make science, ecuador is hidden treasure on al jazeera, a . we know what's happening in our region, we know how to get to places that others cannot. i was just but oh, dear god, by that, put it on purpose and going on with the way that you tell the story is what can make a difference with

hello, i'm a friend, said again in ukraine's capital keys in a nation determined to defend itself. a year into the war with russia. fierce battles are raging on ukraine's east to the front lines. ukrainian soldiers and civilians are dying in their thousands and russian missiles are destroying homes and families in towns, villages, and cities across the country. millions have fled, face an uncertain future as refugees in many countries, including here in poland. but as europe's biggest conflicts since the 2nd world war drawings on western nations, a rallying behind ukraine with weapons and aid to confront russia for president vladimir putin. the special military operation in ukraine is about the very existence of russia, a conflict. he must been at all costs and all that's raising fear, as if

a protracted or an even escalating conflict. hello, i'm daddy navigator. you're watching an al jazeera special ukraine war, one year on $365.00 days of war on the grim told of human suffering in ukraine, keeps growing. one year today, missiles fighter jets and ground troops took part in russia's full scale invasion of ukraine. but as the war enters, its 2nd year, ukraine bolstered by its western support, still stands, and president followed a male zalinski has pledged to win the war against russia. this year. our serious team of correspondence is here to take us through the different stages and aspects of the conflict. same bus robbie is live here in made on square in keys in the

north. honda abdel, how me it is in butch up a town that witnessed the horrors of russia's occupation in the early months of the wall. but 1st, let's cross the charles trapped foot in bravery which was recaptured by ukrainian forces last april. charles, tell us exactly what you walk of what happened, but hi, adrian. yes, you join us in the town of grove re in place. it is very significant in terms of an indication of the kind of challenges that russian forces were going to face in the weeks and months ahead. what we saw here in the 1st couple of days of the, of the war was a russian armored vehicle column. that approach was approaching cave from this direction. now the better russian and the russian borders are around about a $180.00 or so kilometers in that direction. cable, the outskirts of the capitol, our round about 15. we saw this column come into bravery and was basically ambush

white ukrainian forces we on the sand on both sides of the road ukraine in ukrainian falls. he's trying to use what is understood to be malicious and anti tank weaponry. hitting both the 1st and the last vehicle in this column scenes of absolute chaos and panic. as you can imagine, the russian forces in these vehicles and what they were trying to do was trap that column and prevent it from moving so they could basically smash and destroy every vehicle in it. they didn't succeed to a 100 percent, and the russians were able to withdraw. but as i say, it's was not is seen as an indication of the kind of pull planning, pull logistics that the russians had at the beginning of the war. that's according to military analysts. the question being asked was, you know, what were russian falls he's doing, traveling along a road like this. so exposed a main thoroughfare into cave without for example, infantry support to try and defend themselves against the kind of ambush they

suffered. and of course, it was about 3 weeks later where russian falls is, as you alluded to in the, in show, were forced to withdraw from this area around cave. on april, the 1st april, the 2nd. but yeah, a very important moment in the war because it gave such hope as well to the ukrainians that they could actually defend the capital. in all, charles, there is intense fighting on going in the east france up to speed on, but that's right. yeah, fighting continues very intense around that flash point city of been moved in the east, which has been going on fighting there for months, become particularly intense in the last few weeks though, we know that russian forces have taken control of villages to the south of buck moot, they control the western sections and in the last last week or so,

certainly we're hearing reports from the russians that they've taken control of another town, just south of sali doll, they trying to encircle back moot. we know that estimates a potentially thousands of soldiers on both sides have been killed in the battle for buck moved. we also understand that there is ongoing fighting to the south of bach moot in around the town of abdel good that's close to russian occupied. don't ask incredibly, there's been very little movement there since the beginning of the wool. we also know. ready that there is heavy fighting to the south about you have co round the flesh point town of ugly doff, ukrainian, a military expert saying that they believed that ukrainians are trying to basically sucking russian forces into these flash point towns basically to try and destroy as much of their military equipment and their infantry as they can. and there's also a lot of fighting going on a little guns on its border around the town of leman now lehman was re captured by the ukrainians in their old some offensive. it seems like russian falls is now are

