this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the globe. i'm yalda hakim live in western ukraine. our top stories.... russian artillery continues to pound cities and towns in ukraine — authorities in kyiv warn there is worse to come. the attacks on the civil population, including carpet bombarding of the cities, which are basically happening these days already in some cities, will be taking place and thousands and thousands of new civilian victims will be in ukraine. the besieged city of mariupol will attempt another evacuation of civilians — after a similar plan was abandoned yesterday due to continuing fighting. hello.

i'm victoria derbyshire in london. the un says one point five million people have already fled ukraine. the us offers to help ease the fastest growing refugee crisis since the second world war. the un says 1.5 million people have already fled ukraine. we're bringing our own technical expertise to bear, including here in the republic of moldova. we'll also be bringing resources to bear to help alleviate some of the burden that moldova and other countries are carrying. and solidarity in the streets and at football grounds — thousands continue to show support for the people of ukraine. hello and welcome. russian troops have continued their offensive against ukrainian towns and cities, with heavy bombardment reported in irpin, northwest of kyiv.

cities in the south including mariupol, and kharkiv in the north—east, are being attacked. there are reports that civilians continue to be targeted. cities in the south including mariupol, and kharkiv in the north—east, are being attacked. international companies like visa and mastercard have become the latest western companies to suspend their services in russia. dan johnson reports. the pummelling of the ukrainian people shows no sign of relenting. it's getting closer to kyiv and it's causing more casualties as well as forcing more people on the move. it's also sparking more resistance.

ordinary ukrainians of all ages are getting ready to fight. i'm a student, i'm 21, so that's the legal age for buying your first gun or rifle here. it's unfortunate to see how many students, instead of going to classes, are going to stand in queues to get arms. it's our country. i can't step back, you know? never, never. they will die, for sure. everyone — every russian will die here. we will burn them. all of them. ukrainian forces say this shows their level of resistance — shooting down a russian helicopter. and the country's president has given another defiant rallying speech, with a message to his own people living under occupation. translation: you have to go on the offensive. l it is necessary to fight if there is an opportunity. it is necessary to go out and drive this evil out of our cities, from our land.

there have been protests around the world, but also in russia. with more companies pulling out of the country, life is getting harder. visa and mastercard have announced they're suspending their payment services, so doing business will get even tougher. and speaking in their language, ukraine's president has something to say directly to the russian people in whose name vladimir putin is waging this war. translation: | know that - many of you came to believe that ukraine allegedly hates you, allegedly will attack, allegedly will destroy. liars. liars talk about it every day on the russian television. it's theirjob to lie to you every day, but that shouldn't be your fate. russian promises of a temporary ceasefire weren't kept yesterday, which meant this evacuation centre stood largely empty, with ukrainians unable to escape from mariupol,

which has been under siege for the last ten days. that is why the calls keep coming for nato to impose a no—fly zone, including from ukraine's former president. the russian is completely bombing with the airborne, with the missiles, the civilian people, and you see all these people are suffering from that and this is completely unacceptable. and when we are asking for the no—fly zone, this is exactly for these people. and with this situation we need to protect them. the us and other nato countries have so far resisted that, fearful of all—out war with russia. but the secretary of state was in poland yesterday and stepped across onto ukrainian soil to show solidarity. good afternoon, everyone. we've seen an extraordinary surge of support from around the world against russia's aggression, against russia's war of choice. against what is happening every single day, every single minute in ukraine to civilians throughout the country as a result

of this aggression. ukraine will win this war anyway, because this is the people's war fortheir land and we defend the right cause. the question is the price — the price of our victory. and that price will be paid by the ukrainian people, by the families split up and scattered in fear for their lives. dan johnson, bbc news. tens of thousands of people in the last 11 days have been weight, making their way to western ukraine here in lviv and outside the train station you can see the sea of people coming out and also those trying to get out of lviv and go to places like poland where the majority of people here from ukraine have been fleeing the fighting.

earlier, i spoke to yelena, who'd just arrived here in lviv after leaving her home in odesa in the south of ukraine this morning — leaving herfamily and her parents behin. they told me, like, you should leave, so i should listen to what my parents say, so i left. that must have been incredibly difficult to do. it was difficult days, but i think like all these people now who are leaving, they had the same choices because it's mainly young people and elderly people who are also trying to keep... when you have your health, with your hands and legs and in a nice mind, what more can you ask for right now? it's nothing more than that. do you know where you will go? yes, like now i will try to cross the border with poland and i will try to go to warsaw.

then maybe i will try to find a bus or car to go to the netherlands. do you think you'll come back to ukraine ever? it's depending on situation, because nobody knows even right now what will be going on even in the next two days. we don't know anything about the future. but i hope, yes. her story is similar to so many people fleeing the fighting there across the country and the un says there are other people fleeing across the country. the un commission for refugees says that it is in excess of 1.5 million people who have left ukraine in the last ten days and they expect that number to continue to rise with no respite or end in sight to this fighting. victoria. thank very much.

ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky urged people to keep fighting. translation: we are fighting. translation: we are fighting between life and slavery and citizens of the russian federation are making the same choices between life and slavery today, tomorrow, in the next week. that will be the time an evil can still come without irreparable lost and one from your position you will be perhaps fired and put in a police cell in not in the gulag. there will be financial losses are not executed by a firing squad. do not miss the next tarmac opportunity. social

networks, friends, people who know, you don't, yourfamily members, they have to hear you, we'd friends we want peace. citizens of russia, this is the fight notjust want peace. citizens of russia, this is the fight not just for the want peace. citizens of russia, this is the fight notjust for the piece in the ukraine, the fight for your country, the best you had the freedom that you have seen for the well—being you have felt. if you will keep silent now later only your poverty will speak for you and hear the reply of only your repressions. do not stay silent. russian military that were captured by our defenders, they spoke. there are hundreds of captured russian military. among them are pilots of the planes that bombed our cities, our peaceful people. we heard their testimony. we saw their documents, maps and plans. not from yesterday. that is not an improvisation. that is war. they

prepare this invasion cruelly, cynically, deliberately in violation of the rules of war. ukraine says its continuing to engage russian forces on multiple fronts, on the eleventh day of the war. a presidential adviser says the towns of bucha and hostomel, on the north—western approach to the capital, kyiv, are experiencing constant bombardment, and the authorities are trying to organise an evacuation. reports from the neighbouring town of irpin say there's heavy fighting taking place with hardly a minute without an explosion. local media says russian forces opened fire on civilians trying to flee. heavy shelling targeting civilian infrastructure has again been reported in ukraine's second city, kharkiv, which has been besieged for days. ukraine's deputy prime minister, olha stefanishyna, told the bbc the situation in her country was getting "more severe". we see now that another wave of implementation of this terroristic plan

of the russian federation has started. given the strong resistance our army showed now the inner arm of operation is done against civilian population, especially in those towns and cities villages which have been now under the control of russian federation. the murdering and many things are happening around physical oppression to the citizens. some of them are being killed. this is what we see. we are more than 2000 civilians who have already been attacked from direct military attacks from the air but also through the land. military tactics right in the cities of ukraine. the shelled hospitals, the sheued ukraine. the shelled hospitals, the shelled houses for kindergartens and schools and the ordinary households. this is how the reality looks but this seems like it does not look like the agenda for the new wave of

sanctions to be introduced by the democratic world, europe, and different groups. we are working with our partners but the situation is going more and more severe. we understand that it's not the end of the war, even especially given our determination and the normal losses the russian army faces both in human dimension in terms of soldiers and also in terms of techniques is something that does not deter russia but only encourages the aggression and it is also confirmed by intelligence around the world. can i ask ou intelligence around the world. can i ask you about _ intelligence around the world. can i ask you about mariupol? there is very little information coming out of there but we know the citizens there under very heavy attack. a ceasefire we understand is going over is in place right now for the whole day. how much confidence do you have that that will hold, but

those people will be able to get out? i those people will be able to get out? , ., , , those people will be able to get out? _ those people will be able to get out? , . _ ., out? i will start by saying that this complicated _ out? i will start by saying that this complicated situation - out? i will start by saying that this complicated situation is l many other cities of ukraine and different parts like sumy, her son and many other cities around qanon —— —— kher. captured by russian terroristic groups and end the russian army. —— sumy, kherson —— cities around ukraine. agreement reached bilaterally and supported by the red cross organisation in supporting the humans population and providing aid to those in the ukrainian region and also the population of people. the first wave of diversification should have started yesterday but we basically didn't start it because of this shelling which was ongoing throughout the territory of

humanitarian corridor first in mariupol and then in volnovakha and today hope that this agreement will be influenced and we will not do any single step without informing the international organisation and obliging red cross to help the confirmation of the agreement from both sides from ukraine and russia. we see the international red cross organisation can do much more but they still feel reluctant, not understanding that a war is happening right in the centre of europe so we requested the facilitation and may be observers of this bilateral dialogue to avoid losing time while people are suffering so we hope that people play a better role in that regard but hopefully today we will manage to make the evacuation based on the agreement reached bilaterally with

officials both on ukrainian and russian sides. the officials both on ukrainian and russian sides.— officials both on ukrainian and russian sides. ,, ,, . ., , ., russian sides. the us secretary of state antony _ russian sides. the us secretary of state antony blinken _ russian sides. the us secretary of state antony blinken has - russian sides. the us secretary of| state antony blinken has reiterated america's support for ukraine and said the us will back all countries seeking to determine their future independently. he was speaking in moldova this morning. russia's invasion of ukraine is a violation of ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity, enshrined in the united nations charter. 1111 countries at the united nations stood up for those principles and against russia's assault on them. the united states wants to make clear our strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including the republic of moldova. countries have a right to choose their own futures. moldova has chosen the path of democracy, a more inclusive economy, a closer relationship with the countries and institutions of europe. the united states supports moldova in those efforts, grounded in our respect for the neutrality that's enshrined in moldova's constitution.

