is this is bbc news broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm christian fraser, the headlines. this is the scene in westminster hall, where mourners are now able to pay their respects to queen elizabeth, who is lying in state. i'm geeta guru—murthy live at westminster, where the queen's coffin will remain for four days, before her state funeral next monday. as many as 400,000 people are expected to file past the coffin in the coming days. it will be kind of a good closure then, tojust it will be kind of a good closure then, to just see it will be kind of a good closure then, tojust see her, you know, and also, just to, i don't know, give something back. also, just to, i don't know,

give something back. the queen was taken in solemn procession from buckingham palace to westminster on a gun carriage pulled by the household cavalry. walking behind, her children and grandchildren, as well as other members of the royal family, led, by king charles. thousands of people witnessed the procession, some overcome by the emotion of the moment. good evening. queen elizabeth ii is lying in state tonight, beneath the ancient timbers of westminster hall. this afternoon the queen's coffin, carrying the imperial state crown, left buckingham palace for the last

time, and was carried by gun carriage in procession down the mall, to horse guards, past the cenotaph and on to westminster hall. behind the carriage, marching slowly to the muffled beat of the drum, were her majesty's four children, king charles, the princess royal, the duke of york, the earl of wessex and her grandchildren, the two princes, william and harry. the queen will now lie in state for four full days, until monday, the morning of herfuneral. and in the last two hours those at the front of the queue, have been making their way past the coffin. maybe as many as 400,000 people will file through the great hall in the coming days, to say their own personal farewell to the queen. we are witnessing a change of the

guard. this is a vigil that will go on, day and night. six hours each until monday, the day of the funeral. some of these people, waiting at the back of the hall have waited two night, in fairly inme. weather to walk round the coffin, people just bowing their heads, some of them saluting, you never quite know what goes through people's minds at a time like this, some, we have heard from today, have talked about their own experience of losing a parent, some will be here in sympathy with the queen's children. some will feel it their duty to say goodbye to the queen. some may be have been in her presence or met her, and just wanted to say their own thank you. so that is the scene in westminster hall. we will talk maybe to some of

those many this queue tonight, but let us look back on what has been a truly historic day. here's our royal correspondent nicholas witchell. in a setting that is so familiar, where so often and so recently there has been celebration, today an event of the greatest solemnity. 0n the pavements around the palace and along the mall, spectators were quiet and still. at 2:22pm, the cortege stepped off. a field gun sounded and the great bell known as big ben tolled. the coffin of her late majesty queen elizabeth ii was brought from buckingham palace, where it had rested for a final

night with her family. the coffin was borne on a gun carriage. 0n the coffin rested a wreath and the imperial state crown. walking behind the coffin, the king with his siblings, the princess royal, the duke of york, who was not in uniform, and the earl of wessex. and in the row behind, princes william and harry, walking together 25 years after they had followed the coffin of their mother to her funeral. the military detachments marched with their arms reversed. the cortege passed along the length of the mall, dressed on either side with union flags. as the coffin went

past, from spectators, respectful applause. from horse guards, the cortege passed through the archway and on to whitehall. 0n past the cenotaph where, for so many years as queen, she had led the nation's mourning. now that nation with others mourns her. as the cortege approached parliament square and the palace of westminster, the applause from the pavements swelled.

many of those who were watching had travelled from afar, feeling an overwhelming obligation to be present. each wanting to be part of this moment in the nation's history and leaving with a precious memory. seeing the queen on that carriage was just unbelievable. and it brings it all home that she's gone. and we won't see her again. i definitely felt personally touched, it was a very memorable experience, a memory that i will cherish. i have to be honest, _ i was so focused on the coffin that i didn't end up seeing the royals following her behind _ because i wasjust, you know, wanting to see the queen go. | 0utside westminster hall, the bearer party from the grenadier guards took the queen's coffin

on their shoulders. other members of the royal family were there, watching. 0n the left, the duchess of sussex. the coffin, covered in the royal standard and surmounted by the queen's crown, was placed with care on the catafalque. oh, god, the makerand redeemer of all mankind, grant us with thy servant queen elizabeth and all the faithful departed the sure benefits of thy son's saving passion and glorious resurrection. for the royal family, it's clear is still being felt keenly. for all the stoicism, that quality that she represented in abundance, it is plain that some, the blood family and those who knew her over the years, are feeling very real grief. but now the late queen

has one final duty. into westminster hall came the first watch of the vigil. the ceremonial bodyguard of the monarch, and officers from the household cavalry, who will stand at the four points of the catafalque as the lying in state begins and the people of britain and beyond have their chance to pay their final respects to their late queen. met her, and just wanted to say their own thank you. so that is the scene in westminster hall. we will talk maybe to some of those many this queue tonight, but let us look back on what has been a truly historic day. i would imagine it was a great relief to the royal household. the precision and the silence which many people remarked on as the gun carriage passed by. let me show you again some of the pictures from inside westminster hall. you will see people have begun, resumed filing past, they havejust see people have begun, resumed filing past, they have just changed the guard, there is a vigil of units

from the sovereign�*s body yard on the corners of the catafalque. the coffin draped in the royal standard on the bier. and they are passing by on the bier. and they are passing by on either side. the yeoman warders of the tower of london, also standing there, former servicemen and uncommissioned officers from the yeoman guard, also there along side the catafalque. yeoman guard, also there along side the catafalque. geet guru murphyjoins us now from just outside westminster. these people have been waiting in pretty awful weather and getting through quickly at the moment. the? through quickly at the moment. they are christian — through quickly at the moment. they are christian and _ through quickly at the moment. they are christian and the _ through quickly at the moment. tie are christian and the people here that you can see, most of them arrived this afternoon, so about five hours ago, and as you can see, they are queueing patiently, if there is one thing the british do well, it is queue, of course, the other thing they do is ceremony. and

we have seen people in very good muir, i have to say. coming from all parts of country and some from overseas, we are joined parts of country and some from overseas, we arejoined by parts of country and some from overseas, we are joined by one group who paused for us, thank you for being was, why did you want to come here today? i think it's such a pivotal point in history, really, in our own history and world history, it is the changing of therd ga, it is old order that is kind of falling away and i think the queen is symbolic of that old order, there mr positive changes but a lot of sadness and mourning at this time as welt. ., ., ., , ., sadness and mourning at this time as welt. ., ., ., i. , welt. how long have you been queueing? — welt. how long have you been queueing? the _ welt. how long have you been queueing? the practicalities l welt. how long have you been| queueing? the practicalities of welt. how long have you been - queueing? the practicalities of this are interesting is. i queueing? the practicalities of this are interesting is.— queueing? the practicalities of this are interesting is. i have been here since 8 this — are interesting is. i have been here since 8 this morning. _ are interesting is. i have been here since 8 this morning. same - are interesting is. i have been here since 8 this morning. same here. l since 8 this morning. same here. yes, so started _ since 8 this morning. same here. yes, so started at _ since 8 this morning. same here. yes, so started at the _ since 8 this morning. same here. yes, so started at the procession| yes, so started at the procession and then it was so beautifully organised, that we just had to. can on to the vigil, and so... organised, that we just had to. can on to the vigil, and so. . ._ on to the vigil, and so... when did ou 'oin on to the vigil, and so... when did you join this _ on to the vigil, and so... when did you join this queue? _

on to the vigil, and so... when did you join this queue? it _ on to the vigil, and so... when did you join this queue? it was - on to the vigil, and so... when did you join this queue? it was about, | you join this queue? it was about, must be about _ you join this queue? it was about, must be about six, _ you join this queue? it was about, must be about six, no... - you join this queue? it was about, must be about six, no... 2.30 - you join this queue? it was about, must be about six, no... 2.30 or. must be about six, no... 2.30 or something? _ must be about six, no... 2.30 or something? 3.30, _ must be about six, no... 2.30 or something? 3.30, before - must be about six, no... 2.30 or something? 3.30, before that, l must be about six, no... 2.30 or. something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go — something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and _ something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and see _ something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and see up _ something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and see up at _ something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and see up at the - something? 3.30, before that, we tried to go and see up at the big . tried to go and see up at the big right at big bin to see the queen and the royal family bun fortunately we didn't get to see much, but this is a privilege here. it is we didn't get to see much, but this is a privilege here.— is a privilege here. it is a surprise _ is a privilege here. it is a surprise how _ is a privilege here. it is a surprise how fast - is a privilege here. it is a surprise how fast the - is a privilege here. it is a i surprise how fast the queue is a privilege here. it is a - surprise how fast the queue has moved — surprise how fast the queue has moved it— surprise how fast the queue has moved. it has zoomed along, it started — moved. it has zoomed along, it started moving before five which we didn't _ started moving before five which we didn't expect and we come packed heavily— didn't expect and we come packed heavily for— didn't expect and we come packed heavily for an endurance test, a long _ heavily for an endurance test, a long time — heavily for an endurance test, a long time and we have not needed in of that— long time and we have not needed in of that food — long time and we have not needed in of that food and the warmer clothes so that— of that food and the warmer clothes so that has— of that food and the warmer clothes so that has been positive and it has been _ so that has been positive and it has been well—organised, and really good spirits— been well—organised, and really good spirits among people and security and stuff— spirits among people and security and stuff s spirits among people and security and stuff ' ~ ., ., , ,, and stuff 5 what about things like auoin to and stuff 5 what about things like going to the _ and stuff 5 what about things like going to the bathroom? - and stuff 5 what about things like going to the bathroom? there - and stuff 5 what about things like going to the bathroom? there is. going to the bathroom? there is ortaloos going to the bathroom? there is portaloos and — going to the bathroom? there is portaloos and the _ going to the bathroom? there is portaloos and the hotels - going to the bathroom? there is portaloos and the hotels have i going to the bathroom? there is i portaloos and the hotels have been great, _ portaloos and the hotels have been great, really accommodating and let people _ great, really accommodating and let people into foyer, my friend was able to— people into foyer, my friend was able to go— people into foyer, my friend was able to go in, i was and they didn't mind_ able to go in, i was and they didn't mind that— able to go in, i was and they didn't mind that at — able to go in, i was and they didn't mind that at all. along the south bank— mind that at all. along the south bank the —

