Former Vice President Mike Pence’s advocacy group plans to spend $10 million on TV ads targeting vulnerable House Dems on energy and Ukraine, Axios’ Lachlan Markay and Jonathan Swan have learned.

Why it matters: Pence contrasted himself against Trump last week, slamming the GOP’s “apologists” for Putin. Now he’s using the Russian invasion to trash Democrats.

Between the lines: The new ad buy from his group, Advancing American Freedom, shows Pence is spending serious coin to shore up a political brand independent of former President Trump.

The $10 million buy is the most expensive move by a 2024 GOP contender not named Donald Trump.

What’s happening: The ads begin airing today. They’re targeting 16 House Democrats in competitive re-election fights this year. Pence’s name, voice and image don’t appear in the spot previewed by Axios.