gi'sfe fihe give the this failure, a lot of innocent life will be lost. let us give the latest now from the _ will be lost. let us give the latest now from the sporting _ will be lost. let us give the latest now from the sporting world. - will be lost. let us give the latest now from the sporting world. the \ now from the sporting world. the governing body of the paralympics has said that russian and belarusian athletes already in beijing for the winter games can compete but under that paralympics flag. ollie foster is of the bbc sport centre. yes, they have said that this is the harshest possible font mash punishment for those russian and belarusian paralympian se who are preparing for the winter paralympics to start just this preparing for the winter paralympics to startjust this friday. but there are many within sport that consider the length of the other sports have gone to over the last 48—72 hours to expel russian and belarusian athletes from various arenas around the globe. they will feel that the ipc, the international panel of the committee simply have not gone far enough. baroness tammy grey thompson, one of great paralympian is said that should they go down this route then it would be a copout

and many others will feel that is exactly what the ipc have done. they have released a lengthy statement explaining why they are going to allow belarusian and russian athletes to compete under the paralympics flag. they will be stripped of all their flags themselves. they will not have anthems or anything and they say they are bound by their own regulations, they say that the ioc, who are pushing for them to be expeued who are pushing for them to be expelled because of them breaking the olympic truce, they say their own members, they actually haven't signed up for that, so they could not legally expel russia and belarus will stop but i'm sure there will be a lot of reaction to this and andrew parsons, the president says he hopes that these athletes now competing as neutrals will be viewed as just neutrals will be viewed as just neutrals by the other associations who are taking part. but you know, there is going to be a lot of protest you feel at their participation and also the russian

team numbers over 70 and there will not be many events in which they don't feature and in which they do not win medals either. and strangely, any medals that are won by russian or belarusian athletes will not be registered on the medal table, so when the paralympics have been and gone, it's almost as if those medals never existed. ollie, thank you very much indeed. on the seventh day of fighting in ukraine, russia has intensified its assault on key targets in east, south and north. kharkiv, ukraine's second city has been hit by sustained russian fire and air strikes were damage to buildings including the city council. the authorities there say that more than 20 people have been killed in the past 2a hours and there are reports of fighting on the street involving russian paratroopers. i am joined street involving russian paratroopers. iam joined now street involving russian paratroopers. i am joined now by the mayor of kharkiv. hello and thank you forjoining us. ijust want to

check that you can hear us. and just to explain to our audience that we are speaking to you through a translator. translation: yes, ican yes, i can hear you. yes, i can hearyou. thank yes, i can hear you. thank you very much. can you tell us what the situation is for you and everyone there in kharkiv now? it isa it is a very tense situation now. we can hear shelling, explosions,

it is a very tense situation now. we can hearshelling, explosions, our administrative buildings, we have to go to the buildings and to the bomb shelter in order to save the lives of the people. actually, the situation is very serious and all over the city of kharkiv there is intense fighting for all sides and obviously the situation is very dangerous. d0 obviously the situation is very dangerous— obviously the situation is very dancerous. ~ ., ., ., , dangerous. do you know how many civilians have _ dangerous. do you know how many civilians have been _ dangerous. do you know how many civilians have been killed _ dangerous. do you know how many civilians have been killed or- civilians have been killed or injured? there are killed people every hour because many people are hit by missiles and artillery shells and there are heavy losses amongst the

peaceful population all over the city of kharkiv. it peaceful population all over the city of kharkiv.— city of kharkiv. it is 'ust indescribable. * city of kharkiv. it is 'ust indescribable. is h city of kharkiv. it isjust indescribable. is there l city of kharkiv. it isjust - indescribable. is there anything that the outside world can do to help you? obviously it can do, it can stop russia and stop this war because ukraine did not attack anybody and the city of kharkiv, kyiv, are cities that people were living peacefully and we were engaged in the development of our cities and people and all our intentions were hit by the aggression of the russian

