this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm tim willcox. our top stories... fighting intensifies in the southern ukrainian port city of mariupol. ukraine's president says 100�*s people have been saved from a bombed theatre there but hundreds remain trapped. translation: russian invaders have continued their shelling _ of our cities and our aim is clear, to defend and protect our country and our people. president putin defends what he calls a "special operation" in ukraine in front of tens of thousands of supporters at a huge rally in moscow. translation: to liberate people from this suffering, _ from the genocide, is the main

inspiring motive of the military operation that we started in the donbas and in ukraine. joe biden speaks to his chinese counterpart, the first call between the leaders since the start of the conflict. president xi says conflict is "in no—one's interest" but has yet to condemn russia's actions. russia carries out an airstrike near the western ukrainian city of lviv. activists place hundreds of empty buggies in its city centre to commemorate the number of children killed since the start of the war. the kremlin backed news channel rt has its licence to broadcast in the uk revoked — the watchdog ofcom says it's not a "fit and proper" channel. and in other news — protests in dover and other cities around the uk, after p&0 ferries sacked 800 staff without warning.

hello and welcome to bbc news. fighting has intensified in the besieged port city of mariupol, with russia's defence ministry saying its separatist allies are �*tightening a noose' around the city with the help of moscow's forces. this afternoon, president zelensky announced that 130 people have so far been rescued from the basement of a theatre which was hit by an airstrike in mariupol but many more are still trapped — he also gave this update to the ukranian people. translation: a theatre - that was a shelter for hundreds the that was a shelter for hundreds russian invaders, i

mariupol, the russian invaders, donbas cities, mariupol, missile strikes, cruise missiles were taking them down as much as we can and we destroyed the aircraft and helicopters. and this is a respecting of the fact that so far we don't have in adequate anti—aircraft, and type missile system. we don't have enough aircraft but our aim is clear, to defend, to protect our country. for more on those russian reports, our correspondent wyre davies reports from dnipro. i think those russian reports are bizarrely very accurate. they are tightening a noose around the city centre. russian soldiers have been seen on streets on the outskirts, and we've spoken today to a family, two generations of one family, who escaped from mariupol.

they described it as hell. the journey out was littered with mines, with russian checkpoints, but they said they had no choice but to leave because there's no food, there's no water, there's no electricity, there's no heating in many parts of the city. it's freezing cold in the open, and a lot of houses, as we've heard, a lot of the buildings have been completely smashed. more than half the city is said to have been flattened. 300,000 people are still trapped in the city of mariupol, and we've heard today from the ukrainian president saying that it's been impossible to get humanitarian corridors into there, making it very difficult for people to escape. but those people who have escaped are in tears, they're devastated because of course they've had to leave many friends and family behind in those pockets of the city which are completely surrounded by russian forces. there were thought to be about more than 1000 people in the theatre at the time of the attack,

even though the words "children" were written in russian on either end of the theatre in paving slabs, in big letters, to deter, to make it clear to anybody attacking from the sky that there were children inside the theatre. there are still thought to be hundreds of people trapped inside the theatre. it's not clear if they're alive or dead. as i say, conditions are absolutely freezing, but because of the inability to get help there to lift the heavy rubble, nobody knows yet how many people survived. there was said to be a bunker underneath the theatre from which some people have been rescued. but with so much of the city flattened, with so many emergency services unable to operate as normal, many of those survivors, if they are still alive, are having to endure these conditions, horrible, horrible conditions, without people able to get to them. but it's partly because, of course, of the resistance of the ukrainian army and civil defenders around the city that russian troops weren't able to overrun it, so of course they elected to flatten it,

as we've seen previously in previous campaigns in chechnya and in syria. russia has flattened the city, 80% of the buildings, so we've heard, have been damaged. meanwhile, president putin has been defencing what he describes as the �*special operation' in ukraine at a rally held in moscow. translation: to liberate people from this suffering, _ from the genocide, is the main inspiring motive of the military operation we started in donbas and in ukraine. this is the objective. this is the aim. and now, i remember these words from the bible. there is no other love, other than if someone gives their soul for their friends.

