we are nearing the third week of russia's attack on ukraine as a potential grift rises among nato allies over the u.s. rejecting poland's offer on jets for ukraine oil prices continue surging on supply fears coming off president biden's decision to halt russian energy imports. and watching it all unfold intently is china as the u.s. and eu along with japan manage to bond on a united front. and here at home the controversial florida bill known as don't say gay passes the legislature and will soon become

law. it's wednesday, march 9th. "early today" starts right now >> thanks for joining us i'm steven romo. >> i'm frances rivera. it's been nearly two weeks since russia began its assault on ukraine. the military will repatriate two defense missiles to poland this step is to deter aggression and reassure our nato allies >> zelenskyy addressed the u.k. house of commons >> translator: i'd like to remind you the words that the united kingdom have already heard which are important again. we will not give up, and we will not lose we will fight until the end at sea, in the air. we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. >> zelenskyy got a standing ovation from the members of parliament for that.

on capitol hill u.s. officials shared a grim assessment of vladimir putin's mind-set saying the russian leader sees this as a war he cannot lose. >> putin is determined to dominate ukraine and shape its orientation. it's a matter of deep personal conviction for him he's been stewing in a combustible combination of grievance and ambition for many years. putin is angry and frustrated right now. he's likely to double down and try to grind down the ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties. >> and we are seeing more examples of civilians put in serious danger the town of sumy saw heavy shelling ukrainian officials reported 18 civilian deaths there including two children molly, what do we know about the efforts to get people safely out of sumy? >> reporter: francis, as you

mentioned a lot of towns we're looking at as these possible humanitarian corridors for cease-fires are the towns getting hit like sumy. sumy has been under constant bombardment. we know 5,000 people from sumy have been evacuated. they have agreed once again by the icrs, the international body for red cross and that an evacuation effort and humanitarian corridor is under way in sumy as well as four other cities including mariupol. and the conditions are dire. people there are living without water, without electricity, without heat according to the red cross 200,000 people need to get out there. but previous attempts over the weekend and this week to evacuate citizens have failed because of russian shelling. >> even with russia's slow progress on the ground, the pentagon seems to feel russia

might be closing its grip on the capital kyiv >> reporter: that's exactly what we heard from the pentagon yesterday. it's two big points. the first is that russia has committed almost 100% of its forces either to the border or across in ukraine. the other point is that 95% of russian forces are still intact. now, according to a senior defense official russia is really working on a third access of attack to the capital of kyiv that's where we will be watching closely. that attack, though, is also where they are shelling civilians very heavily and that is one of the places being talked about a lot for possible humanitarian corridors. >> the country of ukraine, the world bracing themselves we see them nearing the possibility of taking over. now to it growing anguish at the uyan krn border and staggering numbers more than 2 million women and children along with elderly have fled that country since russia started its invasion joining us live near the polish

ukrainian border is jay gray how are things looking this morning? >> reporter: yeah, steven, i want to give you an idea our cameras first allowed in this center about 60 miles from the border as you can see it's packed they are taking care of thousands here, and it is desperately needed right now in some areas evacuations come during the calm of the humanitarian cease-fire. in others families run from the horror of an all out attack on their city as russian troops advance laying waste to smaller towns and villages, ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy speaking in defiance from his office in kyiv after reports he was in hiding, declaring he's not afraid of anyone and urging ukrainians to continue fighting. there's now the first of ukrainians international legion, foreign volunteers who join the

fight, take their place along the front lines. >> fighting for democracy because democracy is progress. >> reporter: others, mostly women and children are fighting to escape the war zone, many still unable to comprehend how and why it's all happening >> it is luteally insane because it is 2022, and people are going to moon, and we have tesla cars, and we have all that amazing technology now and here comes war, this stupid war >> reporter: a war that's pushed more than 2 million from their homeland, so many unsure of what comes next yeah and look, this is what's next for so many. you've got the cafeteria here where people are getting fed, some not having a good hot meal for quite some time. i want to walk you through this place is amazing and i want to tell you it was all done by a

doctor who just felt the need. this used to be a mall, a shopping mall. now in two days working around the clock they've got a washroom that's built in this mall, they've got beds all around. i'll show you they've got food here where people can come in and get their food and then if we take one more step down you'll see they've got a 24-hour doctor here to help anybody who may need it. so amazing work what these volunteers are doing and steven, like i said it's desperately needed for so many >> an incredible view at life in that shelter jay, thank you president biden is severing another financial line to vladimir putin by banning russian oil imports. he announced the move after mounting pressure from both parties, but the president also warned this will drive up gas prices even higher biden called this putin's price hike nbc's brie jackson in d.c. with the latest and americans overwhelmingly support this decision right now