army and the people have heard on the 24th of february explosions, fire and it is all very serious and i believe that the world community have to do everything possible to stop the aggressor. do have to do everything possible to stop the aggressor.— have to do everything possible to stop the aggressor. do you know what missiles are being _ stop the aggressor. do you know what missiles are being used _ stop the aggressor. do you know what missiles are being used and _ stop the aggressor. do you know what missiles are being used and are - missiles are being used and are the citizens and the military in ukraine able to fight back at all in kharkiv? regarding the missiles, the

aircrafts launched several missiles and kharkiv, cruise missiles, buying multiple rocket launch systems. they were firing on residential areas and this firing is carried out constantly and i was also told that they have launched vacuum bomb in a certain area of kharkiv and we know that since the second world war, there was no such destruction is in kharkiv. and i can tell you when i moved to the city, our repair and emergency services were under fire and they tried to save people from the destroyed houses and this is

disastrous. it the destroyed houses and this is disastrous— the destroyed houses and this is disastrous. if buildings are being bombed from — disastrous. if buildings are being bombed from above, _ disastrous. if buildings are being bombed from above, how - disastrous. if buildings are being bombed from above, how safe . disastrous. if buildings are being i bombed from above, how safe are people if they are sheltering underground? do you think there is hope for people to survive? look, we have bomb shelters and we did not have any cases where people have died in the bomb shelters. they die in their houses, they die when they move around the city all day. or drive somewhere. but we don't

have information regarding the bomb shelter which would be destroyed. do you think that the russian forces will overwhelm the city soon? i will tell you definitely that this city of kharkiv will hold and today kharkiv is a unified as never before and i can tell you that the city is serious and everybody is focused, but the city as united and will show and stand fast.— but the city as united and will show and stand fast. what weapons do you have to fight —

and stand fast. what weapons do you have to fight back _ and stand fast. what weapons do you have to fight back against _ and stand fast. what weapons do you have to fight back against cruise - have to fight back against cruise missiles and bombing from the air? look, i am the mayor of the city, i am not a military general. maybe this question should be addressed to our military commanders who risk their lives carrying out the fight 24-7 their lives carrying out the fight 24—7 and notjust against their lives carrying out the fight 24—7 and not just against any soldier, but against the very powerful group of troops. all the

imaginable forces, a colossal number of troops approaching kharkiv. there are missiles and various arrangements and our troops which were formed today with the help of various multiple locket or rocket launch systems, they attacked the peaceful city of kharkiv. today, a military serviceman held them and repelled the tanks and they do not allow them to enter the city. some have come into the city but they were destroyed. we constantly catch the saboteur groups. i5 were destroyed. we constantly catch the saboteur groups.— the saboteur groups. is the attack continuin: the saboteur groups. is the attack

continuing now? _ the saboteur groups. is the attack continuing now? it— the saboteur groups. is the attack continuing now? it never- the saboteur groups. is the attack continuing now? it never stops. . continuing now? it never stops. there is not _ continuing now? it never stops. there is not a _ continuing now? it never stops. there is not a moment. - continuing now? it never stops. there is not a moment. all - continuing now? it never stops. there is not a moment. all the | continuing now? it never stops. - there is not a moment. all the time we hear the explosions, artillery fire, small arms fire and it does not stop all the time and we cannot sleep for a week now. you not stop all the time and we cannot sleep for a week now.— sleep for a week now. you must be ve , sleep for a week now. you must be very. very — sleep for a week now. you must be very, very frightened. _ why do you think that we are frightened? let me tell you things, we are not frightened. you cannot frightened the city of kharkiv. we

are bombed but we oppose the enemy. we are bombed but our government services and medical services are restoring our supplies and we restore the water supply. i can tell you that this morning we have cut of heat supply to 1000 residential houses but our communal services, they are working and we have just left 91 houses which are cut off from the heat supply and we supply water, we supply bread, we supply mac one. we have two oppose this

