the West that Russia is not telling the truth that it is increasing its capabilities

to invade Ukraine and that it may be staging attacks right now to try to justify a war that

they are clearly prepared for.

We see some of those troops inch closer to that border.

We see them fly in more combat and support aircraft.

We see them sharpen their readiness.

...