this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm kasia madera, our top stories: russia broadens its attack on ukraine, hitting more cities. an air strike on the central eastern city of dnipro hits a nursery, an apartment block and a shoe factory. we report from the scene. this site is one of complete devastation. the smoke's still rising from the ruins of this building hours after the missile struck. near the capital kyiv, the exodus gathers pace as russian forces edge closer. president biden announces a new round of sanctions against russia, including revoking its most favoured nation status.

it's going to make it harderfor russia to do business with the united states and doing it in unison with other nations that make up half of the global economy will be another crushing blow. and france warns of the impact the conflict could have on global food supplies. russian forces are widening attacks on areas across ukraine and are now closing in on the capital kyiv. the aerial bombardment was stepped up overnight, with russian forces attacking some cities for the first time, including lutsk and ivano—frankivsk in the west. and to the east, here's the latest data showing the positions of russian forces getting ever closer to the capital kyiv. the uk's ministry of defence

says russian forces are making limited progress, but they would go for a renewed offensive soon, while a russian defence minister insisted its military operation was "going to plan". dnipro, which has been a place of refuge for ukrainians fleeing other parts of the country, was also hit. from dnipro, here's our eastern europe correspondent, sarah rainsford. they struck at dawn, and dnipro wasn't expecting it. this was not a military target. russia's missiles have destroyed a shoe factory. and they've shattered the idea many had clung to here — that this city was safe. amongst the rubble of their workplace were factory staff trying to clean up. dazed and disbelieving. many more could have died here had the factory not stopped

work because of the war. "you see that black bag," this woman says. "that was our security guard. what else can i tell you? "you can see it all." many ignored the wail of the air raid siren because central dnipro had never been hit. this site is one of complete devastation. the smoke is still rising from the ruins of this building, hours after the missiles struck, and the smell here is really acrid. but the thing that strikes me most, just being here, is that there are so many apartment blocks, residential buildings, all around here. the shockwave swept across the square, smashing windows and shaking buildings for blocks around. we saw irina cleaning up the mess, and she called us in. for her family, the attack was terrifyingly close — right on their doorstep.

they are scared, but they are also furious here, at russia. "we didn't ask them to come and save us," irina tells me. "we were living fine in our own country. "we love our country, and will defend it," she says. across the hallway, alexander is clearing up for his 90—year—old aunt, distraught that she lived through one world war and she's now being caught up in all this. and down the road we met natalya, demanding to know why russia is firing at them. haunted by the terrified screams of her son. they didn't make it to the bomb shelter — the missiles came in too fast. rescuers have been salvaging scraps from the factory wreckage.

but however resilient ukraine is, this kind of attack sows fear and saps morale. because when the sirens go now, no—one can feel safe here. sarah rainsford, bbc news, dnipro. as the conflict intensifies, the column of armoured vehicles that had been heading to kyiv appears to have been redeployed to surrounding areas, causing more concern that a new attack on the capital could be imminent. our international correspondent orla guerin has been to the front line, close to the town of bucha, where russian troops are battling ukrainian forces — just 15 miles from the centre of kyiv. the lonely road towards russian positions on the outskirts of kyiv. we headed carefully towards the commuter town of bucha, bombed day and night. there are battlegrounds

along the way. well, this is as far as we can go. we've just come through the last ukrainian checkpoint. up ahead is no man's land, and the next checkpoint is in the hands of the russians. we've been hearing the sounds of battle in the last few minutes, with outgoing shelling from here towards the russian positions. "the fighting is hard, very hard," says victor, breaking down. "15 days." he is a pensioner turned defender of ukraine. "overall, it's fine," he says. "we have our children...

"..our wives. "this is our land." anatoli, who is 72, was risking his life to look for petrol. "everything is destroyed," he tells me. "there is no electricity, no gas. "it's very cold in the house. "i'm sorry. "this is life." inside bucha, there is no life. so today, once again, civilians were fleeing. from russia, this choice —

go or be bombed. documents are checked before they head for kyiv. ukrainian forces don't want russian saboteurs getting through. ca rs cars brimming with desperation and trimmed with white ribbons, a plea for safe passage. did you see the russian forces in your area? "we passed three of their checkpoints. "there were tanks there," says alexander. his wife, natalya, also weeps for ukraine. russian armour is now closing in on kyiv, according to these satellite images. the pentagon says the russians may now be less than ten miles from the city centre. orla guerin, bbc news, on the outskirts of kyiv.

