ukraine's president has accused russia of nuclear terror after reportedly combining the biggest new power station. —— reportedly bombarding. officials say that safety workers have no access to the building to tackle a fire which broke out in a training laboratory. the international atomic energy agency is that the equipment in the plant is still functioning. the russian bombardment of cities across ukraine is intensifying. air strikes have taken place north of kyiv. president putin has claimed his military campaign is on track. ukraine's president has appealed for further military aid. washington is turning up the pressure, imposing sanctions on oligarchs and associates of the russian leader. the uk's also taken further action against two oligarchs, the former russian deputy and associates.

now on hardtalk, in an interview recorded on monday, days after russia began its invasion of ukraine, my colleague stephen sackur spoke to russian born ukrainian writer andrey kurkov, who fled moscow after hearing he was on a watchlist after criticism of president putin. welcome to hardtalk. russians and ukrainians know each other intimately, thanks to history, language, culture. now they are at war, killing each other thanks to vladimir putin's decision to launch an invasion of his neighbour. my guest todayis of his neighbour. my guest today is an embodiment of the complex layers of the ukraine russia relationship. leading ukrainian novelist andrey kurkov was born in russia, right in russian. but is a ukrainian citizen and fears.

and critic. can ukraine withstand moscow's effort to undermine its nationhood? andrey kurkov, in western ukraine, welcome to hardtalk. hello. ., ., ., ~ , ., hello. hello, and thank you so much for _ hello. hello, and thank you so much forjoining _ hello. hello, and thank you so much forjoining us _ hello. hello, and thank you so much forjoining us at - hello. hello, and thank you so much forjoining us at a - hello. hello, and thank you so much forjoining us at a time l much forjoining us at a time which i can imagine for your family, so many ukrainians, is just so full of stress. let me ask you this. your home is clear, but you are not there anymore. you have moved. tell me what has happened to you in the last few days.—

the last few days. well, four da s the last few days. well, four days ago _ the last few days. well, four days ago we _ the last few days. well, four days ago we were _ the last few days. well, four days ago we were woken - the last few days. well, four days ago we were woken up | days ago we were woken up by three explosions. we live in a central part of kyiv, and next to a cathedral from the 12th century. we were shocked but i understand that the war has started. in one hour we had two more explosions and i started looking out of the windows and i saw several women dogs, but no cars. i think at this moment actually to me and my wife the understanding came that this is the beginning of the things which will change our life, change life in you reign and probably of europe also. this was the first day of war. but somehow before that, the evening before, a party at home, and i made a traditional beetroot soup with beans and meat. i invited a couple of journalists who are my old friends, and an ambassador of brazil, and i sort ofjoke that

this is the last soup gear. it turned out for now indeed the last in here.— last in here. and ifi may, i'm auoin last in here. and ifi may, i'm going to _ last in here. and ifi may, i'm going to ask— last in here. and ifi may, i'm going to ask is impersonal- last in here. and ifi may, i'm| going to ask is impersonal and probably difficult questions, but you have just passed your 60th birthday. as i understand the rules and ukraine, you are not required to stay inside the country and serve in the military. but i know you have sons who are of, if i can put it this way, fighting age. what are you as a family going to do? ~ , . , , �* , do? well, my family is british exce -t do? well, my family is british except for— do? well, my family is british except for me. _ do? well, my family is british except for me. i _ do? well, my family is british except for me. i am _ do? well, my family is british except for me. i am ukrainian citizen and my children, two sons and my daughter and my wife are british citizens. they don't have to fight but they want to be useful and they are checking today in the place where we are staying, an organisation that is helping the ukrainian army. d0 organisation that is helping the ukrainian army.- the ukrainian army. do you believe the _ the ukrainian army. do you believe the russians, - the ukrainian army. do you