words from the scriptures. and we are seeing the heroic deeds of our guys in this operation. that event was broadcast on russian tv — with a delay of around 30 minutes from when it started. the state television coverage of president putin's speech came to a rather abrupt end. take a look. cut off mid sentence coverage reversing to in earlier performance. amongst those who attended the event were students, who told the bbc that they had been given the option of a day off from lectures, if they attended �*a concert�*. we�*re told some didn�*t know the event was dedicated in part to support for russian forces. one man, who works in the moscow metro, told one of our producers

that he and other employees had been forced to attend the rally. i�*m joined now by yevgenia albats, editor—in—chief of the new times magazine in moscow. can you shed any light on why that speech was cut short? i think he did reappear later-— speech was cut short? i think he did reappear later. what reason has been riven? reappear later. what reason has been given? president _ reappear later. what reason has been given? president putin, _ reappear later. what reason has been given? president putin, first - reappear later. what reason has been given? president putin, first of- given? president putin, first of all, thank you for having me and heidi. president burton�*s press secretary said that there was some problems with the server. something happened with the server therefore putin speech was cut off earlier. he did reappear. do we know when this rally had been scheduled, is it something that�*s only been organised hastily in the past few weeks? i guess so. i don't have any

guess so. i don�*t have any independent information about that. it's independent information about that. it�*s not a big interest to me. he. it's not a big interest to me. no, but it might _ it's not a big interest to me. no, but it might be _ it's not a big interest to me. no, but it might be for _ it's not a big interest to me. no, but it might be for other people if it had been hastily organised in the last two weeks or so, in other words in the evasion or special military operation where you are now. is there any anti—war sentiment in russia or anti—special military operation sentiment in russia? russia or anti-special military operation sentiment in russia? those kind of rallies — operation sentiment in russia? those kind of rallies are _ operation sentiment in russia? those kind of rallies are frequent _ operation sentiment in russia? those kind of rallies are frequent in - kind of rallies are frequent in russia. every time there is so military preparation or some elections, presidential election, putin loves to organise rallies like that. or his people do organise rallies. they force people to come there and some people come because there and some people come because there will be some well—known

musician and singers afterwards. so people come to this huge stadium and celebrate whatever they celebrate. so it is nothing new. it is celebrate whatever they celebrate. so it is nothing new.— so it is nothing new. it is usual for peeple _ so it is nothing new. it is usual for peeple to — so it is nothing new. it is usual for people to be _ so it is nothing new. it is usual for people to be forced - so it is nothing new. it is usual for people to be forced to - so it is nothing new. it is usual. for people to be forced to attend? yes, it is usual. in the years of putin rule, yes. people are yes, it is usual. in the years of putin rule, yes. people likely they prescribed to go. most likely they will collected at their enterprise errors, at the universities, putin brought closer to the stadium and then their then they pretend that it was their choice to come and celebrate this date with president putin. it�*s

choice to come and celebrate this date with preside some n. it�*s choice to come and celebrate this date with preside some type 5 choice to come and celebrate this date with preside some type of announce, create some type of government with whoever�*s in charge and announce new elections. and to a course to conduct the elections the way they are run in russia, meaning under total control with no real competition whatsoever. 0bviously,

competition whatsoever. obviously, this never happened. we are already three weeks into this war that we are not allowed to call a war, we are not allowed to call a war, we are supposed to say special operation. but the most important thing is that last time ministry of defence acknowledged numbers of russian troops there in the special operation, ukraine second in 2022. it was already 20 days ago when we were told that 498 troops got killed and hundreds wounded in ukraine. however, because up and what different folks suggest that at least 6000 troops are dead in ukraine right now. it�*s a huge

problem, yes there are all kinds of maneuvers, undertaken so—called morgues and that means bodies won�*t be delivered to their relatives immediately and a mess. but still, obviously they�*re trying to conceal the fact that so many russian soldiers and officers got killed in ukraine. but soldiers and officers got killed in ukraine. �* , ., ., soldiers and officers got killed in ukraine. �* ., ., ., ., ., ukraine. but you are not allowed to re ort that ukraine. but you are not allowed to report that where _ ukraine. but you are not allowed to report that where you _ ukraine. but you are not allowed to report that where you are. - ukraine. but you are not allowed to report that where you are. listen, i report that where you are. listen, i'm not allowed _ report that where you are. listen, i'm not allowed to _ report that where you are. listen, i'm not allowed to report - report that where you are. listen, i'm not allowed to report but - report that where you are. listen, i'm not allowed to report but i - report that where you are. listen, j i'm not allowed to report but i do. i�*m not allowed to report but i do. and that�*s what you do. you can get punished for that, it�*s true. but we can get punished for many, many things. you are not supposed to report any information other than the ones that is presented by the