our partnership addresses the key challenges of our time, the things that we should be working on and focused on, which is exactly another reason why this war of choice is such a terrible thing. it takes us away from things that we need to be working on together but we will continue to do that. the united states delivered hundreds of thousands of covid—19 vaccines to moldova and millions of dollars in pandemic—related assistance. we will invest $18 million over the next years to help strengthen and diversify moldova's energy sector. greater energy security is vital for your sovereignty. we support the osc—led 5.2 negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement to the transnistrian conflict that upholds moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity with a special status for transnistria. and we'll seek every opportunity to deepen the ties between our countries —

economic ties, educationalties, people—to—people ties, because we want our friendship with the people of moldova to grow even stronger. in the face of the global challenges we face today, we're all going to be much more successful when we work closely together as partners, especially among democratic partners. we know that countries that respect human rights, uphold the rule of law, support inclusive, accountable governance for all their citizens, produce the best solutions to even the most difficult problems. so we will support moldova as you pursue your priorities, fighting corruption, driving democratic reform, including increasing integrity and accountability in the public sector and the judiciary, and developing an independent media sector that can deliver reliable information and help fight disinformation. as people around the world stand up to defend democratic values, moldova is a powerful example of a democracy rising to the moment with a vision

and with determination. simon smith, the uk's former ambassador to ukraine, said he could see little room for successful talks, given mr putin's current stance. i think that anyone going into talks with putin at this stage, i hope they understand just how colossal a mountain of lies and deceit his aggression on ukraine is based on. i think going into talks with putin on a basis of there are two sides to this question and a middle way has to be found, i think that's a fundamentally wrong approach to this. this is a totally unprovoked war and, as so many people have said, i think it's a vital objective that putin is seen to have failed, that his aggression on ukraine has failed. well, can i ask you, mr smith, how will that happen? how will he fail, in your view?

well, i think that what we need is to sustain almost a sort of multiple front in ways in which we can bring home both to putin that there is an unsustainable cost to what he has done, that's a cost in economic terms where we pile on not only the sanctions but also the decisions that have been made all around the world to disinvest in russia, and fundamentally disconnect russia from its coexistence in the global economy. and do you think he will care about that? i think it would be foolish of us to stop and ask ourselves well maybe he doesn't care. i think the important thing for us is to continue to find ways of demonstrating the increasing costs of what he is doing. i think it's also important in the background that we remember this is notjust about putin.

it is actually also about demonstrating in whatever way we can and getting through to russian peoplejust the extent to which, make sure they understand the extent to which putin has trashed russia's global reputation, apparently in their name. and to continue the process of ensuring that many people understand, as many people do in russia, the immense damage that putin is doing to russia and why it has to stop. if that indeed does play out in the way you describe, what if that takes three months or six months or nine months or two years? i fear we have to have our minds open to the fact that

any of those scenarios you mentioned are possible. we have to bear in mind that none of this can be gone into with a quick and easy assumption that putin's effort will collapse in a heap any time soon. personally, i very much hope it does but we must also go into it aware of the possibility that this could be a very long haul. right, and it might notjust be ukraine. it could be moldova next from his point of view, and is the west and nato just going to keep on piling on the economic sanctions if that happens? no, as i say, i think this is notjust a matter of increasing economic costs, i think the economic costs are very significant and i think that will be an effective and telling pressure. it will be on the minds of the russian administration, of putin's administration's decision—makers, however much they might like to bluster about it. so we should continue on that course, but i think we should remind ourselves, as well, that militarily,

the action in ukraine has been so far a fiasco for putin. it's delivered none of the results that he expected. he has encountered extraordinary resistance and resilience from the ukrainian people and the ukrainian armed forces. and, again, we should be keeping in mind, in my view, i think we should be ruling nothing out in terms of looking at how we go further. meaning what? in demonstrating there are military costs to putin's actions. sorry, meaning what? well, i think what i mean is something that is essentially a very general approach. i'm saying that we rule nothing out. we are...i don't think helping ourselves by saying, here's a menu of things, here's a list of things we won't do. i'm not a military person myself, but i can see an advantage in keeping your opponent guessing, in keeping your enemy guessing, and i think that anything we

can do that provokes uncertainty in the mind of putin as to what may happen next and as to how much further the costs of his war on ukraine may escalate, i think that, as i say, we need to keep him guessing... i mean, it's not hard for him to guess, is it? forgive me for interrupting. it's not hard for him to guess. after crimea, we didn't do much, after mh17 was shot down, after the poisonings in salisbury, we did not do very much. it is easy to guess what is next — not very much. i would dispute that, actually. but it is because of the lack of action that he's been... sorry, go ahead. no, i'm sorry. i think there is a lot of ground to suggest that putin has been extraordinarily out of touch in recent years. i think that there is every value, as i say, in maintaining a broad

front of options and measures, all designed at quickly driving up the cost of the aggression, the aggressive campaign that he is sustaining. and i think that already, we are in a completely different league to where we were in. yes, there was a degree of patience, there was a degree of caution in the responses to the previous episodes in putin's war on ukraine, and i'm sure that at that point, in the minds of the decision—makers, there was still an element of thinking this is probably not the point to push right forward with russia's complete disengagement from global systems — we need to keep lines of communication open to russia, we need to ensure russia is

understanding us and we need to ensure russia understands that there is actually a way back from this. i think that the situation we are in now is looking at responding to a much larger—scale assault on ukraine, and it is a situation that calls for the kind of multi—front, effective response that we need to sustain, the one that, as i say, drives up the costs to putin of aggression on all fronts. effective response that we need to sustain — the one that, as i say, drives up the costs to putin of aggression on all fronts. meanwhile, in an interview with the bbc, the uk chief of the defence staff, admiral sir tony radakin, was asked why he thought the russian military convoy headed towards ukraine's capital kyiv had stalled.

so, we don't have a complete picture, but we do know about a series of factors. so, one is russia hasn't operated at this scale since the second world war, and to do what's called combined arms manoeuvre is incredibly complex and incredibly difficult, and we are seeing russia failing to do that in a competent fashion. so they were held up north of kyiv and their forces started to become dislocated. then you have seen the failure of russia with some basics in terms of the maintenance of its kit, and their kit has been failing. and then, at the same time, russia has been attacked by ukrainian armed forces and their rear echelon, some of their logistics, have been attacked and now you're seeing that whole convoy stuck.

