welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. as the battle rages, planned talks between ukraine and russia appear to have been delayed. washington condemns vladimir putin's decision to place russia's nuclearforces on high alert, calling it a dangerous escalation. translation: western countries are not only taking unfriendly steps against our country and the economic dimension, but the top officials of leading nato countries also make aggressive statements with regards to our country. the european union announces it will ship arms to ukraine, calling the move a watershed

moment for the eu. for the first time ever, the european _ for the first time ever, the european union will finance the purchase — european union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under_ other equipment to a country that is under attack. and searching for a safe haven. poland says at least 200,000 people seeking refuge have now crossed from ukraine. live it from our studio in singapore... this is bbc news. it's newsday. it's seven in the morning in singapore, 11 in the evening in london and one in the morning in the ukrainian capital, kyiv, where residents are trying to get some sleep after a day of fast—moving developments in the conflict with russia. it's now thought peace talks may take place later on monday after they were agreed — and then delayed. vladimir putin says he's put his nuclear forces on alert

and the european union has announced groundbreaking sanctions, including the sending of arms to ukraine. we'll have more on all that in newsday, but we start with this report from our correspondent nick beake in kyiv. explosions. there wasn't much talk of peace on the streets of ukraine's second city today. instead, kharkiv gave us a grim warning of more to come if this conflict doesn't stop. earlier, locals in kharkiv had opened their windows to see russian trucks rolling in. other vehicles in the sights of the ukraine military did not get far. and in the south of the country, this was said to be a drone strike on a russian convoy at an airport. but some appealed to the hearts of the russian soldiers to end this misery. "what are you doing?"

this woman asked. "you're our brothers. "please stop. "we have kids. "we are peaceful citizens." the capital, kyiv, has also been on fire. this was an oil depot that was targeted. but once again, homes also took the brunt, and in another strike, a child was killed. fears of a major russian bombardment last night did not materialise, although the fighting is moving ever closer to the city centre. hours after russia attacked ukraine on thursday morning, we met mark at a metro station. how are you? today, we spoke to him from our bunker to his, where he's been taking shelter, like the rest of the city, as a curfew remains in place. we have a little food and water. the children are crying and they are very afraid. we are trying to keep calm. ukraine's president said russia

should be prosecuted for a brutal assault on civilians. translation: russia's criminal actions against ukraine - show signs of genocide. i talked about this with the un secretary general. russia is on the path of evil. here in the heart of kyiv, we are hearing the explosions get louder, as the russians draw ever nearer. here in the heart of kyiv, we are hearing the explosions get louder, as the russians draw ever nearer. seizing this european capital while the world looks on is for now president putin's prime objective, and everyone living here simply has no idea just how much force he is prepared to use to do that, he's prepared to use to do that, and just how many people could die. this is now an age of wartime leaders, a moment when former ukrainian prime ministers post online tutorials instructing their people on how to make petrol bombs to defend themselves. and this is how children in the capital play today, in an underground world,

mirroring the gruesome reality of what's unfolding above them. nick beake, bbc news, kyiv. despite offering talks, president putin has ordered russia's strategic nuclear forces to be placed on high alert. he says western leaders have made aggressive statements towards russia and international sanctions are illegitimate. the us has denounced the move as "completely unacceptable". our correspondent steve rosenberg is in moscow and sent this report. from the kremlin, a pointed message to the west, don't push russia. president putin summoned his military chiefs and gave them an order. translation: top officials of leading nato countries are making aggressive statements about our country. therefore i am ordering the minister

of defence and the chief therefore i'm ordering the ministry of fefence and the chief of the general staff to put the strategic nuclear forces on special alert. would putin really use them? he practised a week ago, overseeing exercises of russian strategic deterrence forces. typically unsubtle hints to america and nato not to stand in his way over ukraine. today's special alert, more presidential muscle flexing. across from the kremlin, muscovites gathered on the bridge muscovites gathered on a bridge to remember boris nemtsov, the putin critic gunned down right here seven years ago. for vladimir, this was a date for remembering a friend and condemning the war. this is not russia's war, not a war by the russian people or ukrainian people, this is yet another military adventure, military crime by an unelected, unaccountable, authoritarian and frankly

increasingly deranged dictator in the kremlin by the name of putin. you won't hear anything like that on russian tv. it's been claiming russian troops are liberating ukraine and moscow is using force in the interests of peace. in russia, television remains the key tool for shaping public opinion, so if you control tv, as the kremlin does, you control the messaging, but not 100% because today, many russians do get their news and information online and there, they see are very online and there, they see a very a very different picture. if you use the words attack, invasion or war... we can say only special operation. this woman edit an online magazine.

