the west ramps up economic pressure on russia — as russian forces continue to shell civilian areas in ukraine. on the frontline — north—west of the capital kyiv — ukrainian soldiers are digging in, with russian forces nowjust a mile away. there is a tangible fear in this place that that russian offensive, which has been stalled, may be ready to regain momentum. after days of shelling in the north—eastern city of sumy a temporary ceasefire does allow residents to leave. and in russia, more protests on the streets as the authorities try to erase any mention of war.

we'll also have news of the tough new sanctions announced today — designed to bring the russian economy to its knees. imports of russian oil and gas are to be sharply reduced in the eu, which is currently very dependent on russian gas, and by the us and the uk. we can do it in a way which doesn't disrupt supply and that ensures we have substitute supplies on stream. applause and, history is made in the commons, as president zelensky addresses mp by live video link and declares his people will never surrender. and coming up in the sport, on the bbc news channel... it's bairstow brilliance — his eighth test century helps england fight back in the 1st test against west indies in antigua.

good evening and welcome to the bbc news at ten — live from lviv in western ukraine as we approach the end of the second week of this war. today, civilians who've been trapped in besieged towns and cities have been scrambling for safety after a temporary ceasefire held in some places. convoys of vehicles streamed out of the northeastern city of sumy — and people trapped just north of the capital kyiv were also allowed to leave. but in the southern city of mariupol — where aid workers say tens of thousands are living in apocalyptic conditions — ukrainian officials said russia had continued shelling the evacuation route. this map shows the areas — here in red — where russian forces

are present, but not necessarily in control. russian troops advancing towards the capital have been slowed down by attacks from ukrainian forces and hampered by serious logistical problems. but they are now believed to be preparing for an assault on kyiv. as russia's bombardment continues — the united states, britain and the eu have all announced major moves to clamp down on imports of russian oil and gas. we'll have more on that in a moment. but our first report this evening is from jeremy bowen in the capital kyiv. not many days might be left for civilians escaping the fighting north—west of kyiv. on the way out of irpin towards the capital and along this section of the front, there were signs that a bigger battle is coming. since the war started, they've been treating the wounded at a hospital about two miles

from the russian positions. these are the men whose resistance blunted their initial offensive. "i've still got two legs," he said. "they'll fix me up, and i'll fight on." the hospital director said this was the third world war. the russian people understand only the language of the power. nothing more. it is impossible to negotiate with the men who came to kill you. by this morning, they were getting ready to abandon the hospital. the director said, "my ship is sinking, and i'll "be the last to leave." you have the strong feeling here that they're preparing for the worst. packing up the medical equipment, the patients have been evacuated, the russians are not very far away. there's a tangible fear in this place that that russian offensive, which has been stalled, may be ready to regain

momentum and start moving closer to the capital. but around here, the ukrainians are still holding the russians. a few traces of old lives are left, where families cook their food and the dogs waiting for owners who may never return. it was a lonely and tense drive back to kyiv. ukrainian troops are dug into the woods waiting. we gave a lift to a couple who'd left their front line village after 13 days and nights in a shelter. "it used to be such a lovely place," she said. "now there's no house, no street and no village." ukrainian soldiers were strengthening a blocking position at a strategic crossroads. dragan, their commander, issuing a stream of orders, radiated urgency. they weren't wasting any time.

you could see the pressure. "we're here to destroy the enemy brigades," he said. "the occupiers who have come to our country and are heading our way." back in kyiv, the checkpoints are looking more like barricades. they're using the days to prepare for whatever�*s next. civilians are turning out for weapons training. lesson over, the guns are returned. these are not would be front line soldiers, at least not yet. i believe that during these times, we just learn to be ready. that is what i think. we just learn because, like, we can be scary after that, when it is ending. but right now, we just need to do ourjob and what we can right now. everyone i've met here says

they're ready to resist. the russians so far have moved slowly. the capital's respite might not last much longer. jeremy bowen, bbc news, kyiv. so, after days of being shelled, thousands of ukrainians and international students from the city of sumy — in the north east of the country — have been able to escape after a russian ceasefire was put in place. our eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford is in poltava, where people have been arriving from sumy. it must have felt like the longest ride of their lives. 12 hours to escape a besieged city, driven the long route round to avoid the fighting. many were medical students from india, just relieved to flee sumy after days under russian fire. but anna is ukrainian. you have been in sumy for the past two weeks? yes, yes.