aggressor. stare mac one. we have two oppose this an uressor. �* ,, mac one. we have two oppose this an uressor. ~ i. ., , aggressor. are you getting any outside help — aggressor. are you getting any outside help in _ aggressor. are you getting any outside help in terms - aggressor. are you getting any outside help in terms of- aggressor. are you getting any outside help in terms of food l aggressor. are you getting any| outside help in terms of food or water or weapons? regarding assistance, yesterday and today we have started receiving humanitarian assistance but still in small amounts and i understand that. it will increase in time but the central authorities promised us this but regarding... all our twinned cities in italy, czech republic and

other countries, and in poland and warsaw and poznan, i spoke to all the mayors of those cities and we communicate all the time and they are preparing humanitarian aid and they send them across the border and we hope that it will reach us soon and we shall distribute it. all the food products which we receive are distributed free of charge. this is through our commercial systems, volunteers and we are one united team. we are a team who opposes this. . , ., team. we are a team who opposes this. ., i. i. , team. we are a team who opposes this. ., , ., , this. have you yourself are seen fiuuhtin this. have you yourself are seen fighting on _ this. have you yourself are seen fighting on the _ this. have you yourself are seen fighting on the streets _ this. have you yourself are seen fighting on the streets or - this. have you yourself are seen fighting on the streets or any i this. have you yourself are seen fighting on the streets or any of| fighting on the streets or any of the attacks?

i cannot tell you what i saw, but i was under fire because fighterjets are constantly in the air but probably your question is not very correct. , ., , probably your question is not very correct. ,., , ., �* probably your question is not very correct. , ., �* ~ ., correct. 0k, sorry. i don't know what it correct. ok, sorry. i don't know what it is— correct. 0k, sorry. i don't know what it is not _ correct. 0k, sorry. i don't know what it is not correct _ correct. 0k, sorry. i don't know what it is not correct but - correct. 0k, sorry. i don't know what it is not correct but we - correct. 0k, sorry. i don't knowj what it is not correct but we are trying to understand what is happening around you right now. i invite you to come here and so you will understand it immediately. it sounds a very, very difficult. our

people still trying to leave the city or is it too dangerous now to try to escape? yes, obviously they are trying to escape the city and they don't want to die, obviously. and when schelling started people started escaping the city because their houses are destroyed, but they don't have places to live in and we tried to send them to communal buildings to send them to communal buildings to provide them with food, but obviously they would like to escape,

they are frightened so they want to go somewhere far away from the city. they cannot leave all the time under the schelling obviously but they would obviously like to leave. thank ou ve would obviously like to leave. thank you very much _ would obviously like to leave. thank you very much indeed _ would obviously like to leave. thank you very much indeed for _ would obviously like to leave. thank you very much indeed forjoining us and we wish you all the best where you are for you and your team. thank you are for you and your team. thank you very much. speaking to us there was the mayor of kharkiv through a translator here at the bbc. how is the conflict being covered by the media or media in russia for many people are getting the news from state—controlled channels? we have francis from russia joining us now. what are you finding in terms of the messaging? presumably the state—co ntrolled messaging? presumably the state—controlled media is going to be backing the government line. are

there any outside voices that you are able to get?— there any outside voices that you are able to get? well, not on state tv at all. there _ are able to get? well, not on state tv at all. there are _ are able to get? well, not on state tv at all. there are a _ are able to get? well, not on state tv at all. there are a number - are able to get? well, not on state tv at all. there are a number of i tv at all. there are a number of political talk shows which are aired on state tv and while they used to have token guests from ukraine or america, which allow them to present this as an ear of a kind of plurality of opinions, since thursday, all you have seen in terms of gas has been frankly pro—kremlin pundits and mps who are all toeing the party line on the work. one of the party line on the work. one of the major narratives they continue to present to their viewers is that this is a response to ukrainian aggression. state tv news bulletins continue to show reports of a ukrainian, alleged ukrainian shelling in donbas and their talking about the conflict about the rest of the country and it is much less specific. state tv�*s reporters tend

to be embedded with troops fighting in the east with the so—called donetsk and luhansk people's republics and they are people's will and reporting fighting in kyiv and kharkiv is minimal. they are calling it using briefing for the russian defence ministry and this is reeling off a list of military sites, ukrainian military sites which are reportedly being destroyed by russian forces. ok. reportedly being destroyed by russian forces.— reportedly being destroyed by russian forces. . russian forces. 0k, we will leave it there for now _ russian forces. 0k, we will leave it there for now but _ russian forces. 0k, we will leave it there for now but thank _ russian forces. 0k, we will leave it there for now but thank you - russian forces. 0k, we will leave it there for now but thank you very i there for now but thank you very much indeed forjoining us there. the latest in the russia median system. with me is to people who have escaped ukraine and they're trying to get visas to stay here in the uk. i hope you can hear us now. i know you are still looking at the system it is the gita here can you hear us?