like other independent media outlets in russia, they have been ordered by the authorities not to call this a war. what is the kremlin trying to do to the truth now in russia? what they always do. they always turn truth into lies. they lie, theyjust lie. censorship at home, war abroad. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. you've just seen the picture on the ground in russia. the pressure on russia is growing. for the first time ever, the european union is to finance and deliver weapons and equipment to a country under attack. the eu has also decided to close its airspace to all russian aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs. as the chorus of international condemnation rises, bp has also announced its trying get rid of its nearly 20% stake in the russian oil giant rosneft. our business editor, simonjack, has more

as tens of thousands took to the streets in berlin in outrage for russia's invasion of ukraine, any remaining caution around ramping up economic sanctions against europe's biggest energy supplier were replaced with a new resolve. including a total ban on russian european airspace. pare including a total ban on russian european airspace. are airspace will be closed every _ european airspace. are airspace will be closed every russian _ european airspace. are airspace will be closed every russian plane, - european airspace. are airspace will be closed every russian plane, and| be closed every russian plane, and that includes private jets of oligarchs. russian banks will be excluded from the international payment system, isolating russia from global trade. perhaps even more damaging, russia's central bank will have its overseas assets frozen, putting russia in the company of pariahs like iran, venezuela and north korea. against a country the size of russia, these measures are completely unprecedented that not only in terms of

are completely unprecedented, and i think that not only in terms of the draconian nature of the measures but the timing of the measures and the degree of coordination between the main countries in the west is something that potentially the russian federation would not have priced in. central banks like the bank of england have reserves of foreign currency stashed in other central banks around the world. in times of economic crisis, you can use that money to buy your domestic currency, propping up its value. if you freeze those overseas assets, you can't do it leaving the currency if you freeze those overseas assets, you can't do it, leaving the currency more vulnerable to collapse. for russia and its citizens, another plunge in the currency would present serious economic and social difficulties according to a moscow—based expert. l it is facing collapse of 30—40% l when the market opens tomorrow. prices are going to be higher, - question marks overjob security.

all these things have changed literally in l the last couple of days. and how this translates to - the social and political stability russia has always enjoyed, that's becoming quite - an urgent question. bp announced it would off—load its 20% stake in russian oil and gas, saying it would take a multi—billion pound loss as a result. bp said it is too early to say how or to whom the stake would be sold. as long as russia has customs buying its oil and gas, which the sent vow sanctions will prevent... that would mean an international embargo that would damage both sides in this escalating international war. simonjack, bbc simon jack, bbc news. these are really difficult, devastating times for notjust people in ukraine, but theirfriends and families overseas.

i'm joined now by olga kravchenko. she lives in the uk but has family in kyiv and runs a business with staff in several ukrainian cities, including the capital kiev and the second city kharkiv. it's wonderful to have you on the programme and i think you for speaking to us. —— thank you. how are yourfamily and speaking to us. —— thank you. how are your family and your loved ones in ukraine? are they safe?- are your family and your loved ones in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for havin: in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for having me- _ in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for having me. the _ in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for having me. the simple _ in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for having me. the simple answer- in ukraine? are they safe? thank you for having me. the simple answer is i for having me. the simple answer is i don't know. it's currently after 1am in ukraine, and i will find out in the morning because we're currently in the shelters, hoping for the best, so i can't say my family is safe because they're still in kyiv. family is safe because they're still in k iv. . . family is safe because they're still in k iv. ., ., family is safe because they're still ink iv. ., ., , ., .,

