this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories... as ukraine appeals for nato to impose a no fly zone to protect civilians from continuing russian attacks, a former ukrainian president tells the bbc his country is desperate. you see all these people are suffering from death and this is completely unacceptable and when we are asking the no—fly zone, this is exactly for these people. but nato has rejected calls for a no fly zone — and president putin warned the alliance today it would have catastrophic consequences. any movement in this direction would

be considered by us as a participation in the armed conflict. ukrainian forces continue their resistance — they say this was a russian helicopter brought down by one of their missiles close to the capital as the fighting rages, plans to evacuate civilians through two humanitarian corridors have to be abandoned. we begin in the ukrainian town of irpin which has come under heavy fire. these are images we are receiving from the town — it's just northwest of kyiv where russian forces have been trying to break through. hundreds of people are fleeing irpin. some of those leaving said there had been constant shelling all night. irpin lies near the head of the russian convoy which has been making slow progress

towards the ukrainian capital. further south—east, video posted online shows what appears to be hundreds of people queueing up to join the territorial defence units where the russian army seized europe's largest nuclear power station after it was hit by shelling on friday. meanwhile ukraine and russia have accused each other of violating agreed ceasefires designed to provide humanitarian corridors for trapped civilians in the south of ukraine. plans had been announced for two humanitarian corridors — allowing hundreds of thousands of residents to flee mariupol — and the nearby city of volnovakha. but continued fighting has meant they couldn't leave. meanwhile, president putin has warned that, any country imposing a no—fly zone over ukraine, will be considered to have joined the war. ukrainian negotiators say they'll hold a third round of talks with russia on monday and the israel prime minister has held surprise talks in moscow

with president putin. our international correspondent, orla guerin reports. this is the reality of russia's invasion. yevgen is watching his family home go up in flames his children had leftjust ten minutes earlier. no military targets here. just his beloved german shepherd being rescued by neighbours. all this is happening 16 miles from kyiv in the town of irpin. it is home to about 60,000 people. today, many were desperate to get out. they crossed the river on foot. ukraine

blew up the bridge in self defence to prevent a russian advance. a hurried rescue mission in an escalating war. we witnessed the exodus of frightened civilians, streaming towards buses bound for the railway station in the capital — their only way out. among them, this mother with babe in arms, trying to console her daughter. leading the mission, the former ukrainian president petro poroshenko, marshalling the crowds. he's pleading with nato to reconsider and impose a no—fly zone, for the sake of all those subjected to russian bombardment. the russians is completely bombing, with air bombs, with missiles, the civilian people, and you see all these people are suffering from that.

and this is completely unacceptable. and when we are asking the no—fly zone, this is exactly for these people. and with this situation, we need to protect them. katya tells us, "yesterday they shelled day and night, hitting the hospital, the university and the tax office." "they are shelling every day," she says. well, in the distance here, you can see the smoke is still rising. you get a sense of what people are fleeing from. there is a steady stream of people coming here now, they're carrying their bags, their suitcases, some of them have their pets. they're taking just what they can carry, and they're rushing for the buses to try and get out of here and get to safety. do you feel let down by nato? i am not sure.

i think, look, we count on them, we still think that the chance is not missing yet. 0verhead, the russian threat. the capital is just half an hour down the road — danger closing in every day. so far nato is not taking the chance or the risk of closing the skies. ukraine claims to have shot down a russian helicopter north of the capital. this video seems to confirm that. president putin's invasion is not going to plan but he still has plenty of firepower. joining me now from barcelona in spain, from mariupol and stranded in barcelona with six of her family. thank you forjoining us. just tell us how you have ended up in barcelona. it is

forjoining us. just tell us how you have ended up in barcelona. it is a sto full have ended up in barcelona. it is a story full of— have ended up in barcelona. it is a story full of luck _ have ended up in barcelona. it is a story full of luck because - have ended up in barcelona. it is a story full of luck because it - have ended up in barcelona. it is a story full of luck because it was i story full of luck because it was our first time travelling as a family abroad and i don't know how butjust the family abroad and i don't know how but just the day family abroad and i don't know how butjust the day before the war started we should have had our flight back but of course it was impossible at the time so we ended here and with the help of local volunteers and spanish people, they have taken care of us so it has been something like this, thank you. find something like this, thank you. and 'ust tell something like this, thank you. and just tell me — something like this, thank you. and just tell me what has been going through your mind as you have seen what is unfolding when the war started and the sort of images and accounts that you have heard from people who are in ukraine right now. i was totally worried about my family and since my home region is