how was it? it was so terrible and my parents, i left my parents in sumy... i hope i will see them another time. they couldn't come with you? they can't. my mother works as a pharmacist and my father will maybe go to the army. parts of anna's city have been wiped out. the night before she fled, an air strike killed more than 20 people. russia's bombing looks random, ruthless. so, this convoy of buses was a lifeline. it took days to agree a ceasefire to get civilians out. it very nearly collapsed. gunfire this was just as the second convoy gathered. when the shooting stopped, they sped to safety. they arrived, distressed

and exhausted. a train stood ready to meet them, and nobody wanted to hang around. it's really chaotic here as people rush for the train. they're not certain that they're going to able to get on board, so they are shoving and pushing. obviously, it's been an extremely anxious couple of weeks and people here just want to get as far west as they possibly can. these students spent the last two weeks in bomb shelters. we've been travelling around 16 hours and you can see now how we are standing, we don't know how we can stand this night without a seat or anything. you're exhausted? yeah. what was life like in sumy for the last two weeks? sumy was also a struggle, shelling and bombing. yes, we are starving without food and water or electricity. more trains will follow through the night carrying ukrainian women and children to safety.

sarah rainsford, bbc news. the united nations says more than 2 million people have now fled ukraine since the start of the russian invasion. the head of the un refugee agency has called it the fastest—growing refugee crisis in europe since world war two. people have been crossing the borders to neighbouring countries to the west, such as romania, slovakia, hungary and moldova. but poland has taken by far the most — around 1.25 million people have fled there, almost all of them women and children. some have moved on to other countries. but most are still in poland. our correspondent mark lowen sent this report from the medyka crossing in poland. they grew up hearing of generations past fleeing. never could they imagine history would repeat itself. but the refugees keep coming, more than 2 million now, taking days to get here

in the bitter cold. there are no lucky refugees, but at least vladimir, who works in poland, has managed to get his wife and daughter here, away from the bombs. we have a polish family. they give us a house, a room in his house. they take you into their home? yes, and i feel grateful. their journey continues to sanctuary. others won't have the support network. most of those who've crossed over since the war began are heading towards friends or family here in poland or elsewhere in europe. but as the fighting worsens, a second wave of refugees could soon start to come who could be more vulnerable and place more pressure on the first point of entry, like here in poland. and, says the eu, arrivals could swell to 5 million. in each number, a tragedy. we lost our life... ..our safety.

we cannot plan any future because we don't know what will be tomorrow. they came by land, but by water, too, to ukraine's other neighbours. hundreds crossing the danube into romania today, whatever way out they could find. but most are in poland, and at the border there'sjoy, too, of a father living here reunited with his daughterfrom kyiv. "i kept thinking in the middle of the night how to bring her "from ukraine," he says. "i'm so relieved she's here." homes, safety, childhood innocence — what we take for granted, what they risk losing. mark lowen, bbc news, on the poland—ukraine border. let's join our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet, who's in the capital kyiv.

lyse, there was huge scepticism on these corridors yesterday, but people do seem to be getting out today. there has been an announcement again tonight from russia that there will be more of these humanitarian corridors, as they are called, tomorrow, beginning at seven hours gmt to allow civilians trapped in the fighting to escape, but what do the fighting to escape, but what do the last four days tell us? there are more of these cruel misnomers, they call them green channels, and for people trying to escape, to flee dire conditions, they are not green at all, they are just another form of a lighter shade of dark. yes, people left to date, as you saw in the report, a column of buses was finally able to leave the besieged area of sumy, but there are some 250,000 people in a town which has been under constant shelling, 5000

people in total, the authorities say, left today. and in irpin 2000 people were able to escape today but they did so under constant exchanges of gunfire, between ukrainian and russian forces, and spare a thought for mariupol, nearly half a million people without food and water or heating in this bitter winter cold, for a week, and dead bodies are lying in the streets. today they were buried in a mass grave. this is a very small step in what is comic to use the word being used here by ukrainians and by the united nations, a catastrophe —— small step in what is, to use the word being used here. we have heard tonight in an interview by the ukrainian president, volodymyr zelensky, with the abc america network, appealing to vladimir putin for dialogue, and in an interview where he often uses the word compromise, suggesting, is he softening and willing to make