it continues to be attacked and that is impacting on morale. there are stories of the troops in those vehicles, they don't want to stay in those vehicles so they are camping out in the forest. they are stuck there and russia has got itself into a mess, not just with that convoy but in the whole of ukraine and we need to keep applying the pressure on russia. those stories of morale — you call them stories — do we know if that is true or not? we absolutely do. so, we know that there are some of the battalion tactical groups, those that have been leading the fight for russia, have suffered terrible losses. we know that russia acknowledges it has lost nearly 500 people. to put that into context, that's nearly 500 soldiers in one week and that is more than the uk lost in afghanistan over 20 years. ukraine claims nearly 10,000 casualties. we don't know if that is true but we do know that some of the lead elements of russian forces have been

decimated by the ukrainian response. how worried are you that president putin could use nuclear weapons? so, i think we've got to be very cautious about president putin's threats. we are part of the world's largest military alliance. we have our own nuclear deterrent. we've got to maintain a calmness and responsibility so that we don't just react rashly to whatever is the latest — frankly, at times, bizarre or ridiculous comment from president putin. so, we are prepared. we are professional armed forces. we will approach this conflict with that level of professionalism and responsibility that you would expect, and we will also be incredibly confident in our ability to face down president putin. would we know if the russians were preparing to use nuclear weapons in ukraine? could they do it without us knowing beforehand? so i don't want to go into the detail, but,

if you look at this conflict, we've had a remarkable level of intelligence and we were saying for months that this is what president putin was intending to do and there are some more discrete elements, in terms of warning signs, if this was going to start to chart a path towards nuclear escalation. and what about these nuclear plants. we've already seen one, the biggest in europe, being shelled this week. what is the risk of the others? there are three more in ukraine. what is the risk of those being attacked? i think there is a real risk because russia is struggling with its objectives on the ground in ukraine, and we've seen from russia's previous actions in syria and chechnya where it will turn up the violence, it will lead to indiscriminate killings and more indiscriminate destruction and we have to keep applying the pressure to russia that this is outrageous and the sense that because your invasion isn't going very well that

you just become more and more reckless in applying violence is totally unacceptable and it is especially unacceptable when you start attacking nuclear plants. the ukrainians keep calling for a no—fly zone. the west has made it very clear that that is not going to happen. ukrainians want fighter planes to be provided. why do we not provide fighter planes when we do provide anti—tank missiles? so i think there is a difference with... the anti—tank weapons are obviously very defensive. the weapons that we've provided have got a range of about 500 metres, so you've got to drive your tank several hundred kilometres before you're within the range of that anti—tank weapon. the no—fly zone, we have to be very careful and the advice that we as senior military professionals are giving our politicians is to avoid doing things that are tactically ineffective and definitely to avoid things that, tactically, might lead to miscalculation or escalation. the no—fly zone would not help... most of the shelling

is coming from artillery, most of the destruction is coming from artillery, it is not coming from russian aircraft and, then, if we were to police a no—fly zone, it means we would probably have to take out russian defence systems and we would have nato aircraft in the air alongside russian aircraft and then the potential of shooting them down and that leads to an escalation. more than a 1.5 million people have now been forced to flee their homes by russia's war on ukraine, with most going to neighbouring poland. there are five countries on ukraine's western and southern borders, and all of them are witnessing things the region hasn't seen since the second world war. from slovakia, rob cameron has this report. 10,000 people a day crossing into slovakia from ukraine. 10,000 journeys, 10,000 stories, each similar, each unique, each terrifying in their own way.

svetlana is an english teacher from the town of korosten, who fled with her seven—year—old son iliya and their cat. without your house, without your clothes, because we went out with just nothing, like, we were hoping that we could come back some day, but i don't know, as far as watching the news, i'm losing my hope, actually. for now, she's heading to the polish city of rzeszow to stay with friends. central and eastern europe is home to a huge ukrainian diaspora. in homes across the region this evening, people will be making up spare beds for their kin. and those who have no—one in warsaw, bratislava, or prague will be put up by an army of willing volunteers. but not all of these people fleeing the conflict are ukrainians. russia's war has scattered thousands of migrant workers and students

and most of them are trying to get home as quickly as possible, but not everyone. foreigners from all over the world were studying in ukraine when the war started. some just months away from completing their degrees. it is six years already i have been doing my thing, i have been studying late night for exams, i had plans for my life, i will do this, i'll write my exam, i will go to another country, i will become something in my life. but now i don't know what to do. degrees can be finished, of course, but lives lost can't be relived. the red army once liberated this part of europe and slovaks haven't forgotten. but now their neighbours are fleeing russian tanks, not welcoming them. and countries like slovakia are the ones providing the shelter. rob cameron, bbc news, on the slovak—ukrainian border.