mind that at all. along the south bank the hotels have been helpful. that is _ bank the hotels have been helpful. that is brilliant to hear. has it been difficult? you have been on your feet all day? it been difficult? you have been on your feet all day?— your feet all day? it was worth doinu your feet all day? it was worth doing that _ your feet all day? it was worth doing that for, _ your feet all day? it was worth doing that for, for _ your feet all day? it was worth doing that for, for the - your feet all day? it was worth doing that for, for the beloved queen, anything, the queen of our hearts, definitely, iwould queen, anything, the queen of our hearts, definitely, i would do anything like this, we did have breaks in between, and there wasn't a problem, you could get back to your queue. a problem, you could get back to your queue-— a problem, you could get back to our rueue. ., . ,, ., your queue. how are you filing now ou are your queue. how are you filing now you are near _ your queue. how are you filing now you are near the _ your queue. how are you filing now you are near the front _ your queue. how are you filing now you are near the front of— your queue. how are you filing now you are near the front of the - your queue. how are you filing now| you are near the front of the queue, it is moving. it you are near the front of the queue, it is moving-— it is moving. it has been a beautiful _ it is moving. it has been a beautiful day, _ it is moving. it has been a beautiful day, you - it is moving. it has been a beautiful day, you know, l it is moving. it has been aj beautiful day, you know, i it is moving. it has been a - beautiful day, you know, i mean it is moving. it has been a _ beautiful day, you know, i mean from here you _ beautiful day, you know, i mean from here you can — beautiful day, you know, i mean from here you can see the south banks, it has been _ here you can see the south banks, it has been amazing, organisation, to -et has been amazing, organisation, to get the _ has been amazing, organisation, to get the queue, you start, we started the queue _ get the queue, you start, we started the queue overlooking st paul's and we paused — the queue overlooking st paul's and we paused a the eye, we came over the bridge. — we paused a the eye, we came over the bridge, you are surround by really— the bridge, you are surround by really lovely people and the procession as you know was awe—inspiring, just the silence and the organisation, and now, just the queue _ the organisation, and now, just the queue has— the organisation, and now, just the queue has been no problem and we have been— queue has been no problem and we have been here since 8 this morning and it— have been here since 8 this morning and it feels— have been here since 8 this morning and it feels like nothing, it is is and it feels like nothing, it is is a reat— and it feels like nothing, it is is a real privilege to be here. you are ve near a real privilege to be here. you are very near the _ a real privilege to be here. you are very near the point _ a real privilege to be here. you are very near the point at _ a real privilege to be here. you are

very near the point at which - a real privilege to be here. you are very near the point at which you i very near the point at which you will be able to pay your respects. . that is when it will hit me, it has been _ that is when it will hit me, it has been quite — that is when it will hit me, it has been quite jovial in the queue, and as i been quite jovial in the queue, and as i am _ been quite jovial in the queue, and as i am approached the abbey now it is beginning to hit home, how sombre this event— is beginning to hit home, how sombre this event is, — is beginning to hit home, how sombre this event is, and i am expecting to feel overwhelmed, probably when i go in. feel overwhelmed, probably when i go in~ tide— feel overwhelmed, probably when i go in. ~ ., ., feel overwhelmed, probably when i go in. we will let you all go in, thank ou ve in. we will let you all go in, thank you very much — in. we will let you all go in, thank you very much indeed. _ in. we will let you all go in, thank you very much indeed. thank- in. we will let you all go in, thank you very much indeed. thank you | in. we will let you all go in, thank. you very much indeed. thank you so much for being with us. that is a few voices in the queue, and we have seen people from many parts of the world as as well as all over the uk, and layla is at carriage gate, very near where we are. we are on the house of lords side of westminster. i am in parliament square across the road from westminster hall, the oldest part of the houses of parliament where the queen's coffin is lying in state, and behind me you can see the

crowds streaming out, steadily from carriage gate, the gates where the coffin was brought in, earlier today, and those are the crowds of people who have had their turn, who have waited in line and had their turn to file past the queen's coffin, seeing the pictures of people from inside, many quietly contemplating as they walked past, filed past, both sides of the queen's coffin, some bowing their heads in respect. some cur issing, some showing visible emotion so a different atmosphere inside and at the gates here at parliament, from those people in the queue, waiting to get in, because for most people, when they come to that moment of quiet reflection, their own moment, their own personal time with the queen's coffin, it wast it will be a more solemn occasion and for many that, the many hours anticipation in the queue will provide a opportunity for them to have a quiet moment and a quiet moment of reflection, so remember this is going on all night, and all day so it is a 24/7

operation so the queue also be filing in steadily, to westminster hall, overnight tonight and in the coming days, right until the queen's funeral, so, this for many, the aim of those queues that you are seeing people at the latter stages of, the atmosphere as you say has been very convivial throughout. there is a small crowd assembling here, many people sensing this is the place to be and wanting to witness this sense of occasion, so many more hours of people filing out of these gates. and layla, is your sense from what you have seen people have felt they were glad to have been, because they are kept moving once they are inside, they have had a very long wait, to get there.— inside, they have had a very long wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, i mean wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, i mean everyone — wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, i mean everyone i _ wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, i mean everyone i met _ wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, i mean everyone i met beforehand l wait, to get there. yes, absolutely, l i mean everyone i met beforehand in the queues certainly seem incredibly motivated and had a sense of purpose about being here, and you know, as you said the mood of the crowd is

veryjolly you said the mood of the crowd is very jolly and you said the mood of the crowd is veryjolly and no impatience, no regret, complaints about the hours of waiting or anything facilities, the hall is very large, it's a spectacle in itself, they would come to visit the hall in any case as something to behold, the oldest part of parliament as i say, it is a magnificent hall calf nous interior so it is a sight to behold even without this occasion, so i think you know, the time it would take for people to file through the length of the hall you might be able to see just the length of the building, is enough time i think for people to come out and certainly feel that sense of motion and occasion, so certainly no regrets from people having been there and you know, people have come from far and wide, knowing that that was what they were going to be able to do, and i think certainly the sense i got from people earlier was they felt that was a sense of closure, having seen the queen's coffin, having their moment there, to pay their respects in a private way, i think that was a

sense of processing, for many people, what has happened. thank you very much. i know some of the people i have spoken to who are just about to go in, their mood was changing and you could sense that, they realised they were about to come face to face with her majesty's coffin, and, with that hugely ceremonial sense of what has happened here, and that is when it would all sink in. people have been lucky today because the weather has been lovely here in central london, it has been a sunny afternoon and that has helped keep spirits high for those who have been queueing, some did start overnight in torrential weather, lucy manning has been speaking to some of those who have been queueing for a little longer than the ones just here for a few hour, some of those who started yesterday. traditionally british, the queen and queues. stretching miles down the river thames, past the houses of parliament, the london eye,

towards tower bridge. in its own way, magisterial. across the river bank, where the queen lies in state. we first met vanessa on lambeth bridge on monday. she has been here ever since, more than 50 hours. number one in the queue. i'm happy that i'm going to be the first person when they are going to be opening the westminster hall to pay their respects. but it is going to be a sad moment. and when you get in there, what do you think your thoughts will be? i don't know what to expect. saying some prayers in my heart for her. peaceful rest. and to say, thank her for her great service. those at the front had camped overnight, braved the heavy rain and cold last night, but they have formed a community. good spirits, all with one aim, to have the chance of a final goodbye.

number 22 in the queue, 85—year—old michael slept here last night, waiting 27 hours. because she's lovely. you know, i'm in love with her, i think everybody is. she's amazing that woman. there will not be another one like her. what do you think your thoughts will be when you finally get to file past the coffin? i will probably get very upset. i am now, i am feeling emotional. she means a lot to us. aisling, a former army major, and daughter rosiejoined the queue at seven this morning. why did you want to come down today, rosie? because i think it's good i we say goodbye to the queen before she goes up there. i think it's really important for history to be challengeable. i think being here and doing something as important as the lying—in—state is just, you know, something worth sitting

around in a queue for. bless these people in the queue, help them to keep warm... on his way to pray with the royal family, the archbishop of canterbury stopped here. when churchill lay in state in 1965, one writer described how there were now two rivers in london. "one is made of people," he wrote. nearly 60 years later, that river has returned and it will flow 24 hours, night and day until perhaps up to half a million people have had their moment in front of the queen's coffin. at four o'clock, an hour before the doors opened, they let the crowds stream across lambeth bridge towards westminster hall. the queue can stretch for ten miles. so far, it is nearly a third of its full length. it is moving well, though. and the public were finally allowed in to see their queen. vanessa was the first to pay her respects.