donbas, the war has started over again because it started actually years ago when i was in kyiv and i experienced not the same but my family is experiencing the same war and the bombing and it is really devastating. but i see how the ukrainian people are uniting and i see how they are helping people here, there are volunteers everywhere and i am really happy about it. �* ., , ., everywhere and i am really happy about it. �* ., ., ., ., , about it. and have you managed to be in reuular about it. and have you managed to be in regular contact _ about it. and have you managed to be in regular contact with _ about it. and have you managed to be in regular contact with family - about it. and have you managed to be in regular contact with family and - in regular contact with family and friends who are still in ukraine? no, my biggest issue is family in mariupol and mariupol is a total disaster and i couldn't reach them for two days. people in mariupol,

they don't have electricity, they don't have mobile coverage and they don't have mobile coverage and they don't have mobile coverage and they don't have food and water supplies, everything. there is a lot of looting and it is just really a total mess, you cannot really imagine what is going on right now and my grandma, as she'd replaced, as she alone? i don't know if anybody is helping her. nobody livin: with anybody is helping her. nobody living with her, _ anybody is helping her. nobody living with her, no _ anybody is helping her. nobody living with her, no one - anybody is helping her. nobody living with her, no one you - anybody is helping her. nobody| living with her, no one you know anybody is helping her. nobody - living with her, no one you know of, just relying on neighbours and people to help her. i just relying on neighbours and people to help her.— just relying on neighbours and people to help her. i know she is a tou~h nut people to help her. i know she is a tough nut because _ people to help her. i know she is a tough nut because she _ people to help her. i know she is a tough nut because she was - people to help her. i know she is a tough nut because she was born i people to help her. i know she is a tough nut because she was born inj tough nut because she was born in the 41st year and now the war has started again and ijust hope that she is a tough nut and she has some food, but we are not sure about the

war and the electricity is off, of course. �* . war and the electricity is off, of course. ~ ., ., , , , ., war and the electricity is off, of course. ~ ., ., ,, , ., i. ., course. and what happens to you now, we do ou course. and what happens to you now, we do you go — course. and what happens to you now, we do you go from _ course. and what happens to you now, we do you go from here? _ course. and what happens to you now, we do you go from here? of _ course. and what happens to you now, we do you go from here? of course, i we do you go from here? of course, all my family — we do you go from here? of course, all my family just — we do you go from here? of course, all my family just wants _ we do you go from here? of course, all my family just wants to _ we do you go from here? of course, all my family just wants to go - we do you go from here? of course, all my family just wants to go back | all my familyjust wants to go back to a peaceful ukraine, and to ukraine, but it is impossible right now because our home region, we will maybe just stay here for a while and hopefully find some people who can help her grandma and mariupol or just wait and see if the rest of her family could come here. mifih just wait and see if the rest of her family could come here.— just wait and see if the rest of her family could come here. wish you all the best and — family could come here. wish you all the best and also _ family could come here. wish you all the best and also hope _ family could come here. wish you all the best and also hope that - family could come here. wish you all the best and also hope that your- the best and also hope that your grandmother is being looked after backin grandmother is being looked after back in ukraine. thank you. president zelensky has told members

of the us congress that ukraine desperately needs russian—made fighter jets desperately needs russian—made fighterjets which its pilots know how to fly. any video address he also repeated his urgent wish for a no—fly zone russian forces, something nato has rejected. let's speak to our united states correspondent duncan kennedy in washington whojoins us correspondent duncan kennedy in washington who joins us now. tell me more about this video address that president zelensky made directly to us lawmakers. it president zelensky made directly to us lawmakers-— us lawmakers. it was pretty remarkable _ us lawmakers. it was pretty remarkable and _ us lawmakers. it was pretty remarkable and one - us lawmakers. it was pretty remarkable and one of - us lawmakers. it was pretty remarkable and one of the l us lawmakers. it was pretty - remarkable and one of the lawmakers afterwards described it as historic, something they have never done before. something like 300 members of the senate and house of representatives took part. it was sealed to the outside world and members of congress were somewhat ticked off for tweeting the meeting had taken place but essentially one of the lawmakers said it was historic and very much like churchill addressing the world during the blitz of the second world