aanyway. >> reporter: that's right. a new wall street journal poll helps put it into perspectivech it shows that 8 in 10 americans support the ban on russian oil even if it means eating the cost, as every driver is painfully aware already prices are jumping every day because of russia's war in ukraine. the average cost for a gallon of regular unled is up to $4.17 nationwide, nearly a $1.50 higher than what we paid a year ago. but the president said the alternative could come at a higher cost. >> this is a move that has strong bipartisan support in congress and i believe in the country. americans have rallied to support the ukrainian people and made it clear we will not be part of subsidizing putin's war. there will be costs as well here in the united states and if we do not respond to putin's assault on global peace and stability today, the cost of freedom and to american people will be even greater tomorrow. >> reporter: in a new video

ukraine's president zelenskyy thanked mr. biden and the american people for taking a stand against russia meanwhile a bipartisan team in congress is racing to provide more aid to ukraine. the measure would provide $14 billion in assistance for humanitarian efforts and also bolster ukraine's military and economy. now, that bill could head to the president's desk as early as next week. frances? >> all right, brie, thank you. yesterday's gas prices are certainly not today's gas prices and like that hit song says they're going all the way up, and it is due to russia's invasion of ukraine. according to aaa the average national price for a gallon of regular gasoline hit the highest price ever, $4.17 on tuesday, not accounting for thereflation. that number beats a previous high last seen in 2008 right now california has the most expensive prices in the country at $5.44

followed by hawaii, nevada, oregon and washington state. the controversial don't say gay bill passed the florida senate parents will also be allowed to sue schools who teach -- or teachers who violate this rule advocates argue this turns back the clock on lgbtq rights. if governor desantis signs the bill the law would go into effect july 1st. to mother nature and battling the elements with nbc meteorologist bill karins. there's a couple of storms on the radar. >> yeah, we have the big storm dealing with today on the east coast and a bigger one especially saturday in areas of the northeast. so the concern this morning is the threat of isolated tornados. we had a scary scenario in mobile overnight where we had a confirmed tornado moving towards the airport and downtown thankfully it dissipated pretty quickly before it did too much

damage and now we're watching the additional threat of storms from pensacola through sliding through panama city. pretty strong storms along the beaches. the other area of concern would be to rain to snow line as we go throughout the morning and eventually will will move up through new york state and new england. later today toward suvan vau, charleston, myrtle beach our friends there could deal with some strong storms as far as snow goes this will be mostly on the grsy surfaceass h towards the east coast and especially the southeast beaches. and there's that messy weather

in the northeast hold onto your hats this weekend, guys. there's going to be a pretty big storm in the northeast details coming up. >> almost heading halfway into the month. all right, bill, thank you one is dead and another critically injured after suffering a 200-foot fall on mount hood they first attempted to reach the climbers on sunday, but in a two day effort wind and snow conditions proved to be too difficult. the first climber was pronounced dead on the mountain the second climber was in critical condition back in a moment with prince andrew's financial settlement. and nfl star richard sherman pleads guilty to two misdemeanor charges. his sentence revealed next with our signature blend of health and beauty nutrients to bring out more of your inner beauty. nature's bounty. live bountifully. plaque psoriasis, the burning, itching. the pain. nature's bounty.

emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®, adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...can uncover clearer skin and improve symptoms at 16 weeks. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant® with tremfya®... ask you doctor about tremfya® today. most bladder leak pads were similar. until always discreet invented a pad that protects differently. with two rapiddry layers. for strong protection, that's always discreet. question your protection. try always discreet. leading the news the sexual abuse lawsuit filed against britain's prince andrew has been dismissed. his accuser virginia dufray has agreed to a settlement involving

the prince paying a substantial donation to her charity which supports survivors of sex trafficking. he was also required to declare he never meant to malign her character which he said in a statement last month a small plane crashed in centennial, colorado, tuesday afternoon. the pilot and single passenger were able to walk awayfrom the crash and were taken to the hospital with only minor injuries the crew said a small fire in the aircraft had been extinguished and the cause of it crash is under investigation tampa bay quarterback richard sherman pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges officials say he tried to break into his in-laws home and crashed his vehicle at a construction site in july. as part of the plea richard has agreed to pay more than $2,000 in court fees as well as complete community service and also remain under court supervision for the next two