michael, not far behind. after their long wait, some short moments of reflection. after all, how do you contemplate what the queen has done? her majesty back with her people. lucy manning, bbc news. i want to show you some of the people streaming across on the other side of the river from where we are, i hope you pick them out. they are walking across and coming over lambeth bridge and they are joining the queues behind me, there are hundreds of people, i can see across my shoulder, so many people gathered here, but in very very good muir as we can see. and the light is fading, i hope you can pick them out. you can see them queueing patiently, a number of people have said they have made friends now for life because they have been standing together here for hours, they have been

allowed to bring food and drink but as they get closer, they have had to get rid of that and in some cases discard it because they are not allowed to take those inside. they are going to go through about eight rows of airport scanner, believe to check their bags and then they will be inside westminster hall. many have queued for five or six hours today, but, everybody here that we have spoken to is very glad to be here, to be able to pay their respects and i am sure we will see more of that in the coming days ahead of the funeral. thank you indeed. i can show you pictures from lambeth bridge. you can see that it is moving reasonably quickly, ill would look as though they are staggering the numbers to join the queue but that is flowing fairly freely at the moment, although once you get to victoria gardens it tend to concertina and become more congested and move slower, but this

line is growing in length, so, about 20 mince half an hour ago when last i looked it was about 2.7 miles, getting close to london bridge and in fact if you want to check the progress of the queue, if you are thinking of coming down to pay your respects you might want to look at that website which is on the dcms remember side. that website which is on the dcms rememberside. it's that website which is on the dcms remember side. it's a that website which is on the dcms rememberside. it's a map that website which is on the dcms remember side. it's a map of the queue, on the culture ministry, it is a map of the queue, snaking down the albert embank. there and on towards london bridge. approximately 2.6 miles long, they say, and that will probably take you the best part of a day to get to temperature front of a day to get to temperature front of the queue, but as you see inside the hall, people moving again, fairly briskly past the bier, past

the catafalque, i thoughtjohnny diamond summed it up. he said it was another shift from the private to the publish, remember the royal family last night were alone with the queen in buck but, there were reports that the family met for dinner and then today, of course, they handed her back to the earl marshal and to the nation, inviting the nation to share again in the morning, some cases the grief, such a poignant moment, i think, for the king and of course, lots of sympathy expressed for him. spoke so movingly about his mother and the love he had for his mother and the memories he has for his mother but there were moments today, during the procession, where you think the king was lost in thoingtzs and certainly the turn multi—of the last few days there for all to see and i think a lot of people in the queue will have sympathy with that. we will dip in to those scenes from westminster hall as we go along through the

evening, and if you want to look at the live pictures they are on the red button if you are in the uk. if you are in the uk. let's get some other news from around the world now. first i want to take you to ukraine. president zelensky has visited izyum, one of the cities liberated in ukraine's ongoing counter—offensive. he oversaw the raising of the ukrainian flag and vowed it would soon be flying over every village in the country. and fresh accounts have emerged of brutality and murders said to have been carried out by russian troops in areas now back under ukrainian government control. president zelensky says 8,000 square kilometres have now been liberated in ukraine's northeastern offensive. half of that, he said, had been stabilised. the purple area shows the substantial gains ukraine has made in just one week. in one city, balakliya, the russians are said to have used the police station as a torture and interrogation centre. so how surprising is his counter—offensive? 0ur international editor,

jeremy bowen, explains. russia has suffered a serious defeat, this is ukraine's biggest victory since they stopped the russians as the gates of kyiv back in march. at the beginning of this month, the red area was occupied by russia and this is how it looks now. ukraine has recaptured an area, round four times the size of greater london, the ukrainian have shown they can mount an agile, well planned offensive. now it started with stepion in the south. ukrainian forces shelled important bridges, positioned soldiers and talked about attacking along the black sea coast. the russians took the bait, moving some of their best units into the area. so ukraine sacrificed one military virtue surprise to gain it in the far north, when they attacked

near kharkiv russian defences broke. you can see from the amount of equipment that they abandoned, that it was a rout not a fighting retreat oras it was a rout not a fighting retreat or as the kremlin claimed, a redeployment. more evidence of low morale, it was also another russian intelligence failure, they were taken by surprise. in contrast, nato especially the us has given ukraine the edge in intelligence, with real time information and the weapons to exploit it, satellite guided missiles have destroyed distant russian command centres and supply dumps, roading russian's inadequate capacity to run the war. ukraine's president zelensky has been touring some of the recaptured territory, he needed a victory to show less hawkish nato allies that they might which the war, he wants more of them and soon. russia still occupies

around 20% of the country, including areas it seized in 2014 circled here in black. president putin will not consider himself beaten. he will try to hit back hard, he might issues more nuclear threats, which it would be foolish to ignore. 0n the front lines it looks as if the russians are not clear what they are fighting for. ukrainians have no doubts, for them it is all about national survival. in the daily briefing the ukrainian general staff said efforts to pub forward have been rebuffed but it seems the russian bombardment continues. the former us ambassador to nato is with us. the ukrainians have demonstrated

plainly that if they have the weapons and the speed of supply they can push forward, so how is that moulding discussions within nato? it moulding discussions within nato? tit reinforces the need to help the ukrainians with everything they need in order to continue going back on the offensive, which we saw happen so successfully in the past few weeks. if there were any doubts in countries like germany or others that perhaps the military aid to being sent was not really going to change the fundamental nature of this war which seemed to have been bogged down enable of attrition, those doubts had been raised and it was clear the ukrainians had both the skill and the determination to use both the weapons and intelligence necessary for them to make the advances we had seen in the past week. flan make the advances we had seen in the ast week. . , ., make the advances we had seen in the ast week. ., i. , ., ,, ,., past week. can you perhaps explain that more fully, _ past week. can you perhaps explain that more fully, the _ past week. can you perhaps explain that more fully, the skill _ past week. can you perhaps explain that more fully, the skill you - past week. can you perhaps explain that more fully, the skill you talk. that more fully, the skill you talk about, it is clearly an ability to manoeuvre and move quickly behind enemy lines. is that to the nato

training they have had over a period of years? training they have had over a period of ears? , ., ., , of years? there is no doubt the trainin: of years? there is no doubt the training since _ of years? there is no doubt the training since 2014 _ of years? there is no doubt the training since 2014 when - of years? there is no doubt the j training since 2014 when russia first invaded ukraine and illegally annexed crimea, that that training has borne fruit. from the very beginning we had seen the ukrainian forces be able to operate in relatively small units. remember when the russian forces were trying to take kyiv, it was small units armed with anti—tank weapons that were able to stop and reverse large convoys of armed vehicles. we are seeing the same capacity for a relatively small unit to act independently, working in coordination with other units, have long range fire and followed by tank artillery assaults, that is due to the training and the intelligence, because they have a very good sense of what is happening on the russian

side from the us, primarily, bejewelled so the uk under the nato intelligence. and finally having the weapons to exploit that has been critical. ., ., critical. one of the great advantages _ critical. one of the great advantages of _ critical. one of the great advantages of moving i critical. one of the greatj advantages of moving so critical. one of the great - advantages of moving so speedily through this territory is with the russian retreat they have been able to recover a lot of soviet—era kit which they are trained on. it is a huge benefit —— it which they are trained on. it is a huge benefit "— which they are trained on. it is a huge benefit -- it is a huge benefit not only of — huge benefit -- it is a huge benefit not only of the _ huge benefit -- it is a huge benefit not only of the russian _ huge benefit -- it is a huge benefit not only of the russian army i not only of the russian army collapsed in this part of the country which in and of itself should impact on russian soldiers in other parts, but also the fact is they literally run, jumped on buses, stole cars, went into civilian clothes, leaving everything behind, kit that the ukrainians can rightly turn around immediately and use against the russians. tara turn around immediately and use against the russians. ivo daalder, thank ou against the russians. ivo daalder, thank you very _ against the russians. ivo daalder, thank you very much _ against the russians. ivo daalder, thank you very much for _ against the russians. ivo daalder, thank you very much for your i against the russians. ivo daalder,| thank you very much for your time. my thank you very much for your time. my pleasure.

fighting has continued between armenia and azerbaijan. the armenian prime minister says 105 armenian soldiers have died in two days of clashes with azeri troops, in the worst flare—up of hostilities in two years. this despite a truce mediated by russia. armenia accused the azeris of breaking the ceasefire, and using heavy weaponry against civilian and military targets. azerbaijan said the renewed fighting had started with artillery attacks on its positions. the bbc�*s rayhan demytrie is monitotring developments from tbilisi in georgia. thank you for being with us. for people coming to this afresh, can you explain the geography and what they are fighting over? it is complicated. _ they are fighting over? it is complicated. armenia i they are fighting over? tit 3 complicated. armenia and azerbaijan have been in this long, protracted conflict over the territory of nagorno—karabakh, which is inside azerbaijan, within azerbaijan's internationally recognised borders,

but nagorno—karabakh is an enclave populated by ethnic armenians, so this is the core of the problem between these two countries. what we had seen today, christian, is the statement by the armenian prime minister who addressed the parliament and said that as a result of these two days of fighting with azerbaijan, azerbaijan now occupy ten square kilometres of the armenian territory. he said it was an addition to 40 square kilometres which azerbaijan occupied in may last year. right now there are hundreds and hundreds of people gathering outside the prime minister's residents, demanding his resignation, in response to this speech he made in parliament in which he said that if azerbaijan

recognises armenia's territorial integrity and will withdraw its troops to its original positions, then armenia will be ready to do the same. he said armenia wanted to reach an agreement with azerbaijan and the reason people are angry and protesting now is because they are interpreting these words as perhaps the prime minister's most explicit hint so far that armenia may be ready to siege control over nagorno—karabakh. i5 ready to siege control over nagorno—karabakh. is it ready to siege control over nagorno-karabakh. is it any coincidence _ nagorno-karabakh. is it any coincidence that _ nagorno-karabakh. is it any coincidence that this - nagorno-karabakh. is it any coincidence that this is i nagorno-karabakh. is it any i coincidence that this is happening, it was a russian brokered truce, any coincidence it is blowing up where russia is under pressure in ukraine? it is not a coincidence, it appears... of course i can't say it, but most people, the majority of

