the most modern state of the art technology, we can do anything work. we have shown this who was the 1st to produce a vaccine. russia did brush supplied the to belarus and mobile unit almost 2 and a half 1000000 bucks in those that have been already produced. and belarus and we're creating our own a, designing our own technology and we will solve other issues as well. thank you very much. can we go please? mid 3. thank ok. ok, that was letting me person and lucas sent lucas lucas jenko rather in speaking in moscow. let's get some analysis now on this and bring in richard wits who's a defense analyst and joins us live from washington. thanks for being on the program. richard, there are lots of moving parts to this story and i want to sort of break it down 1st. i want to start with this most recent press conference between the russian and

bell russian. presidents took us for the significance of this relationship between the 2 men. well, the relationship has been troubles or for decades. in as many see look a shank and having had aspirations to lead the rush. you bella rosen, union state. they have created a common state with some federal institutions. its not that tightly bound by various points in history, there were ideas to bring them close her and in the early 990. and this was taking place. you know, luther shanker, was a senior politician, couldn't nobody? and he came on the same and there was a lot of rivalry initially. and since then, now those has been a difficult partner for russia. constantly haggling over the price of gas can't

constantly criticizing various russian policies. but of course, all this changed loud after the fail presidential election in which the last there was a lot of calls throughout the world treasury novel. but russia stood by him, and i think at this point, he's some, he's basically so can subservient to russia pretty much follows the russian line and everything. and he, he did not recognize the annexation of, for example earlier. he now does. so he's become very viable and i think the russians would love to have that kind of relationship this ever leads to crane. which impertinent said during that press conference, that military drills with bruce and not a threat to any other countries. wise. the u. s. nato and the allies thinking any different because his interpretation, as is incorrect,

as to be nice. if he, the russian armed forces are holding their large largest belt their largest concentration of forces in decades. and their surrounding new crane by 3 sides, as we've seen in your show, north rebel arose for the center of russia and then from the south. and they've taken many steps that make that when you would do if you were to launch and asian. so they certainly have the option and aid at any time be they clearly want to add whatever they say the thing there might be an invasion. so they can exploit that gain concessions from the west concessions from your crane. so this is why the west is upset. the other you see that's unfolded this afternoon, is that we've received reports that ration backs separatists in eastern new crime

plan to evacuate residents in this way region. now this really is a setting tone in this conflict. is it further adding fuel to the fire which the west says his moscow trying to justify an invasion, a pretext to wall? right. so it's been interesting because it wanted to justify you would maybe want to keep the civilians there and just make sure some of them are killed and that with justified the rush intervention but withdrawn civilians is normally a prelude to initiation of our days. you want to remove your own noncombatants from potential combat sound to minimize their casualties. so the, to get them off the road. so example, you got refugees on the road, so it ain't your fear with your troop movements. so it could be seen as a prelude to an offensive eye by making the costs of any offensive to russia and the separatists lower in terms of civilian lives. just as an aside,

for example, the many criticize the western withdraw from anna standby failed to withdraw their civilians before the military left and exposed to the other way around. you basically get rid of it, get the civilians added the name and then you engage in combat operations. another major alignment thing breaking today is us defense. secretary lloyd austin, visiting warsaw, poland, and announcing a deal to sell $250.00 battle tanks to poland. obviously the details yet to be worked through what's the significance of that relationship? poland now with the us in the context of what's happening in ukraine. sure. any other day, you know many other v or i would say, there wouldn't be too much attention of poland has been making major purchases are russian of the u. s. military equipment for years they've done. they've been

bought some advance networking sets. the control systems are made to link your soldiers with air force and missiles from us army. they bought us for plains, they bought trains. you remember president trump was talking about it or is points taking chips out of germany moving to poland. so there's a strong, very strong defense relationship between the 2. but coming in contact because of attentional invasion by russia, ukraine, it clearly is, it has an added emphasis of trying to communicate to russia, as well as reassure paul's that the us will support them in any conflict with russia. while we appreciate you breaking down for us, what is quite a complex story that's richard width a defense analyst out of washington, d. c. thanks for being on the program. so let's just recap that breaking news out

