this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories... civilians in ukraine have been fleeing for their lives under the relentless bombardment, just 25 kilometres from the capital. severe 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. a second attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of mariupol has failed — after a similar plan was abandoned yesterday due to continuing fighting. the un says 1.5 million people have already fled ukraine. the us offers to help ease the fastest—growing refugee crisis since the second world war.

anti—war protests on the streets of russia — 3,500 thousand people have been arrested in protests across the country according to the russian news agency tass. hello and welcome to the programme. the ukrainian army has been reinforcing the defences of kyiv as the russian military continues its attacks to the north of the capital. soldiers have been digging trenches and blocking roads with anti—tank obstacles. the towns of bucha, hostomel and irpin have been under heavy bombardment.

civilians trying to flee the fighting have been killed by russian mortar fire. meanwhile the social media platform tik—tok says it's suspending livestreaming and new content in russia, citing the fake news that is being spread around the country on the platform. and american express has also suspended all operations in russia, this is after mastercard and visa suspended operations on saturday. let's go to urkaine now — my colleague yalda hakim is in lviv with the very latest. let's bring you up—to—date on the ongoing conflict in ukraine. ukrainian authorities say towns in northern ukraine are under intense bombardment with intense fighting between ukrainian forces and russian forces. let me to show you where the fighting is on the map. the heaviest fighting is on the map. the heaviest fighting is on the map. the heaviest fighting is felt to be focused on suburbs just 25 kilometres north—west of kyiv. meanwhile a new

temporary ceasefire in an attempt to evacuate civilians in the besieged city of mariupol has once again failed. this is the second in 01 has been attempted. millions of civilians are trying to flee the fighting that continues in the north, the south and east of the country. we had the very latest report from jeremy bowen. distant explosions. russian shelling might break ukraine's will to fight — but not yet. davay, davay. they have to keep moving. until the last minute, these families had hung on. leaving your home, even in a war, is a giant step. they're heading towards the capital, still almost untouched, but only about ten miles away. she was as dignified as a woman striding to the park. in fact, like all of ukraine and russia, they are struggling into a dark future. ukrainian troops were moving back into irpin, and this is why its people left.

shell zips past. this was inside the town, russia's target as its tries to revive its offensive. the civilians are getting out over what's left of a bridge that was blown to slow down the russians if they take irpin. russian shells were very close. shouting, explosions. stopping was not an option. "i'm 0k," she said. "keep going." a disabled man couldn't make it up the steep river bank on his own. there's a fair amount of incoming fire coming into this now. artillery fire. there are loads of civilians around. families coming out.

there's a lady over there with her dog following on. this is the edge of the town that the russians have got to. explosions, shouting. civilians were in the firing line, but the russians might have been trying to knock out nearby active ukrainian artillery. casualties and evacuees were taken to an assembly point in a suburb about a mile away. as well as wounded soldiers, at least one family was killed. vladimir, 85, a 30—year veteran of the soviet army got his family out. "i served for many years," he said. "right now, i'd tear those fascists into pieces. "they're killing people for no reason. "that's what's really painful." on the way out, families grabbed their most precious things — puppies, pets, some comfort. tell me what it was like

crossing the bridge? and getting out of the town? oh, it was a miserable feeling. we are nervous. i was terrified. it was... it was, it was the horrible, horrible way. they moved on into the capital. this was a terrible day, but the russian military is operating on half power. if it can build up full momentum, there will be many days worse than this. jeremy bowen, bbc news, kyiv. as we been reporting on the last couple of days and attempt to create a ceasefire in the southern port city of mariupol has broken down twice. yesterday we heard reports from the russian civilian defence ministry that they would put a partial ceasefire in place and

create a humanitarian corridor by authorities in mariupol say that that humanitarian corridor never took place, that there was still as dumb of tarmac shelling of civilian trying to flee and they halted that evacuation —— that there was still shelling on civilians trying to flee. uk defence intelligence and said that russia's blaming of the ceasefire breakdown is probably an additional attempt to diminish responsibility for civilian casualties. earlier, we heard from the us secretary of state antony blinken is said that the us is documenting the civilian casualties. they are keeping photographs and they are going to keep track of a tax on civilian casualties. they say they have credible intelligence and information that densely populated areas full of civilians had been targeted so there is a b licence lines coming in for the uk defence intelligence thing that russia's blaming of the ceasefire breakdown is to absolve a responsibility for

civilian casualties. in president zelensky�*s latest address he has been speaking on an attack in central ukraine and you can have a listen to what he had to say. he has made regular online investors throughout the conflict. translation: i've just been told about the rocket - strike at vinnytsya. eight rockets against our town, against our peaceful, good vinnytsya that never threatened russia by any way. a rocket strike.