minister of defense. you are not supposed to say war, after the eight invasion or invasion. all we are supposed to say is special operation. you�*re not supposed to do anything. but what can you do? that�*s ourjob. anything. but what can you do? that's ourjob.— that's our 'ob. thank you for “oininr that's our 'ob. thank you for joining us — that's ourjob. thank you for joining us here _ that's ourjob. thank you for joining us here on _ that's ourjob. thank you for joining us here on bbc- that's ourjob. thank you for| joining us here on bbc news. president biden has finished a video call with president xi of china asking beijing not to provide russia with weapons for its war in ukraine. china hasn�*t condemned the invasion and says it wants to remain neutral. in the last few minutes, president xi has told president biden that china that the us... must guide bilateral legislations along the right track that�*s according to chinese state media. has there been a

readout from the white house on this? it�*s pretty clear that the us doesn�*t want china to be neutral, it wants to take a position, does in a? it does. and we are still waiting for him the white house for that readout. at the moment china has got its side outcome it�*s already read a line that it�*s released to chinese state media. it is their spin on things. president xijinping said that he told president biden that china and america should together shoulder the responsibility for peace. that nobody wants this conflict in ukraine. also said china doesn�*t want to see this ukraine crisis. it took always interesting what they don�*t say. certainly the lines that china has provided so far, they don�*t condemn russia, they don�*t call it in invasion and this is something that president biden wants from china. he wants china to

basically pick a side, which is he believes that china is probably the most influential country right now in having an impact on president putin and which direction he�*s going. he wants china to condemn russia. he wants china to also call this in invasion. we will wait and see what the white house has to say because we�*ve not got their side of things yet. we are expecting that readout at some point this afternoon. readout at some point this afternoon-— readout at some point this afternoon. , . , ., ., , readout at some point this afternoon. , ~, ., afternoon. publicly china has sent three loads _ afternoon. publicly china has sent three loads of _ afternoon. publicly china has sent three loads of humanitarian - afternoon. publicly china has sent three loads of humanitarian aid i afternoon. publicly china has sent three loads of humanitarian aid to ukraine. they deny as i understand, any military aid. what sort of response would there be for the white house if china did supply weaponry? the white house if china did supply weaponry?— white house if china did supply weaon ? ~ ., , , �* weaponry? the white house isn't riven weaponry? the white house isn't given specific— weaponry? the white house isn't given specific on _ weaponry? the white house isn't given specific on bat. _ weaponry? the white house isn't given specific on bat. all - weaponry? the white house isn't given specific on bat. all they - weaponry? the white house isn't i given specific on bat. all they keep saying is that if china even thinks about helping russia in any way to circumvent the sanctions to weather

the sanctions then there will be consequences. there was some hint earlier in the week about economic sanctions. there were two things you�*ve got to remember that china cares about. one, it�*s about controlling, dominating the territories that it claims is theirs. and also keeping trade routes secure with many of its customers. the war on ukraine affects the second part. so that is something that america will potentially be threatening china with. just to add that china completely denies of showing willingness to provide russia with any military or economic assistance. in america hasn�*t provided any evidence to back that claim but it is something that president biden has emphasised in the secretary of state has emphasised as well. if china does help russia and anyway it is a big red line. thank you.

the company complained it had been falselyjudge and said the british public had been robbed of access to information. fiur british public had been robbed of access to information. our media adder has more. _ access to information. our media adder has more. a _ access to information. our media adder has more. a permanent. adder has more. a permanent information war that has escalated pretty dramatically. it�*s important to understand what rt is for the rt is a state broadcaster it means it is a state broadcaster it means it is funded by and serves the state. there is an important distinction between a state broadcaster such as rt and a public broadcast such as the bbc and other countries have which is funded and meant to serve the public. rt is run by, controlled by an organisation which is called tv novosti. that is funded by the kremlin. in this country we have a system of independent regulation, we have independent bodies like 0fcom which regulate the media. under