finalists and observers watching this region and watching what has been happening over the past two days are saying it appears that azerbaijan chose the timing, it is a well calculated timing for this military campaign because russia is armenia's security guarantor, russian peacekeepers, as we speak right now, are deployed in nagorno—karabakh, protecting ethnic armenians living the. 0f nagorno—karabakh, protecting ethnic armenians living the. of course the timing is not coincidental, that is what it appears. russia is at its weakest point, as you were just talking before this interview with me, it is experiencing losses in ukraine and it cannot come and help armenia add to this time, despite the fact that there was this appeal to the moscow led security

organisation, the collective security treaty organisation, asking for military help. this organisation said for now they will be sending a fact fighting mission that will arrive in armenia tomorrow. titer? arrive in armenia tomorrow. very interesting- _ arrive in armenia tomorrow. very interesting. rayhan _ arrive in armenia tomorrow. very interesting. rayhan demytrie, thank you very much. let me take you back to the live pictures from westminster hall this evening, he was looking at one of the year member, with head bowed, standing on the edge of the catafalque, the coffin with the flag draped on top of that, a fresh wreath of flowers placed on the coffin today, we are told it was pine from balmoral, rosemary and lavender from the queen because �*s favourite gardens at windsor and on either side you see the public quietly filing past, each of them with their own thoughts at

this very special moment. these first few coming through have been waiting around a couple of days to come through the hole in the first few hours. —— come through the hall. members of the household guard will stand guard on rotation until 6am on monday, the day of the state funeral. music plays people here in the uk and across the world have been in touch with the bbc to offer us their tributes to the queen and their memories of meeting her. what's clear is that so often, and for so many, a handshake, a photograph, even the briefest conversation, created lasting memories. it might in some cases have changed someone's life. and we'd like to share some

of those memories with you. one thing so many have said about the queen is how much they loved her smile. alan inglis from west lothian in scotland managed to get a fantastic shot of that smile. look at that. alan took this photo in 1982 on a royal visit to edinburgh. he says as a local photographer, he'd been told to keep out of the way — but took his chance and managed to get this photo. didn't he do well? until now, it hasn't been widely published. he says he's pleased people can finally see what he saw of the queen. no doubt those filing past the coffin tonight will remember that smile, an uplifting smile which many people will see throughout the country. someone else who created an image of the queen is henry ward. he painted her portrait in 2016 and was able to talk to her while she sat for him.

that is quite an honour. hejoins us from ontario, canada. goodness me, you sat with the queen, sitting, what happens in those moments? it is a very private moment, what atmosphere was there? good evening, it was quite remarkable, to be honest, when you were sitting with the queen and she is presented to you and comes out wearing the garter robes, it is quite the most remarkable moment and you have to steel yourself, because her majesty had an incredible presence about her. you get to a point where you realise it will not assist you if you feel completely bombed by her presence, so you have to come down and realise the best way to get to the queen socially is just to talk to her. we got to talking very quickly. eventually at a certain point you realise that the people that have assisted this project into reality, which in my

place was notjust the british red cross who had commissioned the work, and the person who started the fundraising committee of the british red cross to raise the awareness of the charity, but also my friend, her majesty's gentleman shh. he said to me, mark you, if she is wearing the garter robes they are very hot and very heavy and you must ask her to sit down and ask it she would like to remove them. i sit down and ask it she would like to remove them.— to remove them. i said, i feel uncomfortable _ to remove them. i said, i feel uncomfortable asking - to remove them. i said, i feel uncomfortable asking the i to remove them. i said, i feel. uncomfortable asking the queen to remove them. i said, i feel- uncomfortable asking the queen if she is uncomfortable. he said, she is there to help you. i think that is there to help you. i think that is what stands out in my mind, she was so willing to help people. the girl she wanted to put people it is. when angela kelly, who was in the room with my wife and iconic to remove the garter robes, —— who was in the room with my wife and i came to remove the garter robes, when she did, it was as if the mantle of the

monarchy was removed? studio: you went to the formal to the real person as they came off? it was almost as _ person as they came off? it was almost as if— person as they came off? it was almost as if he _ person as they came off? it was almost as if he were _ person as they came off? it was almost as if he were sitting i person as they came off? it wasj almost as if he were sitting with your most favourite grandmother. she was wise, extremely experienced, and for all of her majesty she wore it with such unbelievable style and she was so beautiful. she with such unbelievable style and she was so beautiful.— with such unbelievable style and she was so beautiful. she would have sat for some great _ was so beautiful. she would have sat for some great painters in her - was so beautiful. she would have sat for some great painters in her time, | for some great painters in her time, did she discuss her interest in painting and what she wanted to see? were there any instructions at all? no, and i think that is where one pot as a portrait artist that the monarch is very complex because you can't ever really be completely alone in the creative process in the studio, sometimes you come to moments when you would have to back out and refocus on what you were trying to say and then move forward in the knowledge that people now and

for the rest of time will be looking at it. after she agreed to unveil a chief said to me, this painting needs to be seen. —— after she agreed to unveil it, she said to me, this painting needs to be seen. the unveilin: this painting needs to be seen. the unveiling must be daunting? it i this painting needs to be seen. the unveiling must be daunting? it is l unveiling must be daunting? it is the best part. — unveiling must be daunting? tit 3 the best part, after the year of work you get to see the painting seen by her, she unveiled it, it was wonderful, the press association took those wonderful photographs of it and that was the best part. iadhere it and that was the best part. where is the painting _ it and that was the best part. where is the painting now? _ it and that was the best part. where is the painting now? it— it and that was the best part. where is the painting now? it currently i is the painting now? it currently hanus in is the painting now? it currently hangs in the _ is the painting now? it currently hangs in the fourier _ is the painting now? it currently hangs in the fourier of - is the painting now? it currently hangs in the fourier of the i is the painting now? it currently| hangs in the fourier of the savoy hotel in london.— hangs in the fourier of the savoy hotel in london. perhaps people can no and see hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it — hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it if— hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it if they _ hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it if they are _ hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it if they are in _ hotel in london. perhaps people can go and see it if they are in that i go and see it if they are in that neck of the woods. thank you for sharing your thoughts, henry ward. henry had a good conversation with the queen, but it's not like that for everyone. tracy marshall met her when she visited liverpool in the 1990s. tracy got so tongue—tied, her friend

had to do all the talking. we stood in a line and she meeted and greeted a lot of us. and when it came to me, she said to me, "and what is it that you do?" and ijust froze, i was totally starstruck, totally and utterly starstruck. my mate gloria bailed me out, and started speaking speaking to the queen. she stood there and she was totally calm, totally collected and she just did put me at ease, but i still had no words. you hear that so often. you have to lose your inhibitions when you are in the presence of royalty. as a girl, pollyanna shields managed to get past the barriers when the queen visited the north—east of england and give the queen a bunch of flowers, unplanned. shejoins us now. pollyanna, you were a brownie and the queen, of course, was a scout,

shejoined the the queen, of course, was a scout, she joined the first buckingham girls guy —— girl guide regiment that herfather created. girls guy —— girl guide regiment that her father created. how did it happen? that her father created. how did it ha en? ,, that her father created. how did it ha..en? , .. that her father created. how did it hauen? . ., that her father created. how did it hauen? ,, ., that her father created. how did it ha en? ,, ., ., happen? she came to open our local hosital, happen? she came to open our local hospital, furness _ happen? she came to open our local hospital, furness general, _ happen? she came to open our local hospital, furness general, and i happen? she came to open our local hospital, furness general, and we . hospital, furness general, and we had the day off school to go and see her as a brownie pack, we waited all afternoon for her to come out of the hospital. i think it was raining, when she finally came out of the brownie leaders were like, go! we snuck under the police barriers with posies in our hands. it was totally unofficial. she took the time to speak to us. she actually apologised for being late. she wasjust speak to us. she actually apologised for being late. she was just lovely, she asked about our brownie badgers.

just her smile, itjust made you feel so relaxed. the just her smile, it 'ust made you feel so relaxed._ feel so relaxed. the local paper said ou feel so relaxed. the local paper said you had — feel so relaxed. the local paper said you had broken _ feel so relaxed. the local paper said you had broken through i feel so relaxed. the local paper. said you had broken through police lines to reach her, that sounds quite dramatic, but she was not fazed? i quite dramatic, but she was not fazed? ~ ., , , ., , fazed? i think it was before they did walk abouts _ fazed? i think it was before they did walk abouts and _ fazed? i think it was before they did walk abouts and things. i fazed? i think it was before theyj did walk abouts and things. that is what the local paper said that we definitely snuck under the barriers or move them out of the way so we could get past. or move them out of the way so we could get past-— could get past. how long do you think ou could get past. how long do you think you talked _ could get past. how long do you think you talked to _ could get past. how long do you think you talked to her- could get past. how long do you think you talked to her for? i could get past. how long do you think you talked to her for? be i could get past. how long do you | think you talked to her for? be a coule of think you talked to her for? be a couple of minutes, _ think you talked to her for? ea: 5. couple of minutes, maybe, something like that. it felt like an instant but it felt like forever because she was so easy to talk to. bid but it felt like forever because she was so easy to talk to.— was so easy to talk to. did your arents was so easy to talk to. did your parents get _ was so easy to talk to. did your parents get a — was so easy to talk to. did your parents get a photograph? i parents get a photograph? absolutely, a prized possession of mine. , , ., absolutely, a prized possession of mine. , _,, absolutely, a prized possession of mine. , ,~ ., mine. this is all those years ago when you _ mine. this is all those years ago when you were _ mine. this is all those years ago when you were little _ mine. this is all those years ago when you were little but - mine. this is all those years ago when you were little but it i mine. this is all those years ago j when you were little but it sticks with you? when you were little but it sticks with ou? , .