trying to push them back. child stratford, reporting like that from bravery. charles, many thanks. let's go live. not a boucher on the other side of keith where al jazeera is hotter. abdel homie is standing by the town hall to where you are endured and survive. an occupation took us through what happened there? yes, absolutely. i mean, what happened in boots. okay. really to represent on one side, the horrors that the ukrainians had to go through in the 1st stages of the war and also the poor military planning by russia. now this seems like a quaint cross road, but this, at some point was the most iconic image of the 1st month of the war through this main street. here the a column of russian tanks had pushed from the north and we're trying to push

a further down towards the town of a pin and then maybe reaching keith. this is where they got bogged down at some point further down the road, a petrol truck. but belonging to the russian was hit that caused a huge fire and the whole column came to a standstill. now, what we're showing you now is another street that is famous for all the wrong reasons is called apple street. and this is where, after the russians are pulled out, that the world actually discovered the horrors that happened in this down for a little bit further down that road you had all these images of body as truen all over the streets there. some of them were blindfolded, some of them had their hands tied behind their backs executed, point black and then a further down is also a church where also bodies where fire nearby as mass graves were fine. so

boucher, when the reality of what happened in boucher during that one month occupation by the russian emerge. h shocked everyone. not only in ukraine but around the world. it was a, it was really the beginning of the talk about war crimes, but clear evidence of war crimes. and i remain, but coming here, a couple of weeks later, and investigators were still finding bodies a randomly there road buried by the side of roads and backyards in the woods of old people that had to be exude, recognized as it is from here that ukraine started building it's war cry with crimes file and started alerting the world at the horrors of the russian occupation . and we'll be talking more hotter about that little later in the

program in the mean for them over to the many thanks. did hold up to have me there, boucher joining me here is ebony shepherd over who is the deputy 1st minister here in ukraine. foreign minister, i'm sorry, here in ukraine. thanks for being with us on al jazeera. just 1st of all, wanted to ask you about a development this morning with china, a proposing to step in as a piece mediator on negotiator between ukraine and russia. what do you think of up proposal? ah, well, we do welcome any initiative that actually zane debts are finding peace, resolving the war because we are the country that is the most interested in having any kind of peace because we've been suffering this hell for year. the document and the let's see, a piece of information that we received today in the morning is called the political is position of china about the crisis as they call in ukraine. we will start it thoroughly. but as i said, we welcome any initiative that is aimed at these. but the only thing that i want to

clarify is what is the basis for this piece? yes, we believe that justice in therapy should be not at easement. this is a great and big difference. what did you make of yesterday's votes at the, the un calling for the immediate withdrawal of, of russian troops. how does that help ukraine? um, it helps a lot because it shows that the international unit is there. 14941 that we managed to collect to the piece formula of president lensky, that he initiated a g 20 summit to recently. and actually in this resolution, we have some of the parts of this piece formula, which is a clear plan of how is the ukraine and vision is there. and we believe that without nuclear, without foot security, without withdrawal or russian, i'm about free of political prisoners and prisoners of war without something that is very basic things piece is not possible. so we believe that the resolution that has been voted yesterday and god is a clear demonstration and something that kills russian airy to you that world is

not the united that has been divided. and i think that the main reason why we actually initiated this document is to clearly sage. as i said, that appeasement is not the language that we have to talk to put in. that if will stick about the piece, we have to understand what is this formula and our president, it was very clear in saying what exactly we want. you've had to look for leaders visiting this week. the president of the united states believe as of italy, poland, and spain is the kind of support that ukraine needs more about how important is not civil isn't more, absolutely a year ago. let me just bring you to this flash back of a year ago. we were desperate. we were so scared a year after we are, we know we have no fear and we full of hope because we've managed to demonstrate is unity. because i believe that if you take the modern history of the human kind, there is no any case like ukraine, that managed to collect bits that support that we have. well,

of course we still don't know what's going to be the result of this war. we can only have a hope, but i believe that this is in our hands. i mean, our future is in our hands and i believe that we can manifest life. we can manifest as dignity with our actions, with awards, with something that we're trying to do. and this is of our common future, and i am sure that this war is not only about your claim because that is imagine, let us just imagine that putting one that he actually succeeds in doing what she wanted. but do you think that she would stop because whenever aggression is not stuff, it becomes bigger. we have it in 1938 when we had several countries appeasing hitler even off the actions of austria and takeover as to death land. and just in one year in the 2nd world war started so sure. what if the war is not contained in ukraine? it will become bigger. shuffled over many thanks to the thank is now then done. let's get to my colleague zane bus. robbie who's in downtown not key of he's in made on square actually just below us here. how are you crazy?

