welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore. i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: the west steps up economic pressure on russia as russian forces continue to shell civilian areas in ukraine. on the frontline — ukrainian soldiers dig in north—west of the capital kyiv, with russian forces circling the city. there is a tangible fear in this place. that that russian offensive that has been stalled may be ready to regain momentum. america bans imports of russian oil and gas, as britain and the eu also target moscow's energy exports.

we are enforcing the most significant package of sanctions in history and it is causing significant damage to russia's economy. holland says it's ready to hand over meek fighterjets to help with the invasion — ash pollard. after days of shelling, a temporary ceasefire means thousands of ukrainians and international students are able to escape the besieged city of sumy. it was so terrible and my parents, i left my parents in sumy. i hope i will see them another time. and a standing ovation in the house of commons for president zelensky, who tells british mps that ukraine will never surrender.

translation: at sea, on land and in the air, we will continue fighting, at all costs. hello and welcome to the programme. civilians have been scrambling to escape the fighting in ukraine washington has banned all imports of oil and gas and britain will also phase imports of oil and gas and britain will also phase out imports of oil and gas and britain will also phase out all imports and the eu says it will cut use of russian gas by two—thirds. going to the situation on the ground first. after russia agreed to establish humanitarian corridors to allow safe passage from several besieged areas. convoys of vehicles carrying thousands of people streamed out of the northeastern city of sumy as the ceasefire

there appeared to be largely holding, while others trapped in the town of irpin, near kyiv, were also allowed to leave. but ukrainian officials accused russia of shelling an evacuation route from the port city of mariupol, in the south, where aid workers say tens of thousands of people are living in apocalyptic conditions. jeremy bowen begins our coverage from 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. holland says it is ready to put all of its mig—29 fighterjets

to ukraine. it said it would deploy them to a us airbase in germany in the us state department says it is surprised by poland's decision and a pentagon spokesman says it is not tenable.. we speak now to duncan kennedy, who has been watching the developments. talkers through the significance of what this means and why the pentagon is saying this? it and why the pentagon is saying this? ., ., , , this? it would have been very significant — this? it would have been very significant for _ this? it would have been very significant for ukraine, - this? it would have been very significant for ukraine, they l significant for ukraine, they have requested these jets to help them overcome russian air superiority over ukraine. earlier this week this deal formulated about getting their hands on the polish mig—29 fighterjets, russian built. as the days went on it seems that poland became more worried that if it were to supply ukraine directly with the jets and that would upset moscow and that would upset moscow and that would make them take retaliatory action. earlier,

poland came up with the idea of offering to fly the jets to the ramstein airbase, the american airbase, in germany, with a view that the jets being flown onto ukraine. this came as a complete shock to the americans. as you said, the state department said they are surprised by this polish offer and they had not been prewarned about it. just recently, the pentagon has gone even further and said this plan is untenable. it said the idea of flying jets out of eight us nato airbase in germany into the contested airspace in russia over ukraine would seriously harm the nato alliance. i think that is pentagon speakfor alliance. i think that is pentagon speak for suggesting that could lead to the third world war because they have been warning for many days now that anything to do with nato jets in no—fly zones or any kind of nato involvement over ukraine would be a provocation

too far. so they have really pushed back on the polish offer and i suspect because of that, if it is to go any further, it would have to be directly dealt with between poland and ukraine and not via any american involvement at all. it underlines the reluctance on the part of washington to get further involved than it already has with the economic sanctions, for instance, but not waiting in any further in any other areas? == not waiting in any further in any other areas? -- wading in. it is the lead _ any other areas? -- wading in. it is the lead partner _ any other areas? -- wading in. it is the lead partner in - any other areas? -- wading in. it is the lead partner in nato i it is the lead partner in nato and supplies most of the resources and in the past three days it is the one that has been highlighting most of the dangers. it is doing everything short of provoking vladimir putin over ukrainian territory. just yesterday, it announced 500 more troops, bringing the total of american troops in nato countries, not ukraine, to about 100,000. today, nato countries, not ukraine, to about100,000. today, president about 100,000. today, president

