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tv   BBC News  BBCNEWS  February 24, 2024 10:30pm-11:01pm GMT

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this is bbc news, the headlines... the mp, lee anderson, has been suspended from the conservative party after refusing to apologise for saying islamists had gained control of the mayor of london, sadiq khan. the spokeswoman for the russian opposition figure, alexey navalny, says his body has been given to his mother, more than a week after he died in prison. republicans in south carolina are voting to decide whether donald trump or nikki haley will be their presidential candidate. the former us president is expected to easily overpower his rival. ukraine's president, volodymyr zelensky has
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vowed his country will win the war as it marks the second anniversary of russia's full—scale invasion. hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or injured, and millions have lost their homes or been forced to flee. over the next half an hour we'll take you through what's been happening today and have special reports from our correspondents across ukraine. first, though let's hear from president zelensky who issued a rallying cry to his compatriots. he was speaking at hostomel airport near kyiv , the site of a key early battle. translation: two years ago, we met hostile landing with fire here. - but two years later, we welcome ourfriends and partners here. we have become 730 days closer to victory. someone is waiting for some sort of fortune teller to give us the end date, but millions of ukrainians
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just remember a great quote from our poet kobzar. "keep fighting, you are sure to win." none of us will allow our ukraine to end. in the future, next to the word ukraine, the word independent will always stand. those friends and partners that president zelensky spoke of were several western leaders who flew to kyiv in a show of solidarity. it included the leaders of italy, belgium and canada — as well as the president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen. however, no senior us representatives were present, whereas last year presidentjoe biden attended the anniversary. the leaders laid wreaths at a wall commemorating those who have lost their lives in the conflict. despite their show of solidarity, correspondents say ukraine is struggling and the mood is bleaker than a year ago, after recent russian advances.
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two years ago, ukraine was expected by some to fall within days, but it's still defending itself against relentless russian attacks. however, president zelensky says more of his troops are dying because of slowing western support. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse has been to the president's home city of kryvyi rih, to explore how long this war could last. they run every minute, weaving through the city the trams of kryvyi rih. they provide a rhythm to daily life. in this era of change and fragility, they're not the only thing that keeps going. this gritty urban setting is built around the domineering steel plant where the chimney
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smoke never stopped. there's also no respite for those supporting the war effort, like tatiana. my village is on the front line. my house was destroyed by a direct hit. but i have found some solace here. it fills me up. i feel needed. they make supplies like these. camouflage netting desperately needed by the military. they are the foundations behind the fighting, which two years in is not going ukraine's way. but these volunteers are doing what they can. as international support wanes, yes, we knew
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but these volunteers are doing what they can as international support wanes. if it wasn't for these people, it would be much more difficult. we probably wouldn't be standing here today. they help us with everything, totally everything. i'm very grateful to them. president zelensky�*s home city can't escape the tiredness his country feels. some have had enough but this war with russia is mostly still seen as a fight for survival. every city is scarred. yuri watches on as his block is demolished. he survived when it was hit by a missile last year. no—one needs this war. what is it for, anyway? so many people are being killed. so would he trade territory for peace? definitely not, because many people have died for these territories and there is no point in giving them up. it's not clear what lies ahead for ukraine, only that its war journey will be long. talk of victory has been replaced with not losing. it's a monotonous strain that kryvyi rih wants to escape through washington.
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——it�*s a monotonous strain that kryvyi rih wants to escape. it's stressful. it's difficult, like for everyone in ukraine. but we work. we're holding on. it's interesting, this war creates a tunnel vision for some people. they either think about what they've endured so far or their fears for what lies ahead but the question of how long ukraine can fight this war is repeatedly being asked on the world stage and will continue to be so because of russia's increasing dominance and waning western support. volodymyr zelensky said his country would fight as long as it had strength and opportunity. few would doubt the former, but the latter is diminishing. the novelty of this war has gone and ukraine is trying to keep the world engaged. james waterhouse, bbc news, krivy rih. as we've been hearing, both ukraine and russia have suffered heavy losses since the war began.
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neither country discloses the full scale of casualties. but ukraine has released some details of the many injured people, including more than a thousand who ve been blinded on the battlefield, half of whom have also lost most of their hearing. many are being helped to readjust to their new lives by ukraine's many volunteers. our chief international correspondent lyse doucet has been back to ukraine to mark the two year anniversary. in the first of her special reports she visited a centre where those injured are receiving support. translation: i can't say i love to talk about the war. _ i don't like to get into these details. but of course, it has affected me, my family, and all people i love. we met in a local cafe.