believe the russians, and i the ukrainian army. do you i believe the russians, and this is a weird question, but would like to get their hands on you? you are one of the most famous novelist in ukraine. you are also a long—time fierce critic of vladimir putin, and the russians know all about you. do you think that they would like to get their hands on you? i was advised to move from kyiv, and i moved to... we moved to a village and then i was advised to go further. so i had information which i can approve that i am on a wanted list or i am just somebody who irritates very much some people in russia. my books are not available in russia from 2014, not printed from 2008. actually, my ukrainian publisher was... told that my books cannot cross the russian border because he was trying to sell my books to russia after they stopped publishing them. so i assume there is some kind of danger, but i don't

concentrate on this. i of danger, but i don't concentrate on this. i have a lot of other _ concentrate on this. i have a lot of other things _ concentrate on this. i have a lot of other things to - concentrate on this. i have a lot of other things to do. - concentrate on this. i have a i lot of other things to do. some in our audience will not be familiar with your work. death and the penguin is very well known around the world, some of your other novels have voted in july on what has happened politically in ukraine, in particular you have written about the donbas. you have also written a memoir of living through 2014 and britain's decision to annex crimea and move forces into eastern ukraine. you have looked very carefully at this relationship between ukraine and russia in recent years. ijust between ukraine and russia in recent years. i just wonder whether you personally were taken by surprise when he launched the full invasion. well, i wasn't completely surprised because at the time when, two weeks ago, 60% of ukrainians didn't believe the war is possible, i thought that the war is really possible because vladimir putin is getting older. i mean, he wants to leave a legacy and he wants to leave a legacy and he wants to be remembered for something

great, something like restoration of the russian empire or a new kind of soviet union. and ukraine was always very, i would say, something very, i would say, something very irritating for him because he couldn't imagine new empire or new russian soviet union without ukraine. actually, he misinterprets the history. he says that ukraine is small russia, ukraine is the younger sister of russian kingdom, but in fact, actually, ukraine, kyiv is mother of all cities, of all russian cities. year of 1500 and 40 years old, moscow is 875 years old. moscow was built by kyiv ausmat prince, who is also buried in gear. i mean, he cannot imagine ukraine being independent for so long. and he doesn't accept that ukrainians and russians are two different people, and they are two different people with two

different mentalities, opposite mount —— mentalities... different mentalities, opposite mount -- mentalities. . .- mount -- mentalities. .. yes, this could _ mount -- mentalities. .. yes, this could the _ mount -- mentalities. .. yes, this could the very _ mount -- mentalities. .. yes, this could the very heart - mount -- mentalities. .. yes, this could the very heart of. this could the very heart of what britain's message to the world is. he wants to delegitimise the very idea of a ukrainian nation. he said it is a fiction. he says that had not lennon given ukraine too much of a sense of identity within the ussr, there would be no modern ukraine. ijust when —— wonder whether you feel there are any people inside the nation state of ukraine today that his ethnic russian people who would identify with britain's version of history. i think you can find these people. i am one of probably seven or 8 million of ethnic russians, and i mean most of the ethnic russians are not interested in politics, but they love it in ukraine and they love it in ukraine and they consider themselves ukrainian citizens. but there are between 10— 15% of russian

speakers who always vote for the prior russian political parties, and they are always organised and we understand who finances them. but there is ten to 15% of the population which is either nostalgic about so the roof or soviet times or just considers their origin, russian origin, is enough reason to love pertinent to be loyal —— love putin and to be loyal —— love putin and to be loyal to russia secretly or openly. loyal to russia secretly or oenl . ~ . . loyal to russia secretly or oenl .~ . ., loyal to russia secretly or oenl.~ . ., , openly. what are your feelings when ou openly. what are your feelings when you see _ openly. what are your feelings when you see putin _ openly. what are your feelings when you see putin on - openly. what are your feelings when you see putin on your i openly. what are your feelings when you see putin on your tv screen saying that he is determined to save russians inside ukraine from, and i am using his word, genocide. we know that is a lie, but ijust wonder how you feel as an ethnic russian who has lived for so many years inside ukraine, how you feel when you see putin saying that. i ukraine, how you feel when you see putin saying that.— see putin saying that. i know ou see putin saying that. i know you nokia — see putin saying that. i know you nokia very _ see putin saying that. i know you nokia very well, - see putin saying that. i know you nokia very well, and - see putin saying that. i know| you nokia very well, and kyiv

