this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour as newsday continues straight after hardtalk. welcome i am stephen sackur. the first anniversary of russia all out invasion of ukraine is fast there's both a feeling here and in moscow that would herald a new phase in the war.

president zelensky is visiting european pinay flies with his focus firmly on the challenges to come. i knew russian offensive is seemingly imminent. west is arming ukraine but still not at the speed and scale cue would wish. my speed and scale cue would wish. my guess is ukrainian mp dry. can ukraine win a long work? —— kira rudik. kira rudik in keybank, welcome. thank you so much for having me. 3 thank you so much for having me, �* , ., , ., thank you so much for having me. ~ , ., , ., ., thank you so much for having me. ., ., me. a pleasure to have you. i would like _

me. a pleasure to have you. i would like you _ me. a pleasure to have you. i would like you to _ me. a pleasure to have you. i would like you to reflect - me. a pleasure to have you. i would like you to reflect on i would like you to reflect on president zelensky message here in europe. do you think the focus from the ukrainian government is more on the gratitude on what european partners have already delivered or more on the urgency to give more now? i or more on the urgency to give more now?— more now? i think it is 50-50. what we _ more now? i think it is 50-50. what we learned _ more now? i think it is 50-50. what we learned over - more now? i think it is 50-50. what we learned over this - more now? i think it is 50-50. what we learned over this lasti what we learned over this last year is that you have to create alliances, you have to keep it and to keep the alliances with gratitude but also we want the world to keep supporting us. the world did not start a year ago —— war. it started in 2014 and what was the most painful is after a year it became a new normal. i knew normalfor everyone and we still had to find ourfight. so right now we don't want to repeat the story. we want to keep the war on the

agenda and get enough weapons so that we can actually win the war. because the strategy is to drive everyone into this long fight with the hope that the allies will not sustain it. that at some point everybody will lead. this is what he has donein will lead. this is what he has done in georgia and what he did to us in 2014, this is his plan moving on. and we need... and our plan is to get the most of what we can, fight him back, when and then defend our borders. you is when and then defend our borders. you— when and then defend our borders. you , . borders. you is there a degree of fear in _ borders. you is there a degree of fear in kyiv _ borders. you is there a degree of fear in kyiv right _ borders. you is there a degree of fear in kyiv right now- borders. you is there a degree of fear in kyiv right now fear i of fear in kyiv right now fear of fear in kyiv right now fear of ukraine fatigue setting in and europe and may be in the us as well? he and europe and may be in the us as well? . , , as well? he leave side by side with this fear _ as well? he leave side by side with this fear is _ as well? he leave side by side with this fear is probably - with this fear is probably since the second week of the

full—scale invasion. —— live. this is what we working on international fronts this is why president zelensky is doing his international visits, showing gratitude but also saying we are still fighting, we are still here, please don't forget about us. please stand with us, please win with us. talking of fear, i do sense a different tone in recent weeks coming from your government about the scale of the immediate threat posed by russian forces on the front lines. after all of the optimism in the autumn when ukrainian forces pushed them back from suites of occupied territory what we have heard in recent days is ukrainian intelligence and military chiefs talking about 300-500,000 chiefs talking about 300—500,000 newly mobilised russian troops being sent to the front line. we have had predictions that there is going to be an imminent and massive

russian push on various fronts, particularly in the east. how much fear is there in kyiv that the threat now posed, it may not be something that ukraine's current military configuration cannot cope with?— current military configuration cannot cope with? let's look at the facts here. _ cannot cope with? let's look at the facts here. first, _ cannot cope with? let's look at the facts here. first, the - the facts here. first, the mobilisation started in all —— autumn so by this time they were already able to mobilise and train those troops and we have confirmation that they have confirmation that they have been moving those trips closer to the battlefield. —— troops. this is fact one. fact two is putin did not have any major victory on the battlefield since before the counteroffensive on kherson and he has to have some wins, he has to show why he started a war to his people, allies, the

whole world. third, what we have learned during the last year is putin is absolutely... 0n the dates. so the major attacks on cue in all of the cities were at hundreds and therefore half of the year anniversary and christmas and etc. so we are getting closer to one year anniversary and we don't anticipate, we know that the offensive from the russian side will be to the state. if you believe this one year anniversary date is important to moscow how disappointed will you be if you don't have the modern battle takes —— tanks that the americans a promise because they have promised a hundred at least but there is no way that they will be available to your troops until later in the spring. that is a big problem is it not? it

