this is bbc news i'm nancy kacungira with the headlines. russia intensifies its attacks across ukraine, on multiple fronts. this, the result of an airstrike in the west, near the city, of lviv. the mayor sums up the fears of many. translation: there are no safe and dangerous cities. today we are all under attack. today we are all under attack. in the capital, kyiv, the surrogate babies, separated from their new mothers because of the war. at a rally in moscow, vladimir putin praises what he calls "russia's heroic deeds" in ukraine. joe biden speaks to his chinese counterpart, the first call warning of the consequences of providing material support to

russia. we will be live in washington with the latest. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk, on pbs in the us or around the world. russia is continuing it's assault on multiple fronts across ukraine, with one of the latest attacks, a missile strike on an army barracks in the southern city of mikolyev. reports suggest at least 45 people have been killed. meanwhile, overnight, there was a russian air strike on an aircraft repair plant in relatively unscathed western ukraine, near the city of lviv. there were no casualties. lviv has been receiving hundreds of refugees from mariupol in the south, with many saying russia is trying to wipe the city off

the face of the earth. after weeks under siege, and battered by shelling, it's soon expected to fall. but amid the darkness, the authorities there say 130 people have been rescued, from the bomb shelter under the city's theatre, that was attacked two days ago. our special correspondent, fergal keane has the very latest. the sense of security here is ebbing. after dawn brought this. a missile strike aimed at an aircraft repair plant. nobody was hurt, but this close to the city it's shaken nerves. guards were jittery, journalists shoved. get your cameras away, or i will break them a militia man said. people are not used to this. the mayor reflected the grim mood. translation: there are no safe and dangerous cities, _

today we are all under attack. this shelling was done from the black sea. no one can predict where the next missiles will fly, so when you hear the sirens you have to go to the bomb shelter and take care of your health. thousands were still arriving to escape the war. this the tunnel leading their trains west. it has been three weeks exactly since i first stood in this tunnel and watched people queueing to escape the war. still they come. from mariupol, from kharkiv, from kyiv, from kherson and many other places, whose names or deaths, we do not know. this woman has come from mariupol. 86 years old and bruised from a fall in a bomb shelter. her granddaughter described scenes of horror in the city.

translation: there are dead people lying around _ and no one to take them. they just lie there. it shouldn't be like this. someone must intervene. the city's been wiped from the face of the earth. there is nothing alive. all the roads are shelled. there are trees torn out by their roots. it is like a horror film. there are now 200,000 displaced people in lviv and maria today became one of them. the war comes to lviv from every where. maria and her children are from the east. she is a single mother, who lost her leg in an explosion at the start of the conflict eight years ago and has now had to flee her home for the second time. translation: a new more brutal shelling started, - the civilian population is suffering, there is shelling allaround ukraine.

i want to save the lives of my children, because we have suffered already. we travelled through the whole of ukraine, there is no safe space any more. in lviv they have placed these children's strollers in a central square. one for each child killed so far in the war. 109 young lives gone. and more threatened with each passing hour. fergal keane, bbc news. i'm joined now by viktoria elliot, whose mother is in mariupol. thank whose mother is in mariupol. you for talking us (ie! what thank you for talking us despite what must be a very anxious time for you. you are here in the uk but your mother is in mariupol.— mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak _ mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak to _ mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak to her? _ mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak to her? last _ mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak to her? last time - mother is in mariupol. when we last able to speak to her? last time i - able to speak to her? last time i spoke to her on of march. 2nd able to speak to her? last time i spoke to her on of march.- spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march, spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march. so _ spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march, so that _ spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march, so that was _ spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march, so that was quite - spoke to her on of march. 2nd of march, so that was quite a - march, so that was quite a while ago. and you haven't been able to

