welcome to bbc news. our top stories: as missiles continue to bombard ukraine, the mayor of kherson confirms the strategically important port is the first major city to fall under russian control. officials say more than 2,000 civilians have now died since russia's invasion began. attacks come by land and air. ukraine's president says his nation remains defiant. translation: we are a nation that broke the enemy's plans i in a week, plans written for years,

sneaky, full of hatred for our country, our people. more people try to flee the fighting. travelled to neighbouring countries. and chelsea's owner, roman abramovich, who denies links to the russian state, puts his premier league football club up for sale. hello and welcome to bbc news. welcome to those on pbs america and those around the globe. exactly a week ago, president putin appeared on tv to announce the start of a special military operation in ukraine. simultaneously, the first rockets rained down on ukrainian cities and russian forces crossed over its borders. now, those troops have taken the first major city, kherson, a strategically important port in the south of the country.

the authorities in kyiv say heavy attacks, meanwhile, are continuing on the cities of kharkiv near the russian border and mariupol, which lies to the south. 0ur reporter has given us an update on the capture of kherson. it is the first city to fall within this week, as you say, a quarter of a million people are normally based there, and if we look at this footage filmed on tuesday, these are russian tanks going through the city, which are the regional centre north of crimea, but also a strategic position at the mouth of the river as it reaches the black sea, and the news came out because the mayor of kherson said that there were not negotiations, but armed visitors coming into the city council, he just asked them not to shoot people, and basically has come out with a new list of rules for all the residents there — there will be

a curfew from 8pm to 6am, there is going to be only cars allowed in if they are bringing in food or medicine or other necessities, and when you walk through the city, you have to walk one by one, and you have to stop if you are asked to. the bombing continues of mariupol, as we were saying, and kharkiv as well. what sort of resistance are russian forces meeting there? it is really interesting, the picture across the country. the business of war, before i get onto the resistances, is being conducted in such a strange way, if you like. i will show you some shots of the russian military. they are discussing a takeover with the city, the mayor there. it is tense, the residents are surrounding soldiers who have raised arms, you can see one holding a grenade. the mayor, having conducted those discussions, addressing the city's residence and relaying an ultimatum, saying that either way surrender or the russians say the artillery aimed at the city will be used. 0ne response from the crowd is someone saying, let's evacuate the women.

the mayor says, let's fight, i am happy to fight, but i want to reach a unanimous decision. it leaves them with that kind of decision that many cities might face, whether to surrender, whether to take part in urban combat, orjust to see what happens. after that, president zelensky released another video message urging ukrainians to fight. translation: we broke - the enemy's plans in a week, plans written for years. sneaky, full of hatred for our country, our people. about 12 hours ago, when we were last speaking, we discussed kharkiv and airborne troops landing in the city. what is the situation there at the moment, casualties, have they now — are they close to taking the city? that would be another very important location, wouldn't it? we are expecting that to be a very drawnout situation, the questions are how the paratroopers are going to be supported. of course, a lot of focus is on the capital, kyiv,

and there have been four explosions heard in the last two hours. let's listen to one of them. explosion now, two explosions in the city centre, two by the metro station. hugely worrying for the residents there, a lot of people taken by surprise, that was around 2:00 in the morning their time. not everything is going to plan for the russians, though, who we have seen surrounding the capital with that convoy of course. let me just show you a couple of things, tim. we are going to see some joy riders, ukrainian men joy—riding a russian tank. this is the tank which has obviously been taken by ukrainian resistance? no, just people who found the tank on the side of the road. i will show you something else. have a look at this — a multimillion—dollar russian anti—aircraft system being towed away by farmers. one interesting bit of footage that we saw on russia today, we didn't see it here in europe because it is banned,