was... when i was a young man, 99% of people were speaking russian, and now there are probably 60% or 70% who are russians who speak russian or other same time they can speak and you —— understand ukrainian. he remains well heard and well used here and nobody is managed by the speaking russian writing russian or publishing books in russian. there is a separate cultural sphere of resource only. there are right—wing radicals who don't like russian language, but at the same time, there are right—wing radicals who are ethnic russians and who don't mind russian language, so i mean they mostly actually direct their anger at putin and that russian chauvinism and that russian chauvinism and that the desire of putin to enslave ukraine again. regarding that mutual history,

it was not always mutual. ukraine and russian history. in the 16th, 17th century, ukraine was independent territory practically ruled by the military chefs of cossacks elect out in open elections by cossacks themselves together with the higher offices. there was diplomatic service. they were corresponding .my correspondence with hungarian star, with turkish sultan. there was a legal system, probably it was also corrupt, but it was completely independent from russia. ukrainians never had a sire, never had a king or royal family. i never had a king or royal famil . ., �* ~' . , family. i don't think any... i take your — family. i don't think any... i take your point. _ family. i don't think any... i take your point. i _ family. i don't think any... i take your point. i don't - family. i don't think any... i | take your point. i don't think many independent historians so much validity and a lot of what britain was claiming about ukraine bozovic history, but nonetheless, are you not in danger of going to bar the other way when you say, and i think you said it to me earlier in this interview, using to say, we ukrainians are

fundamentally different from russians because russia has a sort of collective mindset which is very reflective of a sort of soviet approach, and we ukrainians are highly individualistic, maybe chaotic, but ultimately much more akin to a europe individualist way of thinking. that sounds very binary. is it really as simple as that? , , ,, binary. is it really as simple asthat? , , , ., as that? this is maybe a simplification _ as that? this is maybe a simplification because . as that? this is maybe a i simplification because you as that? this is maybe a - simplification because you can find also ukrainians with collective mentality, and these ukrainians lived actually incorrect —— crimea and donbas, they were nostalgic in crimea about cyrus times because there is some kind of cult of... the remote of family was aborted in crimea and other souvenirs that you could bring were connected with the history of the royal family in russia. at the same time, in donbas, the soviet nostalgia was supported, and one of the favourite almost favourite tv channels that is probably still watched their,

it is a russian tv channel which shows soviet films, very often black—and—white, 24 hours a day. often black-and-white, 24 hours a da . ., , often black-and-white, 24 hours ada. a day. let me ask you this. are ou a day. let me ask you this. are you reconsidering _ a day. let me ask you this. are you reconsidering your - a day. let me ask you this. are you reconsidering your lifelong | you reconsidering your lifelong artistic decision to write primarily in russian? you know there are ukrainian writers who think that is a form of cultural artistic betrayal. i did have a lot of discussions with people who say that if you write in russian, you are a russian writer, not a ukrainian writer, so you have to change the language. i did write a couple of non—fiction books in ukrainian and a couple of children's books in ukrainian, but russian language as my mother tongue and i can do much more with the russian language. i have readers, both ukrainian speaking and russian speaking readers. my books are translated in ukrainian as books of other russian language writers in ukraine. so this is

not —— this is just part of national literature, we have lots of hungarian writers in trans— carpathian region. indie trans- carpathian region. we have crimean _ trans— carpathian region. we have crimean writers. language is important. you have already made playing your feelings about putin's narrative on ukraine, its history, culture, language. but there wasn't a moment in the recent past and the ukrainian government played into putin's hands in a sense ijy into putin's hands in a sense by clamping down on russian language media? for example, closing down some russian language tv stations, making russian language newspapers published in ukrainian as well, which effectively destroy their business model. some human rights groups expressed concern about that, and i wonder whether you think it was a mistake to do that.- whether you think it was a mistake to do that. some of the decisions were _ mistake to do that. some of the decisions were definitely - decisions were definitely mistaken, but they were i think upsetting those russian speakers who were not politically engaged, but then probably they, after that,