with you? yes, and whenever the queen came _ with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on _ with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on tv _ with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on tv or _ with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on tv or if _ with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on tv or if we i with you? yes, and whenever the queen came on tv or if we wentl with you? yes, and whenever the i queen came on tv or if we went to buckingham palace or near windsor, i would always say, i have met the queen, to anybody who would listen, because i am so proud, really proud. do you still have your brownie badges? brute do you still have your brownie badues? ~ . . do you still have your brownie badues? . ., ., ., , badges? we had a coach that had been assed badges? we had a coach that had been passed down — badges? we had a coach that had been passed down through _ badges? we had a coach that had been passed down through the _ badges? we had a coach that had been passed down through the family - badges? we had a coach that had been passed down through the family from l passed down through the family from harrods and it was like, if you're going to see the queen you had to wear this coat, this creek —— this tweet coat, which i hated at the time. , , , , ., , time. keep it full best, my mum was the same! do — time. keep it full best, my mum was the same! do you _ time. keep it full best, my mum was the same! do you still _ time. keep it full best, my mum was the same! do you still have - time. keep it full best, my mum was the same! do you still have your i the same! do you still have your brownie badges? absolutely. pollyanna, thank you very much indeed, lovely to talk to you. lots of people have sent their thoughts and tributes to the queen — including many people who've sent artwork. sarah glover sent in her drawing of the queen with the simple message, "good night, your majesty. " she says sometimes it's hard to express our feelings with words — and at times like this she draws.

please do send us more of your stories and tributes to the queen. the email address is yourqueen@bbc.co.uk, we'll try to show you as many as we can. since the death of the queen was announced on thursday, things have moved extraordinarily quickly. the new king has been formally recognised by the privy council, the parliament, the devolved governments, and we have watched it all, as his reign was proclaimed first in london and then to the four corners of the united kingdom. centuries ago these proclamations were how the news was spread. and, crucially important these days, we have social media, which has been in overdrive since the news was announced. so let's get a view on what sort of role it has played. our disinformation and social media correspondent, marianna spring, has

been looking in to it. let's talk about the goods before the bad and the ugly. so many people like we have just heard have been sharing fulton members of the queen? social media has been full of tributes, posts about the queen, sharing memories, young people filming themselves on tiktok and their reactions. there has been a lot of lovely stuff and people will have been saying about content, but whenever we have a wave of posts about a particular topic there is a risk of misleading posts or things to look out for. as ever, that is my job, so i had some advice for people and some of the things they might see on social media that they might want to look out for. because we are

getting lots of montages about pictures and videos, people are sharing old pictures in a misleading way, people sharing pictures of other events and suggesting they are happening now. there is a picture of meghan markle dressed up to go to remembrance sunday, she isn't black, you can see a poppy, it says this is meghan at the funeral dressed like diana —— dressed up to go to remembrance sunday, she is in black. they are comparing and implying this is the funeral but we know the funeral hasn't happened yet. you can see various clues, the poppy on the outfits, it suggests it is old. some people are sharing it to say look at the similarities between meghan and diana, some are sharing it to be critical, why is meghan not dressed like the other royals? but it is not true, so be careful when you see old pictures to question and interrogate them. we have been seeing lots of

broadcast clips, people watching things in real time, people are re—sharing and analysing those clips and sometimes that analysis is interesting about different royal st george's happening but it is not always totally spot on and are sometimes speculative, so just be careful —— interesting about different royals and what is happening. sometimes it is taken out of context so find the original clip and see if you can find more information about where it happened, what and why. we are seeing lots of satire, parodies of companies who have posted various tributes to the queen and silitto satirical posts have gone viral with people thinking they are true, there is one example of mcdonald's, that picture of the queen on the mcdonald's checkout, thatis queen on the mcdonald's checkout, that is not true, that is a picture from 2017 but i saw that on social media and thought mcdonald had updated their screens, so just be wary, things that might be posted in

parity but are not true. finally there have been points of debate, things people are talking about, questioning decisions, for example to cancel nhs appointments on the day of the queen's funeral. that is true, but then people are asking whether other things are cancelled and when there is an absence of information and people are looking for answers we often find this information and rumours can spread, so go to reliable sources. if you want to check it something is happening or check on an appointment, go to the places where you can get those things happening, not social media.— not social media. plenty of information _ not social media. plenty of information on _ not social media. plenty of information on the - not social media. plenty of information on the bbc- not social media. plenty of - information on the bbc website and also on the dcms website, including information on the queue which we have been following through the night. thank you forjoining us, marianna spring. the queen was the patron of more than 500 charities, but few of them were part of her life for as long as the girl guides. she wasjust 11 years old when she became a guide,

earning badges for swimming, first aid and horse—riding. 0ur correspondent navtej johal went to meet some of the many girls who followed in her majesty's footsteps. all: i promise that i will do my best to be true to myself - and develop my beliefs, to serve the queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the guide law. a promise which girls have been reciting for decades. and when it comes to doing one�*s best, they have few better examples than their patron. she was in our club! established more than a century ago, the queen was a member of what was then known as girl guides — a girl—only organisation where they can take part in activities ranging from camping to creative arts. in 1937, when she was just 11 years old, the then princess elizabeth became a guide, and her sister margaret, a brownie. they were part of the 1st buckingham palace guide company. and this group in york feel a kinship with one of their own. she was a girl guide, and so am i.

so that we're linked by organisation. i started as a rainbow when i was five. and the fact that she's been able to grow up through those steps as well, and the fact that she still was a part of that guiding journey until she died is kind of an inspiration to everyone, i think. it makes me feel really proud, - actually, knowing that our queen, who was the ruler of our country, i did the same things that i've done. i promise that i will do my best to do my duty to god and the queen. and there they are. few know more about the relationship between girlguiding and the queen, than angie goddard. she's been involved with the organisation for most of her life. this is a picture of the queen's wedding cake, the fruit for which came from the girl guides of australia. and although as the wording of the promise and the laws have slightly changed over the years, to be relevant to the girls and young women, i think the queen has always lived by the promise she made and the law she made.

in 1953, the year after elizabeth became queen, she also became patron of girlguiding and, over the years, met many members. one of them was ally simcock. to serve the queen, help other people and keep the brownie guide law. newsreel: the national garden festival was officially opened - by her majesty the queen. ally met her in 1986, aged nine, as a brownie, when she visited the national garden festival in stoke—on—trent. she just had this presence about her that was just so lovely. she made you feel like you were as important as she was. and it was. . . it was just lovely. and, you know, i was only nine, but yet here i am, all these years later, it still means a lot to me — enough to feel like i feel like i've lost someone. back in york, the promise the girls recite will change soon, referring to the king rather than the queen. but much like their most famous member, their commitment remains unwavering. navteonhal, bbc news.

let me take you back to the scene at westminster. quite moving this evening. the light has faded, you can see the floodlights over victoria gardens, see how many people are now winding their way towards westminster hall. these are the scenes inside and these are the images we will focus on over the course of the next four days, as attention shifts to the people who have come from all over the country and, indeed, the commonwealth, to pay theirfinal and, indeed, the commonwealth, to pay their final respects to the queen. ten to 15 millimetres of rain fell across southern parts of the uk through last night and into this morning. but with the clearance of that weather front this afternoon, the wind direction has changed for all. it's coming down from the north. it's a chillier direction, but that northerly breeze is picking up and it's quite a brisk wind that

will continue to blow showers in for the rest of this evening and overnight to northern and eastern areas, one or two for the north sea coast, and also one or two coming in across northern ireland and western coasts of england and wales as well. but inland, a chilly night, chilly again in the glens of scotland, possibly a touch of grass frost here. and even though double figures further south, it will feel fresher. we've lost that humidity now that has been with us for this part of the week. and that cold northerly wind is coming right the way down from the arctic, and so too is our air, and that will continue to filter southwards. so we're in for some chilly nights and some fresher days, but still there's strength in the september sunshine, and plenty of that around on offer first thing thursday, the cloud come and goes. again, quite a few showers and the odd sharp shower across northern and eastern scotland, moving into eastern england. one or two further west across northern ireland and the irish sea coast of england and wales as well, perhaps the cheshire gap, but it might be that we only see 18 or 19 on thursday. that'll be the first day since early

june that we haven't had 20 degrees somewhere in the uk. sojust an indication that it is quite a cool airflow, and quite a brisk wind as well through thursday and into friday, particularly around the coast further showers, but inland temperatures continue to dip away. so we'll get single figures in the countryside further south as well. the winds probably going to peak thursday into friday, particularly for north sea coasts and there will be plenty more showers working their way southwards on a weather system, perhaps fewer, and the wind starting to fall lighter further west because high pressure is starting to build in during the course of friday, into northern ireland, western fringes of england and wales, and then over the weekend across much of the uk. so if you're heading to london, a fresher 15 or 16, but feeling pleasant enough in the sunshine, just an outside chance of a shower, but through the evening and overnight, early morning, it really will feel chilly, perhaps the first widespread chilly snap of the autumn. but otherwise, there's a lot of dry and settled weather on the forecast.