it's in the capitol marking the day the nation came under attack 10. well, adrian, there's no large gatherings or any sort of unity rally or anything like that that you might expect from a country at war in this way. and that is because this is still a place under martial law. and the concern is, any sort of math gathering could be targeted by the russians and they don't want any more mass casualty events during this conflict whatsoever. so we haven't seen anything major. there are small events happening throughout the city. we've seen a lot of people attending church services. we were at one earlier today where we saw soldiers going in and lighting candles and praying, likely for a safe return from the battlefront that they're off to. we saw people's lighting candles and praying for for loved ones. and also praying for those that have departed. it's been a very, very bloody conflict for soldiers and 4 civilians. now there are no official

numbers published, but to get a clear sense of exactly how many lives have been lost. you can look at the square where these flags are planted. now i can tell you, i was here at the start of the concert the year ago, and you could count the number of flags on both your hands. there was just in the dozens and now there's hundreds and these are just here as assigned to commemorate . he will come here, they bring a flag, put the name of a loved one on it. and they'll put it in the ground as a form of remembrance. and everyone we talked to say the same thing, they just want to return the piece. they don't want to put any more flags in the ground or any more loved ones in the ground, they want to return to normalcy. and one of the things we keep hearing is that people are worried about the next generation. they're worried about the children, and they want their kids back in school. but the students that are attending school have to deal with all the same problems of getting an education, as well as russian missiles and drones and threats from the sky. some schools have reopened retrofitted with make shift bomb shelters,

and we visited one in pen to try to get a sense of the reality of being a student in war time. ukraine. far from the fighting children in ukraine are still connected to it by family members on the front line and the more immediate threat of bombs from the sky. this is not my job to get good when there is an ear right dire and they know what to do. they highs but the 1st time my son was cry. he told me he was very people that everyone would die. and his mom was not by our children, do not do the thing. they should not be asking if rocket launched or not. the parents we met said schools central to their community and to stability and their children's lives were not spared, and rushes, bombardments with unicef estimates. half of all schools across ukraine are too damage to reopen, and 2 thirds of its children are unable to access any kind of education. there were

some of the schools in areas that were held by the russians are so heavily damaged from showing that it will take millions of dollars and years before they're ready to open for students. again. such lewis, zebra one school principal said in the aftermath of russia's occupation of his home town, reopening classrooms meant making sure parents felt safe enough to send their children with, with the help of international donors. this school in your opinion, converted a storage place to an area shelter. the plan is to build spaces like this in as many schools as possible. summer be sharon, us for live are that the machine? my my and what if they, the biggest concern for us is the children she was there, our children, and we are responsible for them. that's why at the beginning of the school year, we organized 1st aid classes and psychological training to cope with fear. but when we have sirens with all the children automatic, the come to the shelter that they know how to respond and what to do. but it is not

i do. the student body at the school numbered in the thousands before the war. now only $200.00 children attend at a time and only for a few hours a day, because that is the maximum number of children that will fit in the shelter. school schedules made to accommodate the threat of russian attacks. it is purpose built to be child friendly, but not fortified or deep enough to withstand a direct hit every time an air raid alarm stops. and the all clear sounds, the hope is there will never have to use it again. zane basra, the l 0 air pin. un investigators say that this evidence that wall crime was have been committed during the conflict. they visited ukraine, focusing on areas where the most serious allegations were made against wash,