decided to vote for pro— russian parties or they voted always for pro— russian parties. i agree that there was some disc balance in taking the decisions regarding the language. but also, the russian language. but also, the russian language was used from probably the end of the 90s as a political instrument. if you are russian speaker, are considered by russia, by putin, ijy considered by russia, by putin, by his entourage, you are considered belonging to russian world. this humanitarian project that was started by russian orthodox church and the russian orthodox church and the russian government. through this project, russia wanted to influence the world through all russian speakers, from israel to brazil and shanghai. this is why the fear of any kind of promotion of russian language was so strong in ukrainian language speaking society.

just one more element of the putin narrative i want to go through with you. that is his notion of neofascists, extremists and dangerous far right elements woven into ukraine's politics and military. now, i mean there is no doubt that very far extreme right ideology does have a place in ukraine. it has a place in ukraine. it has a place in ukraine. it has a place in some political movements and some militia military movements. do you think that again, the key of government, overtime, has failed to address that in the way that they should have done? kyiv —— kyiv. way that they should have done? kyiv -- kyiv-_ kyiv -- kyiv. society addressed it. kyiv -- kyiv. society addressed it- actually. — kyiv -- kyiv. society addressed it. actually, no _ kyiv -- kyiv. society addressed it. actually, no extreme - kyiv -- kyiv. society addressed it. actually, no extreme right l it. actually, no extreme right groups or political have made it into parliament. so even moderate nationalists didn't make it into parliament. so you don't have these people, either in the government or in the

parliament, you have some extreme right politicians and regional, into our three regional, into our three regional councils. but they are not influential at all. find regional councils. but they are not influential at all.— not influential at all. and the azov, the — not influential at all. and the azov, the so-called - not influential at all. and the azov, the so-called azov - azov, the so—called azov militiamen who we sometimes see parading in kyiv and who we can only assume now, some of them might well be on the front lines. how do you feel about them? again, they express an extreme far right ideology. well, you know, they are coming from football fans. at least half of these people. and they are coming up from western ukraine but originally from the south—east, and this is a phenomenon i don't understand until today, phenomenon i don't understand untiltoday, but phenomenon i don't understand until today, but we are talking about several hundred people in the country of 40 million. it is not a very large, very accessible movement. i mean, you can notice them on special historical days, like the birthday of stephen bandera, who was one of the leaders of

ukrainian nationalism when western ukraine belongs to poland. i western ukraine belongs to poland. . ~ poland. i imagine, mr kurkov, riaht poland. i imagine, mr kurkov, right now _ poland. i imagine, mr kurkov, right now where _ poland. i imagine, mr kurkov, right now where you _ poland. i imagine, mr kurkov, right now where you are, - poland. i imagine, mr kurkov,| right now where you are, living in temporary accommodation western ukraine, so many of us, you are watching the tv and seeing the truly horrifying scenes of attacks on ukrainian cities, most recently kharkiv has been hit by multiple rocket attacks, civilians are being killed, we know that. what is this doing to ukrainian society right now? do you believe? well, it is a very stressful time, and what is happening, society once again, like in euromaidan got consolidated against a common enemy. so people from different political groups, they got together and they arejoining the groups, they got together and they are joining the army now. there is a mobilisation announced two days ago, so there are huge queues, and

actually there are places where you cannot get into the army of the territorial defence because they have more than enough for now. and this gives me hope that ukraine will defend its independence, and of course, i mean, we can lose again a chunk of territory, because it is difficult to fight on the front line which is 3000 kilometres long and at the same time defend big cities from the russian sources. but i hope we will withstand.— will withstand. indeed. i am very interested _ will withstand. indeed. i am very interested in _ will withstand. indeed. i am very interested in the - very interested in the political culture, because in your writing you have addressed some of the problems, some of the chaos that we have seen in ukraine's journey towards democracy in the last 20 years, backin democracy in the last 20 years, back in 2014, around the time of the euromaidan, you said ukraine is a complex multiethnic country in desperate need of intelligent professional politicians, so here we are in 2022, facing an