but this was people in russia — look how old these reservists are. the fact russia are calling up reservists with 190,000 troops surrounding, or now committed — 80% of which are committed in ukraine, suggests maybe president putin and his military planners hadn't quite counted for the resistance that they were going to receive from the ukrainian forces. mike lobel. the international criminal court has opened a war crimes investigation into russia's actions. the icc has now begun collecting evidence and will investigate past and present allegations of war crimes against humanity or genocide committed on any part of the territory of ukraine. a missile strike on the city of kharkiv in eastern ukraine on tuesday is likely to be among the incidents investigated. at least 21 people died, many of the city's residents have now fled south

to the city of dnipro. there are some distressing images in this report. a university folding in flames in a war that's against all logic and reason. the attack on kharkiv is intensifying with every day, and these targets are not military at all. the city council was hit today — a whole street left in ruins. and from the wreckage of people's homes, rescuers bring out a survivor. it's why so many in kharkiv have moved underground to hide in basements and bunkers. we spoke to paulina's parents yesterday, the three—year—old whose cancer medicine is running out. today, herfamily made a dash across town to the station, anxious to get their girl, who's already been through so much, to safety. when i called her mum, ksenia, she told me there was so many people at the station, she didn't know whether they'd make it onto a train. translation: we're really worried. - i'm always scared

i'm doing the wrong thing, either staying at home, or coming here, where there's a huge crowd. we just go back and forth, and i have no idea what's right. and the danger zone is growing. this hospital was hit in the south—east. but in melitopol, a town supposedly under russian control, ukrainians are refusing to be cowed. but nerves are being tested across this region. here in dnipro, we found families trying to evacuate their youngest and most vulnerable. this war now getting too close for comfort. shouting this train has just pulled into the station, and all this crowd know is that it is supposed to be heading west, and so they've been shoving forward. one man just shouting, "let the women and children come through first." but there is chaos here, people desperate to get onboard. now we here,

because within a few days, and here, maybe us, kyiv, kharkiv. so, i think better to leave. "i love you," this father tells a child. he'll now stay to face the russian troops. no—one can hide their emotion today. i asked this man where he's sending his family. "to a better life," he says, then swears at those who have caused all this suffering. outside, we found a family who'vejust emerged from their bomb shelter, now trying to flee abroad. dasha breaks down, telling me they don't want to abandon the city, but she doesn't want her children to see people getting killed. her own mother says they've left everything. after 65 years in this town,

she has no idea whether she'll be back. dnipro isn't under attack, but to its people, the risk of that feels very real. ukraine is still resisting, pushing back, but it's trying to protect everyone it can. sarah rainsford, bbc news, dnipro. that is the situation in dnipro. let's get more detail about the situation in kyiv, our international correspondent orla guerin reports on the russian advance to the ukrainian capital. in broad daylight, dangerjust outside the window. this is the town of borodyanka, about 25 miles from kyiv. as the russians advance on the city, they are leaving a trail of destruction. translation: they know nothing about our capital, j about our history. but they have an order — to erase our history, to erase our country, to erase us all.

and here, west of kyiv, the aftermath of a deadly missile attack in the town of zhytomyr. the target may have been an air base nearby, but family homes were destroyed. oleg rubak stands calmly in the rubble, but he has lost his wife. "she was the light of my life," he says. "she's the best thing that's happened to me. "but i'm trying to keep myself together "because of one reason — "i still have parents and a daughter." in the capital today, sirens wailing deserted streets. that echo fear and dread. ..so liliya romanova

and her daughters have gotten used to going below ground. victoria and olena have learned how to dress quickly and run and how to play war games. translation: on the second day, the children woke up _ and made pistols with their lego to kill the enemy. our elder daughter doesn't remember dancing anymore. they say they must kill. it shouldn't be like this. it can't be like this. people are dying, cities are on fire. it's not normal. but i will not leave my country, i will not move. neither will my children. in the face of all this, as war closes in, liliya is doing what parents do — trying to put on a brave face for the sake of her girls.