0fcom rules you can be funded by a state but you can�*t be controlled by a political body. not so long ago cgt and which is the chinese channel care was taken down by ofcom because it was controlled by a political body. in the context of what is happening in the ukraine, the feeling that 0fcom have is that rt being ultimately controlled by the kremlin is basically an arm of state propaganda. it�*s a couple of things, looking at the content of rt, it fails on two grounds, one is you accuracy, an idea that this is a military exercise and clearly aggression and repeated failures of accuracy are something 0fcom are concerned about. partiality is a difficult broad faint to explain but it probably means an absence of bringing a certain amount of ideological baggage to journalism. it will be fair to say watching rt there is a fair amount of ideological baggage. it�*s 0fcom are

concerned about whether or not it satisfies independent regulatory accuracy and partiality. ukranian refugees who want to come to the uk can from today apply for visas to be sponsored by british families. more than 150,000 people in britain have registered for the scheme, offering a room in their home or property. our special correspondent lucy manning has been to meet one family in kent who are making preparations. we will know how quickly the visa application will take. thea;r we will know how quickly the visa application will take.— application will take. they are makinu application will take. they are making plans _ application will take. they are making plans in _ application will take. they are making plans in the _ application will take. they are making plans in the middle i application will take. they are making plans in the middle ofj application will take. they are - making plans in the middle of war. how do you feel about coming here? last week they had never even spoken, and next week they will be sharing a house. i spoken, and next week they will be sharing a house.— sharing a house. i think it will be good experience _ sharing a house. i think it will be good experience for— sharing a house. i think it will be good experience for me - sharing a house. i think it will be good experience for me to - sharing a house. i think it will be good experience for me to stop l sharing a house. i think it will be i good experience for me to stop and now i_ good experience for me to stop and now i can _ good experience for me to stop and now i can continue to work with ukrainian — now i can continue to work with ukrainian company online when i have suitable _ ukrainian company online when i have suitable computer. thank you about helping _ suitable computer. thank you about helping ukrainian people and support. helping ukrainian people and su ort. ., �* , helping ukrainian people and

su--ort. ., �* , support. you're very welcome, we will seak support. you're very welcome, we will speak to — support. you're very welcome, we will speak to you _ support. you're very welcome, we will speak to you soon. _ support. you're very welcome, we will speak to you soon. you - support. you're very welcome, we will speak to you soon. you take l will speak to you soon. you take care today. will speak to you soon. you take care today-— will speak to you soon. you take care today. will have to paint the room. graham, _ care today. will have to paint the room. graham, his— care today. will have to paint the room. graham, his wife - care today. will have to paint the room. graham, his wife and - care today. will have to paint the room. graham, his wife and two | room. graham, his wife and two children are opening _ room. graham, his wife and two children are opening up - room. graham, his wife and two children are opening up their - room. graham, his wife and two - children are opening up their canned home to 0lga who works in video games from steve and in estate agent and her mum rita. iline games from steve and in estate agent and her mum rita.— and her mum rita. one of the rooms is my office- — and her mum rita. one of the rooms is my office- my _ and her mum rita. one of the rooms is my office. my work— and her mum rita. one of the rooms is my office. my work from _ and her mum rita. one of the rooms is my office. my work from home - is my office. my work from home space, if you like which we are going to be redecorating. british families opening _ going to be redecorating. british families opening up _ going to be redecorating. british families opening up rooms - going to be redecorating. british families opening up rooms and l going to be redecorating. british families opening up rooms and hearts to those desperate enough to plea for strangers in a foreign country to take the men. fear is recalibrated when you�*ve escaped brush and shelling. what was it that made you decide that you wanted to have refugees come stay house? it�*s have refugees come stay house? it's 'ust have refugees come stay house? it�*s just impacted us quite a lot you can start doing i stand by and watch something happen it�*s a humanitarian crisis for the pudding part of me feels like we are standing up to a huge billy. can�*t stand by and