no wash and back forces. early in the war, they saw civilian areas that have been destroyed and places where people would attained or tortured the team documented unlawful killings, including the summary execution of civilians and sexual violence. it says that ukrainian forces will also responsible for wipes violations, but, but significantly more crimes were committed by russian troops. joining me here now is the erie bulus off, who is the head of the war crimes department of the prosecutor general's office here in ukraine. welcome. so thank you for being with us. how many more crimes are you currently investigating by this one? and we have more than 69000 full crime has been registered for the last year. when do you intend to prosecute any of those crimes? yes. how? i mean that's, that's such a huge number. yeah, exactly. that's why when the 1st stage read, trying to fix everything month to then evidences. ready have been on the next stage, we're trying to see based on time priorities,

which we should focus 1st. for example, if there is a tax on through in the restructure where we have a civil and people killed this out pretty or the number one. then the 2nd step fix in the evidence is for other types and sure we are trying to just structure on with the gauge and to use more into colleges of gathering evidence is using the solutions to and she was to give us a chance to work with this workload, a significant number of people remain missing. you said, well how many? 68, how's you? 60002 across the okay. comes back on the rise. when you find out what has happened to these missing people, sorry, let me say, number wise further, do you think so when we have access to pocket fighters this crane show that we would face much more terrible situation and much more crimes? are you confident the justice will be served, given that defendants in any war crimes, prosecution may be unreachable in russia and how far up the chain come on, do you intend to go? or we are confident because it's not just

a matter of ukraine. the whole world support we have supports from more than 20 countries who start to be on the new stations. we have a support from international criminal court. and all our forces had been focused on given evidence. that's why we're sure that we would prosecute. it would take time, someone would be prosecuted in our national court. someone would be pursued to not the country, but if the situation will be punished. so we did get the chance to other countries to do the same with russia doing against ukraine. so where would you, where would you try these crimes? this is something that the international. yes, we're good tied to international criminal court, which is what can had my head with us on daily basis. and we're sure that totally there. so the russian federation would be practical with an international ukrainian legal system, the ukrainian core system called coat with that number of cases. if you bring a show show, the whole system is shocked. criminal justice system is struck with such a number of cases. that's why, but we try and we have no other option. what not doing to to get the justice and

now national jurors of how do you go about investigation? will cars. so we have procedure, their steam was specialized among that we have for our regional teams. which on the immature so on the ymca live in the, in harkey, on daily basis fixing fixing and fixing evidence is within data in that that basis . our international partners on the ground with us. we have teams from friends, from spain, from lithuania, who come and helps us. good stokes hearing that he thinks needs to be a yellow house. now, let's go to the metro here in key. if you creams, system has become a source of safety for thousands of people who shelter it, metro stations during error rates was alexia bryan report, descending deep below the ukrainian capital. these escalators carry crowds of commuters to caves, golden gate metro station about 90 meters under ground. it's below freezing at

street level. down here it's even colder, but people don't mind the temperature because at least it's safe. there's an air ride alert as we film. so young an old gather in the station until it lifted so deeply in the honda. then we've come down here because there's a threat in the center of the city. we only come down here. i am sure i'm worried. i hope all this madness will come to an end, and that the russians will experience everything we've lived through. fewer people come down now then in the early days of the war, when the city was encircled by russian forces and thousands lived under ground for weeks. platforms and trains became makeshift camps crammed with people and their pets. and the few belongings they could carry less. yes, no gore was on night shift at lucan yesco metro station when the 1st explosion struck on a move though, on the level of what over my friend called me at 5

a. m and said the war has started. i couldn't believe it. debbie heard the sirens and people started to run to the metro to ask for shelter. there was so many people and they was scared. she tells me how she lived in the station for 2 months, helping organize food and sanitation for the crowds of terrified people. go with them as the head of the station. i couldn't leave those people behind because i knew they needed my help. and when i saw the fear in their eyes, i could not leave one of the challenges both running fevers, this done, but also across the country over the past year, was how to keep people safe. also keeping the train running. now about half a 1000000 people, right, these trains every day determined to keep life as normal as possible. as up above the war grinds on. leaders. i believe everything will be fine if there are any future attacks will be ready. we feel positive. these stations that were once