some concessions? but he also repeats yet again that he will not respond to ultimatums, coming from vladimir putin. and all we have heard from russia is, ultimatums which amount to handing ukraine over to russia. so tonight we also heard president zelensky channelling churchill and saying we will fight until the end. so, churchill and saying we will fight untilthe end. so, ready churchill and saying we will fight until the end. so, ready for peace but prepared to fight. and possibly to fight very hard.— to fight very hard. thanks for “oininu to fight very hard. thanks for joining us- — the severe sanctions imposed on russia mean that the economy is collapsing. more and more household names are halting trade in russia and blocking access to goods and services — mcdonald's and coca—cola are the latest. despite the risks, anti—war sentiment is being expressed across the country, and there is a sense that the war

is not going as russia had planned. today, the bbc resumed reporting in russia, after it was temporarily suspended at the end of last week, over concerns surrounding a new law passed by the russian parliament. our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg reports. women's day — it's one of russians' favourite holidays, but this year's felt subdued and tense. moscow police out in force to prevent protests at what russia's doing in ukraine. and from the kremlin, a request for russian women to support the offensive. translation: i want to say this to mothers, wives, - sisters and girlfriends of our soldiers and officers in battle, who are defending russia in this special military operation. i understand how worried you must be about your loved ones. you should be proud of them,

like the whole country is. what the whole country isn't is fully behind the kremlin�*s decision to send in the troops. this was st petersburg on women's day. the sign says, "stop sending our soldiers to their deaths". many russians, though, do believe the kremlin line that this is not a war, but an operation to protect russia. i ask anna and olga — how much do they support putin? "100%. no, 200%," she says. "he's doing the right thing, and that's what we've told our children." that is exactly what vladimir putin wants the public to think. the kremlin is doing everything it can at home to control the narrative about what's

happening in ukraine. virtually all independent russian news outlets have been either blocked or shut down, and the new law has made it a criminal offence to spread what the authorities deem to be "fake news" about the russian armed forces, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. controlling the narrative becomes harder when multinationals like coca—cola are suspending operations. mcdonald's, too. the fast—food giant is temporarily closing all its restaurants in russia. he already destroyed russian reputation, he already destroyed russian nation... maria baronova fears for russia's future. she's left state broadcaster rt, in protest at what russia's doing in ukraine. yeah, yeah, no, the russian economy is dead, everything is dead.

it's the end, it's the end. it's like the death of your very close relative now. it was a big love of my life, russia, and now it is dead as well. on this special day, no celebration. instead, concern over what most of the world calls "a war", and what the kremlin calls "an operation". steve joins me now. things have clearly changed in russia since this war started, but to what extent?— to what extent? let's start with vladimir putin. _ to what extent? let's start with vladimir putin. has he - to what extent? let's start with l vladimir putin. has he changed? well, he seems to have stopped calling on ukrainian servicemen to rise up and to seize power and that is probably because he has realised that the level of resistance from the ukrainian army is far greater than he had anticipated. but putin remains pretty uncompromising. i thought it was interesting in that women stay address he made that behind putin, there was a statue of the russian empress catherine the

great, famous for having expanded the russian empire, taking crimea and much of poland. so a lot to discuss. as for the russian economy, a lot is changing, sanctions are biting, russians feeling them in terms of the weakening rouble, a lot of supermarkets introducing restrictions how much flower and sugar you can buy. and in terms of these big brands like mcdonald's and coca—cola who are suspending their businesses. i don't know whether vladimir putin drinks coca—cola or whether he is partial to american fast—food, but i know a lot of russians are. and the sanctions are going to hit the russian public hard. this isjust the going to hit the russian public hard. this is just the start of it, there is a lot of economic pain to come. ,, .,, , ,., ., come. steve rosenberg reporting from moscow, come. steve rosenberg reporting from moscow. thank— come. steve rosenberg reporting from moscow, thank you. _ that's all from me, i will be back later in the programme, but now, back to huw in the studio. thanks, reeta.

thanks to you and the team in ukraine. we heard steve talking about sanctions. the russian economy has been dealt a series of heavy blows, as the us and the uk move to ban imports of russian oil, and the eu says it will phase out its reliance on supplies of russian gas. president biden says the coorindated plan targets "the main artery of russia's economy". it's heavily dependent on energy, as the world's third—biggest oil producer. the moves are likely to mean higher petrol prices and energy bills for consumers. our economics editor faisal islam reports. this tanker full of russian crude oil was recently turned away from a tranmere oil refinery, after dockers refused to unload the cargo, but these shipments are going to be banned by britain and the us. we can't move overnight, but we can certainly do it, and we can do it in a way that doesn't disrupt supply, that ensures that we have substitute supplies on stream, in an orderly way.