without... huge billy. can't stand by and without---_ huge billy. can't stand by and without... ~ ., ., i. huge billy. can't stand by and without... ~ ., ., without... what impact are you can have on your _ without... what impact are you can have on your family _ without... what impact are you can have on your family day _ without... what impact are you can have on your family day today? - without... what impact are you can have on your family day today? i i have on your family day today? i don't think a detrimental one. i don�*t think a detrimental one. i think also demonstrate compassion, sympathy which is not a bad thing. the system to bring ukrainian refugees into british peoples homes has been simplified. now they will have to go on the home office website, fill in the details, sponsor details and provide a passport photo. problems well, the checks on those people they are staying with are going to be basic and it�*s still a diy refugee system, you still have to find your own matches at the moment. how did you go about trying to find ukrainians to help? it go about trying to find ukrainians to hel ? . , go about trying to find ukrainians to hel? . , , go about trying to find ukrainians to hel? , ., , to help? it has been really difficult and _ to help? it has been really difficult and i _ to help? it has been really difficult and i think- to help? it has been really difficult and i think there'sj to help? it has been really i difficult and i think there's a to help? it has been really - difficult and i think there's a lot difficult and i think there�*s a lot of frustrated brits out there. i think there�*s an expectation you fill in a government website form and get in touch was on straightaway. you have to proactively go out and look for people. proactively go out and look for

eo - le. , proactively go out and look for neale, , ~' ., ., proactively go out and look for --eole. , ~ ., ., , .,, people. they ukrainian will swap the hell of war and _ people. they ukrainian will swap the hell of war and the _ people. they ukrainian will swap the hell of war and the pain _ people. they ukrainian will swap the hell of war and the pain of _ hell of war and the pain of departure for the quiet of the countryside. but thousands more want help, millions needed to stop but will be scheme managed to connect them? in other news it�*s three weeks until the french presidential election. which pits the incumbent, emmanuel macron, against 11 other candidates — has been dominated by the war in ukraine. the effect has been to increase the stature of the president, who�*s looking increasingly confident of re—election, while his opponents complain that the international crisis has given him an unfair advantage. hugh schofield reports. finally entering the fray. on thursday, president macron took time off from the war to focus on domestic matters and present his election manifesto. up to now, he can say with some honesty, hejust hasn�*t had the chance. as ukraine has slid into disaster, he was occupied with higher matters,

trying, unsuccessfully, to influence vladimir putin, coordinating europe�*s response with sanctions on moscow and arms to kyiv. photos showed him grim faced at the helm in elysee. just doing thejob, yes, but electorally it�*s been gold dust. to be fair, emanuel macron was already strongly tipped to win these elections and come back here to elysee for a second term. but what�*s happened since the start of the war is that we have seen his opinion ratings shoot up. today, nearly one in three of the french say they will vote for him in the multi—candidate first round of the race. and meanwhile the standing of his opponents has been in steady decline. there is a threat coming from the east, coming from russia represented by vladimir putin and it makes the people turn towards the leader. we can�*t divide too much in such circumstances. that�*s pretty much the rally

around the flag effect. it helps when the opposition, all 11 of them from far left to far right, are failing to put up much of a fight. one of his main challengers, marine le pen, is damaged by her own past associations with the russians. the other far right winger, eric zemmour, who once said france needed its own vladimir putin, now has egg on face. the mainstream�*s right, valerie pecres, is also fighting to stay in the election. the battle for all of them is to get through round one to be in the run—off against macron in round two. but she says it�*s been impossible to fight a campaign on domestic issues because the president is constantly hiding behind the war. the war in ukraine is very important but it cannot mask the various problems the french are facing at home. emanuel macron must not be allowed to escape the proper democratic debate about his record in office. it�*s extremely disrespectful to the french.

but war, chaos, refugees are making this an election not like any other. to upheael in europe, there is little appetite to add political upheaval at home. in crisis, incumbents have a head start. hugh schofield, bbc news, paris. the fight for the palace in france. more on that story on our website. is indeed the latest development on the conflicts in ukraine. we are back with more news in a few minutes. hope to see you then. hello again. it�*s the warmest day of the year so far. temperatures reached 17.5 degrees celsius earlier this afternoon

across wiggonholt in west sussex. most of us had sunny skies like these, but there was one exception. across eastern counties of northern ireland, for a time, we had some low cloud and mist invade from the irish sea, making things a little bit cooler here for a time. 0ur weather, though, is going to be dry for an extended run thanks to this big area of high pressure that�*s going to be dominating our weather picture through the weekend and into next week as well. so, you can see the extent of the dry conditions we�*re expecting over the next several days. and it will become a good deal milder as well. temperatures could reach the high teens in both london and cardiff towards the middle of next week. now, before we get there, overnight tonight, we�*re going to keep clear skies, but there�*s a difference compared with last night. the winds are going to be a little bit stronger, and that will have two effects. firstly, it won�*t be as cold. any frost will be rather more patchy and across north—eastern areas of the uk. the second effect is there�*ll be less mist and fog around as well. so, sunday, a lovely sunny day. lots of spring sunshine on offer, quite windy for some, but it does turn cloudier on sunday and a good deal colder as well. so, i suppose the main message is make the most of saturday�*s sunshine.