translation: you keep yourself in hand until the very last moment. when you hear the national anthem, you start to cry. even children are singing it, young children. and that's the moment when you can't control yourself. and you don't want your children to see you crying, because they are worried and they start crying with you. liliya shows me photos of better days... ..when her daughters wore party dresses and won prizes for dancing. olena will be four soon and knows she won't get a birthday present. she told her mum, "that's ok, you can get me one later." victoria remains silent, her childhood changed forever. orla guerin, bbc news, kyiv.

stay with us here on bbc news. still to come, the russian billionaire roman abramovich who denies links to vladimir putin says he is now selling his chelsea football club. first, the plates slid gently off the restaurant tables. then suddenly, the tables, the chairs and people crashed sideways and downwards. it was just a matter of seconds as the ferry lurched onto her side. the hydrogen bomb on a remote pacific atoll. the americans had successfully tested a weapon whose explosive force dwarfed that of the bomb dropped on hiroshima. i had heard the news earlier, and so, my heart went bang, bang, bang! - the constitutional rights of these marchers are their rights as citizens of the united states and they should be protected,

even in the right to test them out, so that they don't get their heads broken and are sent to hospital. this religious controversy — i know you don't want to say too much about it — but does it worry you that it's going to boil up when you get the states? well, it bothers me, yes, but i hope everything will be all right - in the end, as they say. you are watching bbc world news. kherson in the south of ukraine becomes the first major city to fall under the control of russian forces. the bbc�*s caroline davies has more now on moscow's control of the media.

more now on moscow's control of the media-— the media. the list of media organisations _ the media. the list of media organisations and _ the media. the list of media organisations and websites | organisations and websites bound by russia keeps on growing. the kremlin wants everybody to play by its rules and anyone who does not, it threatens with handing them. in particular, it has talked about the fact that it wants its actions in ukraine to be referred to as a special operation rather than a war. it uses fear to keep people silent. they are looking at a rule that if anyone published something deemed to be fake news about the military could face 15 years in prison. russia today said nearly 500 of its troops have died in ukraine but state media here is still full of bravado and if you look on social media there are images of people smashing up there are apple products, saying they do not need western goods. but although there is no fear of a military attack you, there is a very real fear among some, military attack you, there is a very realfear among some, fear of what may happen to people's savings as the rouble crumbled, fear about what happens if you speak out, fear about what

happens next and fear about the sort of country that russia is becoming now that it is shutting itself off from the rest of the world.- rest of the world. caroline davis reporting _ rest of the world. caroline davis reporting there - rest of the world. caroline j davis reporting there from moscow. as the fighting continue so too does the wave of people trying to flee to safety. the un says that more than i safety. the un says that more thani million people have now left ukraine since the invasion began. almost all of them are women and children. men aged between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country because they could be called up to fight. most of the women and children have gone to neighbouring poland, slovakia, hungary and moldova. our correspondent is in the moldovan character —— capital and she sent this report from there. out of the bunkers and basements of ukraine has risen a village. moldova's main exhibition hall now a waiting room for ukrainian refugees. the trade here is in hope and information. the hall has room for 600 refugees, but it often sees

a thousand people a day. each one of these tiny cubicles belongs to a ukrainian family. this one belongs to valentina — she came here on saturday with her two daughters. the women here are part of a family of 12 from odesa. this one is marina, she's here with her 12—year—old son oscar. and irina is in this cubicle. she came from odesa, bringing her cat, candy. marina arrived here on saturday night. she worked in a coal mine in the donbas region of ukraine but fled to odesa when fighting broke out in 2014. when russian bombs fell on odesa last week, she fled again. translation: i'm tired | of running from the war, eight years we've been running. we're mentally exhausted. if only god would help us and give us peace, everyone could live a normal life.