biden about100,000. today, president biden said he will stop buying oilfrom president putin. in many ways, it is being seen as a symbolic move because the united states only buys about $5 billion worth of oil from the russians but it is also seen as more american leadership in this thing, not just in military terms, but also medical terms. the problem president biden has with the oil thing is replacing it so it doesn't put more pressure on the pumps in america. he could as he said today, ask oil companies in america to pump more, and some of those oil companies have said well, you've already tried to shut many down because of the need to cut back on fossil fuels and climate change and is also the option of looking abroad to countries like saudi arabia and venezuela. that too politically is not very appealing because of things like human rights record. although they are stopping oil supplies from russia here, the alternatives are not clear, either.-

are not clear, either. duncan kennedy _ are not clear, either. duncan kennedy with _ are not clear, either. duncan kennedy with the _ are not clear, either. duncan kennedy with the latest - kennedy with the latest developments from washington. thank you forjoining us. it has been an extraordinary time on the world energy markets, the price of brent crude spiked to a 13 year high on tuesday at over $130 a barrel. and that is because the us announced a ban on the import of all russian energy. the uk government quickly followed suit, setting out a plan to phase out russian oil by year end. the eu said it would cut gas from russia by two—thirds over the same period. but sanctions carry a price, sastoe biden, and not just for russia. speak to speakto an speak to an expert on these assessments. life speak to an expert on these assessments.— speak to an expert on these assessments. ~ ., ., ~ , assessments. we have to keep in mind two things, _ assessments. we have to keep in mind two things, first _ assessments. we have to keep in mind two things, first what - mind two things, first what president biden announced with a ban on importing russian oil into the united states, which is very different from announcing a sanctioning of russian exports of oil which

would actually cut down the global supply. the ban on the imports into the united states simply means that that oil cannot come into united states but can still be sold elsewhere. in all likelihood, given the small quantity of imported oil, that america would expect from russia, it is likely not to have a tremendous impact overall on economic balance. what it does do is really raise the geopolitical premium, raises concerns that this will be something that the eu looks at and investigates and takes into account, and that could create bigger disruptions in the market. and be a problem for russia, particularly because they would have to sell their crude at a steeper discount than what they're selling it in order to find a more limited number of buyers. find a more limited number of bu ers. ~ ., ., , find a more limited number of buers.., , _, buyers. who would be the buyers in this instance? _ buyers. who would be the buyers in this instance? after— buyers. who would be the buyers in this instance? after we've - in this instance? after we've seen these moves from the united states and possible

potential moves coming in place from the uk and the eu, certainly towards the end of the year at least, who is left to be able to pick up the russian crude?- to be able to pick up the russian crude? ., ,., ., russian crude? let me also draw the distinction _ russian crude? let me also draw the distinction between - russian crude? let me also draw the distinction between oil - russian crude? let me also draw the distinction between oil and l the distinction between oil and gas, so the announcement today from the uk and the us was from russian oil and that can easily be moved around the global market, it is a fluid global market, it is a fluid global market, whereas the eu, their announcement had to do with natural gas and that is a harder thing to replace because infrastructure is put in place and it makes it hard to just simply put it on a ship and move it around to another part of the world. there is a real distinction between those two different kinds of varieties. to answer your question, the most likely buyer of the russian crude that we no longer be accepted in the united states crude and foreign products is china. there are a few reasons for that, china has an enormous thirst for imported

oil, it consumes or imports much more oil than it produces. so it is a willing market. also, the chinese are extremely unlikely i can say with great confidence, they are not going to sanction russia and russia's economy in the face of ukraine, and certainly not sanction russian oil exports. you can imagine the flow will go to there. the real question there is how much russian oil does china want to take in? does china want to take in? does china really want to be overly dependent on a single supplier, particularly russia? china has already —— always regarded energy security as having a diverse number of suppliers so it may be one direction that will force russians to our price more on the chinese. imilli price more on the chinese. will this work to _ price more on the chinese. will this work to detect russia? it l this work to detect russia? it depends on what we're to deter? sanctions are generally work best when they are coupled with

other tools and we can see those will have to be an avenue kept open, so if the economic pain of sanctions gets enough to two putin changes mind, there is an avenue to do so. i do not see any evidence of that right now. also, it is a little confusing. some people think the sanctions are trying to get vladimir putin out of power and others think it's about diplomacy. we need to be clear about what we want to achieve if we are using economic to get a political win. but i don't see it happening in the nearfuture, for sure. happening in the near future, for sure. ~ ., �* ,, ., for sure. megan o'sullivan there, speaking _ for sure. megan o'sullivan there, speaking earlier. i the numbers of dead and wounded defied belief. this, the worst terrorist atrocity on european soil