hello. my name is olga and this is my sister. hello. my name is olga and this is m sister. , ., , ., my sister. tell us what you have been doing _ my sister. tell us what you have been doing in — my sister. tell us what you have been doing in terms _ my sister. tell us what you have been doing in terms of- my sister. tell us what you have been doing in terms of trying . my sister. tell us what you have been doing in terms of trying to | been doing in terms of trying to come to the uk and escape ukraine? we are with my children from a city located in the south of ukraine. first of all, we had to get to the borderfrom ukraine to poland. i am afraid for my sons and my life and afraid for my sons and my life and afraid that i wouldn't be able to help my children escape. we decided, my sister came to help and went to a

village in the west of ukraine and we hoped that this place it would be safe. more than in my city. when the war started russians bombed everywhere. so my children were very scared and wouldn't sleep because explosions were very near and they asked me mum, are we going to be bombed? and they asked me if my sister could come and save us. so when we decided to cross the border we had no transport. the border is a

four hour drive away. it took us two days to find a car. but we had to walk several kilometres to join the queue. then we stayed in the queue 20 hours. 20 hours, overnight, outside in the cold. it was very terrible. we only crossed the border the next day at noon. that is why we went to prague and stayed one night in a house with another family from ukraine in the next morning we flew to france where my sister met us. you are trying now to come to the uk, but what has happened? main you are trying now to come to the uk, but what has happened? now we are t in: uk, but what has happened? now we are trying to — uk, but what has happened? now we

are trying to get _ uk, but what has happened? now we are trying to get to — uk, but what has happened? now we are trying to get to the uk. _ uk, but what has happened? now we are trying to get to the uk. we - uk, but what has happened? now we are trying to get to the uk. we came| are trying to get to the uk. we came to the uk border between france and great britain and... we were stopped and sent away. but i have no other relatives all over the world, only my sister and my family. we hope, of course we hope for a ukrainian victory and to be able to go back to our homeland, but now it is very dangerous situation. can our homeland, but now it is very dangerous situation.— our homeland, but now it is very dangerous situation. can your sister ex - lain to dangerous situation. can your sister exolain to us. _ dangerous situation. can your sister exolain to us. i _ dangerous situation. can your sister explain to us, i don't _ dangerous situation. can your sister explain to us, i don't know - dangerous situation. can your sister explain to us, i don't know whether| explain to us, i don't know whether you can hunter the microphone why you can hunter the microphone why you returned away from britain. what did they say to you and what are you now doing? i

did they say to you and what are you now doinu ? did they say to you and what are you now doing?— now doing? i will give to my sister. yes, can now doing? i will give to my sister. yes. can you _ now doing? i will give to my sister. yes, can you explain _ now doing? i will give to my sister. yes, can you explain to _ now doing? i will give to my sister. yes, can you explain to us - now doing? i will give to my sister. yes, can you explain to us why - now doing? i will give to my sister. | yes, can you explain to us why you, why your sister has been turned away from britain? i why your sister has been turned away from britain?— why your sister has been turned away from britain? i mean, we don't know, we were allowed. _ from britain? i mean, we don't know, we were allowed, we _ from britain? i mean, we don't know, we were allowed, we tried _ from britain? i mean, we don't know, we were allowed, we tried to - from britain? i mean, we don't know, we were allowed, we tried to take - we were allowed, we tried to take eurotunnel— we were allowed, we tried to take eurotunnel and there are three points— eurotunnel and there are three points of— eurotunnel and there are three points of checks because of the covid _ points of checks because of the covid checks so we were led through the first— covid checks so we were led through the first one, through the second one and — the first one, through the second one and then did the covid checks and then— one and then did the covid checks and then in— one and then did the covid checks and then in the very last one before boarding _ and then in the very last one before boarding the train we were said that they were _ boarding the train we were said that they were very sorry about the situation — they were very sorry about the situation but they don't have any regulation — situation but they don't have any regulation that would allow them to let us— regulation that would allow them to let us through. find regulation that would allow them to let us through-— let us through. and you are a british citizen _ let us through. and you are a british citizen and _ let us through. and you are a british citizen and you - let us through. and you are a british citizen and you are - let us through. and you are a i british citizen and you are trying to get your sister and two children to get your sister and two children