of eastern ukraine. rushing back separatists later has an evacuation of civilians to russia if follows arising shelling in the break way region of dumbass, announcing the move on social media. dennis push and off the don't yet, the people's republic says russia has agreed to provide a combination for people leaving with women and children and the elderly to be evacuated. first, child stratford is covering this story out of novice. he loves car, which is in south eastern ukraine, childs what elsie hearing about the latest news from that region. will certainly yes that sir. the words of dennis was shit in the separate his leader in the nets, announcing that evacuation of women, children, and the elderly am we have had a response in the last few minutes, a tweet from the ukraine in defense. sorry,

foreign minister demitra caliber. he saying this is after pushing announced that evacuation and also said that the separatists are believed that said, the ukrainian president zalinski was going to give the order to start some sort of am military move in the next couple of days on the sandwiches. controlled region am caliber has come out with this tweet saying that sir, they category the crane is categorically refute the russian disinformation on ukraine's alleged offensive operation. and saying that ukraine was fully committed to the diplomatic resolution of this crisis only. so ukraine, obviously very as they had been irma from the get go in recent weeks as this has escalated, very much of the keen to refuse to deny any kind of military plan that they are alleged by the year, by the separatists as having. but this announcement certainly is significant. we cannot, of course,

in any way confirm that this means that they was going to be some sort of military escalation in the near future. and we know that russia continues to deny that at least has any plans for invading. and ukraine was some very interesting things i think, said by president, put in, in that, pressed, in, that press conference with his counterpart, better rouge encounter upon putin saying at the crane in government has for a long time discriminated against russians in ukraine. have you put that in the context, for example, of were understood to be around 700000 ukrainians and in the last 8 years had been issued with russian passports inside the separatist controlled region. there is always been a fear. certainly, analysts will tell you that if there was to be any kind of escalation, it would give the russians am a pretext to protect russian citizens in that region. so if you put that in the

context of the kind of announcement that has been made by pu schilling now on that evacuation you put in, in the context of the shilling that we've seen in the last 24 hours or so last couple of days. what the ukrainians describe as an escalation here, and the tit for tat blame by both sides. that announcement of an evacuation of as a se, elderly women and children to roast off, which is inside russia to accommodation. there is certainly a great concern. all right, thank you for breaking that down for us charles strap said lie for us in south eastern ukraine. and as that evacuation gets underway, ukraine's defense minister has been speaking to parliament. he says to probability as a major escalation, which is what shall strap instead of conflict with russia, is lime enter. simmons joins us live now from here. andrew, are there any signs of reaction from the ukranian president? yet on this stunning turn in the conflict?

no reaction yet whatsoever, but this is a major development if it takes place and there's no reason to suggest that it won't take place or what will will be a massive evacuation. as charles was pointing out, there are of these people from a denounce cuz that's the next people's republic. and also we're hearing the lou haskell as well. we'll be evacuated. are the numbers are unclear? will it be all of them? it will be colossal watson, the logistics are in place that have been reports in different diplomatic channels at this past 12 hours of such a thing taking place so that there's no doubt that that would have been a warning to the authorities here to the military. and also to the government. and we know that sir, there was immense concern about the shelling which took place on thursday,

wednesday night thursday, at more than 500. the explosions are reported by the o. s. c. e. the organisation of security in cooperation for europe in the space of less than 12 to 13 hours. so we're injuries and the false flag operations without doubt, at least one of them. we know that the kindergarten was hit under the suggestion is strong, that it was from the russian back forces. we know also of another developments which was a claim from dynette sco people's republic that sir, in a chemical production works. there were 2 saboteurs who attempted that to make a bomb effectively using chlorine canisters on these 2 men have been killed. now that has been a response to that sir. for from a demitra caliber, i chose red mentioned to the his it, his tweet. a he is actually adamant that this is another attempt at a pretext,