european leaders have been in france for a scheduled summit, which is now focusing on the emergency in ukraine. the french president has been consistently engaged in talks with his russian counterpart. after the summit, he said he was committed to keeping the dialogue going. we constantly engaged in the discussions with president putin till the very last minute before he launched his war and after he decided to launch this war to try to reopen negotiations and get a ceasefire. nevertheless, i have to confess that today the conditions he put on the table are not acceptable by anybody and we will remain engaged to discuss with president putin and try to get what seems to be a realistic, but i think this option remains for me the best one, a ceasefire and a negotiation. i don't see the ceasefire realistic in the coming hours, to be honest with you.

well, joining me now from brussels is william drozdiak. he is the former foreign editor of the washington post. he is also author of the last president of europe: emmanuel macron's race to revive france and save the world. emmanuel macron and have interviewed him numerous lay. why has he become the go—to person for president putin with these negotiations? i the go-to person for president putin with these negotiations?— with these negotiations? i believe earl on in with these negotiations? i believe early on in his _ with these negotiations? i believe early on in his presidency, - with these negotiations? i believe early on in his presidency, he - early on in his presidency, he established a dialogue with vladimir putin and he was convinced that it was important to try and pull putin back towards the west rather than see him fall into the arms of china, which macron believed would be geopolitically disastrous for europe, which would leave europe isolated on the eurasian landmass.

since then, he has maintained this dialogue. he told me he is convinced that putin being a son of saint petersburg is deep down inside a western oriented leader, but so far my response him as he is more rather a son of kgb and doesn't seem to be responding to your overtures, but none the less, macron's devoted to this dialogue. he has talked to putin 15 times in the last month and hopes that given the isolation of putin these days, he is one of the only leaders who has continuing contact with him could finally bring putin round to face reality. we saw the leaders — putin round to face reality. we saw the leaders at _ putin round to face reality. we saw the leaders at versailles. - putin round to face reality. we saw the leaders at versailles. we - putin round to face reality. we saw the leaders at versailles. we are i the leaders at versailles. we are now looking at the images after president macron had been elected. he invited president putin to versailles. i wonder,

he invited president putin to versailles. iwonder, does he invited president putin to versailles. i wonder, does he genuinely think he can change president putin mind, given where we are now with ukraine, given what is happening on the ground there? well. happening on the ground there? well, he knows that — happening on the ground there? well, he knows that putin _ happening on the ground there? well, he knows that putin is _ happening on the ground there? -ii he knows that putin is obsessed with his mark in history, which is why macron invited him as his first estate visitor to versailles to show him, to treat, as he told me... william, what a shame. just as we were getting your next thought, we have just lost the line to william, the former foreign editor of the washington post. we hope we canjust pick up because the technology field is a little bit. we arejust pick up because the technology field is a little bit. we are just picking up is a little bit. we are just picking up on this idea whether president macron genuinely thinks where we are now with what is happening on the ground, we have seen the devastating images coming from ukraine, does he, in your understanding of the man,

the french president, does he honestly think he can convince president putin to stop? i honestly think he can convince president putin to stop? i think he wants to persuade _ president putin to stop? i think he wants to persuade putin _ president putin to stop? i think he wants to persuade putin that - president putin to stop? i think he | wants to persuade putin that being thejunior wants to persuade putin that being the junior partner wants to persuade putin that being thejunior partner in wants to persuade putin that being the junior partner in a partnership with china is not what russia really wants, that a rash �*s destiny lies with the west, just as it did with peter the great, with dostoevsky, tolstoy, pushkin will stop these are names that macron evokes in every conversation he has with putin to drill down into him the western orientation that russia has had for much of its history. we orientation that russia has had for much of its history.— much of its history. we know that president putin _ much of its history. we know that president putin was _ much of its history. we know that president putin was able - much of its history. we know that president putin was able to - president putin was able to communicate with sa, chancellor angela merkel in russian and that help the relationship. and ijust wonder whether the relationship

between president macron and putin, is that a closeness? how long do you think putin will continue with these dialogues with the french leader? putin has expressed his admiration towards macron's understanding of history and his efforts to understand russia's grievances with the west. and he feels that this is a dialogue he wants to continue pursuing. he is the one that putin, the one who initiates many of these conversations by telephone, so it is a sign that he does cherish his relationship with... we a sign that he does cherish his relationship with. . ._ a sign that he does cherish his relationship with... we get a digest of what william _ relationship with... we get a digest of what william was _ relationship with... we get a digest of what william was staying - relationship with... we get a digest of what william was staying there. | of what william was staying there. cherishes his relationship. —— we get the gist. william drozdiak. he is the former foreign editor of the washington post.