war. it was dominated by president zelensky who did much of the talking and there were one or two questions for lawmakers but he did most of the talking. as you said, he did ask again that a no—fly zone could be put in place, whether the americans could take place in a pan on oil exports from russia. as far as the no—fly zone, the lawmakers themselves could not make any decision, it is a matterfor the administration and they were there to listen to president zelensky. and the intriguing idea put forward of perhaps getting his hands on polish and other aircraft, and we know for example that the polish air force has some older russian—made jets, make 20 nines and some others, and president zelensky was hinting whether he could get hold of those because some ukrainian pilots have trained on those former russian jets. how they will get across the

border, they couldn't be flown, was not made clear, but that is one suggestion now being entertained if you like by the us congress and may be looked at by the pentagon as well. we know already from pentagon sources that the ukrainians have about 100 or so combatjets and we are told the majority of those are still intact but obviously president zelensky thinks he needs some extra help to maintain air superiority are to fend off russia trying to get hold of air superiority, and this old jet policy is one thing he is looking at and he is hoping people like the americans, who have most of the resources and most of the money when it comes to this might have a way of making it happen on the ground. i way of making it happen on the round. , ,,.,, way of making it happen on the round. , , ., i. way of making it happen on the round. , , ., ~ ., ground. i suppose anyone in ukraine or with family _ ground. i suppose anyone in ukraine or with family in _ ground. i suppose anyone in ukraine or with family in ukraine _ ground. i suppose anyone in ukraine or with family in ukraine watching i or with family in ukraine watching that, as you say described as a historic address by president zelensky to us congress will also

have noted that as much as the warm words of support were there, they have now gone into recess for the weekend having not voted to go ahead with anything in particular. the? with anything in particular. they have already — with anything in particular. they have already voted _ with anything in particular. they have already voted 350 - with anything in particular. tie: have already voted 350 million dollars, our president biden has sanctioned to help with military supplies to the ukraine. that came two days ago. we were told by the pentagon that about 250 million has already been spent so just in the last few days, a quarter of $1 billion has been spent supplying the ukrainians. americans are not specific on what they are supplying with but we are led to believe it is things i anti aircraft mail sales and anti—tank weaponry as well, but you're right, in terms of the really big money, that has not been put forward than there is a bill going

before congress on monday, the biden administration asking for $10 billion to put forward. it won't be discussed over the weekend any more, you're right it is going to next week in that sense and about half of it will be for more military spending, some going to the pentagon to beef up nato operations in western europe and about half going humanitarian supplies as well to help the ukrainians on that. these things do move somewhat slowly and there are a lot of ducks to line up on this but initially it will be for $6 billion and some congressmen felt that wasn't enough so it has been going back and forth between various committees and members of congress, now voted up to $10 billion, but it won't be voted into place until early next week, but on many other fronts the americans are acting in conjunction with nato allies and sending and redeploying more trips

to places like italy, bringing the total trip complement to the united states to something like 100,000 troops in western europe, but not actually going into ukraine are anything like that. so lots of things moving on lots of fronts and there are some critics saying perhaps these things could be speeded up given the urgent nature of what is going on in ukraine. thank you very much, duncan kennedy for hours in washington. as we have been hearing, president putin has warned the west that any country imposing a no—fly zone over ukraine will be considered to have joined the war. so far nato has rejected ukrainian pleas for such a zone saying it would escalate conflict. 0ur security correspondent explains the reasons why. russian aircraft had been in the skies over ukraine, outnumbering defenders. that's led to calls for what's known as a no—fly zone to prevent them posing a threat. so far, the western military alliance nato has been reluctant to use its air

