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 - 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 mariuool_ 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 people have —— 1.5

million people have already fled ukraine. the us says... 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 anti—war protests on the streets of russia. more than a thousand people have been detained in 29 cities across the country according to one monitoring group. hello and welcome to bbc news and to our viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm yalda hakim.

let's bring you up to date on the conflict here in ukraine. 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. we are being attacked. are also hearing that civilians are we are also hearing that civilians are facing shelling and bombardment north—west of kyiv in the city of irpin. we also hearing that major international companies like mastercard and visa have suspended operations in russia. danjohnson 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 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. in his latest address, the ukrainian president, and there really is no illusion that it is the ukrainian people who will pay that heavy fighters we are hearing in that report. they know that their homes in towns and cities continue to be shelled. we also note will be then that will have to continue to pick up arms and take on the might of the russian army. love it here in western ukraine really has become a hub notjust refugees but also for the resistance. —— live it here. we have seen local people

creating camouflage nets, taking the mac goal —— creating molotov cocktails. whether it is to assist internally displaced people... that merely something that president zielinski has been calling on people to do and sometimes twice a day he addresses the nation and has been switching between ukrainian—russian border is not he has been addressing the russian people, telling them not to stay silent, that they need to speak up against the crimes that have been committed here ukrainian people. have a listen to his latest address. translation: ukrainians, we have to do still fight for our today. - we are fighting to where the border will be between life and slavery and it's notjust our choice. citizens of the russian federation

are making the same choices right now, in these days, in these hours, between life and slavery today, tomorrow, in the next week. that is the time when evil be still conquered without irreparable loss, when from your position you'll be perhaps fired and put in a police cell, not in the gulag. there will be financial losses but not executed by a firing squad. don't miss this opportunity. social networks, friends, people who know you, yourfamily members, they have to hear you, wed in ukraine we want peace. citizens of russia, this is the fight notjust for peace in the ukraine, the fight for your country, 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. that was president volodymyr zelensky speaking directly to the russian people there. joining us here now on the programme is the dean if chen ukrainian mp. —— vadim ivchenko. we hearing about the constant bombardment and shelling of

ukrainian villages, homes, towns. because there was a temporary ceasefire that was supposed to be in place yesterday there was breached. just give us an overview and a sense of the scale of the fighting at the moment. ., ., , ,., , ., moment. hello. hello everybody. iam now near kyiv- — moment. hello. hello everybody. iam now near kyiv. we _ moment. hello. hello everybody. iam now near kyiv. we today _ moment. hello. hello everybody. i am now near kyiv. we today can _ moment. hello. hello everybody. iam now near kyiv. we today can go - moment. hello. hello everybody. i am now near kyiv. we today can go to - now near kyiv. we today can go to get a food supply to kyiv and get a metal construction we put on the road and so we are trying to combine medicine as well and that we come with children, children from the families to the west and the other countries. right now the situation is quite stable. you know, some bombs, some missiles targeting the civilian neighbourhood. yesterday,

for example, the bomb was targeting to my friend's house. it is 60 kilometres from kyiv. it is just everything destroyed. i mean, the civilian house and the 20 houses around and of course a lot of missiles, a lot of bombs near kyiv. you know, there are very hot places. they have been butchered and right now we are negotiating just to organise the humanitarian corridor for the people who would like to leave. �* . ., ,., for the people who would like to leave. �* . ., ., for the people who would like to leave. �* . ., ,., ., ., leave. but we are also hearing that shellin: is leave. but we are also hearing that shelling is continuing _ leave. but we are also hearing that shelling is continuing in _ leave. but we are also hearing that shelling is continuing in irpin - shelling is continuing in irpin which isjust outside fta. can you tell us a little bit more about that? , .,,

tell us a little bit more about that? , , , tell us a little bit more about that? , i, ., that? yesterday, yesterday, at niaht, that? yesterday, yesterday, at night. the _ that? yesterday, yesterday, at night, the cities _ that? yesterday, yesterday, at night, the cities near _ that? yesterday, yesterday, at night, the cities near cf - that? yesterday, yesterday, at night, the cities near cf were l night, the cities near cf were bombed. it was other cities. when the people were sleeping the bomb just shooting on the civilian neighbourhoods. —— cities near kyiv. as well as the military place. so right now the situation is quite stable. we heard only the machine guns from all over the city and a lot of people just leave see if and a lot of people right now on the roads, a lot of traffic on the road just leaving kyiv.— roads, a lot of traffic on the road just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are sa in: just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are saying that _ just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are saying that in _ just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are