reach her sense. so when you last spoke to her, what sort of condition where she's living in? she spoke to her, what sort of condition where she's living in?— where she's living in? she was sa in: where she's living in? she was saying that — where she's living in? she was saying that she _ where she's living in? she was saying that she could - where she's living in? she was saying that she could hear - where she's living in? she was i saying that she could hear some explosion far away and they didn't have a lex city already. the water supply —— electricity. supply was cut off but she wrote to be in the message saying that she was able to fill the bath with water because she lives on the ground floor of a 5—story block of flats. remaining waterjust naturally 5—story block of flats. remaining water just naturally flowed 5—story block of flats. remaining waterjust naturally flowed down. the second message she was able to send to me saying that the bombing is so loud that water in the

bathroom, which is inside the apartment are trembling. that's it. since then i didn't hear anything, what is happening with her, is she alive? just nothing. that what is happening with her, is she alive? just nothing.— alive? just nothing. that must be really awful- _ alive? just nothing. that must be really awful. how _ alive? just nothing. that must be really awful. how have _ alive? just nothing. that must be really awful. how have you - alive? just nothing. that must be really awful. how have you been | really awful. how have you been trying to make contact? have you been trying to reach out to other people in mariupol, he had not perhaps? i people in mariupol, he had not --erhas? ., people in mariupol, he had not --erhas? . , perhaps? i have tried calling my mum, i perhaps? i have tried calling my mum. i have — perhaps? i have tried calling my mum, i have tried _ perhaps? i have tried calling my mum, i have tried calling - mum, i have tried calling neighbours. i was trying to speak to people sense 2nd of march. i wasn't able to make contact with anyone. because there is no connection. 50 because there is no connection. so there is absolutely no way to know what's happening with your mother, where she is, what she's doing? ida.

where she is, what she's doing? no. how are you — where she is, what she's doing? firm how are you coping with the where she is, what she's doing? iiru how are you coping with the stress? this must be really stressful for you. this must be really stressful for ou. , , this must be really stressful for ou., , ., this must be really stressful for ou. , ., �* this must be really stressful for ou., ., �*, you. just two i couldn't believe it, i was stressed _ you. just two i couldn't believe it, i was stressed and _ you. just two i couldn't believe it, i was stressed and last _ you. just two i couldn't believe it, i was stressed and last week - you. just two i couldn't believe it, i was stressed and last week i - you. just two i couldn't believe it, | i was stressed and last week i have covid, wasn't feeling well. now everything just rose inside of me. i can cry or i cannot cry, when i want to cry i cannot cry but then i can cry from just a simple picture on tv. i speak a lot with my friend who lives in munich and she's got a 75—year—old mum is in exactly the same position and she knows absolutely nothing about her. it's just a nightmare. it is

absolutely nothing about her. it's just a nightmare.— just a nightmare. it is certainly a nightmare- _ just a nightmare. it is certainly a nightmare. we _ just a nightmare. it is certainly a nightmare. we are _ just a nightmare. it is certainly a nightmare. we are very - just a nightmare. it is certainly a nightmare. we are very sorry - just a nightmare. it is certainly a i nightmare. we are very sorry about what you are going through. we do hope that you are able to get in touch with your mum very soon. thank you for coming on to talk to us. we will have more on that desperate situation in the ukraine in a moment. according to chinese state media xi jinping said that both china and the us had world peace is that they did not suggest that the conflict was not sullied moscow's fault. lets cross live to washington and speak with our correspondent there nomia iqbal. we heard from the chinese side of the conversation a little earlier than we did from washington. that's

ri . ht. than we did from washington. that's riuht. china than we did from washington. that's right- china got _ than we did from washington. that's right. china got its _ than we did from washington. that's right. china got its view _ than we did from washington. that's right. china got its view of _ than we did from washington. triat�*s right. china got its view of things out before the white house did. just in the last few moments the white house has released their readout of the nearly two hour conversation. pretty short. i think what really jumps out is president biden here in the readout said that he described the readout said that he described the implications and consequences if china provides material support to russia and i quote "brutal attacks against ukrainian cities and civilians. that's the main point that the us once to make to china. a reminder of the background of this, russia has asked china for economic help and military help because it's been sanctioned right now. it's hugely impeding it. america claims that china is thinking about it, that china is thinking about it, that china is thinking about it, that china has shown willingness to support russia. and basically mr bidens reaction to china is, eat if