the full 30 minutes reaction. so this is building up to what western diplomats and in deeds the u. s. a at high level, lloyd austin, for example, the defense secretary, who's in warsaw right now. you had earlier report off from him, but he was warning. this is a sort of thing that when he's referring to the shelling that could be the 4 runner, the pretext of further action of possible invasion. and he said again on friday that there is a build up. all false is still new, force is arriving on the borders and far from any pullback to garrison's. it's just the opposite. so here we're seeing a pile of negative developments. and this one, in particular, the evacuation of, of the russian passport holders to ra stove in the, in russia, a could be the pretext for further action. shouldn't be alarmist. but this is

certainly what many are people who are pessimistic about this situation. and the many of them were fearing that that would be a move in these, these 2 self declared republics that, that, that's been a war going on there for 8 years now. and there is a mood of fear not just on that side, but also on the ukrainian side. and you know, the question is now, and this is the really big punch issue. and that is what about the ukrainians living in the villages and towns on the other side of the front lines in these 2 self declared republics. what about them? what's going to happen there? is there a contingency operation in place? will the ukrainian governments a bus, the civilians out of this area cause they will be under threat? there is no doubt whatsoever about that. if this all takes place and russia works out a plan to make movements, all of its is speculative. it has to be said, but if you look at events right now,

they look extremely negative. or i thank you very much. anderson's life ras wilmont north. russia has announced president vladimir persian. we'll oversee new drills on saturday, involving strategic nuclear forces, and the launch of glister who's in the south. the kremlin denies it will further inflame tension with the west. persian has been holding talks with bell russian president, alexander lucas shanker in moscow, and says the joint military drills are a defense against growing nato military activity. he would just like, did he go will of congressman at today's talks. we also discuss strengthening our joint defense space of russia and belarus. we agreed again to take collect of mrs for strength and security of our countries in the face of the growing military activity of nato countries near the borders of our status. we also focused on the joint military exercises, which will continue in belarus until the 20th of february. i should say that these exercises are totally defensive in nature and do not threaten anyone. as go live

now to door said jabari covering developments out of moscow. hello, there dos or how worrying on these reports that person will oversee exercises involving ballistic and cruise missiles. well, according to the kremlin, this is no cause for alarm. they say that these drills happen annually, and we do know that in the past they usually carry out these tests in the month of october. this year they moved them up to february and that the defense ministry has said that this is really anything very ordinary for the russians to test their capabilities. and that is really what they do on a regular basis. of course, it comes at a time when tensions are all time high, and as we continue day by day, things are just appearing to get worse. despite all that, the russian president was a reassuring, not only his domestic audience, but certainly also an international audience as well. that they had the military

drills that they have been carrying out with a bell roofs over the past 10 days or so at that they had called, allied resolve will come to an end on sunday. and that said, this was it planned well in advance. and that the relevant parties in the area were also alerted to these doin joint drills. so there's really no cause for alarm at the russian president. also i think importantly, took this occasion to highlight the fact that the deteriorating situation in das dumbass, he called it the deplorable situation where he has said also over the past few days, that there is a cult genocide being i'm take carried out by the ukranian government this is something now that we see very much on them, they're unfolding in terms of the relevant news that is coming out of that area in eastern ukraine. the russian president also said that the a 2 leaders discuss strengthening economic ties. the 2 men met for about 2 and

a half hours. and also we had a very stern warning from the bell. russian president, alexandra lucas, jenko, who said that we are on the brink of conflicts that may involve the entire continence very, very alarming words from the bell. russian president, the general sense was that this meeting was very important for the 2 men. and of course, they will have a joint event tomorrow where they will oversee these and military drills taking place. and at the bell, russian president was invited by vladimir, put in to take part in that and alexandra lucretia cassim, very happy to oblige. i think it's important to point out that vladimir putin chose this day in this moment and this time to hold this and meeting with lucas and co. while the world leaders and officials are gathering in munich for the security conference there. he does a very, a clearly likes the to be really at the center of world news and the attention that