years. still to come the golden arches go dark mcdonald's shutdown operations in russia in protests of the war in ukraine the other chains following suit. and steve sedgwick will look at whether the russian oil ban could lead to supply shortages so every touch will protect like the first. pampers is now a good time for a flare-up? enough, crohn's! for adults with moderate to severe crohn's or ulcerative colitis, stelara® can provide relief, and is the first approved medication to reduce inflammation on and below the surface of the intestine in uc. you, getting on that flight? back off, uc! stelara® may increase your risk of infections, some serious, and cancer. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, sores, new skin growths, have had cancer, or if you need a vaccine. pres, a rare, potentially fatal brain condition,

may be possible. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. lasting remission can start with stelara®. janssen can help you explore cost support options. i've been telling everyone... janssen can help you explore the secret to great teeth is having healthy gums. crest advanced gum restore. detoxifies below the gumline... and restores by helping heal gums in as little as 7 days. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. i'm 53, but in my mind i'm still 35. that's why i take osteo bi-flex, to keep me moving the way i was made to. it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex. available at your local retailer and club. ♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year ♪ get fast relief of your worst allergy symptoms, available at your local including nasal congestion, with powerful claritin d, so you can breathe better. feel the clarity and make today the most wonderful time of the year. claritin d. with microban 24, just one spray, fights bacteria all day.

it forms a defensive shield that keeps killing 99.9% of bacteria touch after touch. these leading disinfectants do not. microban 24. don't just sanitize it, microban it.

more on the crunch we're seeing put on russia mcdonald's is temporarily shutting down all 850 restaurants across russia. in a statement mcdonald's said it would continue to pay russian employees while restaurants are still closed and companies in food and drink announced they're pulling out of russia. coca-cola anounced they're pulling out of the country the reps said in a statement their hearts are with the people of ukraine and pepsico added the has a responsibility to continue to offer milk, baby formula and other products to the russian

people starbucks followed suit in closing its russian stores the coffee chain also halted all shipment of starbucks products into the country and lego has paused product shipments into russia. the company also donated over $60 million to emergency relief efforts. >> salesforce says the company and its employees have donated $2 million to the non-profit relief organizations to refugees and those in ukraine the software company says it began cutting ties with its russian based customers last week and ebay announced it will start removing items on its online storefront that show support for russian president vladimir putin. >> as the war wages in ukraine china is keeping a close eye on how the rest of the world is reacting and how they're seemingly bonding as well. and plus we're watching green arrows across the board as prices continue to skyrocket steve, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, frances, good morning steve. and absolutely china is watching

and with a certain amount of alarm according to some analysts because the unity from the japanese, eu, from nato and of course being led by the united states has slightly alarmed those in china who is looking what is happening with russia and just wondering if further down the line, the same kind of sanctions, the same kind of unity and creation around isolation of russia could well effect them at some stage. they have exposure to their supply chains and vulnerabilities there are, and the chinese have been working to get rid of some of those the last couple of years the price rally continues as well we've got wti the u.s. measure around $125 per barrel at the moment brent the measure at spoper barrel i'm afraid that's sending gasoline prices higher this as the president, mr. bide biden, has banned russian imports of oil and gats into the united states. the u.k. is also trying to phase-out russian oil over the next year. the eu is a lot more reliant on russian oil and gas. they're going to try to lessen

that dependence by two thirds over the next year i'm afraid to say the prices at the pump are huge. one year ago $2.79 was the price of a regular gallon of gasoline. it is now $4.25. >> and expected to rise even more in the days and months to come steve, thank you bill is tracking severe weekend weher atnext and land of the generous where america ranks when it comes to giving back align contains a quality probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24/7. try align, the pros in digestive health. and join the align healthy gut team up and learn what millions of align users already know. how great a healthy gut can feel. sign up at alignprobiotics.com also try align dualbiotics gummies to help support digestive health. for people who could use a lift new neutrogena® rapid firming.