in kyiv. olga, i am so sorry to hear that and i do _ in kyiv. olga, i am so sorry to hear that and i do hope _ in kyiv. olga, i am so sorry to hear that and i do hope that you - in kyiv. olga, i am so sorry to hear that and i do hope that you are - in kyiv. olga, i am so sorry to hear| that and i do hope that you are able to get in touch with them as soon as possible. just talk is there how difficult it's been both in your attempts to try and get in touch with them and what it's like to be so far away from what's happening on the ground right now. it’s so far away from what's happening on the ground right now.— the ground right now. it's very surreal. it's _ the ground right now. it's very surreal. it's been _ the ground right now. it's very surreal. it's been just - the ground right now. it's very surreal. it's been just four - the ground right now. it's very| surreal. it's been just four days surreal. it's beenjust four days and the scariest four days of my life, especially of my family and my friends, but i'm grateful that i can get in touch with them, i call my mum almost every hour, just making sure they are fine and keeping their spirits up as much as possible. my grandma is making ukrainian borscht to feed the family, and my team is messaging me on our work chat to make sure that everyone is aware of what's happening. it's not the worst

chat i've ever imagined. i'm just checking in and asking how they are doing, but there are still explosions, we were making molotov cocktails and building barricades, and i still can't believe it's happening to my country, it's happening to my country, it's happening to my country, it's happening to a democratic country in the middle of europe in the 21st century. the middle of europe in the 21st centu . ., , ., ., ., ~ century. olga, when you are talking about our century. olga, when you are talking about your mum, _ century. olga, when you are talking about your mum, it _ century. olga, when you are talking about your mum, it did _ century. olga, when you are talking about your mum, it did strike - century. olga, when you are talking about your mum, it did strike me. | about your mum, it did strike me. those kinds of conversations one has with their mother and the kind of conversations that you're having now. is she safe? she conversations that you're having now. is she safe?— conversations that you're having now. is she safe? she is in kyiv. she is around _ now. is she safe? she is in kyiv. she is around kyiv, _ now. is she safe? she is in kyiv. she is around kyiv, so _ now. is she safe? she is in kyiv. she is around kyiv, so i - now. is she safe? she is in kyiv. she is around kyiv, so i can't - she is around kyiv, so i can't really say if she is safe or not. i was trying to get them out of kyiv and trying to get into the west, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible.

my unfortunately, that wasn't possible. my mother decided to leave the centre of kyiv. it was just too scary to go and we don't know if there is petrol. so, relatively safe. they are not in the centre of the city. they are not in the region where you can hear a lot of explosions. they can hear explosions very remotely, so i'd like to say they are safe, but i cannot be sure. i know you've been at a demonstration in london to show support for what's happening in ukraine. we see these kinds of showings of support across europe. how important is that, do you think? it's beautiful. it's amazing to feel that the entire world is standing by us today. at the demonstration, i was with all my ukrainian friends who are in london, but alsojoined by italians, by people from serbia, by italians, by people from serbia, by people from bulgaria, by british people who were expressing their

solid area —— a solidarity. it feels great, but at the same time, we realise the governments are not doing enough quickly enough. we are gratefulfor doing enough quickly enough. we are grateful for the doing enough quickly enough. we are gratefulfor the world's doing enough quickly enough. we are grateful for the world's support, but the reaction is a little too slow. ., ., ., . but the reaction is a little too slow. ., ., ., ~ slow. olga kravachenko, thank you so much for speaking _ slow. olga kravachenko, thank you so much for speaking to _ slow. olga kravachenko, thank you so much for speaking to us _ slow. olga kravachenko, thank you so much for speaking to us on _ slow. olga kravachenko, thank you so much for speaking to us on newsday. | let's get some reaction now to president putin's announcement that he is putting russia's nuclear forces on high alert. it's been condemned in the strongest terms by the us. washington is calling this a dangerous escalation. here's our north america editor, sara smith. this came as a complete shock to the united states, where the administration here learned about it only as putin made that announcement publicly. what senior officials in the pentagon are warning is that by invoking the use of potentially using nuclear weapons, putin is

raising the chances of a miscalculation that could make the situation much more dangerous. they're also really concerned about the tactics they're seeing already be deployed on the ground in ukraine. they believe that russia will attempt to isolate and lay siege to the capital kyiv, and that will of course vastly increase the risks of civilian deaths and casualties. one other thing the un will hold a session tomorrow to vote on a resolution. they've had only ten similar sessions since 1950. hundreds of thousands of people have been trying to escape the ukraine conflict in the past few days. the vast majority are women and children. special correspondent, fergal keane, has sent us this report from the city of lviv, in the west of ukraine, near the polish border. choir sings. there are many leaving.