kasia madera is on the poland— ukraine border. so much destruction has happened in ukraine, across the borderfrom me. fine has happened in ukraine, across the border from me.— border from me. one thing is constant. _ border from me. one thing is constant, the _ border from me. one thing is constant, the flow _ border from me. one thing is constant, the flow of - border from me. one thing is constant, the flow of people | border from me. one thing is - constant, the flow of people coming through. constant, the flow of people coming throu . h. , constant, the flow of people coming throu~h. , , ., constant, the flow of people coming throuuh. , , ., . through. these people have crossed the border into _ through. these people have crossed the border into ukraine. _ through. these people have crossed the border into ukraine. their- the border into ukraine. their journeys have been long and uncertain. we have seen the scenes backin uncertain. we have seen the scenes back in lviv as people have been crossing on trains and in their cars, leaving their cars and crossing through on foot, like all of these people crossing the border into poland. the first time to have an opportunity to get something warm to drink, the first time to have something to eat. the whole

community, the whole centre has been transient. what is constant also, along with the flow of people coming across the border is the support that poland is offering to those people who had fled. volunteers in their hundreds, bringing off, dropping off things, all the children need, the piles of nappies, the milk formula, theirfood children need, the piles of nappies, the milk formula, their food for the children who are exhausted and overwhelmed. what is really touching is the little moments of generosity, how people just bring... people who have fled the border into their homes by opening their homes. this is the first moment is people have grassed into this country and there is a sense of calmness and exhaustion given what they had been through. the is organisation. we see all the time people coming up and explaining. we had a person who was

travelling to krakow, we can take full, five people. a person driving to another town who can take a family and gives another amount. this is continuous, absolutely continuous. people have brought pics of paper saying, we will take such and such, we will provide you transport, things for free. and such, we will provide you transport, things forfree. this is happening day in and day out on this border as people come across. it is cold, it is snowing every now and again. bearing in mind the people who had just come across, they have spent days getting to the border. this is the next leg of the journey. here we have the queue of people waiting to get onto a bus, a bus to take them onto the next part of the stage of the jani committee temporary reception areas, this is where anthony blinking claim. —— the

journey. across the whole of poland people are opening up the doors, offering advice to people if they want to take in a refugee family. large refugee community in poland, all coming together and bringing people to their homes. every few minutes a bus will come up and lead the people on and move them further away because ultimately we know that more and more people continue to cross this border, already over 900,000 people have come into poland, that is higher than the population are poland's second largest city, krakow, coming into this country in such a short space of time. they all need help and attention, they all need rest. we have just heard that abc world news has been taken off that in russia. we have been reporting for

several days that various independent media the russians have restricted access to it, to a large number of media outlets, including the bbc. bbc world news, the global television channel, hasjust the bbc. bbc world news, the global television channel, has just been taken off air in russia. the uk deputy prime minister dominic raab has been speaking the bbc this morning. he was asked whether he thought the proposed ceasefires and safe corridors in the port city of mariupol would hold. i'm very sceptical about any assurances president putin makes. of course, we want to do everything we can and should exhaust all opportunities to try and provide humanitarian relief, but i think you only need to look at his track record in syria to see that we need to be very careful to test any assurances vladimir putin gives. there have been talks held in belarus twice now,

do you think it is pointless to keep holding those talks if he is not going to keep to his word? i think it is always worth keeping the diplomatic door ajar, but i am sceptical, at least at this stage, that it is likely to yield a reasonable solution to this. we have seen putin's initial gambit has stuttered. you can see that with the fierce resistance that they have had in ukraine, you can see it with the impact of sanctions, which i don't think he was expecting, the rouble falling, the stock market falling to record lows, the impact on interest rates in russia, but i don't think that yet will have created a change of calculus. we need to keep up that pressure, keep supporting president zelenskyy and the heroic defence the people of ukraine have put up. we are going to talk to somebody who has escaped from ukraine, elizabeth

pulvas. how are you? me has escaped from ukraine, elizabeth pulvas. how are you?— pulvas. how are you? me and my mother, pulvas. how are you? me and my mother. we _ pulvas. how are you? me and my mother, we are _ pulvas. how are you? me and my mother, we are safe, _ pulvas. how are you? me and my mother, we are safe, we - pulvas. how are you? me and my mother, we are safe, we are - pulvas. how are you? me and my i mother, we are safe, we are good. pulvas. how are you? me and my - mother, we are safe, we are good. so you and your mother left the capital together? me you and your mother left the capital touether? ~ . , , i~~ you and your mother left the capital touether? ~ . , , 3~ ~ . together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old — together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old grandma _ together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old grandma does _ together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old grandma does not - together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old grandma does not want. together? me and my mum, my 86 and 88-year-old grandma does not want to | 88—year—old grandma does not want to go on tour. we cannot take them. so your granny is still in the capital, is she? , your granny is still in the capital, is she?- are _ your granny is still in the capital, is she?- are you _ your granny is still in the capital, is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are _ is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are still— is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are still able _ is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are still able to _ is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are still able to talk - is she? yes. are you able to talk to her? we are still able to talk to - her? we are still able to talk to them by phone _ her? we are still able to talk to them by phone but _ her? we are still able to talk to them by phone but they - her? we are still able to talk to them by phone but they are - her? we are still able to talk toj them by phone but they are not her? we are still able to talk to - them by phone but they are not very good, they are sick right now. that must have been _ good, they are sick right now. that must have been such _ good, they are sick right now. that must have been such a wretched decision to make for you and your mum to leave.— decision to make for you and your mum to leave. yes. but we were so scared because — mum to leave. yes. but we were so scared because of — mum to leave. yes. but we were so scared because of bombing, - mum to leave. yes. but we were so | scared because of bombing, because of shooting and striking all over the city. we live in the very centre