saying that in those _ just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are saying that in those places - just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are saying that in those places it - just leaving kyiv. yes, so you are saying that in those places it is l saying that in those places it is stable so people are trying to get out now and evacuate. they heading west towards places like lviv and towards the border is to get out? you know, this situation is quite difficult, obviously, to explain because in the east it is just totally destroyed some cities like kharkiv and shown a health and the people tried to move to the west end in the west the situation is quite difficult as well —— chernihov. it is quite difficult for them and a lot of people are staying in the queue just across the border. it is a real situation if you imagine yourself like a computer game when the people just escape from a lot of cities and see if it is emptied from civilians, probably from civilians. i mean not probably, not everyone,

but a lot of civilians just drive out from kyiv far to the west and a lot of military, a lot of troops, yeah. lot of military, a lot of troops, eah. , , ._ ., yeah. yes, the un is saying that over 1.5 million _ yeah. yes, the un is saying that over 1.5 million people - yeah. yes, the un is saying that over1.5 million people have - yeah. yes, the un is saying that| over1.5 million people have now over 1.5 million people have now evacuated and fled the country but you are also taking photographs of the destruction of civilian deaths. just tell us what you plan on doing with these photographs and information you are collecting. taste information you are collecting. we are information you are collecting. - are collecting all the photos and all the videos for the future investigation. we are collecting the information about the use of the heritage missiles. we are speaking with the russians troops who are

just, who are vested by ukrainians. we got the a lot of this information just to start this criminal investigations. the second one, you know, putin united over nations from the students to the pensioner people, people take the machine guns, people are ready to defend the territorial defence. a lot of young people, a lot of aged people in ukraine, are ready to defend the independence and democratic value in ukraine. that is what putin did that unites all ukrainians.— unites all ukrainians. briefly, sir, do ou unites all ukrainians. briefly, sir, do you think _ unites all ukrainians. briefly, sir,

do you think that _ unites all ukrainians. briefly, sir, do you think that nato _ unites all ukrainians. briefly, sir, do you think that nato members| do you think that nato members should reconsider this potential no—fly zone? that has obviously ruled it out. president zelensky has said they should reconsider. to think that should be the case? you know, think that should be the case? you. know, yesterday i had a talk with the congressmen, one of the congressmen, and i told that the america and the other nato countries should realise the third world war has already happened. it exists in ukraine. so they are already with us and they are helping with the anti aircraft missiles, anti—tank weapons. they are already with us and the no—fly zone will save a lot of civilians, a lot of ukrainians, will save a lot of europeans as well and will save a lot of atomic power plants and objects and infrastructure, and a lot of people,

as i've said. so this will give us the opportunityjust to close these no—fly zones do make this no—fly zone over ukraine and to, how do you say it, put it down to the terrorists and to somebody called me, sorry, and put it down to the errors when the ukrainian military troops will fight with russian military troops on the earth. that is very important for every piece i have said. i is very important for every piece i have said. , ., ., is very important for every piece i have said-— have said. i 'ust want to ask you about have said. i just want to ask you about humanitarian _ have said. i just want to ask you about humanitarian corridors . have said. i just want to ask you - about humanitarian corridors because of course there was the school yesterday by the russian defence ministry that they would have a humanitarian corridor in mariupol, in other places that didn't actually happen. could you tell us about these humanitarian corridors today because ukrainian authorities did say they were going to try again. figs

say they were going to try again. as i say they were going to try again. is i have heard, to they are going to try to organise the humanitarian corridor. and we will see how it works. it is, of course, we need the humanitarian corridor and other cities as well. near kyiv it is for the big cities, probably a million people live there. it is a population of the cities but right now it is quite less but we need as well. people that would like to leave their cities where the russian troops, we need to organise the humanitarian corridor. it seems to me it should be done but right now it is quite on the beginning. ok, ukrainian mp, thank you so much for your time here on the programme.