he is also author of the last president of europe: emmanuel macron's race to revive france and save the world. a fascinating insight from someone who has spoken at length with a menu macron about his relationship with president putin which is so crucial at this time, given what is happening in ukraine. —— with emmanuel macron. apologies for the issues. president zelensky has rejected russian claims that chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction were developed in ukraine. in a video address, he also warned that russia would get "the most severe sanctions response" if it were to use such weapons. the us said the allegations were intended to justify a potential russian chemical attack. with more, here's our security correspondent gordon corera. the aftermath of a shelling in kharkiv. as russia's tactics become more aggressive and desperate, the growing fear is that it could use chemical weapons. ukraine's leader today added his voice to those

warning of that danger. translation: what else have you prepared for us? - where will you strike with your chemical weapons? at the maternity hospital in mariupol? at the church in kharkiv? or at the children's hospital? so, what are chemical weapons? they release a toxin or poison, often a gas, and were used to devastating effect in the syrian conflict by russia's ally, the assad regime. and russia itself used a nerve agent, a type of chemical weapon, in salisbury in the uk four years ago. so, what is russia saying? one concern is that moscow has been making claims that ukraine has its own weapons programmes. russia actually called a un meeting today amid claims of a secret us—backed biological weapons lab, something washington and ukraine deny. russia asked the security council for today's meeting for the sole purpose of lying and spreading disinformation, and that is exactly what you have heard from the russian pr this morning.

the fear is that russia is preparing for what's called a "false flag", using chemical weapons itself and then blaming the ukrainians in order to justify the invasion. that, one western official said today, seems more likely than widespread military use of chemicals. so, what would the consequences be? in 2013, parliament voted not to take military action after the use of chemical weapons in syria, even though they'd been described by the west as a "red line," so what would happen this time? officials here at the foreign office and across the west have been vocal about their concerns, but also careful not to say exactly how they would respond. i'm not going to speak| about the intelligence, but russia would pay a severe price if they used chemical weapons. - a strike on lutsk overnight, the devastation is already terrible. the hope will be that public warnings may dissuade moscow, though, from taking action which could bring even more suffering. gordon corera, bbc news.

russia has called for foreign volunteers to fight alongside its troops in ukraine, suggesting there were thousands in the middle east ready to join. us officials said these could include fighters from syria, which is a long—standing ally of russia. from moscow, our russia editor steve rosenberg reports. for russia's defence minister, sergei shorgu, it was a busy day. medals for his troops wounded in action. and a video call with the kremlin to announce that 16,000 volunteers from the middle east want to fight for russia in ukraine. "good idea," said the president. translation: if you see that some volunteers would like to come - and help people in the donbas, especially without being paid, then we should meet them halfway and help them relocate to the war zone. soon after, this.

chanting russian tv showed what it said were pro—russia fighters in syria, ready and willing. they've helped moscow in the syrian war, but what will happen if they fight in ukraine? they'll be very ruthless, and they'll use syrian tactics liberating ukrainian cities by reducing them to rubble. this war is turning into a war of attrition in which russia cannot win because the ukrainians are going to have more supplies, more money coming their way, while the russian financial system is going broke because of sanctions, the russian economy is tanking. vladimir putin has much to reflect on after 16 days of what he calls his "special military operation". the kremlin says that by sending thousands of foreign fighters to ukraine, it's acting no differently from the ukrainian government, which has also been signing up volunteers.

but remember, it was russia that launched this offensive, sending its troops across the border into a sovereign nation. moscow seems determined to secure a military victory. but at what cost to the russian people? in moscow today, more queues, more western shops closing, more economic pain from sanctions. for some, the priority now is buying an air ticket out of here. but president putin insists his country will get through this. when he met the leader of belarus, vladimir putin said, in the past, sanctions had made russia stronger. from the kremlin leader, no hint of regret. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. the us president, joe biden, has announced a further tightening of restrictions on trade with russia. mr biden said the united states had

agreed with its g7 allies and the european union to revoke preferential terms for russian goods — known as "most favoured nation status". the move will lead to higher tariffs. mr biden condemned vladimir putin as an aggressor and said he must be made to pay a price. a most favoured nation status designation means two countries have agreed to trade with each other under the best possible terms — low tariffs, few barriers to trade, and the highest possible imports allowed. in the united states, we call this permanent normal trade relations, pntr, but it's the same thing. revoking pntr for russia is going to make it harder for russia to do business with the united states, and doing it in unison with other nations that make up half of the global economy will be another crushing blow to the russian economy. it's already suffering very badly from our sanctions. president biden they're speaking earlier today. president biden they're speaking earliertoday. let's president biden they're speaking earlier today. let's return to the situation in ukraine.