he's getting from the international media is something he's very comfortable with. and i think we'll see more of that when these military drills continue for the next 2 days in day. thank you very much for that update. plenty of moving parts to the storing dosage a battery life for us in moscow. and speaking of that security conference, un secretary general, antonio good terrace, has again warned russia it will be branching international law. if it invites you crime. he made the comments during his opening statement at that annual unique security conference with the concentration of russian forces that on ukraine, i am deeply concerned about heights intentions and increased speculation about a military conflict in europe. i still sing it will not happen. but if it does, it would be catastrophic. there is no alternative to diplomacy. all issues, including the most inflexible must be address. so diplomatic frameworks and it is

high time to seriously deescalate and diplomatic as a james base has more from unique you and soccer gentle last spoke on wednesday and as he did here, he was invoking the un charter article 2 of the un charter, making it quite clear to russia that if it invades ukraine, it will be a breach of that document which is central to international law. he was reading the relevant part of the charter. and i think this speech as a say loss said something similar on wednesday, but this was a graver, more serious speech. the un secretary general, again saying he believes there won't be a war. but i think making it quite clear that the consequences of this, in his words, could be catastrophic. i've heard from diplomats, the worries about what could happen in terms of the numbers. if you listen to some of the, of the u. s. intelligence estimates the numbers that could die thousands,

the numbers of refugees that could flow out of ukraine. i'm told that some of the humanitarian agencies are working on estimates of 3 to 5000000 refugees because remember, ukrainians have these of free travel to the european union. so when they get to the polish border, they should be able to get across. so this is a serious concern, i think for everyone here in munich. but the slightly strange thing is all we have is the claims of the us and its allies, that something's going to happen. and we still have russia saying, no, this is a hoax. we have no plans at this star stage to invade ukraine. ok, let's move on now to more world news and at least one person has been killed in the island after being hit by a falling tree, caused by storm eunice. the storms also battering the u. k. with record gusts of 195 kilometers per hour. which have ripped off parts of the roof of london. raina

millions of people across the u. k. and ireland being warned to stay at home. hundreds of flights have also been canceled for a challenge, has more from dopson crossing the london is certainly paid incredibly gusty. where i'm at the moment behind me you can see dartford bridge now normally that brings road traffic south across the river thames. it's part of the m 25, the london all but all most away. but since 5 o'clock this morning, gmc, it has been shop completely to traffic because of storage units because of the highway and they can see one of these guests coming in. now that's the kind of thing we've been saying all day so far. red warning are in place around the country . certainly may have been really in place in wales in the south west. that's where the wind and the rain has been worse, but they're also in place across london. and the south is now a red warning of

a higher level of warning. that basically means there is danger life. so far we have not seen any report of lives, big loss, but that has been damage. we're likely to see much more of that as well. this is a 2nd story to a rolled in from the atlantic in one week there was dudley before unit. and then you may remember back in november there was another severe storm. all one left thousands of people in the u. k. without power for a considerable amount of time to people who trapped on a ferry which caught fire engraves, the rescue effort is under way of free them. hundreds of others were brought to safety by the coast guard $200.00 people in total on board the vessel which was on his way to italy. because the fire is not yet known. the 6 african nations to establish their own m r n. a vaccine production have been revealed to at

the e. u and a african union summit in brussels. the what health organizations shape says egypt, canyon, nigeria, cynical, a, south africa and to nicea will be the 1st on the continent to receive the technology. we expect the benefits of this initiative will extend far beyond quoted 9 to him by creating a platform for vaccines against other devices including malaria, tuberculosis, and even cancer. so this is a strategic investment, not just for koby, but for all the major health problems that we face. and we have will be, not just for south africa, it's for africa and for the horn world because the spokes will be distributed all over the world truck drivers protesting against harvard 19 restrictions in canada's capital. ottawa, a bracing for a police crackdown offices have moved in to try to end in nearly 3 weeks of

demonstrations. they've already arrested several protesters, including an organizer of the so called freedom convoy. as laura burton, manley explains a confrontations encounters capital as police are given. new powers to charge truckers who have help farm for nearly 3 weeks or trucks. and protesters have shut down the streets outside parliament in downtown ottawa as well as disrupting businesses and cross border trade with the u. s. unalienable rights, a citizen. so we have it all the right reason, really resembling rate of rid of canadian truckers calling themselves to freedom convoy had gathered to make a stand against rule the requite truckers to be baxley to cross the u. f. canadian border. they were later joined by other protesters many from far right groups.