thank you so much. we're just we'rejust going to we're just going to bring you some of the latest lines from the kremlin where vladimir putin has told to's president erdogan that he is ready for dialogue and that the military operation in ukraine is going to plan and according to schedule and he also said any attempt to draw out the negotiation process will fail and that he said the operation in ukraine will only be halted if russian demands are met. that he says that he will approach things with ukrainians in a constructive approach and take into account the realities on the ground. so that is vladimir putin telling turkey's president that russia is ready for dialogue as long as you came, as long as russia's demands are met by

ukraine and, of course, we have seen a very defined the zelensky who has said that they will not negotiate with a gun to their head. there have been several rounds of negotiations already between the two sides but they haven't had any kind of successful outcome so far, 11 days into this conflict. there was also talk of humanitarian corridors that were promised but, as we've seen in places like mariupol, there was also talk of humanitarian corridors that were promised but, as we've seen in places like mariupol, fired out. one such person who fled the conflict in the south in odesa is a woman i met earlier lviv train station. 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 behind. they told me, like, you should leave, so i should listen to what my parents say, so, yes, 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... like, they are almost like themselves, because now when you have your health, your hands and legs, yes, 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 by situation, you know, because nobody knows even right now what will be going on even in the next two days.

like, wee don't know anything about the future. but i hope, yes. that was a woman who had fled odesa in the south and made her way to lviv and had come on her own was trying to leave this country. as we are reporting tens of thousands of people have been fleeing the fighting and trying to get out of the country. the un now says over 1.5 million people have left ukraine using the various different borders and they say that it's the fastest moving refugee crisis since the second world war. that was the statement made by filippo grandy the high commissionerfor statement made by filippo grandy the high commissioner for refugees. ——the high commissioner, filippo grandi, has called it the fastest—growing refugee crisis in europe since the second world war. poland says record numbers of ukrainians continue to cross the border. our correspondent kasia madera sent this update from the medyka

border crossing point between ukraine and poland. amongst so much uncertainty and so much destruction that has happened in ukrainejust across the borderfrom me, one thing is constant — the flow of people coming through. these people have just crossed over the borderfrom ukraine. theirjourneys to get here have been long, they've been uncertain. we've been seeing the scenes back in lviv of what has been happening as the people have been crossing into trains, crossing through with their cars, leaving their cars, running out of fuel, crossing by foot like all of these people that have just literally crossed the border here into poland, theirfirst time to have an opportunity to just get something warm to drink, their first time to get something to eat. this whole community, this whole centre has popped up and it's very transient. we've been here all week and things change. tents pop go, tents go, but 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 have fled. volunteers in their hundreds bringing off, dropping off things that all the children may need. the piles of nappies,

the milk formula, the food for the children who are exhausted and they're overwhelmed, and what is really, really touching is just the little moments of generosity, how people just bring people that have fled to the border into their homes, opening their homes, and this is the absolute first moment these people have crossed into this country, and there is a sense of calmness and there is a sense ofjust exhaustion, given all they have been through. there is organisation. we see all the time people coming up explaining... "we've got a person who as travelling to krakow. "we can take four or five people." "we've got a person who is driving on to another town, who can take a family..." and then gives the amount. and this is continuous. this is absolutely continuous.

"we'll take such and such, we'll take you on, we'll provide you transport, things for free." and this is happening all the time, every day, day in, day out on this border as the people come across. and, yes, it is cold here, it is snowing every now and again. bear in mind the people that have come across, they have spent days getting to the border, but this is the next leg of their journey. so here we have this queue of people waiting to get on a bus. a bus will then take them to the next part of their stage of their journey to temporary reception areas. it's where antony blinken came to to see one of these reception areas, how it was organised, how people got to rest, and then they move on. across the whole of poland, people are opening up their doors. websites offering advice of what to do if you want to take a refugee family in. large ukrainian community in poland. they're all coming together, bringing these people to their homes. again, another bus coming up.

every few minutes a bus will come up, will load these people on, will 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 of poland's second—largest city, krakow. coming into this country in such a short space of time. they all need help. they all need attention. they all need rest. that was my colleague on the polling ukraine border talking about the flood of refugees. of course poland and ukraine share a 150 kilometre border —— poland — ukraine border. it is incredibly long and that is why we are seeing such a huge avalanche of people trying to make their way into poland but polling isn't the only country people are trying to get into. there are five borders on the west and south where

people are trying to make their way. rob cameron has the latest from slovakia. 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. staying without your house, without your clothes, because we went outjust with 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's six years already i've been doing my thing. i've been studying late night for exams. i've been doing, 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. let's hear now from the us secretary of state, secretary of state, anthony blinken. he was in poland yesterday and is in moldova today. he has been speaking about the level of support in terms of military support that the united states is looking at offering ukraine. have a listen. over the past year we have provided more than $1 billion of security assistance to ukraine, more than any

in any previous year. we are in very active conversation with ukrainian officials in the country, prime minister zelensky and others to get up—to—the—minute assessment of their needs and as we get that assessment we are looking to see what we and our allies and partners can deliver. we are looking actively now at the question of aeroplanes that poland may provide to ukraine and looking at how we might decide to backfill should poland decide to supply those planes. should poland decide to supply those lanes. ., ., , ,, should poland decide to supply those lanes. . ,, ,, . ., , ., planes. that was the us secretary of state antony — planes. that was the us secretary of state antony blinken _ planes. that was the us secretary of state antony blinken speaking - planes. that was the us secretary of state antony blinken speaking in - state antony blinken speaking in moldova. we can now hear from ukraine's deputy prime minister speaking earlier and he says the situation in her country is getting more and more severe.