existential challenge, do you think ukraine's petitions are stepping up to the challenge? i think they are trying hard. i was surprised by volodymyr zelensky and i am surprised by the minister of defence, who is not a professional officer or a man from the army. so, i mean, there are some politicians who are taking responsibility, taking decisions and working 24 hours a day. and actually come at the same time, they are open and they are accessible. and i am afraid to say that... i mean, this war can become finally the best university for ukrainian stated and for ukrainian stated and for ukrainian statesman. because only if you are really defending your country, you can afterwards work on resurrection of the country, construction, recreation and making it civilised again.— civilised again. briefly, i want you _ civilised again. briefly, i want you to _ civilised again. briefly, i want you to address - civilised again. briefly, i- want you to address volodymyr zelensky individually, because again, on the eve of war, you are saying many people in

ukraine are disappointed by zelensky�*s unfulfilled promises. now we see a man who dresses in military fatigues, who is extraordinarily adept at getting his defiant message across using social media platforms, and appears to be really galvanising the country. what do you as a writer and communicator may come zelensky right now. —— make of zelensky right now. —— make of zelensky right now? right now. -- make of zelensky right now?— right now? there may be different _ right now? there may be different reasons, - right now? there may be different reasons, but i different reasons, but obviously he is behaving very, very right way for the president in such a situation. at some point i thought about santilli under, because i thought that zelensky�*s idea and attitude is correct but he is not strong enough. now it seems to me that i was wrong again and he is actually standing strong and he gets more and more support, also from his previous prediction ukrainian society. so, i am one of his critics, and i stopped

criticising him.— of his critics, and i stopped criticising him. right. now, ou are criticising him. right. now, you are a — criticising him. right. now, you are a writer, _ criticising him. right. now, you are a writer, not - criticising him. right. now, you are a writer, not a i you are a writer, not a fighter, but do you believe that there are things that the artistic community, the wielders of, if i can put it this way, soft power rather than military power, that there are things they can do to contribute right now? you know, i am thinking, we have seen decisions taking in the arts world, the sporting world, to try to isolate russia. ijust wonder if you think that makes any difference? it wonder if you think that makes any difference?— any difference? it does make a lot of difference, _ any difference? it does make a lot of difference, i _ any difference? it does make a lot of difference, i think. i any difference? it does make a lot of difference, i think. and | lot of difference, i think. and actually artists and writers in ukraine are very politicised and very engaged. and i am, as and very engaged. and i am, as a president of the ukrainian art centre, say that we are organised and also different translations of the pieces of information about daily actuality, situation in ukraine, the foreign journalists, we are organising panel discussions online in

english again, we are trying to keepin english again, we are trying to keep in touch with every member of artistic society and check who needs help, who needs evacuation, who needs medicine. so, i mean, there is a solidarity very visible now. and what about, you know, with your knowledge of russian culture, as well, russian language, how much do you think they, in and in russia, will care about being ostracised and isolated when it comes to international artistic and sporting events?- international artistic and sporting events? not a lot. i mean, sporting events? not a lot. i mean. some _ sporting events? not a lot. i mean, some artists - sporting events? not a lot. i mean, some artists will i sporting events? not a lot. i mean, some artists will be l mean, some artists will be upset. but some artists are already out of russia, and they don't want to come back. until the government changes of the president changes. but generally, of course, it doesn't influence them very much. lots of people in the russian artistic world are supporting putin and they approve of this war. i mean, like the very famous singer baskov and some mariinsky