you think about it you will face consequences. so that's what he's laid out in the phone call. there is no detail whatsoever of what those consequences could be but i think it's safe to say that they will probably be economic in nature. when it comes to trade that you did not hugely important to china, the trade it does with the us or the european union is worth billions compared, i should say trillian data trades with russia. that's was given to china by the us. it russia. that's was given to china by the us. , , ., the us. it is interesting about what the us. it is interesting about what the consequences _ the us. it is interesting about what the consequences could _ the us. it is interesting about what the consequences could be - the us. it is interesting about what the consequences could be yes, i the us. it is interesting about what| the consequences could be yes, the us is a big trading partnerfor china but when it comes to trying to convince other western countries to join in sanctioning china if it does indeed back russia further, how much of a possibility is that? that indeed back russia further, how much of a possibility is that?— of a possibility is that? that will be the challenge _ of a possibility is that? that will be the challenge as _ of a possibility is that? that will be the challenge as wealth - of a possibility is that? that will be the challenge as wealth of. of a possibility is that? that will. be the challenge as wealth of the of a possibility is that? that will - be the challenge as wealth of the us because there are obviously

countries who have deep ties with china. but president biden and the us is really talked about working together to build up this western alliance against russia. russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world, second after iran. i think the us thinks it's competent enough to do that against china if indeed china should step over that redline. as i say, china has completely denied offering any help to russia on anything but about what china says and does are two very different things. the lines for china gave on this phone call with biden were very anodyne, typical of the china her response, very neutral. but on chinese state tv they are very much embracing russia, they are very much embracing russia, the not calling it in invasion they're calling it a special

operation which is russia's words. they're also helping to spread misinformation that russia is putting out there about the war. i guess for china is the calculation in the end. they do not want to necessarily side with america, they don't want to give america a diplomatic win because they agree with russia, they want to stop the domination of america. but also china may think increasingly identifying with a country that's becoming a pariah state might not be an ideal situation. in the end china is probably thinking they would rather be friends with the enemy of my enemy. the number of civilian dead in this warfollowing russia's invasion, rises steadily by the day. the united nations says at least 816 civilians have been killed and 1,333 have been wounded. in ukraine, every part of life has been disrupted

and changed, for everyone from newborns to pensioners. jeremy bowen's been seeing it for himself. behind the addresses are the cover. and people like alayna. she's here to see what can be salvaged from the wreckage of her daughter's tiny flat and a block that was badly damaged three days ago. look, she says, a fragment of a rocket. luckily, everyone safe in the shelter. and in the kitchen she says the fridge, microwave, it's all gone. and there is another piece of rocket in the ceiling. even the shopping was burned. my daughter and her husband are newlyweds, it will get through

this. �* ,, �* �* , are newlyweds, it will get through this. �* ,, ~ �*, ., , this. translation: it's bad, really bad. the russians _ this. translation: it's bad, really bad. the russians are _ this. translation: it's bad, really bad. the russians are supposed . this. translation: it's bad, really bad. the russians are supposed to | this. translation: it's bad, really i bad. the russians are supposed to be our closest people. we never expected they could do that to us. we never wanted the war. the neighbour _ we never wanted the war. the neighbour came _ we never wanted the war. the neighbour came to fix the door the firefighters kicked in. he's been arguing on the phone with his wife's cousin in st. petersburg who he is known for 50 years. translation: he told me, known for 50 years. translation: he told me. you've _ known for 50 years. translation: he told me, you've been _ known for 50 years. translation: he told me, you've been killing _ told me, you've been killing russians, we did nothing. 0ur putin is a king _ russians, we did nothing. 0ur putin is a king and — russians, we did nothing. 0ur putin is a king and a god. i told him, a person like— is a king and a god. i told him, a person like that should be in a mental— person like that should be in a mental hospital. how could you russians — mental hospital. how could you russians let him be president for so long? _ russians let him be president for so long? so— russians let him be president for so long? so i_ russians let him be president for so long? so i said, we should probably end this _ long? so i said, we should probably end this conversation. in long? so i said, we should probably end this conversation.— end this conversation. in the other burned flats _ end this conversation. in the other burned flats more _ end this conversation. in the other burned flats more fragmented - end this conversation. in the other burned flats more fragmented lies j burned flats more fragmented lies for the people who survived the attack but lost everything that was certain. it is obvious that a young