but across the city of lviv this morning, the voices and prayers of those for whom this place is home, a home they will not abandon. the church of saints peter and paul was damaged in world war ii, shut down by the soviets, and is now a garrison church for ukraine's army. these are the faces of the dead of the eight years of war with russia... ..and of some of their children. we don't have fear because it's our home, lviv is our home. russia are coming to our home. if russia goes to your house, what do you do? at lviv station, now a focal point for the thousands fleeing, there is fear. inna is a professor of architecture, a mother with a teenage

son and two daughters. their father is fighting at the front in the east. translation: it's difficult to - describe the pain and fear inside. everything is burning. it is hard to explain to our children. they leave their relatives and friends. they miss their relatives and friends. it is very painful. i can't describe it. among those thronging here are many foreign students who have come from kharkiv, where fierce battles are raging. these young men are nigerian. there is still an - ongoing war in 2022. man, who does that? i think we are more civilised than this, you know? - everybody's life matters. we just have to try and stay strong, stay alive. - local mercies, but a bigger question of responsibility.

there may yet be a legal reckoning for all of this. i've been told by a top british war crimes lawyer that a special tribunal to prosecute president putin is being considered. so, we're in a very different world today from the world _ of 75 years ago or 100 years ago. i the fact that you are president ofl a country no longer excuses you for potential proceedings before international courts - for crimes of this kind. so, will it happen? who knows? that's partly a political and military question. | could it happen? absolutely. in time, these will be essential questions for the refugees. but the immediate priority is escape. people keep coming up to us and asking us what they should do, where they should go. but there's no advice really to give them because it's evening now and there's no train for the rest of the night. that much we know. and this is a humanitarian crisis that is growing in scale.

as russian attacks intensify, so does the terror inflicted on the defenceless. fergal keane, bbc news, lviv. as well as those seeking safety abroad, many have had to leave their homes, displaced within ukraine. our eastern europe correspondent, sarah rainsford, reports now from the eastern city of neepro. just four days ago, these corridors were filled with students. now their hostel is sheltering families fleeing a war they don't understand. they have run to the dnipro from further east in ukraine, where there's been fighting for eight years, but always at a distance. until vladimir putin declared open war in their country. it was when a shell landed next door that nadyezka and herfamily packed up and fled. translation: we are ashamed. i never thought we would

be in this situation. we were normal people. we had jobs, schools, a normalfamily. and now, we have to ask for help. and the scariest thing is we don't know how long this is for and whether we will have anything left to go back to. lyudmila tells me every time a door bangs, they think it's an explosion and they need to grab the children and hide. nadyezka is constantly checking for news of family and friends they left behind. the town's group chat is now full of videos like this. the boys just miss their own toys and their kindergarten. just speaking to these families here, you realise the depth of what they're going through because nadyezka was just telling me, a few days ago, the main things on her mind were home improvements and shopping and how the kids

were getting on at kindergarten. and now, she tells me, she worries about whether they're all going to wake up safely in the morning. this is where other families will sleep tonight, on the floor of a concert hall and bar. locals have rallied around to make it as comfy as possible but this it as comfy as possible, but this is tough for everyone. natalia's motherjust made it here from right near the front line and natalia herself is furious with vladimir putin. translation: he says _ he is defending us, but who from? from ourselves? by burning down our houses and our land? for now, yes, it's calm here, but my heart is shattered. my family has been pulled apart and i'm frightened for my children. ijust really want this to end. it's a nightmare. and the danger is following her. as we finished speaking, an air raid siren wailed across the city for the first time. sarah rainsford, bbc news, dnipro.