tough, cynical, completely flattened the airport. they carry on destroying our infrastructure, our lives, built by us, by our fathers, by our grandfathers and grandmothers, by generations of ukrainians. every day we keep saying close the sky over ukraine to all russian rockets, to russian military aviation, all those terrorists and make a humanitarian air zone without rockets, without planes. we are people. your humanitarian responsibility is to protect us, to protect people. you can do that. if you don't do that, if you won't at least give us planes for us to be able to protect ourselves, that only one conclusion could be drawn. you all also want us to be very slowly killed, and that is the responsibility of global politicians and western leaders from today and forever. that's ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky again expressing anger and frustration at the ongoing

bombardment of homes, villages, but also talking about that civilian airport that was targeted in central ukraine. —— the ongoing bombardment of different sites here is this war rages on. earlier we spoke to the former prime minister of ukraine, yulia tymoshenko. she made an appeal to the international community for more help stop have a listen. translation: ukraine is i being absolutely plummeted by missile strikes. children are dying. peaceful people, women are dying. currently, everything is being shot at at close range. i just want to thank everyone for support. we evaluate, we really value tough sanctions against the aggressor. we value today that the world gives us arms, that the world is with us, but today it's not enough. in orderfor ukraine to hold on for everyone, for europe, for the world, in front of the aggressor, russian federation that

crossed all borders, we require serious help. that help is closing the sky over ukraine. today, this is as a prayer repeated by ukrainian children which are hiding in bomb shelters. our ukrainian mothers are repeating this as a prayer. we need your help. if the sky is closed over ukraine for russian military aviation and for missile strikes, ukraine will prevail and together with the whole civilised world. now, i want to address the mothers of the world. to women, i ask you — please, stand with ukraine. i call to all leaders of the world that could stand with us to close the sky over ukraine. that is not true that the nato decision is required for that. today, a coalition of countries could be created, the countries

who are prepared to defend ukraine as it was in iraq and libya when the closed sky was used without a nato decision. now we need goodwill. please know, today the lives of our children and the existence of ukraine depends not only on what the aggressor is doing. the aggressor will be doing what it is doing now, and putin will go to the end. however, the lives of ukraine, lives of our children, also depend on your goodwill, on your decision to close the sky, to shield the sky over ukraine. i just want to say that our army is fighting strong today. normal men and women are out on the streets. they were given arms, but even without arms, they are stopping tanks. our cities are occupied but we are strong. our faith is strong and we know we will win together with the whole civilised world.

we can now go straight to our correspondentjeremie boga and who joins us from the ukrainian capital kyiv. over the last few days we have been watching a heartbreaking report there from the capital —— jeremy bowen. families torn apart, mothers and fathers saying goodbye to their children and their wives as they join the fighting. this is now the story of so many people across this country. story of so many people across this count . , ., story of so many people across this count . , . , ., ., country. yep, heartache, separation, and also a sense _ country. yep, heartache, separation, and also a sense of— country. yep, heartache, separation, and also a sense of not _ country. yep, heartache, separation, and also a sense of not knowing - and also a sense of not knowing where this thing is going to go. you know, the thing about wars, when they start at the very beginning people still have one foot in their old lives and they remember what it was like and sadly as time goes by they get used to the new reality but they get used to the new reality but they are not there, not nearly there is yet and this thing is not looking

as though it is going to be over quickly so, you know, there have been some awful day so far but sadly i think they were going to be some worse ones. indeed, and yet, strangely, as you say, they're not there yet, but they're adapting very quickly to this life underground in the bunkers and then a life overground, people realizing that they need to quickly understand what their role is in this conflict. those who choose to stay and then, of course, there are those who are leaving the country? yeah, you know, human beings are resourceful. they really are and adaptable and people do things and they rally around and history shows as well that if you attack civilians, they tend not to break. in fact, their resolve tends to increase and certainly the resolve of the, you know, the fighting forces certainly would. that's the historical record.

so, you know, while things are the way that they are, there is a lot of resolution in this place. now what has been a very effective tactic for the russians in their activities in syria, which i've seen quite a bit over the years since they intervened there in 2015, is that they, along with their syrian regime allies, of course, and others, militias, they besiege a city or a town that they wanted to reduce. they really would seal it off and then they'd hammer it. and then the combination of appalling levels of shellfire, air strikes and starvation worked eventually. sometimes it took a long time, but it worked and people eventually surrendered. now there's a big question in this place, this city, kiev especially has enormous significance for russians. president putin himself has spoken

about its importance in russia's cultural and religious past. and so, you know, the question in my mind and a lot of people's minds here is would he do to this city, the things that he's done to the cities, which are mostly inhabited by muslims in the middle east, rather than a place like this with sacred orthodox shrines in it? jeremy bowen talking from kyiv and we also saw yalda hakim that in lviv. let me bring you some breaking news that reuters news agency is reporting. it says that the interfax ukraine news agency is quoting a government resolution that export licences will be required for agricultural commodities. and,