power to impose such a zone, in which other planes would be told not to fly over ukraine. why the reluctance? the concern is that, in practice, a no—fly zone carries real risks. if the russians flyjets like these into ukrainian airspace, then nato planes would directly engage them in combat in the skies. but it also means taking out threats on the ground to nato planes so they can enforce the zone, so potentially attacking russian surface—to—air missile sites, and russia has advanced sa00 systems which could, in theory, shoot down nato planes even from over the border in belarus. nato has been building up its air power in the region but its secretary general yesterday ruled out a no—fly zone because of the risk it would lead to conflict with russia. 0ur assessment is that we understand the desperation, but we also believe that, if we did that, we would end up

with something that could end in a full—fledged war in europe. and today, vladimir putin issued a direct warning to any country which might be used as a base for a no—fly zone. translation: any movement in this direction will be considered _ by us as a participation in the armed conflict. there have been no—fly zones before. in the early 1990s, one was imposed over parts of iraq to protect civilians, but moscow is a very different adversary. as the russian military continues to inflict this kind of devastation on ukraine, the calls for some kind of action are likely to intensify, but for the moment the chance of that including a no—fly zone seems remote. gordon corera, bbc news. the israeli prime minister, naftali bennett, has met president putin in moscow to discuss

the war in ukraine. no details of the meeting have been made public. a spokesman said mr bennett also spoke to the ukrainian president zelensky after the meeting with vladimir putin. a little earlier, i spoke to tom bateman who told me about the background of the visit. israeli officials say these talks went on for three hours in the kremlin between mr bennett and vladimir putin and i think the fact they really prime minister flew to moscow in the midst of russia's increasing isolation show you just how extraordinary these specific talks were. they have not come out of the blue, we have known for some days that have been at least two phone calls between the israeli prime minister and the russian president and also at the same time mr bennett has been talking to

president zelensky of ukraine. the israeli leader believes that he can try to position himself as a mediator between the two countries. he believes that israel is uniquely placed to have that dialogue with both moscow in the form of putin and with volodymyr zelensky and the reason is that israel has significant relations with both countries. long, historicaland countries. long, historical and cultural ties countries. long, historicaland cultural ties with ukraine and significant relations in russia because of russia's position controlling the skies and its presence on the ground in syria where israel carries out repeated air strikes against iranian interests. they have had to develop a pretty delicate but quite deep relationship with the russians because of that. now what happens next, mr bennett's officials has said he had a phone call with president zelensky after the meeting

with vladimir putin and he is now flying to berlin where he will speak to the german chancellor 0laf scholz. israel says the talks with the kremlin happened in coordination with key western partners and they have said in their words with the blessing of the white house so it gives you some indication as to the seriousness with which the israelis are taking this, how far they think they can position themselves with mediators and how extraordinary these talks are given russia's growing diplomatic isolation. the question emerges, even if you have a mediator, what substance is there at the moment to be mediated over? that is the question we don't have an answer to and we don't have the details of the talks and we know on monday there are due to be further discussions between ukrainian and russian officials, taking place discussing things like humanitarian corridors but so far in terms of the overarching discussions between the two countries, if the israelis can

position themselves as brokers, it seems that the moment there are not high hopes as to what exactly can be discussed. around 200,000 people are desperate to leave mariupol in the south of ukraine but directs it to safety has been stalled. if and when russia takes the city they will effectively cut ukraine off from the black sea. 0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford is in the town of zaporezhia, whose nucler power plant was targeted by russian troops earlier this week, and where evacuees from mariupol are being taken. zaporizhzhia was ready for crowds of people today, bus—loads of families fleeing the fighting further south. this is the nearest safe city, just outside the conflict zone. this man remembers trips to the state circus is a schoolchild. he never imagined

turning the ring into this, a refuge in a war. the thousands he was expecting to help didn't turn up. there was no ceasefire and the safe corridor to allow people to reach here was never set up. we corridor to allow people to reach here was never set up.— here was never set up. we were waitin: here was never set up. we were waiting for — here was never set up. we were waiting for them _ here was never set up. we were waiting for them but _ here was never set up. we were waiting for them but i _ here was never set up. we were waiting for them but i heard - here was never set up. we were waiting for them but i heard the j waiting for them but i heard the russians didn't keep to the agreement so no one dared risk it and the corridor slammed shut but we still hope they can do something and we are ready to take them in. for ten days. — we are ready to take them in. for ten days. the _ we are ready to take them in. for ten days, the port city of mariupol has been under bombardment, besieged and battered by russian troops. the plan was to stop all this and let civilians take buses to safety. but hours into an agreed ceasefire, the mayor of mariupol published this. a warning to residents that russian forces were firing along their escape route. don't panic, he told