theatre actors, etc. so i don't think it does influence a majority of artists, but what is making them upset is that they cannot fly now to barcelona or to cyprus. they cannot use their visa cards. if they are issued by russian banks, in europe. so the discomfort of life because of the war, that is what upsets russians now, and actually, i saw it on youtube today. aha, saw it on youtube today. a final thought, saw it on youtube today. a finalthought, i guess saw it on youtube today. a final thought, i guess you have to consider whether you are going to stay in ukraine, you also have to consider whether you believe your country has a viable future as an independent, free country. what do ou independent, free country. what do you think? — independent, free country. what do you think? i _ independent, free country. what do you think? ithink— independent, free country. turret do you think? i think ukraine will remain independent. because the ukrainians, independence is more important than stability, and so russia, stability is more important than freedom. so, stability is more important thanfreedom. so, i mean, i don't know what size will ukraine remain, after the war. i hope it will speed still a big european country. but i'm

sure 100% that will remain independent and will survive this ordeal.— independent and will survive this ordeal. �* , this ordeal. and will you stay? i will this ordeal. and will you stay? i will stay _ this ordeal. and will you stay? i will stay until— this ordeal. and will you stay? i will stay until the _ this ordeal. and will you stay? i will stay until the very - this ordeal. and will you stay? i will stay until the very end. l i will stay until the very end. i will stay until the very end. i mean, if the danger is 100% into the country is almost occupied and probably i will have to take my family out. andrey kurkov, we thank you very much indeed forjoining us on hardtalk. very much indeed for “oining us on hardtalki hello there. cloud and outbreaks of rain are continuing to move very slowly eastwards. we should have more sunshine

around across the uk this weekend, but on thursday, the best of the sunshine was across northern ireland. highest temperatures, though, were in the south—east of england — 14 degrees — ahead of that band of thicker cloud, which is taking that rain very slowly eastwards. there are some breaks in the cloud coming in from the west, a few showers around as well, but temperatures early morning could be close to freezing perhaps in northern ireland and western parts of scotland. further east, it's milder, but it is wetter. we've got cloud and rain from the word go. and for a while in the morning, that rain could be on the heavy side before it pulls away from much of eastern scotland and eventually from the north—east of england. we keep some rain, though, further south across eastern england. further west, though, we're into that brighter sky, some sunshine and maybe one or two showers for northern ireland, western scotland, wales and western england. and these areas on the whole, a little bit milder, i think, on friday. still quite cold, though, for eastern scotland and the north—east of england. improvements, though, this weekend. more sunshine to come for scotland and northern ireland, and we should slowly see the weather improving

across england and wales as that rain finally moves away. but we start the weekend cold in scotland and northern ireland, a slight frost here. there's even a risk of temperatures close to freezing in the south—west of england and south wales. further east, though, we've still got that band of cloud and rain. and that will tend to sink its way southwards and westwards, taking some of that damp weather towards the south—west of england, but allowing more sunshine in wales now, and the north of england, together with sunshine in scotland and northern ireland. and in the sunshine, temperatures 8, 9 degrees, so a milder day for eastern scotland and the north—east of england. second half of the weekend sees the back of this weather front at long last. looks like it is going to be fading away a little more quickly now as that area of high pressure builds down from the north. so, the rain gets squeezed out. if there is any rain, it's really down through the english channel. a dry picture, generally, i think, on sunday. more sunshine to come across england and wales, certainly some brighter skies here, and we continue to see the sunshine after a cold start in scotland and northern ireland. still not particularly warm for the time of year. temperatures only around 8 or 9 degrees. high pressure builds in this weekend, and then it starts to slip away to the east of the uk, allowing a stronger wind to pick up,

but it looks like all these weather fronts and rain are going to stay away towards the west.

hello. bbc news. i am sally baldock with the latest news for viewers in the uk and around the world. uk ukraine's president accuses russia of nuclear terrorism. translation: we need to stop the russian military immediately. scream to your politicians. ukraine has 15 nuclear units. if there is an explosion it is the end of everything, the end of europe. president zelensky briefsjoe president zelensky briefs joe biden president zelensky briefsjoe biden about the fire. the us calls for moscow to stop its military actions in the area. mariupol has become a city under siege as power and water supplies are cut off by relentless russian shelling.

there is no slowing in the