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on the 14th of february, we went on our first date. we had to separate because vlad went to the front line. we couldn't see each other for half a year, but we were always in touch online, texted each other. translation: i went to the front line as a volunteer, _ 100 force batallion, defence of bakhmut city. from the beginning till then, we were doing mining and mining clearance. every time i destroyed a mine or an explosive object, i saved a life. on the 9th of august 2022, vlad got injured. he was taken to the kyiv hospital. i was the first person who came to him in intensive care. i took his hand and felt the warmth and tenderness, even though he was in a coma, it felt like before. after his coma, vlad proposed to me,
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and i said, "yes, of course." we had been planning our wedding for a long time. onjuly 23rd, it was on the big ship, we got married. it was my birthday. we decided it would be a symbolic date which would never be forgotten yea rs later. vlad, you gave to this war, and this war took so much from you. does the war make you angry some days? translation: whatever this war took from me, i'm still alive. _ this is a tiny price for the lives i saved. 100%, i would do it again if i could.
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the anger appears only because i can't see the end of this war. we lose so many. i feel hate towards the people who attacked us. you lost, but we can feel your love, that you are lucky, you found a loved one. translation: come on, answer! you were asked! me?! we got through all this together. this is the true love everyone talks about. with ukrainian forces short of ammunition and forced to retreat in some areas, kyiv�*s ability to repel russian forces depends heavily on western military,
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financial and political backing. president zelenskiy addressed the group of 7 nations via video conference earlier, thanking the g7 for its support. he spoke alongside canadian prime ministerjustin trudeau, italian prime minister giorgia meloni and european commission president ursula von der leyen, who promised that europe would support ukraine until it was free. now our 50 billion euros ukraine facility, this is on top of 88 billion euros that we have delivered so far since the start of the war. the first payment of 4.5 billion euros will come in march. then we will continue with a steady stream of support over the next four years. this will back your reform and investment road map, the ukraine plan. in parallel, the european defence industry is stepping up a gear. increasing its production for ammunition by a0%.
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we have now already delivered more than half a million of ammunition rounds and we will reach over i million rounds before the end of the year. finally, we keep on training the brave ukrainian armed forces with 60,000 soldiers trained by this summer. prime minister of canada, justin trudeau, also pledged support, detailing a commitment worth billions of dollars. canada and ukraine have completed negotiations and have signed a historic new bilateral security cooperation agreement. as part of our agreement, we are committing over $3 billion of critical military and financial support to ukraine in 202a. since the war began, the united nations has documented over 10,000 civilians killed,
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including 523 children. but the real number is believed to be much higher. last october, the small village in the eastern kharkiv region lost over a fifth of its population in a single russian missile strike. months on, many children, orphaned by the attack, are struggling to cope in the shadow of the frontline which is drawing nearer. zhanna bezpiatchuk from bbc ukrainian reports. a cemetery for the victims of a single russian air strike.
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one of the deadliest russian attacks since the start of this war. 59 dead, all civilians. every family in hroza village lost someone. and 14 children here became orphans.
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last october, a russian missile struck here. villagers had gathered for a funeral wake of a local man killed in the war. moments later, they themselves became a target. 36 women, 22 men and an eight—year—old boy were killed. valentina lost most of her family in the attack.
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her husband, anatoly. her daughterjulia. her son ihor. and the youngest victim, her eight—year—old grandson. the only other survivor is her grandson. orphaned at the age of 14. valentina sent him to the west of ukraine, away from the russian air strikes. she's now completing paperwork to adopt him. like many other villages, she refused to put her grandson in an orphanage.
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an emotional video call replaces a hug, grandmother and grandson each other�*s only remaining family. this is what the war has done to them. before the missile attack, 268 people lived in this village. now many houses are empty, like other ukrainian towns and villages close to the front line.
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like other ukrainian towns and villages close to the front line hroza is full of stories of destroyed lives. many people left hroza at the start of the war when the russian forces occupied the village. it was liberated in september 2022. the attack on the funeral in october 2023 was devastating, and the families are still grieving. valery lost fourfamily members in the strike. his daughter yulia was 37. his son—in—law, anatoly, 42, and natalie's parents were also at the funeral and two were killed.
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he had retired before the war. now he's working two jobs to provide for his daughter's orphans. he's become the adoptive father.
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having hope is easier said than done. this is what it looks like not farfrom hroza village as russia continues air strikes, the nearby city of kharkiv, ukraine's second largest, is under daily missile attacks. un figures show this year alone, at least 79 missiles hit residential buildings with civilians killed and injured. a missile attack in early february killed at least seven people in kharkiv, including a family with three young children. russia denies targeting civilians.