that announcement follows news emerging from the us that it was to do the same with russian oil. this is a step that we're taking to inflict further pain on putin, but there will be cost as well here in the united states. i said i would level with the american people from the beginning, and when i first spoke to this, i said defending freedom's going to cost. it's going to cost us as well in the united states. this is what is consigned to history today, european prime ministers and presidents celebrating with russians their new gas pipelines. cheap gas has cost too much in terms of european security. by the end of this year, - we can replace 100 bcm of gas imports from russia. that is two thirds of- what we import from them. this will end our over—dependency and give us much—needed - room to manoeuvre. two thirds, by the end of this year. it's hard.

russia supplies the european union with 40% of the gas it uses. and for crude oil, it is 25% of total supply. looking at the gas, there is 155 billion cubic metres from russian pipelines keeping europe warm. the eu plans to switch a third of that to gas ships from other countries, such as qatar or the us. then there's a faster roll—out of renewables such as solar and wind. and turning down thermostats across europe by1 degree also helps. overall, the plan is to reduce russian supply to 50 billion cubic metres this year, but without an actual eu ban on russian energy. britain is far less dependent than the european union on actual physical supplies of russian gas and russian crude oil being shipped into the united kingdom, but it almost doesn't matter, because the prices are being set in international markets and feeding their way

into our petrol pumps. that's almost the equivalent of £90 for an average tank. and whatever happens with the oil diplomacy and the sanctions, these restrictions are almost happening of their own accord, with the likes of shell apologising for having bought a tanker of russian crude oil and pulling their petrol stations out of russia. the world's second—largest oil supplier needs to be replaced. the eu needs to find 500 gas tanker shipments such as this. all this comes with a price, paid by everybody. we are in uncharted waters. faisal islam, bbc news. let's talk more about the sanctions. in a moment, we'll talk to our north america editor sarah smith at the white house. but first, our europe editor katya adler is in brussels. katya, as we heard, the tricky calculation for the eu is really

heavily influenced by its current high dependence on russian gas. well, that's right. today, we heard from the european commission, which says it wants to drastically speed up says it wants to drastically speed up weaning off the eu and its reliance on russian energy. and this would be, and any other circumstance, an energy revolution for the eu, another historic move provoked by the russia and ukraine crisis, like u—turns here on defence and migration policy. but an energy transition does take time and ukraine doesn't have that. tonight, we are seeing splits between eu leaders who think more immediate action should be taken in the form of energy sanctions, for example. but germany says no, it says the eu is so much more reliant on russian energy than the uk and the us, you can'tjust turn off energy than the uk and the us, you can't just turn off the energy than the uk and the us, you can'tjust turn off the taps, berlin says, what will be the political, economic, social effective factories closed down and people cannot heat

their homes? in the ease, eu leaders say they worry more about security than energy. what on earth is the point, they say to brussels, in imposing those huge financial sanctions on moscow if you are now going to fill up the war chest by paying every day for so much russian energy? eu leaders will come face—to—face on thursday at a summit to discuss the wider ukraine crisis, expect a heated discussion on energy. expect a heated discussion on ener: . . ,, expect a heated discussion on ener . . ., expect a heated discussion on ener . ., ., ., ., expect a heated discussion on ener. . . . . . ., energy. katya, thanks again, from brussels. let's _ energy. katya, thanks again, from brussels. let's go _ energy. katya, thanks again, from brussels. let's go to _ energy. katya, thanks again, from brussels. let's go to washington i energy. katya, thanks again, from i brussels. let's go to washington and talk to sarah smith, our north america editor. we heard the president referring to the fact this was coordinated. but there is less dependence in many ways in the us on the russian energy scene. how do you see the package that he announced today? see the package that he announced toda ? ~ , .., , , see the package that he announced toda? ,, ,, today? well, because they are less de-ended, today? well, because they are less depended. they — today? well, because they are less depended, they can _ today? well, because they are less depended, they can move - today? well, because they are less depended, they can move much . today? well, because they are less i depended, they can move much more quickly— depended, they can move much more quickly and _ depended, they can move much more quickly and institute this total ban on russian oil imports and they say there _ on russian oil imports and they say there wiii— on russian oil imports and they say there will be no more russian oil coming _ there will be no more russian oil coming into the us in 45 days' time.