of the city, so we were one of the targets. that is why we decided to leave. �* ., ,., targets. that is why we decided to leave. �* ., y., ., .,, ., leave. apart from your grandmas, who else? what else _ leave. apart from your grandmas, who else? what else have _ leave. apart from your grandmas, who else? what else have you _ leave. apart from your grandmas, who else? what else have you left - else? what else have you left behind? ., ., , ., behind? our home, our lives, our work, everything. _ behind? our home, our lives, our work, everything. they _ behind? our home, our lives, our work, everything. theyjust- behind? our home, our lives, our work, everything. theyjust tookl work, everything. theyjust took everything that we were building all this time of throughout our lives. we just left the city with two bags of clothes, that was it, nothing more. ~ , of clothes, that was it, nothing more. , ., ., of clothes, that was it, nothing more._ because| of clothes, that was it, nothing i more._ because we of clothes, that was it, nothing - more._ because we have a more. why romania? because we have a friend here who — more. why romania? because we have a friend here who hosted _ more. why romania? because we have a friend here who hosted us _ more. why romania? because we have a friend here who hosted us in _ more. why romania? because we have a friend here who hosted us in his- friend here who hosted us in his house in bucharest and also it was, like, we could pass the border to romania through moldova faster than any other thing. i

romania through moldova faster than any other thing-— any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny _ any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny like? _ any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny like? how _ any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny like? how long - any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny like? how long did i any other thing. i understand. what was that jenny like? how long did it was thatjenny like? how long did it take in total? that was that jenny like? how long did it take in total?— take in total? that was the hardest “ourne i take in total? that was the hardest journey i could _ take in total? that was the hardest journey i could ever _ take in total? that was the hardest journey i could ever imagine. -- i journey i could ever imagine. —— journey. 32 hours without sleep from kyiv to ukrainian city in the west. another 17 hours to bucharest. so yes it was a hard journey and my mum, the only person that had a driving licence in my family is my mum. she was driving all day long without sleep and were such a hard for her, like, yes a hard journey and very scary. you drive at night, there are two girls in a car, you do not know anything you do not whether russian soldiers will be behind or

somewhere near us, they will strike us. it was a hard and very scary journey but we made it. lalas us. it was a hard and very scary journey but we made it. was there a lona line journey but we made it. was there a long line of — journey but we made it. was there a long line of cars _ journey but we made it. was there a long line of cars trying _ journey but we made it. was there a long line of cars trying to _ journey but we made it. was there a long line of cars trying to get - journey but we made it. was there a long line of cars trying to get into i long line of cars trying to get into romania? , ., , ., ., ., romania? yes, it was a long queue on the romanian — romania? yes, it was a long queue on the romanian border. _ romania? yes, it was a long queue on the romanian border. like _ romania? yes, it was a long queue on the romanian border. like seven - the romanian border. like seven hours or something. firstly we moved to moldova and at that place, there were not so many cars because moldova is not part of nato. yes. you may have — moldova is not part of nato. yes. you may have had _ moldova is not part of nato. yes. you may have had already, - moldova is not part of nato. yes. you may have had already, elizabeth, 1.5 million people have now left your country, people like yourself and your mum. your country, people like yourself and your mum-— and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop _ and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop it _ and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop it is _ and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop it is insane - and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop it is insane that - and your mum. yes, i have heard about it stop it is insane that we | about it stop it is insane that we are fleeing. they left everything in our home country. you know, that

european people, there romanian people, they welcomed us a lot, they bring us tea and hot food, they are appreciating it. we see the support of europe and nato... not nato, surrey. we don't see much support from nato. —— sorry. it is very important to talk to your government many government that can help us from nato because that could help, that could really change everything. our military soldiers are good without that we cannot do anything. so far, elizabeth, the military alliance of nato western leaders have said they will not be a no—fly zone over ukraine. they have already made that decision. ok.

zone over ukraine. they have already made that decision.— made that decision. ok. i haven't heard about _ made that decision. ok. i haven't heard about it _ made that decision. ok. i haven't heard about it stop _ made that decision. ok. i haven't heard about it stop yes, - made that decision. ok. i haven't heard about it stop yes, thank- made that decision. ok. i haven't i heard about it stop yes, thank you. that is good. ida. heard about it stop yes, thank you. that is good-— heard about it stop yes, thank you. that is good. no, they are not going to ut a that is good. no, they are not going to put a no-fly _ that is good. no, they are not going to put a no-fly zone _ that is good. no, they are not going to put a no-fly zone over _ that is good. no, they are not going to put a no-fly zone over ukraine. . that is good. no, they are not going to put a no-fly zone over ukraine. i | to put a no—fly zone over ukraine. i heard about it, of course. some countries can cover this guy independently from nato, we will see. that be a decision for the moment. —— the sky. see. that be a decision for the moment. -- the sky.— see. that be a decision for the moment. -- the sky. what do you think about _ moment. -- the sky. what do you think about the _ moment. -- the sky. what do you think about the fact _ moment. -- the sky. what do you think about the fact you _ moment. -- the sky. what do you think about the fact you have - moment. -- the sky. what do you | think about the fact you have been. to leave your home and your life in your country? edit to leave your home and your life in your country?— your country? of course it is awful. i was your country? of course it is awful. i was doing — your country? of course it is awful. i was doing business, _ your country? of course it is awful. i was doing business, i— your country? of course it is awful. i was doing business, i was - i was doing business, i was travelling in europe a lot, i was making and building my life with my boyfriend and everything and now we are all separated and we are separated from our home, ourfamily,