a triple-lift serum with pure collagen. 92% saw visibly firmer skin in just 4 weeks. neutrogena® for people with skin. ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so puffs plus lotion rescued his nose. with up to 50% more lotion, puffs bring soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. want more restful sleep? nature's bounty gives you more with sleep3. the first ever triple action sleep supplement with 3 unique nighttime benefits to help you get a great night's sleep and wake feeling refreshed. live bountifully. nature's bounty. don't settle for products that give you a sort-of white smile. try crest whitening emulsions... ...for 100% whiter teeth. its highly active peroxide droplets... ...swipe on in seconds. better. faster. 100% whiter teeth. shop crestwhitesmile.com. i may have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. or psoriatic arthritis.

but we are so much more. we're team players and artists. designers and do-it-yourselfers. if joint pain is getting in the way of who you are, it's time to talk tbrel hele joint pain, and helps stop permanent joint damage. plus enbrel helps skin get clearer in psoriatic arthritis. ask your doctor about enbrel, so you can get back to your true self. play ball! enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders and allergic reactions have occurred. tell your doctor if you've been someplace where fungal infections are common. or if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if you have persistent fever, bruising, bleeding or paleness. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. visit enbrel.com to see how your joint damage could progress. enbrel. eligible patients may pay as little as $5 per month. honestly, i thought i was getting my floors cleaned. then i learned, my mop could be loaded with bacteria.

that means i gotta clean my mop too? ugh. so i got a swiffer wetjet to get a cleaner, clean! i stick on a fresh pad. boom! it's ready to go. the spray breaks down dirt. and the pad absorbs it deep inside. unlike my mop that can spread it around. and wetjet's even safe on wood! all this? buh-bye. it's so simple! i get a cleaner clean every day. try wejet with a money back guarantee. welcome back to "early today. our next storm we'll be tracking this will be a big one and bringing snow and cold all the way to the south look at the friday map with snow in areas of arkansas, north texas through missouri areas of illinois and indiana. and on saturday this will go from rain to snow in many areas of the northeast especially interior sections will have a chance for heavy snow and gusty winds. so hold on tight >> all right, bill, thank you. next on "early today" from the gas pump to the grocery aisle,

e sobering impact on inflation on average americans emerge tremfyant®. tremfya® is approved to help reduce joint symptoms in adults with active psoriatic arthritis. some patients even felt less fatigued. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant® with tremfya®... ask you doctor about tremfya® today. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches in your hands or feet? try nervivenerve relief from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid to relieve occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief.

test. in today's news by the numbers. inflation continues to surge and 64% of americans are now living paycheck to paycheck that's according to a report by lending club high grocery and gas prices are hitting households especially hard as inflation rises faster than wage growth america has been ranked the world's most generous country over the last decade, according to the charities and foundation world giving index 61% of americans have donated money over the last decade meanwhile 72% of americans have helped strangers, and 42% of americans have volunteered,

which is what we need to hear right now when we see that with so many efforts and ways to give back especially to those who are fleeing and need that help in ukraine. >> so much kindness. glad to hear that. as we celebrate the achievement of women across the globe, nbc's lest holt reflects on those women leading the way to safety in ukraine right now >> reporter: they've said good-bye to everything, thousands of women left to lead the way to safety, holding their children's hands and the little they can carry with them outside a train station in lviv oreno who evacuated tells me she and her daughter will shelter h here behind the tears, resilience and fortitude. leah came here from kharkiv with her twins to escape the fighting, protecting them, telling them the sounds of war

were actually just bad weather she's ready to leave that storm far behind them. the girls for now content to play 22-year-old sophia is a volunteer. she tells me she is in awe of the women she sees here. a lot of the people i see here are women, children. they have a lot of strength. can you talk about what they face and how they're dealing with it? >> they have a lot of, i don't know, woman power to -- to have the children and go away to nowhere. >> reporter: and on this international women's day firefighters in romania handed out tulips to women as they crossed the border, a promise of spring and new beginnings. >> so much strength there right

now. our thanks to lester holt for that report. >> yeah, that is so powerful to see them handing out those flowers as a sim of some brightness and beauty that hopefully will come there way when this is all done. >> much needed thanks for waking up wit

sofia. it is absolutely insane because it is 2022. >> right now at 4:30, crisis in ukraine. the humanitarian crisis growing rapidly day by day, as russian forces advance on another key city. also, the way states and the national guards are helping ukrainian soldiers. >> plus, navigating the world post-covid. we sit down with mayors of three of the largest bay area cities to ask about how they plan to move forward and out of the pandemic. this is "today in the bay." wednesday