presumably with immediate effect. that means wheat, corn and sunflower oil to prevent them being exported. there are huge revenues for ukraine but ukraine fears being imminently cut off from all supplies of raw materials itself. given that there are already places around the country that people want food it clearly doesn't want that coming out to get hard currency that he can spend and can even use so it would make no sense to do that. interestingly, traders also need licenses to export poultry and eggs and even talking about poultry and 999 and even talking about poultry and egg is not being exported, something as basic as that, smallholdings, fans up and down ukraine. i've been to ukraine and seen how many of those about —— farms up and down ukraine. there will be millions of chickens, hundreds and thousands of farmers and small local do of chicken the produce eggs on their own use. the fact that commodities as basic as basic as that, not giant bushels of wheat and everything but something as simple as that is going

to be banned from export will require licenses for export suggest that the government in ukraine is now quite seriously worried about food supplies of the most basic level. let's talk now to... ana kulyani is originally from ukraine. she has family in mariupol. she has actually been studying in germany for last year. thank you very much for talking to was at this very much for talking to was at this very worrying and difficult time for you. the thing i was going to start by saying is can you tell us a little bit about your family situation as you understand it because i think for quite a long time you had no communication at all with. , ., , time you had no communication at all with. i” , . , time you had no communication at all with. ,, , ., , , with. hi, everyone. so my family is a mariuml— with. hi, everyone. so my family is a mariupol right — with. hi, everyone. so my family is a mariupol right now. _ with. hi, everyone. so my family is a mariupol right now. my _ with. hi, everyone. so my family is a mariupol right now. my whole - a mariupol right now. my whole family, my mother, my brother, my aunt, my grandparents. i didn't have aunt, my grandparents. i didn't have a connection with them for five days. yesterday, i have received a message from my mum via sms that

there is no water, no heating, no light. there is no water, no heating, no liuht. ~ there is no water, no heating, no liht. . there is no water, no heating, no liuht. ~ , there is no water, no heating, no liuht.~ , , there is no water, no heating, no liuht.a , , ., , there is no water, no heating, no liuht.a , , ., h, light. we can 'ust put that up on the — light. we can just put that up on the screen and _ light. we can just put that up on the screen and you _ light. we can just put that up on the screen and you think - light. we can just put that up on the screen and you think you - light. we can just put that up on i the screen and you think you could tell us, as you say, what is in it because it is in ukrainian and we won't be able to read it but it must just have been such a belief even getting this message. yes. just have been such a belief even getting this message.— just have been such a belief even getting this message. yes, so we 'ust need getting this message. yes, so we just need your — getting this message. yes, so we just need your help _ getting this message. yes, so we just need your help and _ getting this message. yes, so we just need your help and support l getting this message. yes, so we i just need your help and support and it means a lot for us, for my family and every ukrainian resident. tells what she said _ and every ukrainian resident. tells what she said in _ and every ukrainian resident. tells what she said in the _ and every ukrainian resident. tells what she said in the text. she - and every ukrainian resident. tells what she said in the text. she said j what she said in the text. she said that there is _ what she said in the text. she said that there is no _ what she said in the text. she said that there is no connection, - what she said in the text. she said that there is no connection, no - that there is no connection, no water, no heating. we need your help. we have to search. you have to look for help in mariupol somewhere because they cannot struggle any more. they cannot take it any more. they need our help. we more. they cannot take it any more. they need our help.— they need our help. we also have a hoto they need our help. we also have a photo view — they need our help. we also have a photo view of _ they need our help. we also have a photo view of your _ they need our help. we also have a photo view of your family _ they need our help. we also have a photo view of your family in - they need our help. we also have a photo view of your family in happier times about a year ago in mariupol, i think. everybody in that picture, i think. everybody in that picture, i think, is there a part i think

your dad, the man in the suit, isn't a? second on the left. lovely photograph. i mean, it must feel like another world when you look at that photograph now. given what is happening. dad, ithink that photograph now. given what is happening. dad, i think it is a sailor, isn't he, so he wouldn't necessarily be back at home right now but everybody else is and in particular your grandparents. you were at one point really worried about them, weren't you? yes! were at one point really worried about them, weren't you? yes, but's fiuht. about them, weren't you? yes, but's fight- what — about them, weren't you? yes, but's fight. what happened? _ about them, weren't you? yes, but's fight. what happened? so _ about them, weren't you? yes, but's fight. what happened? so i - about them, weren't you? yes, but's fight. what happened? so i have - fight. what happened? so i have received from _ fight. what happened? so i have received from the _ fight. what happened? so i have received from the news - fight. what happened? so i have received from the news the - fight. what happened? so i have - received from the news the message —— yes, that's right. i received from the news that the message that their house was bombed out and i had a connection from them for five days and i was really nervous and i thought that they were not alive any more but, happily, my father said to me today that they are with my mother and everything is fine. they are in a safe place and, yes. that