we left our apartment, our home, and we left our apartment, our home, and we don't know whether we can ever get to it any more because it could be bombed, it could be devastated, distracted. i am be bombed, it could be devastated, distracted. iam now living be bombed, it could be devastated, distracted. i am now living with an understanding that i could never see my grandmas again. i hope that i will but i live with that thought and this is devastating for me, personally. yes. i and this is devastating for me, personally. yes.— and this is devastating for me, ersonall . yes. , . ., ~ personally. yes. i understand. thank ou ve personally. yes. i understand. thank you very much _ personally. yes. i understand. thank you very much full _ personally. yes. i understand. thank you very much full tilt _ personally. yes. i understand. thank you very much full tilt into _ personally. yes. i understand. thank you very much full tilt into us. - you very much full tilt into us. thank you. i should thank you a lot. i think it is of urgent importance that the world his cars and the world hears how horrible and how devastating is putin's walk and it is really putin's all, it is not about russia, it is about putin, we should do something with it. ukraine

now is defending the whole of europe and we should do something together with it. find and we should do something together with it. �* ., with it. and kkeeee. thanks, elizabeth. — with it. and kkeeee. thanks, elizabeth, take _ with it. and kkeeee. thanks, elizabeth, take care. -- - with it. and kkeeee. thanks, | elizabeth, take care. -- thank with it. and kkeeee. thanks, - elizabeth, take care. -- thank you. now, images of the harsh treatment and difficulties faced by foreign students attempting to leave ukraine have shocked the world, with allegations of racism by ukranian border forces and soldiers. some foreign students have told us they've been told they need documentation from their universities giving them permission to leave. joining me now from the north—eastern city of sumy in ukraine, nigerian medical student toluwalase kolapo—bello. hello. thank you very much for talking to us.— hello. thank you very much for talking to us.- thank - hello. thank you very much for| talking to us.- thank you. talking to us. hello. thank you. where is sumy? _ talking to us. hello. thank you. where is sumy? it _ talking to us. hello. thank you. where is sumy? it is _ talking to us. hello. thank you. where is sumy? it is quite - talking to us. hello. thank you. | where is sumy? it is quite close talking to us. hello. thank you. i where is sumy? it is quite close to the russian border, isn't it? yes. the russian border, isn't it? yes, it is very close. _

the russian border, isn't it? yes, it is very close. i _ the russian border, isn't it? yes, it is very close. i am _ the russian border, isn't it? yes, it is very close. i am guessing i the russian border, isn't it? yes, | it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. _ it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. i _ it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. i want _ it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. i want to _ it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. i want to as - it is very close. i am guessing you want to leave. i want to as soon l it is very close. i am guessing you | want to leave. i want to as soon as ossible want to leave. i want to as soon as possible because, _ want to leave. i want to as soon as possible because, like, _ want to leave. i want to as soon as possible because, like, this- want to leave. i want to as soon as possible because, like, this will. possible because, like, this will between ukraine and russia put dread upon us, like serious bread. we cannot sleep at night. we are traumatised. —— dread. since the air strikes, attacks, fights in the city during the day and night and electricity power outage, lack of water and lack of supplies in the city. water and lack of supplies in the ci . ~ . , ., water and lack of supplies in the ci. ., , water and lack of supplies in the ci _. ., , , most city. where are you sleeping? most times we sleep _ city. where are you sleeping? most times we sleep in _ city. where are you sleeping? most times we sleep in a _ city. where are you sleeping? most times we sleep in a bunker, - city. where are you sleeping? most times we sleep in a bunker, which i city. where are you sleeping? most| times we sleep in a bunker, which is underground. it is cold stop it has snowed consecutively for two days.

the bunker is quite cold because underground is always colder than above. people are getting sick because of the exposure. the don't know when we would have a chance to come out. —— we do not know. sometimes we had to take cover under ground. you can spend more than six hours underground in the dark. there are 1800 students here. sometimes a bunker is not comfortable for us. we had to squeeze ourselves inside. the lack of water. some people could not pass all three days. we had to

transport ourselves to another hostel. ., ' :: :: :: hostel. you said there were 1000 international _ hostel. you said there were 1000 international students _ hostel. you said there were 1000 international students there. i hostel. you said there were 1000 i international students there. 1500. so how many _ international students there. 1500. so how many approximately - international students there. 1500. so how many approximately are i so how many approximately are sleeping in your bunker each night? each night there can be up to 300. something like that. is each night there can be up to 300. something like that.— something like that. is there an a , something like that. is there anyway. i — something like that. is there anyway, i cannot _ something like that. is there anyway, i cannot see - something like that. is there anyway, i cannot see how. something like that. is there | anyway, i cannot see how you something like that. is there - anyway, i cannot see how you can... presumably there are no trains. it is too frightening if anybody has a car to drive. you are in the north—east and you need to get west, don't you? yes north-east and you need to get west, don't ou? , , .,, ., don't you? yes stop from the situation _ don't you? yes stop from the situation on _ don't you? yes stop from the situation on the _ don't you? yes stop from the situation on the ground, i don't you? yes stop from the i situation on the ground, russian troops surrounded the borders. it has been difficult. they destroyed some that is why trains cannot come

from cities because the bridges were destroyed. vehicles were able to transport some students to another city. from there they continued theirjourney city. from there they continued their journey to the western city. from there they continued theirjourney to the western border. it has been quite difficult. at this point now, people are refusing because of the risk of security. taxi drivers have extorted money. you can spend up to $100. taxi drivers are collecting $2000 to transport people from our city to another city. some people are crying because they cannot afford to pay $2000 and they are stuck here, looking for ways out. they cannot keep waiting for the government. i