on thursday, police moved in to arrest the leaders, chris, bob, phil here and to mar lynch. prime minister justin to jo has in vote. the emergencies act, which gives powers to declare the blockade, illegal arrest drivers, freeze bank accounts, and suspend licenses. on monday, as we entered the 3rd week of illegal blockades and occupations, the federal government invoked the emergencies act. we did it to protect families and small businesses to protect jobs and the economy. we did it because the situation could not be dealt with under any other law in canada. police of secure to parameter around the protests in the downtown cool. they've had these orders to truckers leave or face charges. it's just a vague paper. though it says here you might leave the area now. and the

warning that anyone blocked in streets or assisting god there's in the block in the street, are committing agreement of affairs. and you might be arrested, i'm not afraid to be arrested as much time. it's going to take to get everything straightened out back to work normal. i mean, if they arrest me and then i go back to work eventually, once it's all sorted out, they don't want to come to the table and talk. i stay here and i'm not working anyway. so see where it goes. the movement has captured the world's attention, but the canadian truck is association says it doesn't represent the majority of drivers who have vaccinated and working hard to ensure trade continues. please now want to end this peacefully, but either with threats, many truckers remain defiant. more verbally al jazeera to hong kong now,

which is postponing picking in you later as the city battles. a surgeon clothing infections, chief executive, carry, lam, confirmed the election sheffield from march will now take place in may. she also said authorities are planning to roll at mandatory city wide testing, but clinic is there, makes shift triology tense set up outside this hong kong public hospital for the 3rd day. dozens of patients, many of them elderly wrapped in emergency blankets in the cold and windy weather as they wait for space to free up inside. hong kong hospital system is buckling under its worst wave, yet driven by the highly contagious army kron variant hotels. and now freeing up rooms and a fleet of taxis have been recruited to help coach with the surge. officials are also relaxing some isolation policies to allow some patients to be discharged sooner. yet there are no signs. the government is willing to abandon its dynamic 0 cove, its strategy, and beijing has made it clear hong kong should follow its no tolerance approach to

the virus. on thursday, chief executive carry lamb said the government is considering testing all of hong kong, 7500000 residents. once enough, rapid antigen tests arrived from mainland china. lamb was at the border to great medical experts who are in the city to help bring the outbreak under control. yeah . was only a lovely after we have this testing ability. data complete and comprehensive testing across hong kong is one of the measures we are considering the they're a mixed reactions to the proposed plan. oh, good. all. i hope the fires can be stamped out if the government wants us to do the mass testing, i will support it to do it is that the people are mobile. if the mass testing is not done all at the same time, people will infect each other and testing will be useless. the death of a 3 year old girl on tuesday appears to have triggered a vaccination rush for young kids. vaccination rates among hong kong, elderly remained sluggish at less than 30 percent and with temperatures expected to

drop for the next few days. the outlook is bleak. the hong kong, most vulnerable people, for most of the panoramic cases here, remained low and hong kong watched as other hospital systems around the world struggle to cope. now cove, in 19 infections here are exploding, and as prostration, the government wasn't more prepared. brick clearness, al jazeera hong kong, ah hello, what he out is here. these are the stories were following the sal am a ration back to separate us later in eastern ukraine has announced civilians will start being moved to russia because of a rise of violence in the region that on yet sc laid as says, russia has agreed to provide accommodation for living for those living with women children and the elderly to be taken. first, child stratford has more from novo. c lapka in southeastern you.