must've been _ are in a safe place and, yes. that must've been one _ are in a safe place and, yes. that must've been one of _ are in a safe place and, yes. that must've been one of the - are in a safe place and, yes. that must've been one of the best bits of news you've ever received.— news you've ever received. yeah, eah. news you've ever received. yeah, yeah- that's _ news you've ever received. yeah, yeah. that's right. _ news you've ever received. yeah, yeah. that's right. we _ news you've ever received. yeah, yeah. that's right. we have - news you've ever received. yeah, yeah. that's right. we have got i news you've ever received. yeah, yeah. that's right. we have got a | yeah. that's right. we have got a hoto, i yeah. that's right. we have got a photo. i think. — yeah. that's right. we have got a photo, ithink, of— yeah. that's right. we have got a photo, i think, of your _ yeah. that's right. we have got a i photo, i think, of your grandparents as well with isn't this then another photo of them. here we go. grandma and grandad at your prom and you look beautiful if you don't mind my saying so. that is a lovely photograph. these came to study in germany. i guess yourfamily photograph. these came to study in germany. i guess your family were excited about you studying and so on and then this happened. it must be very hard to be a right now. yes. very hard to be a right now. yes, that is really. — very hard to be a right now. yes, that is really, really _ very hard to be a right now. yes, that is really, really hard. - very hard to be a right now. yes, that is really, really hard. i - very hard to be a right now. yes, that is really, really hard. i was i that is really, really hard. i was also by a psychologist because of my mental health i needed support. i cannot even imagine how hard it is for my family right now so, yes. i’m for my family right now so, yes. i'm sor , for my family right now so, yes. i'm sorry. they — for my family right now so, yes. i'm sorry, they cannot see this interview, but you have to let them know you have spoken to the world on

their behalf. what is your mum saying. what helped you think ukrainians need? to be expecting a help from the outside world? {iii help from the outside world? of course they expect help. my mother hopes the whole world will hear about the situation and the truth so my family and every resident of my view pull in ukraine needs a green corridor, humanitarian help. but it is not possible right now. so our ukrainian soldiers were trying to help our citizens but russian occupants didn't allow any humanitarian help to pass by and they were just shooting through these green corridors and, yes. yes. these green corridors and, yes. yes, this was the — these green corridors and, yes. yes, this was the ceasefire, _ these green corridors and, yes. yes, this was the ceasefire, we _ these green corridors and, yes. yes, this was the ceasefire, we have had two attempts are a ceasefire, both of which have collapsed, exactly as you say, to help people like your

mother in mariupol. what has been happening in germany? how you what are people saying to you? how are you finding a german fence? how do they feel about the situation? at things happening in dortmund? a hearing about process and things like that happening? yes. hearing about process and things like that happening?— hearing about process and things like that happening? yes, of course, in germany — like that happening? yes, of course, in germany there _ like that happening? yes, of course, in germany there are _ like that happening? yes, of course, in germany there are so _ like that happening? yes, of course, in germany there are so many - in germany there are so many protests. every person supports ukraine. every friend of mine supports me and my family. we have been... forseveral days supports me and my family. we have been... for several days for our ukrainian army, for refugees. —— we have been donating. everyone is really, really worrying about the situation and everyone wants to help ukraine. ., , situation and everyone wants to help ukraine. . , ., ~ ., ukraine. that is good to know. anastasio. _ ukraine. that is good to know. anastasio, thank _ ukraine. that is good to know. anastasio, thank you - ukraine. that is good to know. anastasio, thank you so - ukraine. that is good to know. anastasio, thank you so much | ukraine. that is good to know. i anastasio, thank you so much for speaking to us. i hope you will keep talking to our friends and reaching out to support you because you must feel very lonely right now and hope you get more text messages soon and hopefully hear your mums voice in

which will be the best thing of all. keepin which will be the best thing of all. keep in touch with us. tell us what was that happening. perhaps will speak to again at one point the thank you very much for talking to us. thank you so much. thank you so much. as we mentioned earlier, a second attempt to help people out of the beseiged southern city of mariupol has failed. both sides blamed the other for failing to observe an agreed ceasefire. of course, anastasio was just telling us that her family are affected by that. the red cross, which is trying to organise the humanitarian operation, said the city was witnessing �*devastating scenes of human suffering'. a number of other cities are also under under intense bombardment, as our correspondent sarah rainsford reports. when night falls, they keep the lights off here, in the hope that'll hide them from the russian bombs. families who fled the fighting in kharkiv to a nearby town, still too close to feel safe. this is me and my friends in the metro... 15—year—old nika has left behind her city, herfriends and the father she loves, and she's struggling.

oh, thank god i'm alive. i can't sleep normally — i am sleeping two or three hours every day because i heard bangs and i'm afraid. i start shaking because i think they're here and it is very bad. it's not only kharkiv that is under attack. in volnovakha to the south—east, whole streets are in ruins. the fighting was meant to stop today to give civilians chance to get out. but a local mp told me russian forces had broken the ceasefire for a second day. russia said it would provide a safe corridor, this man said, but they were firing along the route. gunfire. and there was no let—up at all in mariupol. imagine living under this... ..with no power and little water now — or food.