to come to uk and the border controls didn't let you come in. yes, and we have a place for them to stay and _ yes, and we have a place for them to stay and we _ yes, and we have a place for them to stay and we could take care of them, you know. _ stay and we could take care of them, you know, keeping her somewhere in poland _ you know, keeping her somewhere in poland would have been feasible, i could _ poland would have been feasible, i could have — poland would have been feasible, i could have supported her, but it is not the _ could have supported her, but it is not the same, children need care and my sister— not the same, children need care and my sister needs care after such experience... we my sister needs care after such exoerience- - -— my sister needs care after such experience... my sister needs care after such exerience. .. ~ , ., ., ,., experience... we understand. i am so sor but experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we — experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have _ experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have to _ experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have to come _ experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have to come out - experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have to come out as - experience... we understand. i am so sorry but we have to come out as we i sorry but we have to come out as we don't have time but will be continuing our coverage on bbc news. hello again, the weather is looking soggy for a few of us over the next few days in the satellite picture you will see warm weather fronts pushing across the country today but this one to the west is going to be particularly slow moving front and it will be on the weather chart even as the first part of the weekend

bringing some of us outbreaks of rain. today, skies like this are pretty widespread across the uk with cloud and rain slowly extending its way northwards. the rain reaching across most of england and wales and northern ireland are now pushing into southern scotland. if it is sunny where you are it's probably you live across the north of the uk where it is a different story. pressure is relatively high here and we have glorious sunshine in the highlands after a cold start. through the rest of the day this cloud and rain makes little overall progress. you might start to see a bit of rain pushing into the central lowlands later this afternoon and our temperatures for the most part are six or seven celsius so quite chilly but turning milder across southern wales and south—west england progressively through this afternoon. overnight tonight, our first band of rain makes its way into scott and south—west england progressively through this afternoon. overnight tonight, our first band of rain makes its way into scotland bringing damp weather here and our west scotland towards the night and cloud and rain as well

and so it will be mild with 58 celsius. tomorrow it is cloudy and grey but with this slow—moving weather front bringing rain across scotland, england and wales and eastern areas seeing a few brighter spells at east anglia and may be south—east england and the weather should try to brighten up later in the day for northern ireland, western wales and parts of south—west england but otherwise it is cloudy for the most of us and it will be turning milder. into friday, the same weather front is still bringing rain. this time it's more focused across eastern areas of england, perhaps the middle lansing rain for a england, perhaps the middle lansing rainfora time england, perhaps the middle lansing rain for a time and across western parts of the uk, through parts of scotland, northern ireland, wales and the south—west, the rain brightens up and there will be sunshine but where it will turn cooler. the winded sales change in our weather and that with different di's death is high pressure builds in across the uk and that area of high pressure is going to be bringing a lot of dry weather through the weekend with spells of sunshine and indeed into next week

the weather should be mostly fine so a big change in the way.

this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories. russia's assault of ukraine intensifies. mariupol and kharkiv are under sustained bombardment. reports say over 2,000 people have died since the invasion began. this city will hold and today, kharkiv is unified as never before. in southern ukraine, moscow claims to have seized control of the port city of kherson. the mayor says the city is surrounded — but is still under his control.

heavy artillery strike an apartment building in borodyanka,