given the strong resistance our army showed, now the enormous pressure is done against civilian population, especially in those towns and cities and 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 have more than 2,000 civilians who have already been affected from direct military attacks from the air but also through the land. military tactics right in the cities of 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're working with our partners but the situation is going more and more severe. we understand that it's far not the end of the war, even especially given our determination and the enormous losses the russian army faces both in human dimension in terms of soldiers but also in terms of techniques, is something that does not deter russia but only encourages further aggression and it is also confirmed by 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 are under very heavy attack. a ceasefire we understand is going or is in place right now for the whole day. how much confidence do you have that that will hold, that those people will be able to get out? well, i will start by saying that this complicated situation

is in many other cities of ukraine and different parts like kherson and many other cities which have been captured by russian terroristic groups and russian army. but in this, mariupol has been identified as the first point where we will test the agreement reached bilaterally and supported by the red cross organisation on establishing the humanitarian corridors, both for providing humanitarian aid to the population of the affected region, but also the voluntary evacuation of people. the first wave of this should have started yesterday but we basically didn't start it because of the shelling which was ongoing throughout the territory agreed as a humanitarian corridor

in mariupol and then in volnovakha. and today hopefully this agreement will be implemented, we do not do any single step without informing the international organisation of red cross and obliging the red cross to have the confirmation of the agreement from both sides, from ukrainian and russian. we see the international red cross organisation can do much more but they still feel reluctant, not understanding that the war is happening right in the centre of europe, so we requested the facilitation and maybe observance of this bilateral dialogue to avoid losing time while people are suffering, so we hope that the icrc will play a better role in that regard. but hopefully today we will manage to make the evacuation based on the agreement reached bilaterally between officials both on ukrainian and russian sides.

that was the ukrainian deputy prime minister. some developing newsnow, yesterday, the israeli prime minister was in moscow meeting with vladimir yesterday, the israeli prime minister was in moscow meeting with vladimir putin, yesterday, the israeli prime minister was in moscow meeting with vladimir putin, the yesterday, the israeli prime minister was in moscow meeting with vladimir putin, the diplomacy yesterday, the israeli prime minister was in moscow meeting with vladimir putin, the diplomacy has not stopped, even though there has been a lot of pressure to isolate russia, and all the sanctions that have been imposed and very tough words coming from nato and joe biden, the us president we've seen the us secretary of state antony blinken touring the region, assuring his unity with other nato members and also speaking in solidarity with volodymyr zelensky, ukraine's president. in the last few minutes we have also been hearing that emmanuel macron, the president of france, has been holding talks with vladimir putin, the talks are currently taking place and we believe, over the phone. they are having discussions about this ongoing crisis and the ongoing

conflict. we also reported in the last few minutes that of vladimir putin has been speaking with turkey's president red tayyip erdogan, and he says that he's interested in discussing a potential ceasefire and end to the fighting and having negotiations with ukraine but in the last few moments we are hitting that vladimir putin has been speaking with the french president emmanuel macron, and if we do get more information on that, we will be bringing that to you here on the programme. pope francis has said that the russian invasion of ukraine is producing rivers of blood and tears. addressing crowds insane peter square in rome, he countered russia's assertions that it is a military operation, saying that it is a war leading to death, destruction and misery. he has asked russia to allow true humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians. so, thatis corridors to evacuate civilians. so, that is pope francis speaking in sync peter shilton square in rome, addressing crowds, saying that this

conflict has been producing rivers of blood and tears, and asking for the fighting to stop. —— st peter's square. the uk deputy prime minister, dominic raab, has been speaking to 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 zelensky and the heroic defence that the people of ukraine have put up. 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're 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've 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're 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 more indiscriminate killing 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's 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. the 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's 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 then we would have nato aircraft in the air alongside russian aircraft and then the potential of shooting them down and then that leads to an escalation. that was the uk chief of the defence staff speaking to the bbc about why an no—fly zone would be dangerous. he said that nato members would have blood on their hands, residency lenskii, because the russian shelling and bombing continues to strike and kill civilians across this country. sir keir starmer, the