pro—ukraine demonstrations have been taking place around the world. in uk, the largest gathering was in westminster in london. several thousand people were in the crowd, including dozens of young people from st mary's ukrainian school in west london. paul murphy—kasp went to meet them before they set off. for over 60 years, this saturday school has taught young ukrainians living in london about their country's history, language and culture. the invasion back home is now putting into question ukraine's future but, while times are tough, ukraine's future, but, while times are tough, community here is pulling together. what happened on thursday shook them all and they could see for the first time fear in their eyes. we started getting initiatives from our school children, from year eight, nine, year ten pupils that they would like to do something for the civilians back in their home country, that they would love to fundraise for the children.

but what do young people actually think about what is going on? think about what's going on? i feel very worried because that is my family, because that's my family, my grandmother and grandfather, i feel very sad for them and i hope everything will be all right in the country because it's my home. my family's there, my aunties, uncles, grandparents, - they're planning on staying there, but i don't want them to stay- there, i want them to come here. it makes me feel very worried and, on the news, they say everything on the battlefield and what's happening, so sometimes i even cry. they sing. while eyes are focused on the response from world leaders, ukrainians here want action. it's notjust a problem of our children, ukrainian children. children across the world are watching what their leaders in their countries are doing today.

the children want to act, they don't want just to use the privilege of clear skies and continue with their lives. chanting: stand with ukraine! paul murphy—kasp, bbc news. you've been watching newsday. the eu has given an initial backing to plans for asylum laws to be relaxed in response to an expected influx of millions of ukrainians, and washington has condemned president putin's decision to place forces on heightened alert. that's it for us, thanks for watching. hello. after a largely fine and settled weekend, things are looking a little bit more unsettled as we start this working week. this was the picture as the sun went down off the coast of north yorkshire, but we had him weather front

of north yorkshire, but we had him weatherfront moving of north yorkshire, but we had him weather front moving its way in. it will be bringing cloud and rain to many parts of the uk, particularly towards the north and the west. first thing monday, that rain will be sitting across parts of southern and eastern scotland, down through wales into the southwest of england, too. this frontal system will be quite slow—moving to the day, so some of that rain is going to be persistent and heavy. it will also be quite breezy. we could see gales developing through the course of the day. top temperatures about 8—11 degrees, but where it stays drier for the good part of the day, a mild 13 celsius. that for the good part of the day, a mild i3 celsius. that rain will sweep its way eastwards. it will be followed by clearer skies, just a few showers continuing, a bit more of a breeze here and certainly a touch of frost for many of us away from southern england and south wales. during tuesday, we have this weather front that will hang around across southern and southeastern parts,

clears away from the rest of the uk as high pressure built in. a lot of dry and settled weather, but that cloud and patchy rain continuing into the far south. bit of uncertainty about how the far north it gets. mostly any rain will be confined to the south of the m4 corridor, but to the north, plenty of blue skies with temperatures around 8—10 on tuesday. there's a bit of a wave on that weather front, so it starts to move back northwards across the uk into wednesday, but as it bumps into that higher pressure, it bumps into that higher pressure, it is tending to fizzle out. really quite a weak affair. a fairly cloudy day when most of us, with a few rain splashes moving northwards. not feeling particularly warm, highs around 8—10 degrees for most of us. further ahead towards thursday, still some outbreaks of rain as the next front ruse its way in from the west, but for many of us, things are turning a bit drier and brighter through friday and on into the

weekend, too. more details as ever on our website. bye—bye.

this is bbc news, the headlines: ukraine's president, vlodimir zelinsky, has said he will attend peace talks with russia on monday, even though he doesn't believe they will produce any outcome. reports suggest the talks may have been delayed, for logistical reasons washington says president putin's decision to place russia's nuclearforces on high alert is an escalation that could lead to dangerous consequences. mr putin claimed he had been forced to act because of what he alleged were aggressive anti—russian statements by western countries. the european union is to ship arms to ukraine, a decision described as a watershed moment for the bloc. it's also banned all russian aircraft from its air space,

including privatejets belonging to oligarchs.