in modern times. in less than 24 hours then, the soviet union lost an elderly, sick leader, and replaced him with a dynamic figure 20 years his junior. we heard these gunshots in the gym. _ then he came out| through a fire exit and started firing at our huts. god, we were all petrified. james earl ray, aged a1, sentenced to 99 years and due for parole when he's 90, travelled from memphis jail to nashville state prison in an eight—car convoy. reporter: paul, what's it feel like to be married at last? - it feels fine, thank you. what are you going to do now? is it going to change your life much, do you think? i don't know, really — _ i've never been married before.

this is newsday on the bbc. our headlines: on the frontline in ukraine, north—west of the capital kyiv, its soldiers are digging in — with russian forces nowjust a few kilometres away. are today's shells, thousands of ukrainians and international students from the city of sumy in the north—east of the country have able to escape after a russian ceasefire was put in place. sarah ransford is in october, 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 severe sanctions imposed on russia mean the economy is collapsing. more and more household names are halting trade in the country, and blocking access to goods and services. mcdonald's and coca—cola are the latest. despite the risks, anti—war sentiment is being expressed in protests across the country and there is a sense that the war is not going as russia had planned. the bbc has now 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. 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 employs 62,000 staff here. bowing to international pressure, 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". ukraine's president, volodymr zelensky has made history by becoming the first foreign leader to address mps inside the house of commons. mr zelensky, who spoke to a packed chamber via video—link from kyiv, echoed winston churchill in his address, insisting that ukraine would "fight to the end," whatever the cost. 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 4:00 in the morning, 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. a moment of history nobody here will forget. jonathan blake, bbc news, westminster.

that's all the time we have news hour. thanks forjoining us. stay with bbc world news. hello. east—west differences in our weather across the uk for another day on wednesday. on tuesday, it's western areas that saw some rain. another weather front moving in on wednesday with wind and rain, butanother one that will weaken considerably as it attempts to move further east across the uk. low pressure on the scene now, and the flow of air around that coming in from the south. so it is milder —— but it feels mildest where you're staying dry and seeing some occasional sunshine, more especially in the east for wednesday. it's western areas where the cloud and rain gradually moving in. this is where we'll have the strongest winds, as well. many will start the day dry, no frost out there, there'll be some sunny spells around, but quite quickly in the morning, it'll be turning wetter

through northern ireland. some of this rain will be heavy and into the western side of scotland, as well. and the rain very slowly moves in the afternoon towards the far south west of england, western counties of wales. by the evening, pushing into parts of northwest england. ahead of that, plenty of sunny spells breaking through, especially in the afternoon across the eastern side of england. it's blustery everywhere. gales, though, in the west and, for a time in the morning in the western isles. some severe gales gusts 60—70mph could be disruptive before those winds ease later. and a contrast in temperatures, too — just nine in the rain in belfast, but up to 13—14 celsius in the sunny spells in eastern england. now notice how this weather system weakens, moving east overnight and into thursday. on its back edge, it will have some snow towards the highlands and southern uplands for a time. and in the clear spells in northwest scotland and through northern ireland as thursday begins, there'll be a frost here — and particularly in northern ireland, there is a risk of seeing some fog, whereas for wales in england, it's a fairly mild start to the day. we're left with a weak weather front sitting somewhere through scotland, wales and england on thursday. still some uncertainty about where any patchy rain

from it may linger during the day. there'll also be a few sunny spells around. into northern ireland, well, belfast, a very different day at nine celsius. any sunny spells in eastern england could turn out to be very mild here, 15—16 celsius — but again, still some uncertainty about where the cloud will be sitting and any patchy rain. here comes another weather front on friday — so thursday's looking like a somewhat quieter day, won't be as windy. the winds pick up again on friday, it stays blustery through the weekend. there'll be some rain or showers around, but not wet all the time.

this is bbc news. we'll have headlines for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. hello, welcome to global questions. i am in the lithuanian capital of vilnius and president putin's invasion of ukraine has sent shock waves across the three baltic states of lithuania, estonia and latvia. these were once part of the soviet union and they all share a border with russia. but unlike ukraine, they are members of nato and washington says it will protect every inch of nato territory. so, how reassuring is that to people here?