i'm christian fraser, the headlines: this is the scene in westminster hall tonight where mourners are paying theirfinal hall tonight where mourners are paying their final respects to queen elizabeth who is lying in state. i am live in westminster where i will be talking to people who have been queueing for hours nowjust moments away from paying their respects to her majesty. as many as 400,000 people are expected to file past the coffin in the coming days. it'll be good closure to just see her, you know? and alsojust two, i don't know, give something back ——

just to. don't know, give something back -- 'ust to. . , don't know, give something back -- 'ust to. ., , v, just to. early in the day the queen was taken in _ just to. early in the day the queen was taken in solemn _ just to. early in the day the queen was taken in solemn procession i just to. early in the day the queen i was taken in solemn procession from buckingham palace to westminster on a gun carriage pulled by the household cavalry. following behind, king charles, the queen's children and grandchildren as well as other members of the royal family. thousands of people witnessed the procession. some overcome by the emotion of the moment. queen elizabeth ii is lying in state tonight beneath the ancient timbers

of westminster hall. this afternoon the queen's coffin carrying the imperial state crown left buckingham palace for the last time and was carried by gun carriage and procession down the mile, past the cenotaph, and on to westminster behind the carriage, marching to the muffled beat of the drum, her majesty's four children, prince charles, the earl of wessex, the duke of york, and her grandchildren, the two princes william and harry. the queen will lie in state for four days until monday, the morning of herfuneral. let me days until monday, the morning of her funeral. let me take you live to westminster. you are seeing live pictures. at the moment, we think a changing of the guard. a round—the—clock vigil will be in place until monday until the funeral. filing past, just waiting patiently for this moment, you can see on either side the members of the public who have come to say their final farewells.

the public who have come to say theirfinalfarewells. it has been the public who have come to say their final farewells. it has been a steady procession of people during the day. we can see the coffin as we pull back. the day. we can see the coffin as we pullback. the plinth draped in the royal standard, imperial state crown at the head of it. also flowers placed on the coffin from the queen's favourite gardens. rosemary and lavenderfrom queen's favourite gardens. rosemary and lavender from windsor. queen's favourite gardens. rosemary and lavenderfrom windsor. other flowers from balmoral. these scenes will continue day and night as people make their way in steady procession through the great hall. some of these people at the front of the queue are into the third hour of this lying in state. these people have been waiting, some of them, for two days in some fairly inclement weather here in london. there you see members of the grenadier guards moving away having completed their

vigil. 20 different units will take it in turns, six hour shifts, to guard the queen's coffin until monday morning around six o'clock. difficult to say what people are thinking as they file past the coffin. each of them will have their own thoughts. we've seen some people quite emotional. we've seen people saluting. service men and women who served, somejust a gentle bow, and then moving on slowly to the doors of westminster hall. just a few seconds in private contemplation with her majesty, and then the next. let's take a look back at what has been a truly historic day here in london. here is nicholas witchell,

our royal correspondence. in a setting that is so familiar, where so often and so recently there has been celebration, today an event of the greatest solemnity. on the pavements around the palace and along the mall, spectators were quiet and still. at 2:22pm, the cortege stepped off. a field gun sounded and the great bell known as big ben tolled. the coffin of her late majesty queen elizabeth ii was brought from buckingham palace, where it had rested for a final night with her family. the coffin was borne on a gun carriage. on the coffin rested a wreath

and the imperial state crown. walking behind the coffin, the king with his siblings, the princess royal, the duke of york, who was not in uniform, and the earl of wessex. and in the row behind, princes william and harry, walking together 25 years after they had followed the coffin of their mother to her funeral. the military detachments marched with their arms reversed. the cortege passed along the length of the mall, dressed on either side with union flags. as the coffin went past, from spectators, respectful applause.

from horse guards, the cortege passed through the archway and on to whitehall. on past the cenotaph where, for so many years as queen, she had led the nation's mourning. now that nation with others mourns her. as the cortege approached parliament square and the palace of westminster, the applause from the pavements swelled. many of those who were watching had travelled from afar, feeling an overwhelming obligation to be present.

each wanting to be part of this moment in the nation's history and leaving with a precious memory. seeing the queen on that carriage was just unbelievable. and it brings it all home that she's gone. and we won't see her again. i definitely felt personally touched, it was a very memorable experience, a memory that i will cherish. i have to be honest, _ i was so focused on the coffin that i didn't end up seeing the royals following her behind _ because i wasjust, you know, wanting to see the queen go. | outside westminster hall, the bearer party from the grenadier guards took the queen's coffin on their shoulders. other members of the royal family were there, watching. on the left, the duchess of sussex.

the coffin, covered in the royal standard and surmounted by the queen's crown, was placed with care on the catafalque. oh, god, the makerand redeemer of all mankind, grant us with thy servant queen elizabeth and all the faithful departed the sure benefits of thy son's saving passion and glorious resurrection. for the royal family, it's clear that the loss of the queen is still being felt keenly. for all the stoicism, that quality that she represented in abundance, it is plain that some, the blood family and those who knew her over the years, are feeling very real grief. but now the late queen has one final duty.

into westminster hall came the first watch of the vigil. the ceremonial bodyguard of the monarch, and officers from the household cavalry, who will stand at the four points of the catafalque as the lying in state begins and the people of britain and beyond have their chance to pay their final respects to their late queen. so many people talking about being there today and experiencing everything first hand. it is that solemnity we have seen tonight in the great hall. the ripple of applause that came down whitehall to parliament square, a mark of the fangs and the celebration that many people feel for the queen for a duty

for field, 70 years of unstinting service to the people of the uk and the commonwealth and that is what has been reflected tonight, in these long processions of people who are filing quietly past the catafalque. let's go outside of victoria gardens. those lines are snaking around. our correspondence is there. it is nightfall in london now but this will continue right through the night. this will continue right through the niuht. �* , ,., , this will continue right through the niuht. , �*, this will continue right through the niuht. , k, ., night. absolutely. it's been a wonderful— night. absolutely. it's been a wonderful afternoon - night. absolutely. it's been a wonderful afternoon here - night. absolutely. it's been a wonderful afternoon here in l night. absolutely. it's been a - wonderful afternoon here in london, which was fortuitous for those who have spent hours queueing. we are near the front of the queue. everybody over here will go into the house of lords side of the palace of whence minster. going through security, we understand there are eight lines of security. —— palace of westminster. everybody has been told to get rid of any food or drinks they might have had, no big bags, there are lockers where people

have been able to stow some of their belongings away. i think people will belongings away. i think people will be asked to turn their phones off as they get nearer to westminster hall. we are joined here they get nearer to westminster hall. we arejoined here by they get nearer to westminster hall. we are joined here by four people who have come here individually on their own, although one, as you can see, with a little baby. how old is your little one?— see, with a little baby. how old is l your little one?_ why your little one? three months. why have ou your little one? three months. why have you chosen _ your little one? three months. why have you chosen to _ your little one? three months. why have you chosen to come _ your little one? three months. why have you chosen to come today? i l have you chosen to come today? i thought it was a historic, and then build _ thought it was a historic, and then build a _ thought it was a historic, and then build a to— thought it was a historic, and then build a to be here today. i wanted to be _ build a to be here today. i wanted to be here — build a to be here today. i wanted to be here and he's come along with me for the _ to be here and he's come along with me for the ride. when he's older it'll be _ me for the ride. when he's older it'll be an— me for the ride. when he's older it'll be an amazing thing to say that be — it'll be an amazing thing to say that he has been here. rids an amazin: that he has been here. rids an amazing thing _ that he has been here. rids an amazing thing you've - that he has been here. rids an amazing thing you've done. . that he has been here. rids an i amazing thing you've done. how that he has been here. rids an - amazing thing you've done. how many hours have you been in the queue? six hours now. really amazing atmosphere. really friendly people. it's atmosphere. really friendly people. it's been _ atmosphere. really friendly people. it's been a _ atmosphere. really friendly people. it's been a great experience, really~ — it's been a great experience, reall . ., ., i. it's been a great experience, reall. ., ., it's been a great experience, reall . ., ., we it's been a great experience, reall . ., . we have really. how have you coped? we have had a couple — really. how have you coped? we have had a couple of _ really. how have you coped? we have had a couple of stops. _ really. how have you coped? we have had a couple of stops. he's _ really. how have you coped? we have had a couple of stops. he's had - really. how have you coped? we have had a couple of stops. he's had a - had a couple of stops. he's had a few feeds, — had a couple of stops. he's had a few feeds, so have i. we are looking forward _ few feeds, so have i. we are looking forward to— few feeds, so have i. we are looking forward to being there but it has