family lived here for that war is made up of thousands of incidents like this, not even necessarily involving loss of life but destroying homes, wrecking everything. personal tragedies and afterwards nothing is ever the same. in the basement of kyiv maternity hospital number three they are doing their best to make it better but it's hard. a baby born to a surrogate mother was being picked up by a doctorjust surrogate mother was being picked up by a doctor just to surrogate mother was being picked up by a doctorjust to protect. we are strong, said the woman, ukrainian who carried the baby. her friend strong, said the woman, ukrainian who carried the baby. herfriend had done the same for another couple agreed in russian. they wanted their identities hidden before travelling back together to the war zones in the east. the doctor took the baby girl whose parents are german to a safe place we agreed not to identify. paid surrogacy is legal

here, biological parents have to brave the war zone to reach their new babies. 20 new babies are being looked after in a clean and warm basement. they are waiting for parents who've got to come along way, braziland parents who've got to come along way, brazil and china as well as europe. a short staff, the nurses don't get time off. we tried to love them as if they were hours until their mothers and fathers can get here said her.— their mothers and fathers can get here said her. �* ,, �* , here said her. translation: we 'ust use to teach — here said her. translation: we 'ust use to teach the fi here said her. translation: we 'ust use to teach the parents i here said her. translation: we 'ust use to teach the parents are i here said her. translation: we 'ust use to teach the parents are to h here said her. translation: wejust use to teach the parents are to look i use to teach the parents are to look after the babies. now it's completely different. we take care of them. �* , ., ., of them. and they were doing that, lovin: of them. and they were doing that, loving care — of them. and they were doing that, loving care for _ of them. and they were doing that, loving care for strangers _ of them. and they were doing that, loving care for strangers babies - of them. and they were doing that, loving care for strangers babies in l loving care for strangers babies in a war zone. but what a way to begin a war zone. but what a way to begin a life. the doctors in combat gear went out to collect another newborn.

vladimir putin has praised russia's "unity," over what he calls the country's "special operation," in ukraine, and he thanked russia's military. his comments came in a public speech, to a packed stadium in moscow. 0ur russia editor, steve rosenberg, has sent us this report. your president needs you, they had been told and they came. some with flags and fervour, others with the letter z that has been painted on military vehicles in ukraine. i'm a patriot says this woman, if our government is fighting in ukraine it must be necessary. not everyone was so excited at attending a kremlin rally. we have spoken to a few people who said they were either forced to come here by their employers or promised the day off if they would come. but no one would go on camera.

inside the stadium, where the world cup final had been four years ago, this time. vladimir putin! it was president putin out in the middle. 0n the anniversary of russia's annexation of crimea, he gave a pep talk to his people about events in ukraine. translation: we can see how our soldiers are acting and fighting in this operation. shoulder to shoulder they help and support one another. but what happens to russians who call it an unjust war? this. the letter z and offensive graffiti on the apartments of people criticising the offensive. this journalist was among those targeted.