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heavy snow covers hroza overnight, and many here feared there is a high chance the war will soon get much closer. around 30 kilometres from the front line leaves little room for safety. there is an emptiness which is not natural from time to time. it's broken by explosions on the nearby front line. the future here is uncertain, but the unbreakable bond of family is clearfor all to see. the war continues, making it hard for valentina to recover from her loss. living alone, she, like so many ukrainians, continues to carry her pain. kyiv has been quiet today, but in january the city was attacked by a barrage of 150 missiles and drones.
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one of those missiles hit close to a coffee shop, shattering its windows, and it later became famous for keeping its doors open for volunteers and rescuers at the scene. as part of her series of special reports our chief international correspondent lyse doucet spoke to dmitri, the owner of the coffee shop. when the missile hit right next door, it was sort of no different from any other kind of like volunteer event, we understood that people need help and we were here to provide it. as much as we could. this coffee shop gave us some hot water, tea, and we would hand it out to people. we water, tea, and we would hand it out to --eole. ~ ., , ., to people. we hear reports from the front lines in — to people. we hear reports from the front lines in the _ to people. we hear reports from the front lines in the east _ to people. we hear reports from the front lines in the east that _ front lines in the east that soldiers are running out of bullets but we also hear there is a concern
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you might run out of ammunition for your defence systems even around kyiv. does that worry you? is that on your mind? we kyiv. does that worry you? is that on your mind?— kyiv. does that worry you? is that on your mind? we have been here before. on your mind? we have been here before- we _ on your mind? we have been here before. we were _ on your mind? we have been here before. we were given _ on your mind? we have been here before. we were given that - on your mind? we have been here before. we were given that sort i on your mind? we have been here before. we were given that sort of aid so if they take it away or if we run right out of it, well, me and my friends are personally prepared for that, we have our own weapons, we are stocking up on ammo, we are preparing in case, for a worst—case scenario, so to say. it preparing in case, for a worst-case scenario, so to say.— scenario, so to say. it has been a lona scenario, so to say. it has been a long hard — scenario, so to say. it has been a long hard two _ scenario, so to say. it has been a long hard two years _ scenario, so to say. it has been a long hard two years for _ scenario, so to say. it has been a i long hard two years for ukrainians. do you sense that people are getting tired? g do you sense that people are getting tired? �* ., ., , , ., tired? a lot of my friends are caettin tired? a lot of my friends are getting tired- _ tired? a lot of my friends are getting tired. and _ tired? a lot of my friends are | getting tired. and throughout tired? a lot of my friends are - getting tired. and throughout my year and a half on the front lines, i made a lot of bodies who are still to this day on the front lines. ——
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buddies. they are not sure when they are going to get the proper certification that they need, and i know a lot of people are getting burned out. pare know a lot of people are getting burned out-— know a lot of people are getting burned out. �* ., , burned out. are there moments when ou wor burned out. are there moments when you worry that — burned out. are there moments when you worry that ukraine _ burned out. are there moments when you worry that ukraine could - burned out. are there moments when you worry that ukraine could lose - you worry that ukraine could lose the war? ., ,., ., the war? knowing some of the information _ the war? knowing some of the information that _ the war? knowing some of the information that we _ the war? knowing some of the information that we know, - the war? knowing some of the | information that we know, yes, sometimes. lesia vasylenko is an opposition member of parliament from the people's deputy of ukraine. she told our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet how difficult the last two years have been since the invasion. parliament were just doing ourjob but ukraine didn't collapse in 2022, in fact but ukraine didn't collapse in 2022, infact ukraine but ukraine didn't collapse in 2022, in fact ukraine is a democracy and this is proven by the fact that our parliament is still operating, our government is still operating, our president is where he was and where he is supposed to do said the whole country is intact and we are just doing ourjob, also advocating to the outside world to keep supporting
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ukraine. ~ . , the outside world to keep supporting ukraine. ~ ., , ., , ., ukraine. what is the hardest part of this war as it _ ukraine. what is the hardest part of this war as it grinds _ ukraine. what is the hardest part of this war as it grinds on _ ukraine. what is the hardest part of this war as it grinds on for- ukraine. what is the hardest part of this war as it grinds on for you? - this war as it grinds on for you? time. the fact is that we do not know when it will end. and we realise it can last another decade because, in fact, while we are talking about two years since the escalation of russia's escalation of their aggression, escalation of russia's escalation of theiraggression, it escalation of russia's escalation of their aggression, it has been ten years is the beginning of their escalation of aggression, and it feels a lot like being stuck in limbo, not knowing when it will end. did it reassure you when premises from three countries came, from britain, canada, belgium, along with the president of the european commission? it the president of the european commission?— the president of the european commission? it is not 'ust about reassurance, it _ commission? it is not 'ust about reassurance, it is _ commission? it is notjust about reassurance, it is about - commission? it is notjust about reassurance, it is about having l commission? it is notjust about l reassurance, it is about having the political presence here on the ground, meaning that these people have an understanding which they then bring back to their countries, to their societies, and this means this understanding can translate into financial aid, into military aid for the ukrainian people and for