so the buses that were sent to rescue thousands stood empty. translation: in the first days of. the war, we counted dozens of dead. now it's hundreds and it'll soon be thousands. but they don't even give us a chance to count, because the shelling hasn't stopped for six days. people were supposed to be bussed here, three hours north, to zaporizhzhia, still firmly under ukrainian control. there is no shelling here yet, but it's too quiet, almost deserted. we spotted armed police doing spot checks. then, one patrol yelled at us to pull over. three armed officers pointed their guns at us, made us open the car doors, wanted to check who we were. they asked us to put our hands in the air. once they saw we were journalists they were fine,

but it is getting really nervy here. the fear comes before the fighting, but both are now spreading here every day. sarah rainsford, bbc news, zaporizhzhia. the head of the international agency for atomic energy says he's extremely concerned about reports on several nuclear sites from the ukrainian regulator. rafael grossi said the ukrainian authorities had had trouble contacting staff at the zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the biggest in the country. that is the one that russian forces have taken control of. you may remember there was a fire there last week during that attack. they apparently have switched off the mobile networks on the internet. i will correspond in bethany bell in brussels gave us the latest. the un's nuclear watchdog and the head of the iaea says he's

extremely concerned by the situation because he says the current situation at the nuclear plant, which was of course, seized by russian forces on friday, he says that ukrainian staff are still operating it, technically, but they are now having to get approvalfor any orders, anything they want to do technically at the plant from the russian commander who seized it. and he said that contravenes pillars of safety and security, which say that technical staff need to be able to go about their work without undue pressure. and, of course, he also said the reports that communication with the plant — not just this plant but also the chernobyl plant — are becoming more difficult because the reports from ukraine say that mobile phone communications have been cut. some of them also email and fax, so it's hard to get reliable communication. and mr grossi said this is also a big problem and it's also the case at chernobyl. and he said he was also concerned

about the staff at chernobyl, who hadn't been able to rotate out since february 23rd. and he's again repeated his offer to go to ukraine to negotiate between the sides about this issue to ensure that the safety and security of these nuclear sites can be maintained. us secretary of state, antony blinken, has said the united states is considering a deal, which would involve poland supplying ukraine with fighter jets. he said it was considering providing poland with the threats —— the us was considering providing poland with the jets. yesterday, president zelensky appealed to the us senate for russian—made planes, because his military knows how to fly them. what ukraine wants is more air cover — more planes like these, keeping the skies free from russian attacks. and so now there's a plan for the west to give more jets to ukraine for its own pilots to fly. america's top diplomat was visiting moldova today where he confirmed poland might give some

of its warplanes to ukraine and get some american fighterjets in return. we are looking actively now at the question of aeroplanes that poland may provide to ukraine. and looking at how we might be able to backfill, should poland decide to supply those planes. what ukraine says it really wants is a no—fly zone enforced by nato in an attempt to slow the russian onslaught on its cities but nato's said no, fearing it would trigger a wider european war. most of the 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 would mean 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. and amid the fighting, the diplomacy continues. this morning, israel's prime minister briefed his cabinet on his talks yesterday with vladimir putin. translation: even if| the chance is not great, and as soon as there's even a small opening, i see this as our moral obligation to make every effort. and, all the while, the flow of refugees out of ukraine continues to grow. today, the united nations high commissioner for refugees, filippo grandi, said they number more than 1.5 million people — what he described as the fastest—growing refugee crisis in europe since world war ii. fastest—growing refugee crisis i think help of other country is very important for us, really. it's really good. as western economic sanctions begin to have an impact in moscow, visa and mastercard announced they would cease their operations in russia. banks in russia insisted that cards issued by them

would continue to work. james landale, bbc news. pope francis has urged russia to guarantee that humanitarian corridors are maintained in order to safely evacuate civilians. addressing crowds from the vatican he countered russia's assertions that it is a military operation, saying it is a war leading to death, translation: in ukraine, rivers l of blood and tears are flowing. l this is notjust a military operation, but a war that sows death, destruction and misery. the victims are ever more numerous, as well as people fleeing, especially mothers and children. the need for emergency humanitarian assistance is growing dramatically hour by hour in that martyred country. i address a heartfelt appeal so humanitarian corridors are ensured, and access to aid in the areas under siege is guaranteed and facilitated to offer life—saving help to our brothers and sisters suffering under the bombs and from fear. i thank all those who are

welcoming the refugees. above all, i plead for an end to the armed attacks and that negotiation prevails and common sense as well, and that international law must be restored. now on bbc news — we look back at the last week of events in ukraine in a special programme — seven days that changed the world. ukraine wakes after a night of explosions. this is the capital city, kyiv.