them, but it is not safe now. this women made it out today from another danger spot. women made it out today from another dangerspot. she women made it out today from another danger spot. she was given clothes from her daughter at the circus cloak room. she had to leave everything at home to run form the fighting. it was also unexpected, she says, and so stressful. all of these donations, the clothes, the bedding and food was gathered in just a couple of hours today when the people of this town were told families had to flee from the fighting. furthersouth families had to flee from the fighting. further south they have not arrived yet but i think it does show clearly how communities and this country are uniting in the face of this enormous threat. all this beetroot soup will not get eaten today but there will be more supplies and more help as soon as it is needed. edwards wanted me to know

everything would be ok. he insisted russian troops wouldn't they enter the city. then he crumpled. and the people all this is meant for had to spend another night in danger. we are going to show you a rather stark are going to show you a rather stark a bit of video footage now of a russian helicopter being shot down by ukrainian forces. the pictures showing a russian in my 2a helicopter being struck by a surface to air missile come from a ukrainian government source. the incident took place by the river dniprojust government source. the incident took place by the river dnipro just north of the capital kyiv. and just to bring you a line of breaking news, the ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky says he has spoken to elon musk and he says the country will

receive more star link internet terminals next week to ensure connectivity. we will bring you more details on that and other elements of the conflict in ukraine as we get them. it is pretty cold and frosty at the moment, particularly across the northern half of the uk where we have those clearer skies and light winds. sunday morning starts off on a fairly chilly note but sunshine on offerfor much of a fairly chilly note but sunshine on offer for much of the day. the lowest temperatures across rural parts of scotland, perhaps as low as -8 parts of scotland, perhaps as low as —8 during the early hours of sunday morning. furthersouth —8 during the early hours of sunday morning. further south cloud across england and wales producing a few spots of drizzly rain through the morning, cloud should tend to break up morning, cloud should tend to break up so a little more sunshine for many areas compared to what we saw on saturday but perhaps a bit more cloud for the south—west of england into wales. further north, light winds and lots of sunshine and offer back towards southern england and wales a bit of a breeze coming in

which will take the edge of the temperature so not feeling particularly warm, high is between 7-9, but particularly warm, high is between 7—9, but with light wind and sunshine should be a fairly pleasant day across the north. 0vernight and into monday morning, cloud style to the south and south—west but tending to fade away so clearer skies and light winds mean the frost will be even more extensive into monday morning. not quite as low, those temperatures, but many of us seeing a touch of frost on monday morning. when they are largely dry they were spells of sunshine but a bit more cloud across england and wales drifting northwards into northern ireland and southern scotland at times but it will be fairly broken so sunny spells and still rather chilly at 7—9. looking further ahead, high pressure will start to ease towards the east overnight into tuesday allowing france to try and work in from the west. as they do the breeze picking up on tuesday from a south—easterly direction and

likely to see some showers across south—west england and wales and northern ireland later in the day but ahead of that, warmer by this stage, around 7—11 the top temperature on tuesday. mid week onwards and looks as though low pressure will try to move on from the atlantic, this is wednesday, as high—pressure slips away to the east. that will mean a bit more cloud and rain at times but milder air working cloud and rain at times but milder airworking in so cloud and rain at times but milder air working in so after a chilly start to the new working week it looks as if things will turn more unsettled but also milderfrom mid week onwards.

hello, you're watching bbc news. welcome back and let's get more on our top story. the invasion of ukraine has sent shock waves to countries neighbouring russia. among them finland, which was invaded by them finland, which was invaded by the soviet union during the second world war. for the soviet union during the second world war. for the the soviet union during the second world war. for the first the soviet union during the second world war. for the first in the soviet union during the second world war. for the first in the countries history. public opinion has shifted injoining nato. president putin has written political consequences. 0ur affairs editor send this report.