uk opposition leader, has also been speaking to the bbc. he was asked about russian oligarchs and whether the uk government would be putting any pressure on them. yes, but i am frustrated because many people including the uk labour party have been calling for these measures for a long time. there was a report which set out in detail what the problems work with russian money in the united kingdom, nothing was done about that report, by the government, it hasjust was done about that report, by the government, it has just sat there. the economic bill that we will be discussing tomorrow, and we will support it, that is a bill that has been talked about for a number of years, and it was in the queen's speech last year, and here we are, i suppose the frustration is this, the echoes of afghanistan, which is a government that really only begins to get its act together and respond in the heat of the situation, rather

than preparing for it beforehand. but we will support them tomorrow, our votes will be there for the sanctions and we will stand united, but are we frustrated that they are going slowly, and they didn't look at this months ago? these sanctions could actually have been in place by now if the government had had a bit of forethought on this. but i don't want to divide, other than to push the government further and faster on this. ., , ,.,, ., the government further and faster on this. ., , ., this. the uk opposition party leader sir keir starmer _ this. the uk opposition party leader sir keir starmer speaking _ this. the uk opposition party leader sir keir starmer speaking to - this. the uk opposition party leader sir keir starmer speaking to the - sir keir starmer speaking to the bbc. we have got some breaking news that has just come in for us. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky has said that russian rockets have completely destroyed the civilian airport of the central western region capital on sunday thatis western region capital on sunday that is today. that is the capital of the central western region. earlier the authorities said that emergency services were looking to put out the

fires caused by those missiles. that is an update from volodymyr zelensky, saying that the ukrainian authorities are trying to put out a fire because of the rockets that were launched at that airport. i just want to give you a sense of where we are right now. we were in western ukraine, in lviv. you heard from the ukrainian mp that no part of this country is safe. the conflict is affecting all parts of this country. constantly, we hear our roadside runs go off here and we are a should into underground bunkers, and there really is this very strange of life over ground and life underground. overground, life seems quite normal, in a very strange way, even though the sirens will suddenly go off and even though in every corner of this city, people are having discussions about what's happening in other parts of the country. lviv has also become a hub for resistance. it is where people are making molotov cocktails day and

night, they are making camouflage nets, young people, students, who have stopped studying at university to try and help the army in whatever way they can. and of course because of the tens of thousands of people who have been arriving here in the city, volunteers are also trying to help them with food and water and shelter, whatever support they can get. i saw people today at the train station taking complete strangers into their cars and into their homes, trying to support the elderly, who looked visibly very, very distraught. of course, lviv is also a world of unesco heritage site, so, many of the churches here, the cobblestoned streets, are ancient and very, very old, so, you will see a monumentjust there behind me that has now been covered in foil and plastic, because there is concern that if russian missiles strike, if russianjets is concern that if russian missiles strike, if russian jets fly overhead, that they could destroy this very old city that has existed

here. every day, people are coming out into the streets, there is a strange combination of civilians who have lived here, residents who call this place home, and those who are newly arrived, where this city is very new to them, and you see the children here who are confused about what's going on, this new city, where they are carrying their worldly possessions, just a suitcase with a very, very small amount of things left that they were able to take with them here to lviv, some trying to get out, others of saying goodbye to the men in their lives because of the martial law, they are having to continue to stay and fight here in lviv, they don't know what will happen next, there is a whole level of uncertainty for those who are going to fight. and also uncertainty for those who come here, because they don't know where they are going to go. they arrive and emerge at the train station and they don't know where they should go, where they should expect to get more

clothing, more food, more support. and how they will actually get out of the country. so, there is a very strange feeling here because there is normalcy, there is daily life, but there's also a sense and no illusion, that this is a country at war, this is a country in turmoil. offering support to ukraine, there are many capitals and places around the world that are protesting in solidarity, in support with ukraine, they're coming out onto the streets trying to show whatever support they can. with flags in the stands and applause on the pitch, the world's most popular football league, the english premier league, using saturday's matches to show support for ukraine in full view of the watching world. mixed messages in the chelsea stands, though — booing heard here after fans cheered for owner roman abramovich, an alleged close contact of vladimir putin, something their manager stood against.