but now everyone in the world is trembling. moldova's army was also thinking about russian soldiers today. 30 years ago, it was then facing russia's troops in the breakaway region of transnistria. at the national war memorial, moldova's president marked the anniversary of that conflict while, she said, cannons sounded again nearby across the border. the veterans who carried guns back then laid flowers for their fallen comrades. their hearts turned towards their past, their minds on the present. mikhail told me he'd like to go and fight the russians again but he's 67 now and too old. instead, he's hosting nine refugees from ukraine. in the refugee centre, a pop—up children's theatre

replaces normal school. the lesson taught here, that worries and uncertainty are nothing to fear — a salve for the lessons of real life. lucy williamson, bbc news, moldova. victoria has been helping ukrainians crossing into poland. i spoke to her earlier and she told me about her work. we have a web of volunteers who are helping to share housing for refugees as well as transport. we also have many people on hold to help with employment. do you advertise what is available from people in your country, that then goes out on facebook? people say yes, we want to come, we have not got transport, we need help, and then how do you put the people together? one of our

volunteers, from the beginning of the crisis has shared her number on facebook and it has gone viral in the ukraine so we have many calls from people running away and as we are locating them based on our system we made with spreadsheets. it system we made with spreadsheets. it sounds a brilliant idea. _ spreadsheets. it sounds a brilliant idea. how - spreadsheets. it sounds a brilliant idea. how many i spreadsheets. it sounds a - brilliant idea. how many people have you helped and where have they come from? i have you helped and where have they come from?— they come from? i think almost all of them _ they come from? i think almost all of them come _ they come from? i think almost all of them come from - they come from? i think almost all of them come from ukraine | all of them come from ukraine and we have had to locate about 400 people. d0 and we have had to locate about 400 maple-— and we have had to locate about 400 people. do they come to the border and _ 400 people. do they come to the border and then _ 400 people. do they come to the border and then people _ 400 people. do they come to the border and then people meet - border and then people meet them there or how does it work? usually they come to the border and people meet them there. there are many volunteers at the borders right now from our foundation and from many ngos and also many people come to

the border privately because they want some help and so there is a lot of transport provided at the borders. what sort of timeframe are we talking about here? the people who are volunteering to look after refugees, are they saying for as long as you want to we will get you on your feet for a month for a few weeks? we are unsure how it will develop but for now we are trying to provide unlimited space for refugees, obviously, as much as it is realistic we are alljust trying to support each other. presumably, some of these refugees are arriving at the border with hardly anything at all, maybejust border with hardly anything at all, maybe just a suitcase of their belongings and nothing else. , , , , , their belongings and nothing else. exactly, yes. this is why we are counting _ else. exactly, yes. this is why we are counting on _ else. exactly, yes. this is why we are counting on the - else. exactly, yes. this is why we are counting on the help . else. exactly, yes. this is why| we are counting on the help of the polish public and canvassing for donations right now. there is a huge

mobilisation within polish society and it is amazing to see and people are mobilising to collect clothes, food, hygiene product, it is really amazing to see.— amazing to see. that is victoria _ amazing to see. that is victoria from _ amazing to see. that is victoria from the - amazing to see. that is victoria from the open | amazing to see. that is - victoria from the open dialogue foundation. the owner of chelsea football club the russian businessman roman abramovich says he's planning to sell the club which he has owned for the past 19 years. last week the british parliament was told of a leaked government document referring to mr abramovich as having links to the russian state, links which he denies. our correspondent laura scott reports. there wasn't even time to tell the players before the news broke that, after nearly 20 years owning in chelsea, russian billionaire roman abramovich has decided to sell. in a statement, he said he felt it was in the best interests of the club in the current situation. he said he'd instructed his team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated and this would benefit all victims of the war in ukraine.

abramovich said he wouldn't be calling in the £1.5 billion the club owes him. but for some, there was a gaping hole in what he said. there's still, still no condemnation from roman or the club about what's happening in ukraine. abramovich's departure is a seismic moment but not entirely unexpected, coming after mounting calls for the government to sanction him. he's a person of interest to the home office because of his links to the russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices. abramovich has always denied doing anything to warrant sanctions, but some will see this as an attempt to secure the club's future before any possible sanctions come his way. chelsea have been transformed into a footballing force under abramovich, winning 19 major trophies — little wonder, then, that some supporters are sad to see him go. absolutely gutted, mate.