people are on high alert, tension is high — but it's eerily quiet. then... siren wails. recognise the whole of luhansk and donetsk which represents... we have just heard a siren go off for the first time, we haven't heard that before. this is a very worrying morning for people in the capital city and beyond. this is what the fear had been all along. after weeks of uncertainty, russia's president, vladimir putin, addressed the nation around 6am moscow time. translation: we will strive for demilitarisation _ and denazification of ukraine. russia cannot feel safe, developed and exist with a constant threat emanating from the territory of modern ukraine. vladimir putin declares war on ukraine.

over the next 20 minutes, we'll look back at a week that changed history, with bbcjournalists on the ground across ukraine and russia. orla guerin was in ukraine's capital as it came under siege. a day has changed everything for ukraine, and for security in europe. ukrainians were not safe in their own homes. here, the aftermath of a strike on a block of flats in kharkiv, ukraine's second city. missile fragments now on display in the playground. like many here, natalya is trying to comprehend what has befallen ukraine, trying to work out how to protect her two—year—old. translation: we're shocked. we're totally shocked. we are afraid for our children, for our families. as russian attacks grow

in intensity, western leaders impose sanctions and condemn the violence. putin is the aggressor. putin chose this war. and now he and his country will bear the consequences. it's vital for the safety of every nation that putin's squalid venture should ultimately fail and be seen to fail. the un security council held a surreal emergency session to discuss the actions of one of its own. don't ask me questionsj when you are speaking. the current council president, a russian. as the secretary—general called for peace. president putin, stop your troops from attacking ukraine. give peace a chance. too many people have already died. while leaders discussed, armed convoys rolled across ukraine. silence quickly became

the norm for many here. sirens quickly became the norm for many here. in this year, 2022, the most advanced of intelligence, the worst of warnings, the most intense of diplomacy couldn't make president putin blink. international norms are being shutout. the architecture of all our lives... siren wails. and a siren to remind you that war has come to kyiv, in a european capital, in a city, that is going right round the world. in moscow, hundreds took to the streets. "no to war," they chanted, determined to make their voices heard. but they were silenced. many were arrested. overnight brought no respite. more attacks before dawn, as ukrainian anti—aircraft batteries intercept a missile over the capital. as the assault closes in on kyiv,

2.5 million civilians suddenly on the front line. russia says it's not targeting civilians, but this is what happens when you fire missiles at a capital city. paul adams walked among the empty streets of kyiv. in 2a hours, these streets have almost completely emptied. it is increasingly dangerous to go out. ukrainians have warned that russian soldiers could be operating inside the city, perhaps even in stolen ukrainian vehicles. pressure on the government is mounting all the time. most people here believe the russians simply want to get rid of it. for ukraine's president, speaking again to his people, this is a lonely fight. translation: this morning, we are alone in defending our country. - just like yesterday, the most powerful forces in the world watched from afar. have yesterday's sanctions persuaded russia? we see in our skies and feel on the ground they are not enough. many residents have taken

cover on the ground. many residents have taken cover underground. they sing. now we have come to the building where the bomb shelter is, - and we're trying to stay here. it's pretty crowded. people get their dogs and cats - and kids and we're hearing the news about possible attacks in this district. - attacks are spreading across the country. in mariupol in the southeast, destruction. in sumy in the northeast, battles rage. here in the capital, horror as a tank drives over a car. incredibly, the driver survived. the outbreak of war means the once unthinkable is suddenly normal. ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky sends a rallying cry, as everyday ukrainians take

to the battle line. translation: we are all here, our soldiers are here, _ the citizens are here and we are here. we defend our independence. that's how it will go. glory to our defenders, both male and female, glory to ukraine. but many also try to flee. thousands flood train stations, like this one in kyiv. a warning shot sounds out as people desperately tried to escape the conflict via any means possible. be it by car, foot, or by train, people head for the borders. fergal keane was in lviv. here, people run for the train station as the sirens ring out. they look for shelter and for a means of escape. platforms overflowing

with people wanting to get out. this is hard to credit, to believe, in the europe of 2022. people are just crushing all around me trying to get onto these trains. a woman, a young mother with a baby there screaming because everyone's getting crushed. their hope is that the train would help them avoid this. the line of cars to the polish border. those people are moving on foot down towards the border with poland, but it's another 20 kilometers from where we are at the moment. we just need to move out of the way and let more people pass us here. they're coming. a constant procession of people. however they arrive at the border, this slow shuffle out of the lives they knew is what awaits. despite russia's military might,

ukraine holds firm. but the worry from of western officials is this, if president putin of russia doesn't get the quick victory that many predicted and the one he wants, then the worry is that he might resort to more drastic measures to achieve his goal. to quote one official, he said for him, this is no longer a war of choice, but of necessity. this is what kyiv awoke to. all of this disruption in a residential area. authorities say it was a russian missile strike which killed two people. the streets of kyiv are empty. a city braced for impact. volodymyr zelensky appears on the city's deserted streets, reassuring the nation. "i am here," he says, "and we will not lay down our arms." far from it.