this week, she heard her president railing against traitors and prowestern scum. she fears that from now on, anyone disagreeing with the authorities will be treated as an enemy of the state. translation: they see people like me as a worthless part of society. - police and mps call us parasites and free loaders who are working against the country. and i'm called a traitor of course, like they wrote on my door, as if i don't want russia to win. but i don't want our country to be fighting. there is something sinister about what is happening here. russia's president is dividing the nation into us and them, into patriots and traitors. vladimir putin is looking for scapegoats, looking for someone to blame for the economic problems ahead, so that russians don't blame him. the kremlin creating

an alternative reality, portraying russia as a besieged fortress under attack at home and abroad. the polish border agency, says two million people, mostly women and children, have fled ukraine to poland since the war began. an estimated half a million have escaped to romania and more than 350,000 to moldova. in poland, most of the refugees have ended up in the larger cities like the capital warsaw, and it's now legalfor ukrainians to work and go to school. but some are warning that services are under extreme pressure. 0ur europe editor katya adler has sent this report, from warsaw. starting to stitch shattered lives back together. piece by painstaking piece, here in poland. natalia and her fellow seamstresses, all of them ukrainian, are trying to put on a brave face.

translation: this is my third day of my newjob. l i'm so grateful for some stability after all we've been through. a sunny bridal shop is a stark contrast to the horrors back home. natalia's new polish boss says it's important to help. we feel that we need to help them. and we also know that they are very good people and very good workers. natalia is a force of nature, aided by polish generosity, keeping her and her son on their feet till it's safe to go back home. vlad is one of more than 70,000 ukrainian refugees now at school in poland. teacher 0lga cholewka, warm and grandmotherly, clearly aches to do more.

translation: there is so much trauma and we polish teachers don't know- ukrainian songs or fairy tales, so we said the children on our lap and give them a big hug. poland has absolutely opened its arms to families from ukraine in schools, in homes, and in workplaces, as well. it is spectacular to see. but on a government level, there are accusations of hypocrisy, of double standards. that they've chosen to welcome some refugees and very much not others. remember the war in syria? the hundreds of thousands who fled to europe in 2015? the polish government and others didn't make them feel so welcome. is it fair to cry hypocrisy at the polish government? those migrants, they wanted to go to germany, they wanted to go to france, to the united kingdom, that's the difference. ukrainians, they want to come to poland, they want to live with us and they are very much welcome

to do so. a welcome perfectly performed by poland's national ballet. refugees who are professional dancers can train, eat, and sleep here. the huge influx of ukrainians to poland means housing is becoming a problem. translation: the theatre | director here welcomed me. dancing helps to calm my mind a bit. the dancers' sincere gratitude to poland is bittersweet. translation: we love our 'ob very much, of course. i we left behind our home and don't know if we will ever come back there. katya adler, bbc news, warsaw. a reminder — that you can keep across all the developments on the russia—ukraine war by going to our website. there we have a live page which is updated with the latest on the story as well as reports from our correspondents

on the ground. that's all on the bbc news website — or download the bbc news app. with coronavirus cases on the rise in many parts of your appear in the uk the office for national statistics as reported a significant ride two rising levels of covid latest estimates suggest that three point 3 million people would've been up point 3 million people would've been up from 2.6 million over the previous seven days. it comes as the final uk travel restrictions are lifted. another big story here in britain — demonstrations have been taking place in dover, hull and liverpool, after the ferry company p&0 announced via a video message it was sacking 800 employees without any notice. the government says said it will review its contracts with p&0 ferries. the uk transport secretary has written to the company, saying it's behaviour is �*completely unacceptable.�* the firm said its action were necessary to secure the future of the company. don't forget you can get in touch with me on twitter —

i'm @kacungira hello again. it's been 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 flowing 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's 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 probably turning quite cloudy for western counties of northern ireland. that's your weather.

hello, and welcome to the programme thatis hello, and welcome to the programme that is after two years of covid—19 restrictions able to bring together again bbc specialist and foreign correspondent to write, blog and broadcast for the dateline london. stephanie baker, senior writer at bloomberg. mark, belgian economist and journalist who writes for the french magazine and clive myrick, bbc news presenter and long—standing

foreign correspondent and if the