have lost count of their days. we are scared. it cannot sleep at night because we do not know when the next air strike will happen or there will be a bomb blast. we want to get out as soon as possible. people are tired. ~ ., ., ,., tired. where in the world are your mum and dad? — tired. where in the world are your mum and dad? they _ tired. where in the world are your mum and dad? they are - tired. where in the world are your| mum and dad? they are nigerian. tired. where in the world are your- mum and dad? they are nigerian. have ou been mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able — mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able to _ mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able to talk _ mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able to talk to _ mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able to talk to them? - mum and dad? they are nigerian. have you been able to talk to them? yes, i you been able to talk to them? yes, i have you been able to talk to them? yes, i have talked — you been able to talk to them? yes, i have talked to _ you been able to talk to them? yes, i have talked to them. _ you been able to talk to them? yes i have talked to them. there have been power outages from 6pm in the night till the following day ten o'clock in the morning. they were really concerned because they could not reach people and the network was bad. the network was bad. they were really worried, as foreign students

in this country. share really worried, as foreign students in this country.— in this country. are there any teachers _ in this country. are there any teachers and _ in this country. are there any teachers and lecturers i in this country. are there any teachers and lecturers that l in this country. are there any i teachers and lecturers that are trying to coordinate some kind of escape plan? the trying to coordinate some kind of escape plan?— trying to coordinate some kind of esca--elan? ,. escape plan? the school tobacco we have been complaining _ escape plan? the school tobacco we have been complaining to _ escape plan? the school tobacco we have been complaining to the i escape plan? the school tobacco we. have been complaining to the school. —— de school... they are trying their best. something about bringing borders. how are people passing? we in telling them we are tired of staying here. it is the country. this is my first time experiencing what is happening and it is kind of disturbing me. my mental state is not as stable as before. we should be allowed to go. they should make a way for us to go. make transport for

us. the way others have in going. we are students, we have not been working. they should look for private vehicles for us as students to transport us to other cities. the way the private vehicles have been operating. we're not sure how we will stay here. we are not seeing any action. we'rejust will stay here. we are not seeing any action. we're just hearing from them. this is what they are doing. are not seeing anything so we do not know. . ~ are not seeing anything so we do not know. . ,, , ., are not seeing anything so we do not know. . ~' , ., , are not seeing anything so we do not know. . ,, , ., , . are not seeing anything so we do not know. . ~ ,. , . ., know. thank you very much for talkin: know. thank you very much for talking to _ know. thank you very much for talking to us. _ know. thank you very much for talking to us. your— know. thank you very much for talking to us. your message i know. thank you very much for| talking to us. your message has know. thank you very much for i talking to us. your message has gone out around the world. i do not know if it will make a difference, i really hope it does. we will keep talking to you to see how you are doing if that is ok. thank you. we

will bring you the latest headlines in the next three minutes. —— few minutes. fairly sunny conditions most are experiencing today will continue into the new week. we will start to see the wind picked up even more. it will gradually allow some atlantic weather systems with some rain. only one or two isolated showers from this area of cloud in the south. more isolated than yesterday. quite a breeze blowing through the english channel and the hebrides. that will make it feel chilly. temperature is only about 6 degrees. in. lighter winds in scotland. in the afternoon sunshine will biz things up to ten,

11. this evening and overnight the sun will go on the temperatures will drop. there may be cloud in the south but temperatures will fluctuate when dropping down to —5 -6 fluctuate when dropping down to —5 —6 quite readily in some areas. clearer skies in england and wales and a colder start to monday morning. a few changes for monday. more of a breeze this time in the west compared with the weekend areas of cloud drifting north. there will still be a day of sunny spells. when the sun is not with you feeling a bit chillier. this area of high pressure will hold on into tuesday. we will see the transatlantic weather systems pushing their way in. most places will be dry. the chance of rain later on. still quite a stiff wind for many. sunny spells

continued in much of scotland and england in particular. notice the temperature is starting to creep up. we will see milder air. some rain will push its way north and is tuesday night into wednesday. another weather system approaching the stronger winds in the west. more in the way of rain. we are starting to dragging milder air. in the way of rain. we are starting to dragging milderair. as in the way of rain. we are starting to dragging milder air. as we go through the middle part of the week the rain potential particularly in the rain potential particularly in the west. the pre—stellar feature on wednesday into thursday. note the temperatures, starting to climb back up temperatures, starting to climb back up into double figures, if not the low teens.

this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories... russian artillery continues to pound cities and towns in ukraine. authorities and to give one there is worse to come. authorities and to give one there is worse to come-— authorities and to give one there is worse to come. severe attacks on the civil population _ worse to come. severe attacks on the civil population including _ worse to come. severe attacks on the civil population including carpet i civil population including carpet bombarding of the cities which are basically happening these days already will take place on thousands of victims in ukraine. the already will take place on thousands of victims in ukraine.— of victims in ukraine. the besieged ci of of victims in ukraine. the besieged city of mariupol— of victims in ukraine. the besieged city of mariupol will _ of victims in ukraine. the besieged city of mariupol will attempt - city of mariupol will attempt another evacuation of civilians after a similar plan was abandoned yesterday to continuing fighting. the un says 1.5