we found ukrainians taking up arms, forming volunteer brigades to defend the city alongside local police. this volunteer says, "i don't want to live in russia and my brothers in arms don't want that either. we will defend this city or i will die." across the country, groups formed to make home—made petrol bombs. many unite in the face of continuing russian advance, keen to defend their homeland. it's just too dangerous above ground. we've all had to come down, the bbc team here, to shelter underground. it's been clear throughout the day that the increasing level of military ordnance going off quite a few miles away, but getting closer and closer to our position here, it's simply too dangerous to be above ground. i think what needs to be remembered is this is the experience now for millions of people across this country.

let's get into that a little bit more with our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet. this is a city, kyiv, capital cityjust under three million people, well over a0 million people across this country. this is their experience of this war. ukraine is now a subterranean world, life is lived for millions of people across this country in basements like this, in car parks, in bomb shelters, wherever they can find shelter. the metro station has stopped working in kyiv because it's now a 24—hour refuge, and a curfew is in force, not just a night curfew, but a curfew which will last until 8am on monday. that was the first warning we heard today that something was about to happen, and in the last hour there's there's been electricity in the air. the air raid sirens have sounded. there's been explosions, rattle of gunfire and an urgency to the warnings, take to the shelters. this comes after an order for moscow to its forces to advance in all directions against kyiv.

there is no let up in fighting. on the streets of kharkiv, a grim warning of what is to come if the conflict doesn't stop. russian troops roll in, but the ukrainian defence forces fight on. putin takes his next move. the world stops. war in ukraine and now russia's nuclear forces on special alert. russian state tv announce "our submarines alone are capable of launching more than 500 nuclear warheads guaranteed to destroy america and all of nato." so what is this, brinkmanship? something more or something less? empty threats? but i think after the dramatic

events we've seen in recent days, it would be unwise to dismiss these signals from the kremlin. a pointed message to the west — don't push russia. president putin summoned his military chiefs and gave them an order. translation: top officials - of leading nato countries are making aggressive statements about our country. therefore, i'm ordering the minister of defense and the chief of the general staff to put the strategic nuclear forces on special alert. would putin really use them? he practised a week ago overseeing exercises of russia's strategic deterrence forces. typically unsubtle hints to america and nato not to stand in his way over ukraine. this is now an age of wartime leaders.

a former ukrainian prime minister posts an online tutorial on how to make petrol bombs. they only create small explosions. across ukraine, military powers are creating much bigger impacts. nick beake looked on from the capital, kyiv. the explosions get louder as the russians draw ever nearer. seizing this european capital while the world looks on is for now president putin's prime objective. and everyone living here simply has no idea just how much force he's prepared to use to do that and just how many people could die. children in the capital play in an underground world, mirroring the gruesome reality of what's unfolding above them. overnight, now upsettingly familiar crackle of gunfire for many in ukraine. the reality of life in a country at war sounding

throughout the night. this is the quietest we've seen the centre of kyiv, and this is being replicated in cities across the country. ukraine's defense has been both surprising and extraordinary, but it is still the underdog and russia is still making gains. at the largest pediatric center in ukraine, staff are used to battling disease. now they have to adjust to war. doctors say they have enough supplies, but the world health organization warns if the situation gets worse, oxygen supplies could run out. outside, ill children wait with their worried mothers to be transferred to poland for cancer treatment no longer available here. this boy is facing a risky journey with his mother. i'll be frank, i'm scared, but i can see no other way to escape, so we have to do this.

every day, sirens sound the ukrainians run underground or for shelter — car parks, basements and bunkers become home to millions across the country. sarah rainsford saw first—hand the reality of conditions people face. this bomb shelter, this bunker was built beneath a factory in the soviet union. it was supposed to be used in the event of a nuclear attack, and now it's being used in modern day ukraine to keep people safe. when the sirens wail again. there has been no attack on dnipro yet, but suddenly the danger feels close. alina and yuri spent last night here. she says it's scary, he tells me he was shaking the first time. we don't understand why russia is attacking us. they say they want to protect us,

but from what we're just hiding now. we don't need their protection. people in areas like this and now spending their nights in bomb shelters, the fighting hasn't come here yet, but people are extremely worried already. back in kyiv, the air raid sirens are wailing again. there've been reports about foreign students not being allowed on trains. in these hard times, ijust hope it doesn't matter who's indian, who's pakistani, russian, ukrainian, we all are those people. we have certain human rights. so i guess in these hard times, we should just help each other and co operate. and that's all. already, there are queues for food, some wondering how long it will be until supplies start to run out day five of the invasion and ukraine still resists. but there are fears kyiv could be put under siege. one more russian missile strike brings terror to the streets of kyiv.