of course, _ coming into the us in 45 days' time. of course, the president said there will be _ of course, the president said there will be a _ of course, the president said there will be a price to pay for that, willi— will be a price to pay for that, with petrol prices going up when they are — with petrol prices going up when they are already at a record high. this is_ they are already at a record high. this is a — they are already at a record high. this is a move that has very rare bipartisan — this is a move that has very rare bipartisan support from republicans and democrats who have been urging the white _ and democrats who have been urging the white house to do this. of the white house to do this. course, the white house to do this. of course, there is another way to put pressure on russia and that of course is to help ukraine in military terms. to defend itself. and there is some confusion tonight, i think about the use of possible fighterjets, with the involvement of poland. what is going on and is there some kind of agreement here or not? ~ , , ,., not? well, this is something that has been talked _ not? well, this is something that has been talked about _ not? well, this is something that has been talked about for- not? well, this is something that has been talked about for days. | has been talked about for days. ukraine — has been talked about for days. ukraine says it needs mig—29 fighter 'ets ukraine says it needs mig—29 fighter jets made _ ukraine says it needs mig—29 fighter jets made in russia which the ukrainian _ jets made in russia which the ukrainian air force has because those _ ukrainian air force has because those are — ukrainian air force has because those are the jets its pilots were trained — those are the jets its pilots were trained to— those are the jets its pilots were trained to fly. poland has been wary of adding _ trained to fly. poland has been wary of adding those over to ukraine because — of adding those over to ukraine because vladimir putin has made it clear if_ because vladimir putin has made it clear if they do so, he will view that— clear if they do so, he will view that as — clear if they do so, he will view that as a — clear if they do so, he will view that as a provocation. we were not quite _ that as a provocation. we were not quite sure — that as a provocation. we were not quite sure what was going to happen about— quite sure what was going to happen about that, — quite sure what was going to happen

about that, then an announcement this afternoon from the polish foreign— this afternoon from the polish foreign ministry saying that they are going to send the aircraft to a us air_ are going to send the aircraft to a us air force base in germany and put them _ us air force base in germany and put them at _ us air force base in germany and put them at the _ us air force base in germany and put them at the disposal of the american government and they are asking the us to _ government and they are asking the us to supply them with other planes in return _ us to supply them with other planes in return. what exactly will then have _ in return. what exactly will then have to — in return. what exactly will then have to these planes once they are in germany— have to these planes once they are in germany underthe have to these planes once they are in germany under the control of the us is— in germany under the control of the us is not— in germany under the control of the us is not clear because what we have learned _ us is not clear because what we have learned this _ us is not clear because what we have learned this evening is that the us didn't— learned this evening is that the us didn't know that poland was about to make _ didn't know that poland was about to make this _ didn't know that poland was about to make this announcement, with one official— make this announcement, with one official saying they will not be consulted about this. however, the line here _ consulted about this. however, the line here is — consulted about this. however, the line here is that these planes do need _ line here is that these planes do need to— line here is that these planes do need to get to ukraine so they will be working — need to get to ukraine so they will be working very hard at the moment to work— be working very hard at the moment to work out— be working very hard at the moment to work out practically and diplomatically how to make that happen — diplomatically how to make that ha en. ., ., , ., diplomatically how to make that hauen. . . , . ., happen. sarah, many thanks for the anal sis in happen. sarah, many thanks for the analysis in washington, _ happen. sarah, many thanks for the analysis in washington, sarah - happen. sarah, many thanks for the l analysis in washington, sarah smith. history was made at westminster today, when members of the house of commons watched a live address by video—link by a foreign leader. president zelensky of ukraine asked the uk to recognise russia as a terrorist state and appealed for more help to make the skies above ukraine safe.

his declaration that ukrainians would never give up in the fight against russia led to a standing ovation in the packed house of commons. our political correspondent jonathan blake was watching. showing solidarity with ukraine, as the country fights russian invaders, westminster extended an honour never shown to a foreign leader. president. applause mps and peers rose to their feet for president volodymyr zelensky to address them in the commons chamber. applause translation: on day one, at 4 o'clock in the morning, j we were attacked by cruise missiles. everybody woke up — people, children, the entire ukraine — and since that, we have not been sleeping. he recounted ukraine's struggle day by day, and thanked the uk for its support,

even if it didn't go as far as the military help he'd wanted. translation: we did feel that, | unfortunately, the alliances don't work properly always and the no—fly zone cannot be enforced. the president echoed shakespeare and churchill and was adamant his country would endure. translation: we will not give up, and we will not lose. _ we will fight till the end, at sea, in the air. we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. applause from all sides, admiration and calls to action, in response. we will employ every| method that we can — diplomatic, humanitarian. and economic — mr speaker, until vladimir putin has failed. labour stands for the unity at home and abroad that will isolate the putin regime. a rare moment of unity, charged with emotion.