but he's done it for the right reasons. we know he has. british government put a target on his back, and everybody's on him now. obviously it's very - sad what is happening in the ukraine, but at the end of the day, l i think football comes second, doesn't it? . abramovich has already been approached by potential buyers, but will he get the £3 billion he reportedly wants for the club? i think that is unlikely to be achieved, but if you are looking for a trophy asset, something to show off to your compatriots, to your friends, then chelsea has an awful lot of attraction. chelsea celebrated another success tonight, but as bidders swirl around stamford bridge, questions do too over how this club will fare as it enters a new era. laura scott, bbc news. that's all for now.

we have more on oui’ we have more on our website. from me and the team, see you soon. hello there. on wednesday, we saw the thicker cloud moving further north across the uk, bringing with it some rain and some drizzle. there was still some sunshine across northern parts of scotland — over eight hours of sunshine, actually, in shetland. but thursday starting cloudy pretty much everywhere, quite misty and murky. as a result of the cloud, though, it's frost—free this time. but we do have a band of rain that's been pushing its way in from the west. that should be clearing away from northern ireland. it'll cheer up here with some sunshine and a scattering of showers, but you can see how slowly that rain moves into scotland, into northwest of england, across wales, eventually into the west midlands and into the west country, allowing some late sunshine in the far southwest of england and wales. and ahead of that ragged band of rain, eastern parts of england should have a drier, brighter day on thursday,

maybe some sunshine in the southeast of england, lifting temperatures to a milder 12 degrees. the weather front is bringing this rain in from the west. it's moving so slowly eastwards that, eventually, it'll grind to a halt and then start to move back towards the west. by the time we get to friday, most of that rain and drizzle will be affecting the eastern side of scotland, northeast england, through parts of yorkshire, into the midlands and perhaps into the southeast of england, meaning some sunshine is still possible in east anglia. out towards the west, this is where we should see some brighter skies, some spells of sunshine. still a scattering of light showers for wales, northern ireland and the southwest. underneath that cloud, low cloud and rain and drizzle, it'll feel quite cold. into the weekend, we should see more sunshine developing more widely as the weekend progresses, but it will still be quite chilly. a frosty start for scotland and northern ireland. sunshine here on saturday. that weather front is still bringing this cloud and patchy light rain and drizzle for england and wales. starts to move back to the west, so we should get some sunshine through lincolnshire, east anglia and the southeast of england during the afternoon.

temperatures around 10 degrees at best, but only 6 or so in the northeast of england. we got higher pressure bringing the sunshine for scotland and northern ireland, and that's going to build across that weather front. it'll continue to weaken it. it'll continue to dry it out as well. and we should see some brighter skies. again, a frosty start, though, for scotland and northern ireland, some sunshine here. always a bit more cloud, i think, for england and wales, but it will be lifting a bit. skies should be brighter. we should see some sunshine and it's likely to be dry across england and wales on sunday, but still not particularly warm, temperatures typically around 8 or 9 celsius.

you are watching bbc news. our headlines: the mayor of the strategically important south ukrainian port of kherson says russian forces are now in control, making it the first major city to be captured in the east. the mayor of the besieged city has said russian missiles have hit residential areas. ukrainian officials say more than 2,000 civilians have died since russia's invasion began. moscow has revealed almost 500 of its troops have been killed, and as the bombardments continue, the united nations says1 million refugees have now taken shelter by fleeing to neighbouring countries. and the russian billionaire, roman abramovich, has confirmed he intends to sell his chelsea football club, one of the epl�*s top teams.

there had been growing russia for sanctions against oligarchs close to president putin.