we need ourfans to... to commit to this minute of applause in the moment. we do it for ukraine and there is no second opinion about the situation there, and that they have our thoughts and our support, and we should stand together as a club. it's not the moment for other messages. french chanting: putin! assassin! off the pitch, the blue and yellow seen all over the world this weekend, ukraine's colours being held aloft in paris injust one of 120 protests in france, as anti—war protesters gathered to sing the ukrainian national anthem. singing. solemn faces with a solemn message — stop putin, now. translation: the ukrainian president is some kind of a hero. _ he is a hero.

i think that the ukrainian people show us an extraordinary example. it was a scene mirrored across europe. singing. in croatia... ..in italy... ..in latvia... ..the netherlands.. ..britain... chanting: stand with ukraine! ..switzerland. .. ..germany, where the russian consulate was covered in red paint... ..and austria... translation: it is important to send a sign of solidarity - and to say it's wrong, what's going on here. ..as well as over in the united states. chanting: no-fly zone! a reminder that the feelings about the war being discussed in official chambers and meeting rooms, further amplified on the ground in normal cities and streets. shouting. in ukraine, in kherson,

russian occupation. residents there holding fierce protests of their own, unaware that, as their freedom is taken away in the space of a week, the world stands beside them to demand it back. stephanie prentice, bbc news. ukraine isa ukraine is a deeply religious country. we find people here in lviv going to so many of the churches that exist across the city, praying, hoping for peace, finding solace and comfort in peace. and they are supported by many priests in russia and across the world, the russian orthodox priests have signed an open letter calling for peace and condemning the war. they've described the war as a crime, they've called on vladimir putin to prevent and stop the bloodshed and the fighting. our religious affairs reporter harry farley reports.

they are countries at war, but, here in durham, ukrainians and russians sit side—by—side. today is forgiveness sunday in the orthodox church calendar. as part of their ritual they bow, asking each other for forgiveness. i think it's the job of the church to speak up against power. my message would be, withdraw the troops, stop killing people. and it's notjust here that orthodox christians oppose the invasion. in russia, it's forbidden to call the conflict a war. but i spoke to one priest in moscow, who we're not identifying, who is clear about the reality. translation: what matters is that people die. _ many people lose their lives, and this is a crime. what would your message be to president putin? to stop the war — to stop.

to stop before it is too late, although i'm afraid, unfortunately, i think it is too late. are you scared about speaking out? no, i'm afraid, because there are some priorities in life. there are situations where it is not possible not to speak the truth, no matter how scary it is. religion matters to vladimir putin. before he invaded, he said ukraine shared a spiritual space with russia. in putin's mind, moscow is not just a great political power, it's a great religious one, too. he enjoys support from the head of the russian orthodox church, patriarch kirill. but here in durham, and in moscow, orthodox priests are speaking out against putin's war. harry farley, bbc news, in durham.

we will have much more of our ongoing coverage of the conflict, stay without here on bbc news. hello. more sunshine today, albeit occasionally. most of the sunshine is across northern ireland and scotland, plenty of blue sky to come. even where we have got the cloud, it is more broken than it was yesterday, and the most cloudy and damp areas yesterday, across eastern areas, are much brighter today. so, cloud, broken, some sunny spells but at times thick enough to produce the odds shower across east anglia and southern england into south wales and parts of the midlands. for northern england, northern ireland and scotland, this is where the

lion's share of the sunshine is. even where you get some sunshine it is still feeling fairly chilly in the breeze. the north—easterly wind is strongest across england and wales. till a few areas of cloud across southern areas tonight and quite a stiff breeze, but temperatures will fall close to freezing in some spots. the frost is more widespread overnight than last night, and for scotland and northern england, this is where we will see the lowest temperatures in the countryside. tomorrow, wales and england, with patchy cloud lifting a bit further north, brightening up across east anglia and south—east england, still plenty of sunshine in northern ireland and scotland. this easterly or south—easterly wind is stronger more widely across the uk for western areas. you could see some gusts up to 40mph or so. and again it will feel on the chilly side but there is some sunshine to compensate. and another frost as tuesday begins. that should be the

end of it as the week goes on because our weather is changing. at the moment, dominated by high pressure close by, but from tuesday onwards, several areas of low pressure are going to have a go at bringing some wetter and windier conditions our way. nothing too severe. looks like it will be most windy across western areas. this is where it will be wettest, too. but all the while, as these systems get closer, it will be turning more to a south, south—westerly, so it will be turning milder.

as russian forces close in on the city. this is bbc news. welcome. our top stories. civilians have been fleeing for their lives and the relentless bombardmentjust 25 kilometres for their lives and the relentless bombardment just 25 kilometres from the capital. 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 siege city