tourist hotspots, are now places of refuge and symbols of ukraine's resilience. alexia bryan, al jazeera keith, one year into the war, one of the world's biggest military superpower is russia hasn't been able to make substantial gains in ukraine. keep still stand and so does it's government life to moscow with a summer been job. a sama has the war, altered russia as a nation, as well as the perception of president putin as its leader. but in the last year, a lot has changed year ago. there were sanctions, almost every day being piled on russia. tens of thousands of people had left russia that included the bright, the brightest, and the best that it had. but in a year, there seems to be a change of opinion. people have now come round to the narrative that has been built by the russian government that this is an existential war. this is

a war that russia have to go to because it had no other choice because it is fighting a coalition of countries, not just ukraine, and it calls ukraine a proxy army. it has been able to tell its people that in the past year, that an alliance of countries came together and wanted to destroy russia. they wanted to decapitate the russian leadership it's. it's been telling its people that they have failed in breaking russia. the economy in defeating rushes, military, or isolating russia internationally. a proof of which is today when china has presented its peace plan, which remains a steadfast, spot know for russia. so despite all of the sanctions, despite so much being pulled out of russia, russia has been able to withstand it. it has been able to circle meant a lot of these sanctions and life goes on in the russian capital as well. although without those many recognizable international brands, those, those stations, those coffee shops,

those cafes are still open despite they've been changing their names to russian ones and ownership changing to russia. i this mosque, which 3 is a standard 1.5 liter family car. but it comes of the production line of what used to be renewed production plant when the french car manufacturer left russia last year, it brought off $2300000000.00 worth of assets and sold. it's russian subsidiary for a symbolic when europe. it has a buyback option in a few years if thank has been lifted. but for now the 45000 workers who produce nearly a 3rd of russia's car market remain employed. and it seems one company functions crisis was another opportunity of the. what's the threesome go boom upon urine produced in 2023. we planned to produce 50000 vehicles. $10000.00 will be electric . we've already started developing our own electric platform. by the end of 2025. we plan to produce a fully electric car of our own designs. we plan to localize all components in

moscow. fossil chains and cafes which closed operations have also been acquired by russian business people. so mcdonald is now good though. he touched her and starbucks is stars. coffee in russia, who's out of wood with more than $11000.00 sanctions have been imposed during the search. so they assumed that events would unfold in a catastrophic way, rushes exports records 0 will. russia would fall into a complete blockade sphere. the financial system will collapse, however they will run bunker. these countries have either impose restrictions back sanctions, or opposed russia. invasion of ukraine were the ones in green, or either seniors russia's allies or have a neutral stance. these include south americas, brazil, and venezuela plus resource rich nations including iraq, miley, and to dawn, an acres power houses including india and china. the. this is the classical group showcasing its weapons in the united arab emirates. it's one of many

countries that refused to be involved in sanctions against russia. the russian manufacturer it produces about 95 percent of all small arms in the country and exports weapons to more than $27.00 others fresh drug makers if turned to india farm industry for supplies after being blocked by the rest. and he has also become a major oil export market for russia. but china draws them all with an estimated $200000000000.00 in trade forecasts with russia by next year. despite its allies, help sanctions against russia have led to a drop in exports whitening fiscal deficit and businesses struggling to find cash after banking restrictions. one year on moscow has proved an old military thing. russia is never as strong as you fear, but russia is also never as weak as you hope. some of the job of era must now, since the collapse of the soviet union in the early nineties, nato has been expanding eastwards. russia sees that is the threat to which national

security, so nato has brought into its orbit countries like poland, hungary and the czech republic, which were earlier with the soviet led communist block. also with nato. now, the 3 baltic states were part of the soviet union. and in 2008, nato made a vague promise that ukraine would one day join the block. in 2014 ukraine's pro russian president, victoria younger, which was overthrown by mass protests and what became known as the may done revolution. within days our men seize control of the parliament in crimea and raise the russian flag and within days moscow onyx, the territory. later that year, pro russian separatists in the eastern region don't bust, declared independence. in 2021, the newly elected ukrainian president voluntarism lensky. revive talks to join nato . moscow began massing tens of thousands of troops near ukraine's borders over several months. and by december, russia gave nato and the u. s. a list of demands they.