the target — kyiv�*s tv tower. emergency services say five people were killed. and more firepower is closing in. more uncertainty for a city already under intense strain. aerial photography reveals a convoy around a0 miles long headed for the capital. whether people have been taking shelter below ground or taking up weapons above it, they will have all seen the pictures from other locations in this vast country of what is happening. volunteers from all walks of life continue to come forward to defend their country, not entirely sure of what they're signing up for. igor, a lawyer, now mans a lookout post. yeah, so a week ago, i was representing my cases in a courtroom. and now...

it's difficult to grasp. but if you don't think about it and simply do what, you have to do it, it actually feels pretty already normal. i mean, have you ever held a gun in your hands before? at school, we've trained to deal with these sort of things, but i have never dealt with it and never even shot a gun or a pistol. the new architecture of kyiv — tank traps and barricades made from whatever is at hand, a city watching on as ukraine's second city, kharkiv comes under fire. a strike right at the heart of the city. russia says it's not targeting civilians here. it says it's using precision missiles. it claims it's liberating ukraine from nazis, but russia has

invaded its neighbor and it is killing civilians. ukraine's president calls it the price forfreedom. it's tangible just how enormous that price is. we are fighting, just for our land and for ourfreedom. a show of solidarity from the european parliament, a standing ovation. then the president was off to lead the defence of his country. below ground in our bomb shelter, the adrenaline has run out. people are visibly tired, visibly upset from everything that's going on, and when you come up, it's this — empty. and you can feel the tension. moscow has urged people living here to leave as it lists new targets, but for so many people that's not an option.

in broad daylight — dangerjust outside the window. this is a town about 25 miles from kyiv. as russians advance towards the city, they leave a trail of destruction. they know nothing about our capital, about our history. but they have an order to erase our history, to erase our country, to erase us all. west of kyiv, the target may have been an air base nearby, but family homes have been destroyed. oleg stands calmly in the rubble, but he has lost his wife. "she was the light of my life," he says. "she was the best thing that's happened to me. but i'm trying to keep myself

together because of one reason — i still have parents and a daughter." they are telling people to stay inside. shooting in the air, you hear the sounds, a glimpse of street to street fighting on the black sea. russia appears to have captured the port city. in the capital, seven days on from the start of war, sirens wail, they echo the fear and dread many in kyiv feel. people wait nervous for the future a week that has changed the world forever. nothing is certain in the days, weeks or months ahead. the people of ukraine wait as the world watches on.

hello, it's turning milder in the week ahead after a chilly start. that change, though, means there will be less of the sunshine that some of us have enjoyed this weekend — what a glorious view from scotland today. there will be more cloud around coming in from the atlantic and the return of some outbreaks of rain. this is how things have looked cloud—wise today and a lot of the cloud across the southern half of england and into wales still producing the odd shower. there have been a few cloud breaks here, though, so overall it's been a bit brighter than it was yesterday, especially in eastern england, and there'll still be a few holes in the cloud tonight, and that does mean a patchy frost across southern areas. the lowest temperatures are likely to be under the clear skies in scotland and northern england this time, and a minus six, maybe minus seven in the coldest spots, with one or two mist and fog patches around. with high pressure close by and lots

of fine but still rather chilly weather on the way for tomorrow. an area of cloud across wales and england drifting northwards probably brighten up quite nicely, though behind it, especially across east anglia and the southeast, and a few patches of cloud reaching towards northern ireland and southern scotland. this southeasterly wind will be stronger more widely, particularly across the south and west of the uk for tomorrow, maybe some gusts up to around a0 miles an hour or so. and although we have plenty of sunny spells around it will feel colder than this because of that brisk southeasterly wind. and there will be another frost for many as we start off on tuesday morning. now it should be the end of the frost because after this, temperatures are going to be heading upwards. eastern areas stay mainly dry on tuesday. but here's the first atlantic weather system beginning to push in. some uncertainty about how far the rain will get during daylight hours, most likely to reach in towards northern ireland, maybe south west scotland, wales and western parts of england with the freshening wind, whereas the east stays mainly dry. still feeling chillier than this in the breeze, the temperatures are set to rise for the remainder of the week as we see further low pressure

systems bringing further wet or windy weather, particularly across the western side of the uk. but rather than the southeasterly wind we're starting the week with, it's more of a south south—westerly wind. that, of course, is a milder direction so quite widely during the second half of the week. we're expecting temperatures to be into double figures as a result. so it starts chilly this week and some frost to contend with. but then after that, temperatures are heading up. but as we've established, that does mean there'll be some wetter, windier conditions at times, especially in the west.

this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories... civilians in ukraine have been fleeing for their lives under the relentless bombardment, just 25 kilometres from the capital. the attacks on the civilian population including carpet bombing are happening, and will be taking place and thousands of civilian victims will be in ukraine. a second attempt to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of mariupol has failed — after a similar plan was abandoned yesterday due to continuing fighting. the un says1.5 the un says 1.5 million people have fled ukraine. the home office has

said it will help ease the fastest