now, there could be some mist and fog to start the day around the vale of york, perhaps eastern areas of scotland, but not lasting long at all. you can see the extent of the sunshine otherwise, but it is going to be quite a windy day, particularly across the headlands and the coasts of south west england, where gusts could reach around 40—50 odd mph. that will certainly knock the edge off the temperatures, and with the winds blowing in from the cool north sea, well, you can imagine things will be just a little bit cooler and fresher around these eastern coastal areas of both scotland and england as well, where temperatures should be around 11—12 degrees. further west, that�*s where the warmer weather is going to be. 16 expected in both glasgow and also in cardiff, but it�*s across north west scotland that we may well see some of the higher temperatures of the day. 17 degrees on the cards. well, that would make it scotland�*s warmest day so far this year. now, sunday, get off to a sunny start. again, there could be a few mist and fog patches around, but it turns cloudier across eastern england. here, there�*ll be some showers moving in, and we could have some soft hail mixed

in with some of those. a much colder feel to the weather. also turning quite cloudy for western counties of northern ireland. that�*s your weather.

this is bbc news. welcome if you�*re watching here in the uk or around the globe. i�*m tim willcox. our top stories — fighting intensifies in the southern ukrainian city of mariupol. president zelensky says hundreds of people remain trapped in the basement of a bombed theatre there. translation: russian invaders have continued their shelling _ of our cities. our aim is clear — to defend and protect our country and our people. music. president putin has praised the soldiers who invaded ukraine at a huge rally in moscow to celebrate the annexation of crimea eight years ago. translation: to liberate people from this suffering, _

from the genocide, is the main inspiring motive of the military operation we started in donbas and in ukraine. joe biden speaks to his chinese counterpart, the first call between the leaders since the start of the conflict. president xi says conflict is "in no—one�*s interest", but has yet to condemn russia�*s actions. the united nations says more than 3 million people have now fled the fighting. 2 million alone have crossed into poland. russia has fired several missiles at lviv international airport in western ukraine. lviv is close to the polish border and has been acting as a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of refugees. earlier on friday, a large plume

of smoke was seen rising from the area around the international airport. that�*s around six kilometres from the city centre. zhanna bezpiatchuk from the bbc ukrainian service is in lviv and filed this report from near to the airport. i�*m outside the lviv airport. this is the perimeter wall of the airfield. the martial law doesn�*t allow us to film the premises of the airport or the entrance to it, butjust on the opposite side from here, within one kilometre, there is the aircraft repair plant that was targeted by the russian missiles this morning. the people at the aircraft repair plant were evacuated in advance. it saved their lives. i can give you my personal account. this morning, i was woken up to sirens going off,

and then when i looked out of the window of my hotel room, i could see the black plume of smoke drifting across the horizon of lviv. this is the closest this kind of smoke got to historic centre of lviv, one of the most historical cities in ukraine and in eastern europe in general. hundreds of thousands of ukrainians fleeing the war in other parts of this country believed they could find safety here in western ukraine, but unfortunately they are not safe here any more. close to her that site was bombed there. now, activists placed 109 prams along the cobbled paving outside lviv city hall in memory of the children killed in this conflict, one for each child killed since the russian invasion began

on the 24th of february. at least 800 civilians have been killed in ukraine since the conflict began. there was yet another missile blast in the ukrainian capital of kyiv this morning. one person was killed and 19 injured when parts of a downed russian missile crash—landed in a residential district in the north of the city. james waterhouse is there and sent this report. this is the reality now for people living here. it's another morning this week every day where a residential district like this in the west of the city has been struck with the fragments of an intercepted russian missile. you can see the remnants of cars, wheelie bins, bikes, people's belongings. and then if you look up here, a whole side of the building has been ripped off exposing people's homes. the power of this blast is plain to see, and that building just further down is a kindergarten where children would've been. and every window has