in towns and cities across ukraine, military funerals are now a daily occurrence. this country's regular armed forces — its soldiers, sailors and airforce — have beenjoined by volunteers, men and women who three weeks ago had never picked—up a weapon, but who are now fighting and dying in defence of their land. three soldiers were buried here in lviv today. fergal keane was at the ceremony. sung prayers, weeping the dead are returning... ..to homes far from the battlefield. today, they buried dmitro kabakov, 59, andrei stefanushin, 40, taras diduk, aged 25. for all the solidarity of crowds... ..this grief is solitary.

prayers continue each loss individual. forfamilies. for comrades. prayers continue singing ukraine's dead in this war are full—timers, reservists, and conscripts.

andrei stefanushin was a permanent soldier, married, with a three—year—old daughter. jaroslav is a friend from when they worked on the railways together. translation: we kept in touch, talked. - he was a great guy. god takes away the best from us. these men had plans. taras diduk had a girlfriend. he was godfather to a friend's daughter. translation: he was brave. he said, "mama, who is going to protect you, if not me?" i know how he was. i can't praise my child, but for me, he was the best. a mother grieving a dead son — war�*s eternal story. fergal keane, bbc news, lviv. fergal keane has spent much

of the last week with people fleeing ukraine through lviv train station and you can see his our world documentary called platform 5: escaping ukraine on world news at 2330 gmt friday, and if you're in the uk on bbc two at 2315 tonight and afterwards on iplayer. he has been witnessing devastating scenes of people trying to leave lviv, trying to get on those trains to leave the country. lots more details on our website as well. we have lots of information, a lot of background as well to what is happening and a lot of witness testimony to what is happening because the scenes in ukraine are devastating, difficult, and millions

of people fleeing the country, millions of people displaced. and lots more coming up right here on bbc news. good evening. well, the weekend is almost upon us now, and the weather's looking a little bit mixed over the next few days. it's been turning increasingly unsettled through the day on friday. this was the picture in cornwall during the afternoon. so, a bit of sunshine, some big shower clouds around as well, and we will continue to see that mix of sunshine and showers through the course of the weekend. we've got one weather front which is clearing off towards the north—east, another one following in its wake and then another area of low pressure approaching from the atlantic. so, low pressure in charge over the next couple of days. plenty of showers, lots of cloud around across much of the uk through the course of tonight. fairly breezy, too, especially up towards the northern isles and for southern england. so, temperatures 6—7 degrees for most of us, a little bit cooler for northern ireland with lighter winds and clearer skies here. could be some misty patches,

in fact, to start off your day on saturday. but after a fairly cloudy, drizzly start for most areas, there is some sunshine developing in the south. sunny spells for much of southern england up towards northern ireland as well before the next area of wet, windy weather arrives from the south—west later on. temperatures about 9—13 degrees for most of us, a little bit cooler where the showers persist for the north of scotland. but let's concentrate on the wind gusts for south west england and south wales, 50 to perhaps 60 mph gusts later on on saturday afternoon during the evening. afternoon during the evening, so some really windy weather developing as we move through saturday night and on into sunday. the winds progressing more widely across the uk as we start the second half of the weekend. so, sunday morning, again it's looking frost—free, it is looking cloudy, breezy and damp from the word go. so, outbreaks of rain with us on sunday. as you can see, low pressure is in charge, lots of isobars on the map, so another windy spell of weather, particularly windy closer to that area of low pressure. around some of these irish sea coasts, gales developing with gusts of 50—60 mph, but breezy wherever you are. and you can see a mix of some showery rain, but some sunny spells developing as well, especially

later in the day. top temperatures a little bit cooler than recent days, between about 8—12 degrees and feeling cooler in the breeze. but there will be some sunshine in between those showers as well. these are the gusts we're expecting, though, 50—60 mph through some of these irish sea coasts, the likes of pembrokshire up towards northern ireland. for instance, the isle of man looking very windy, but wherever you are, you'll notice that breeze. and looking ahead into next week, and higher pressure builds, so not completely dry, but it's looking drier and brighter. we could see temperatures in the south up to about 18 degrees by wednesday. bye— bye.

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