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ukraine. and the more the political leaders come to ukraine, the more the support will continue, and we are well aware why ukraine is open and very welcoming to any foreign leadership who was to come to kyiv and beyond and see for themselves what is happening here on the ground. what is happening here on the round. ., , ., ground. you understand the political ressures ground. you understand the political pressures for — ground. you understand the political pressures for republican _ ground. you understand the political pressures for republican lawmakers| pressures for republican lawmakers saying we want to spend the money at home? it saying we want to spend the money at home? , ., , ., ., ., , home? it is only natural for every country and _ home? it is only natural for every country and every _ home? it is only natural for every country and every pupil _ home? it is only natural for every country and every pupil to - home? it is only natural for every country and every pupil to care i home? it is only natural for every| country and every pupil to care for their own interests first and foremost but i think it is also important to remain aware of the fact that what ukraine is doing, thatis fact that what ukraine is doing, that is fighting for democracy, and fighting to keep autocracy at bay, or actually to push it out from this world, it is more thanjust world, it is more than just about ukraine, it is about a collective world, a collective stability, a collective security.— collective security. and very briefl , collective security. and very briefly. you _ collective security. and very briefly, you still _ collective security. and very briefly, you still think- collective security. and very briefly, you still think you . collective security. and very i briefly, you still think you can collective security. and very - briefly, you still think you can win this war? , , ~ briefly, you still think you can win this war? , , . ., briefly, you still think you can win this war? , , ~ ., ., this war? definitely. we have no ian b, i this war? definitely. we have no plan b. i only — this war? definitely. we have no plan b. i only plan _ this war? definitely. we have no plan b, i only plan is _ this war? definitely. we have no
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plan b, i only plan is victory. - you can follow the latest on the war in ukraine — with expert analysis from our international correspondents — head to the bbc news website. now the weather with darren bett. we had fewer showers around on saturday with fewer clouds and light when it is turning chilly but more rain to come on sunday. it will come from this area of low pressure, that will slide across towards france and thatis will slide across towards france and that is where we'll get any mount and heading. it will be chilly and we have a more widespread slight frost by early morning. again, the lowest temperatures will be in north—east scotland, minus five or six. mr and fog patches, too, which will be slow to clear in the morning but we will see rain developing across south—west england and south wales during sunday morning and that rain develops more widely across the south—east of england during the afternoon. away from here, we're going to find the odd shower cropping up but many places will be
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dry with some sunshine after the early mist and fog and again, temperature is about eight or 9 degrees. getting windy with the rain in the south and more rain is not good news, 15 to 25 centimetres quite widely could lead to further flooding. the rain should clear away from south wales in south—west england on sunday night but continue in the south—east where it is going to be very windy, strong to gale. went here, a few showers blown in further north off the north sea but with more of a stronger north—easterly wind for england and wales, it won't be as cold. first on early monday. a few showers in scotland and northern ireland shouldn't last too long, the rain slowly creeps away from the far south—east of england and with the north—easterly wind, there will be some sunny spells for england and wales and maybe a shower around as well. but when it was the south—east, but equally in the morning, strong to gale force here, the winds easily afternoon again we will see typical temperatures on monday around nine celsius. as one area of low pressure brings some
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rain in the south of england then moves away, we see this brief ridge of high pressure overnight into tuesday morning, so turning chilly in the south, head off a weather front bring rain down from the north—west this time. rain on tuesday across scotland and northern ireland followed by sunshine and showers. the rain heading into england and wales, east anglia and the south—east looked like being financial here but turning cloudy. the rain will peter out as it runs southwards and for many parts of the country, wednesday will be a dry day with some sunshine for a while. live from washington. this is bbc news i'm helena humphrey live in south carolina
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where nikki haley faces the prospect of losing to donald trump in her home state. an aide to alexei navalny says russian authorities have returned his body to his mother. the opposition leader's death in a russian prison sparked protests across the world. and there's reports of "some progress" towards a ceasefire and hostage deal between israel and hamas, while deadly israeli raids in southern gaza continue. hello i'm carl nasman. we are less than an hour away from the polls closing in south carolina's republican primary. voters there are choosing between former us president donald trump and former south carolina governor nikki haley. so far, mr trump has celebrated landslide wins in other state in other state races,
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and he could see another win tonight.

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