been blown through. what we know so far is that one person's been killed and 19 injured. and, yes, the city's defences are proving effective with those ground—to—air missiles, protecting its citizens, but of course they can't be completely shielded by the reality of this war. meanwhile, president putin has been defencing what he describes as the "special operation" in ukraine at a rally held in moscow. this was to celebrate eight years since the annexation of crimea in front of a packed stadium. he repeated the claim they were at saving russian speaking people from genocide. tens of thousands waved flags and chanted nationalist slogans. public workers at the event told the bbc they had been pressured into turning up. for more on events in moscow, i�*m joined by natia seskuria, associate fellow at the royal united services

institute. tens of thousands of people there, his favourite band at a football stadium. how rare is this for president putin to organise a rally like this? i president putin to organise a rally like this? ~ , ., , ., like this? i think this was a quite extraordinary — like this? i think this was a quite extraordinary and _ like this? i think this was a quite extraordinary and rare _ like this? i think this was a quite extraordinary and rare public- like this? i think this was a quite - extraordinary and rare public speech by vladimir putin as we don�*t see him going out much these days. 0ver him going out much these days. over the past few years, he has been in almost full isolation. i think this really demonstrates that putin is fighting on different fronts, and he is losing the confidence about continued domestic support in light of the heavy sanctions that are affecting every single segment of the russian society from oligarchs to ordinary citizens. during his speech, he praised the russian unity over the war in ukraine, the so—called special military operation. this event officially marked the eighth anniversary of russia�*s at the annexation of crimea but however his main messages

represented the continuation of the narrative of propaganda that he has been pushing since the beginning of the war in ukraine. [30 been pushing since the beginning of the war in ukraine.— the war in ukraine. do we know if this commemoration of— the war in ukraine. do we know if this commemoration of the - the war in ukraine. do we know if - this commemoration of the annexation of crimea had been in the diary for a long time?— a long time? yes, of course, but i think the purpose _ a long time? yes, of course, but i think the purpose of— a long time? yes, of course, but i think the purpose of this - a long time? yes, of course, but i think the purpose of this event. a long time? yes, of course, but i| think the purpose of this event was to consolidate russian society behind putin�*s back. and also to show the west, demonstrate that russian people really support putin in his military invasion of ukraine. i think there was a lot of symbolism here, and we have seen a patriotic rush and lots of flags and this sign that was saying and advocated the world without nazism. he even used the bible to support russian soldiers by saying there is no greater love than giving up for one�*s francis, so i think this was quite notable and this also shows that he feels insecure about how things are going in ukraine. state

tv of things are going in ukraine. state w of course _ things are going in ukraine. state w of course is — things are going in ukraine. state tv of course is not _ things are going in ukraine. state tv of course is not allowed - things are going in ukraine. state tv of course is not allowed to broadcast freely and not allowed to call this a war. his current official military operation. to be have any idea at all of any anti—war sentiment and based on the fact that it would seem hundreds if not thousands of soldiers lives, conscripts lives in many cases, have been lost, is that pressure coming through from their families? {iii through from their families? of course it's very hard to assess what course it�*s very hard to assess what are the real sentiments in russia because russia is not a democracy. people are not free to express their feelings and their range towards this war. there have been many reports on how people have been driven by buses to the stadium today. also we have seen that there were thousands of people who were arrested due to the fact that they went out to the streets to express their anger about russia�*s invasion

of ukraine. there is of course the russian state taking extraordinary measures to silence the opposition. we know that the key opposition figure has already been injailfor more than one year, and other activists are under tremendous pressure. a lot of people are leaving russia due to the fact that the life of ordinary citizens is becoming unbearable. so, there is sentiment against the war. we see that there are still rallies being organised. however, love people are fearfulfor their organised. however, love people are fearful for their own future and for their fate. �* ., .,, , .,, their fate. among those people leavin: their fate. among those people leaving russia _ their fate. among those people leaving russia it _ their fate. among those people leaving russia it would - their fate. among those people leaving russia it would appearl their fate. among those people i leaving russia it would appear to their fate. among those people - leaving russia it would appear to be the super rich as well. it is only 24 the super rich as well. it is only 2a hours ago that president putin called for the purification of people who were supporting the fifth column in anti—russian sentiment. how significant is that? there been reports on several news agencies and