been _ forward to being there but it has been all— forward to being there but it has been all right.— been all right. that's lovely and well done _ been all right. that's lovely and well done him. _ been all right. that's lovely and well done him. how— been all right. that's lovely and well done him. how long - been all right. that's lovely and well done him. how long have i been all right. that's lovely and i well done him. how long have you beenin well done him. how long have you been in the queue?— well done him. how long have you been in the queue? since about three o'clock. been in the queue? since about three o'clock- how — been in the queue? since about three o'clock. how has _ been in the queue? since about three o'clock. how has it _ been in the queue? since about three o'clock. how has it been? _ been in the queue? since about three o'clock. how has it been? it's - been in the queue? since about three o'clock. how has it been? it's been i o'clock. how has it been? it's been fine. i wanted _ o'clock. how has it been? it's been fine. i wanted to _ o'clock. how has it been? it's been fine. i wanted to see _ o'clock. how has it been? it's been fine. i wanted to see the _ fine. i wanted to see the procession _ fine. i wanted to see the procession. i— fine. i wanted to see the procession. i went - fine. i wanted to see the procession. i went there| fine. i wanted to see the - procession. i went there first. i couldh't— procession. i went there first. i couldn't get _ procession. i went there first. i couldn't get anywhere - procession. i went there first. i couldn't get anywhere near. i l procession. i went there first. i. couldn't get anywhere near. i got there _ couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too — couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too late. _ couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too late. i— couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too late. i thought - couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too late. i thought i - couldn't get anywhere near. i got there too late. i thought i would i there too late. i thought i would 'oin there too late. i thought i would join the — there too late. i thought i would join the queue _ there too late. i thought i would join the queue. actually, - there too late. i thought i would join the queue. actually, i- there too late. i thought i would join the queue. actually, i felt. join the queue. actually, i felt like i— join the queue. actually, i felt like i was _ join the queue. actually, i felt like i was really— join the queue. actually, i felt like i was really lucky - join the queue. actually, i felt like i was really lucky becausej join the queue. actually, i feltl like i was really lucky because i -ot like i was really lucky because i got to— like i was really lucky because i got to blackfriars _ like i was really lucky because i got to blackfriars and _ like i was really lucky because i got to blackfriars and i- like i was really lucky because i got to blackfriars and ijoined l like i was really lucky because i. got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue _ got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there _ got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there and _ got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there and i— got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there and i know- got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there and i know it - got to blackfriars and ijoined the queue there and i know it has - got to blackfriars and ijoined the l queue there and i know it has gone way beyond — queue there and i know it has gone way beyond that _ queue there and i know it has gone way beyond that now. _ queue there and i know it has gone way beyond that now. it— queue there and i know it has gone way beyond that now.— way beyond that now. it has got loner way beyond that now. it has got longer now. _ way beyond that now. it has got longer now, has _ way beyond that now. it has got longer now, has it? _ way beyond that now. it has got longer now, has it? how - way beyond that now. it has got longer now, has it? how long i way beyond that now. it has got i longer now, has it? how long have you been queueing for? since about three, as you been queueing for? since about three. as well. _ you been queueing for? since about three, as well, i— you been queueing for? since about three, as well, i started _ you been queueing for? since about three, as well, i started out - three, as well, i started out blackfriars. actually, the queue has kind of— blackfriars. actually, the queue has kind of been part of the experience, really~ _ kind of been part of the experience, really~ l've — kind of been part of the experience, really. i've been speaking to lots of people — really. i've been speaking to lots of people. everyone is in good spirits, — of people. everyone is in good spirits, you know, to pay respects. you are _ spirits, you know, to pay respects. you are very— spirits, you know, to pay respects. you are very near the front here, how are you feeling?— you are very near the front here, how are you feeling? hopefully we are near the _ how are you feeling? hopefully we are near the front. _

how are you feeling? hopefully we are near the front. i _ how are you feeling? hopefully we are near the front. i wasn't - how are you feeling? hopefully we are near the front. i wasn't sure i are near the front. iwasn't sure how— are near the front. i wasn't sure how much— are near the front. i wasn't sure how much further the queue goes around _ how much further the queue goes around i— how much further the queue goes around. ijust want to pay my respects, _ around. ijust want to pay my respects, really, and humbled to be part of— respects, really, and humbled to be part of history. how respects, really, and humbled to be part of history-— part of history. how much is it you want to be — part of history. how much is it you want to be part — part of history. how much is it you want to be part of _ part of history. how much is it you want to be part of a _ part of history. how much is it you want to be part of a national - want to be part of a national turning point, and how much is it about the queen herself? it’s turning point, and how much is it about the queen herself? it's not so much about — about the queen herself? it's not so much about being _ about the queen herself? it's not so much about being part _ about the queen herself? it's not so much about being part of— about the queen herself? it's not so much about being part of the - much about being part of the national— much about being part of the national turning _ much about being part of the national turning point, - much about being part of the national turning point, it's i much about being part of the i national turning point, it's more about— national turning point, it's more about the — national turning point, it's more about the fact _ national turning point, it's more about the fact that _ national turning point, it's more about the fact that i— national turning point, it's more about the fact that i love - national turning point, it's more about the fact that i love the - national turning point, it's more - about the fact that i love the queen and i_ about the fact that i love the queen and hust— about the fact that i love the queen and ijust wanted _ about the fact that i love the queen and ijust wanted to _ about the fact that i love the queen and ijust wanted to see _ about the fact that i love the queen and ijust wanted to see her- about the fact that i love the queen and ijust wanted to see her in- and ijust wanted to see her in state — and ijust wanted to see her in state because _ and ijust wanted to see her in state because i— and ijust wanted to see her in state because ijust _ and ijust wanted to see her in state because ijust care - and ijust wanted to see her in| state because ijust care about and ijust wanted to see her in- state because ijust care about her so much _ state because ijust care about her so much and — state because ijust care about her so much and ihr— state because ijust care about her so much and i'm just _ state because ijust care about her so much and i'm just devastated i state because ijust care about her. so much and i'm just devastated that she's— so much and i'm just devastated that she's died _ so much and i'm just devastated that she's died i— so much and i'm just devastated that she's died. i thought— so much and i'm just devastated that she's died. i thought she _ so much and i'm just devastated that she's died. i thought she would - so much and i'm just devastated that she's died. i thought she would live i she's died. i thought she would live at least _ she's died. i thought she would live at least five — she's died. i thought she would live at least five years _ she's died. i thought she would live at least five years longer, - she's died. i thought she would live at least five years longer, may - she's died. i thought she would live at least five years longer, may be. i at least five years longer, may be. the fact _ at least five years longer, may be. the fact that — at least five years longer, may be. the fact that she's _ at least five years longer, may be. the fact that she's died _ at least five years longer, may be. the fact that she's died so - at least five years longer, may be. i the fact that she's died so suddenly has been _ the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a — the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a real— the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a real shock _ the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a real shock and _ the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a real shock and i've - the fact that she's died so suddenly has been a real shock and i've been| has been a real shock and i've been mourning. — has been a real shock and i've been mourning. i— has been a real shock and i've been mourning. ifeel— has been a real shock and i've been mourning, i feel like _ has been a real shock and i've been mourning, i feel like i'm _ has been a real shock and i've been mourning, ifeel like i'm in- mourning, ifeel like i'm in mourning— mourning, ifeel like i'm in mourning even— mourning, ifeel like i'm in mourning even days - mourning, ifeel like i'm in mourning even days later. | mourning, i feel like i'm in mourning even days later. gosh. an amazin: mourning even days later. gosh. an amazing experience _ mourning even days later. gosh. an amazing experience for _ mourning even days later. gosh. an amazing experience for everybody. l amazing experience for everybody. you have been here on your own.

you've been in the queue for a long time. how are you feeling now you know you are close to the front? very relieved, actually. it's been quicker— very relieved, actually. it's been quicker than we thought. we've met lovely— quicker than we thought. we've met lovely people in the queue. we chatted — lovely people in the queue. we chatted for six, seven hours. you brouaht chatted for six, seven hours. you brought a — chatted for six, seven hours. you brought a lot _ chatted for six, seven hours. you brought a lot of _ chatted for six, seven hours. gm. brought a lot of supplies, how long did you think it would be? tram brought a lot of supplies, how long did you think it would be? two days, two da s did you think it would be? two days, two days of— did you think it would be? two days, two days of food _ did you think it would be? two days, two days of food and _ did you think it would be? two days, two days of food and drink. - did you think it would be? two days, two days of food and drink. well- two days of food and drink. well organised- _ two days of food and drink. well organised- boy _ two days of food and drink. well organised. boy scout _ two days of food and drink. well organised. boy scout thing. - two days of food and drink. well. organised. boy scout thing. throw awa and organised. boy scout thing. throw away and go _ organised. boy scout thing. throw away and go home. _ organised. boy scout thing. throw away and go home. it's _ organised. boy scout thing. throw away and go home. it's great. - away and go home. it's great. pleased — away and go home. it's great. pleased to be had to pay our respects _ pleased to be had to pay our respects. it's a once—in—a—lifetime experience — respects. it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience-_ experience. let's finish with our little baby _ experience. let's finish with our little baby boy. _ experience. let's finish with our little baby boy, jasper. - experience. let's finish with our little baby boy, jasper. he - experience. let's finish with our little baby boy, jasper. he has i experience. let's finish with our- little baby boy, jasper. he has been extremely good. you have lost your socks, jasper, haven't you? i will offer you this to keep him warm. how much do you think it means for you to be able to share this with him? a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful— a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he — a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he was _ a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he was a _ a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he was a part _ a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he was a part the - a huge amount, and to be honest, i'm so grateful he was a part the queen i so grateful he was a part the queen was 's _ so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, — so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and _ so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and i— so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and i think— so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and i think it - so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and i think it is - so grateful he was a part the queen was 's reign, and i think it is a - was 's reign, and i think it is a huge— was 's reign, and i think it is a huge moment— was 's reign, and i think it is a huge moment that _ was 's reign, and i think it is a huge moment that he - was 's reign, and i think it is a

huge moment that he will- was 's reign, and i think it is a. huge moment that he will learn was 's reign, and i think it is a - huge moment that he will learn about and history— huge moment that he will learn about and history lessons, _ huge moment that he will learn about and history lessons, and _ huge moment that he will learn about and history lessons, and i'm - huge moment that he will learn about and history lessons, and i'm very- and history lessons, and i'm very privileged — and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for _ and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for him _ and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for him to _ and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for him to be - and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for him to be able - and history lessons, and i'm very privileged for him to be able to l and history lessons, and i'm very. privileged for him to be able to say he was _ privileged for him to be able to say he was here — he was here. thank- he was here. thank you i he was here. l thank you very he was here. - thank you very much he was here. _ thank you very much to you he was here. — thank you very much to you all for sharing your stories with us. and for waiting. sharing your stories with us. and forwaiting. i hope sharing your stories with us. and for waiting. i hope you can regain your place in the queue quickly. and your place in the queue quickly. and you are able to pay your respects soon. thank you. welcome of course, as you can see, people are waiting very patiently. the british do queueing, perhaps, better than anybody, and some people did start yesterday and pretty inclement weather. lucy manning has been speaking to some more of those who have been waiting for several hours to be here. traditionally british, the queen and queues. stretching miles down the river thames, past the houses of parliament, the london eye, towards tower bridge. in its own way, magisterial. across the riverbank, where the queen lies in state. we first met vanessa on lambeth bridge on monday. she has been here ever since, more than 50 hours. number one in the queue.

i'm happy that i'm going to be the first person when they are going to be opening the westminster hall to pay their respects. but it is going to be a sad moment. and when you get in there, what do you think your thoughts will be? i don't know what to expect. saying some prayers in my heart for her. peaceful rest. and to say, thank her for her great service. those at the front had camped overnight, braved the heavy rain and cold last night, but they have formed a community. good spirits, all with one aim, to have the chance of a final goodbye. number 22 in the queue, 85—year—old michael slept here last night, waiting 27 hours. because she's lovely. you know, i'm in love with her, i think everybody is. she's amazing, that woman.

there will not be another one like her. what do you think your thoughts will be when you finally get to file past the coffin? i will probably get very upset. i am now, i am feeling emotional. she means a lot to us. aisling, a former army major, and daughter rosiejoined the queue at seven this morning. why did you want to come down today, rosie? because i think it's good - we say goodbye to the queen before she goes up there. i think it's really important for history to be challengeable. i think being here and doing something as important as the lying in state is just, you know, something worth sitting around in a queue for. bless these people in the queue, help them to keep warm... on his way to pray with the royal family, the archbishop of canterbury stopped here. when churchill lay in state in 1965, one writer described how there were now two rivers in london.

"one is made of people," he wrote. nearly 60 years later, that river has returned and it will flow 24 hours, night and day until perhaps up to half a million people have had their moment in front of the queen's coffin. at four o'clock, an hour before the doors opened, they let the crowds stream across lambeth bridge towards westminster hall. the queue can stretch for ten miles. so far, it is nearly a third of its full length. it is moving well, though. and the public were finally allowed in to see their queen. vanessa was the first to pay her respects. michael, not far behind. after their long wait, some short moments of reflection. after all, how do you contemplate what the queen has done? her majesty back with her people. lucy manning, bbc news.

well, you can see the flag flying at the top of westminster well, you can see the flag flying at the top of westminste— the top of westminster here, and there are still _ the top of westminster here, and there are still hundreds _ the top of westminster here, and there are still hundreds and - there are still hundreds and hundreds of people queueing. they are moments away from being able to go into westminster hall, past security, and then having their moment of calm reflection to pay their respects to the queen. but on my other side here, i can see lots and lots of people in those zigzag pans. it is completely dark now, and getting a bit cold, but people are waiting very, very patiently. we are told about 8000 people can be fitted into this part of the park here in london, and people are saying to us anecdotally that the queues are actually growing, perhaps as people finish work and school, and are starting tojoin in order to be here. and as the weekend approaches, of course, one imagines that more people will feel that they also want to be here. we are gathering more of their stories. a lot of the people i

have spoken to stay are actually from in and around london and the south of england, but again, as the —— in the coming days, may be more people willjoin as they see how well—organised this is, as everyone is telling us. thank you, geeta. yes, interesting to hear about the camaraderie that builds on the queue. this is the scene tonight from the south side of the river, the albert embankment looking back at the palace of westminster. actually, if i show you, we have a website, the dcms website, which will give you some important information if you are planning to come down and stand in line. the queue is currently approximately 2.4 miles long, stretching all the way at the albert embankment, past waterloo bridge and round the corner there, —— up the albert embankment. past the london eye, and on to london bridge. they recognises around a 23 hour wait if you are at the end of that queue.

but as geeta said, people from all around the country coming down to london today to stand in line, but also people from around the world, those from the commonwealth countries as well, who want to come and pay their respects. and we will may be just finally show you the pictures from inside the hall, because there is right now... you can see another changing of the guard, the household guard, standing on the corners of the catafalque, and changing quite regularly. there will be 20 different changes over the course of the four days, each of them six hours in length, and, of course, the public are allowed to file past, and just pause momentarily there. let's turn to some of the news, and the war in ukraine, where a dam has been badly damaged in an attack by a russian cruise missile near the central

city. it has affected the city's water supplies. president putin said of his revenge for attacks in the north—east. meanwhile, president zelensky some of the ukrainian flag raised over one of the taken back. fresh accounts have emerged of brutality and murder is carried out by the russian troops in areas now back under ukrainian government control. —— murders. president zelensky says 8000 square kilometres has now been liberated in ukraine's north—eastern offensive, half it stabilised. the purple areas on the mac version of the substantial gains ukraine has made injust one week, particularly up there in the north—east one of the areas the russians have fled from, balakliya, they say the police station there has been used as a torture and

interrogation centre, and the army on the ground are taking eyewitness accounts from people who are there. i'm joined by accounts from people who are there. i'mjoined by an accounts from people who are there. i'm joined by an adviser to ukraine has micro defence minister. thank you very much forjoining me this evening. perhaps we can start with the dam, which we have just seen details of, hit by a russian cruise missile. what sort of damage has its cause, and what kind of flooding has created in that area? goad cause, and what kind of flooding has created in that area?— created in that area? good evening. the damage — created in that area? good evening. the damage that _ created in that area? good evening. the damage that has _ created in that area? good evening. the damage that has been - the damage that has been done by this missile strike on the dam is very considerable. the damage, if you measure it in the amount of water that is now leaking, it is leaking at a pace of about 100 cubic metres per second,, so it is very significant, since in the level of water in the river where that damages has actually risen as well very considerably, up to three metres more than normal. ukrainian

services, special services are doing everything they have to do to ensure that the situation is under control, but i would just like to repeat what you said earlier, that this is a sign of russia's impotence, because being unable to achieve any military success on the battlefield, they are taking out their anger and their ranks and their weakness, actually, and their cowardice, and striking civilian infrastructure. and what is actually interesting is, the reaction of ordinary russians. it is very common for a lot of people to say that russia is the kremlin. but russia is also the russian people, and if you look at the reaction of the russian people to the strikes, it only shows that russia is a terrorist state through and through, not just the terrorist state through and through, notjust the kremlin. people are joyous because thousands of people in ukraine were left yesterday in kharkiv without electricity, and

today without water. that is what we are dealing with. you will stay with us, but we are just saying goodbye to our viewers on pbs. you are watching bbc news. thank you for your patience. we have just said goodbye to some of our world viewers. can we talk to you about some of the general counter offensive? we have seen a lot of progress in the north—east of the country. can you explain to us why thatis country. can you explain to us why that is advancing much quicker than down in the south of the country? well, yes. as our minister explained yesterday,, the kherson region, which is down south, is primarily an agricultural region, which means in the kherson region, there are numerous irrigation channels which are now used by the aggressor as their defence fortification structures, so it is much more difficult to conduct these military

operations there because of this reason. anotherfactor operations there because of this reason. another factor is, operations there because of this reason. anotherfactor is, of course, that the ukrainian army, unlike the russian terror state, is unable to and will never conduct carpet bombardment of these areas. this is how russians use to occupy our land from where they were now driven out. they withdrew, like, 50,000 artillery rounds a day in certain areas. now, we are not doing that. we'rejust using high precision strikes on russian military infrastructure, on their command centres, their logistics and supply lines, and so that is why in the south, we are advancing slower, but we are advancing steadily there as well. can you talk to us about some of the reports we have of senior russian military personnel retreating back across the russian border? there have also been these reports of movements within crimea. what are you seeing in the russian movements at the moment?—

at the moment? what we are seeing, and what we — at the moment? what we are seeing, and what we have _ at the moment? what we are seeing, and what we have been _ at the moment? what we are seeing, and what we have been seeing - at the moment? what we are seeing, and what we have been seeing for- at the moment? what we are seeing, j and what we have been seeing for the last seven days, is a chaotic fleeing of the russian army, and everyone is fleeing. they are abandoning their military equipment, their tanks, their armoured vehicles, and abandoning their people, but instead of leaving our territory on their tanks, they are of course leaving their territory —— our territory on the car is that they steal from peaceful citizens. so the looting that we have observed in places like bucha earlier in april, continues. the local citizens who we spoke to already after re—occupying those areas testify that these guys are doing what they are best at, looting. washing machines, cattles, laptops. this is an army of looters and terrorists. we will have to leave it there.

thank you very much indeed for the update from ukraine, an important update from ukraine, an important update on the counter offensive which continues to gather pace, particularly up there in the north—east of the country. let's return to events here in london. one of the many challenges of the next few days is, of course, policing. forces up and down the country, particularly here in london, will have had to prepare in advance and coordinate to make sure all the major events take place safely. the arrest of some anti—monarchy protesters has led to concerns, with human rights campaigners as well as some politicians and commentators criticising what they see as a crackdown on free speech. let's speak to danny shaw, a policing and justice commentator. nice to see you. let's talk about today, first of all. the first major event here in london, and idessane the metropolitan police are very satisfied with how it passed off? i'm sure they are relieved that the events today have passed off

peacefully, without any major problems. this is a huge operation, notjust for the met, problems. this is a huge operation, not just for the met, but for policing across the uk. thousands of officers involved, army units as well, assisting, and it is notjust about security, but also about ensuring the welfare of people who are queueing, and there will be issues around that, that the police may be called upon to deal with, and the spontaneous protests, perhaps organised protest as well, that caused so much controversy. so it is a monumental exercise. ithink probably the biggest policing exercise, certainly, since the 2012 london olympics, and that obviously, police had many months to prepare for, but this, they will have done practices in rehearsals and so on but when it actually comes, it comes pretty quickly, and you have got to mobilise all forces, all units and officers coming into london and so on, that has to be done very quickly.

on the issue of