sources suggesting that private jets have been leaving russia for the gulf. , ~ have been leaving russia for the gulf. , ,, ., have been leaving russia for the gulf. , ~ ., ., , have been leaving russia for the gulf. , ~ ., . gulf. yes, i think that was much exected gulf. yes, i think that was much expected from _ gulf. yes, i think that was much expected from the _ gulf. yes, i think that was much expected from the oligarchs. i gulf. yes, i think that was much l expected from the oligarchs. they are, of course, very fearful, very scared about the future. putin called all the russians opposing the war traders and went as far as to claim that anyone who is pro—western or who leaves in the west are fifth columns and slave light russians who need to be removed from the society. at this point, i think oligarchs are just trying to save their fortune because we have seen that the west has been extraordinarily united when it comes to applying sanctions on russia. and they are losing money every single day, so it is yet to be known how whether they will be able to regroup and try to convince putin

that this has been a mistake and this has to stop. but at this point, it seems like they are taking individual decisions to flee the country. individual decisions to flee the count . . ~ individual decisions to flee the count . ., ,, individual decisions to flee the count . ., ~' , individual decisions to flee the count . ., , . last night, president putin set out his demands for a peace agreement in a phone call with turkey�*s president erdogan. the bbc�*s world affairs editor john simpson, who�*s in istanbul, has been given details of that call. half an hour after coming off the telephone call between president putin and president erdogan, ibrahim kalin started to tell me what had been happening. president putin�*s proposing six things. one is that ukraine should be neutral and shouldn�*tjoin nato. well, it�*s already accepted that it shouldn�*t. there should be disarmament, which simply means that ukraine wouldn�*t have the kind of heavy weapons to attack russia if it wanted to. thirdly, that it should protect

the russian language inside ukraine. and fourthly, the question of denazification. this is kind of a strange thing. to my mind, i still haven't really figured out what that means because ukraine... but it�*s a bit insulting to ukraine, isn�*t it? yes, of course, and they completely reject that, of course. i mean, there has never been that kind of nazification on ukraine, ukrainian lands. but the russian side has brought this up. however, i think that's one of the easier items to deal with. those are the four easy things. now for the two difficult ones. they�*re both territorial. one is about donbas, although the turks were much, much vaguer about the details of this, but it could be that russia would demand the independence of those two small russian—speaking statelets in east ukraine. and the second is crimea.

and this meeting between president putin and president zelensky should take place sooner rather than later, because it's only at that level, at the strategic level where the leaders meet, i think the key decisions will be taken, and hopefully a permanent ceasefire and a permanent peace agreement will be reached. all other initiatives are important. they help. but ultimately, you know, it's president putin who's going to call this thing off. now, of course, russia took crimea off ukraine illegally in 2014. now, maybe, russia wants to force ukraine to say that the taking of crimea was legal, which will be a very, very bitter pill for ukraine to have to swallow. can i ask you, finally, you were just a few minutes ago listening to president putin talking on the phone. there�*s been quite a lot

of speculation about his state of mind, about his sanity even, and his health and so on. what did you think? what was your impression as you listened to him? he was the same as usual. calm, confident. he didn't talk about nuclear or anything. and, i mean, he talked about the negotiations and the items on the table. you know, it was kind of around that tone and framework. and calm? and calm, yeah. john simpson in istanbul. 2 million of those refugees have crossed the border into poland, many of them children. 65,000 have already started in polish schools, but they�*re expecting many more, with special classes giving ukrainian children an introduction to the polish language and education system. 0ur correspondent danjohnson is in krakow, not far from the ukrainian border. absolutely, yes, poland really

has felt the pressure. more refugees arriving from ukraine into poland than any other country, and it�*s now crossed that staggering figure of 2 million refugees in the last three weeks. this is the arena, the concert venue on the edge of krakow which is being used as a registration centre for ukrainian families. this is where they come to give their details to get a polish id number so that they can claim benefits, so that they have the right to live and work for the next 18 months as promised by the polish government. that will also entitle polish families who are hosting refugees to the payments that are being offered by the polish around seven euros a day for each ukrainian that they�*re able to take in. and we�*ve seen such enormous generosity from local people, from charities and from organisations. we�*ve also seen the official effort from the authorities stepping up, but i want to talk a little bit about children because they are a huge number of those refugees.

about 700,000 of those 2 million are children that have come