later in the spring. that is a big problem is it not?- big problem is it not? it is. and of course _ big problem is it not? it is. and of course we _ big problem is it not? it is. and of course we are - and of course we are disappointed and upset and, you name it, the feelings. however, when we are talking about the disappointment, we are also looking back and saying, look how far we come and how much better we are, better shape with better equipment than we were a year ago. so there were so many impossible things that you and me would never think that would happen actually did starting with the heavy weapons, right now the promises of the tanks is much better than no promises because we know that at some point we will have them. but know that at some point we will have them-— have them. but sure in the short run _ have them. but sure in the short run they _ have them. but sure in the short run they can't - have them. but sure in the short run they can't fight i have them. but sure in the i short run they can't fight with promises will never mind the tanks issue where at least you have a commitment to tanks coming, when it comes to war planes, combat aircraft, president zelensky in london,

again made a passionate plea for these warplanes he called them the wing support freedom. we know that from 0laf scholz in germany and most particularly tojoe biden in the united states, the answer still is we do not think it is right for us to send warplanes to ukraine. so again, ultimately, it is a question of disappointment is not? flat disappointment is not? not reall . disappointment is not? not really- we _ disappointment is not? not really. we again _ disappointment is not? iirrt really. we again learned that no is something that you could work with. something that you can fight. we have heard this note for a year, since day one when i was sitting in the same room begging the world to help us because the bombardment was everywhere. the explosions that you could have heard on tv when it was happening. everyone said no and they said no for many other things. that right now have turned to yes. soup you know that just like another international project that we

have had to work with to get there are warplanes. no one is talking about them and to answer your question what would happen if we fail? what would happen if we fail? what would happen if we stopped existing? to be honest, if you read carefully of what western politicians are continuing to say, theirfocus is often politicians are continuing to say, their focus is often on not so much what happens if ukraine is defeated, there focuses on what happens if we supply potent weapons which become escalatory, a word often used with regard to their relationship with russia and their fear of a moscow inspired escalation. to quote 0laf scholz when he rolled out sending warplanes to ukraine to use the simple phrase —— ruled out. nato is not at war with russia. do you find that thinking problematic or do you recognise it as absolutely what

western leaders would have to say? western leaders would have to sa ? ., ., , western leaders would have to sa? ., ., ., ., ., say? two months ago olaf scholz and many others _ say? two months ago olaf scholz and many others is _ say? two months ago olaf scholz and many others is said - and many others is said absolutely no to tanks. so right now when they are saying we are not in war refresher, we totally agree. , but the question is the question we heard —— never heard in answer to is when everyone is afraid of escalating —— to what a nuclear attack? after discussions with president xi jinping and with india it has been pretty much ruled out. so what the escalation would look like? i don't think there is a proper instance that. the escalation is that russia will go and attack nato countries? excuse me, they are feeling and ukraine right now. they don't haveit ukraine right now. they don't have it for that definitely. so the question again that we need

to reform the ideas about you mentioned is, what would happen if ukraine fails? because i have in answer to that. right now it is not only russia who is washing on the world's sponsor. nato already committed to supporting ukraine in is already battlefield between putin and the whole western world who is supporting ukraine. so if we fail, it would mean that tierney wins. that the whole forces of nato is not enough to combat russia. then i can name you many tyrants who will raise their hands and say, great, thank you so much for this fantastic example. now we know how we should act. we should get a nuclear weapon and then we should take over our neighbours land and we know that we will get away with it. this is not the world that we want to live in, right? this is something opposite that we want to build.

0ne opposite that we want to build. one key element you thought would sustain you and make you victorious was notjust the military balance which you feel, will ultimately work in your favour if the west gives your favour if the west gives you weapon, but also the economic arena where you appear to believe that the isolation of russia and consistent sanctions imposed by the international community would, international community would, in the end, bring russia down. how do you feel about the fact that the imf now predicts the russian economy is actually going to grow in 2023 by 0.3% and by 2% in 24. does it feel like that economic battle is one that you will not win? elemental we are talk about russian economy and sanctions, we need to remember that real sanctions that were hitting russia hard on his third working in january.

russia hard on his third working in january.- russia hard on his third workin: in janua . ., working in january. the embargo on oil and _ working in january. the embargo on oil and the _ working in january. the embargo on oil and the cap _ working in january. the embargo on oil and the cap on _ working in january. the embargo on oil and the cap on gas - on oil and the cap on gas and oil prices. before that, they were rather sectional so cutting brush or�*s ability to trade and hitting particularly —— particular personalities. so we will need to fight for probably another year to see how bad they perform under the sanctions. ., ., , ., sanctions. you need to be a realist year. _ sanctions. you need to be a realist year, you _ sanctions. you need to be a realist year, you probably . sanctions. you need to be a - realist year, you probably know better than i do that russia's deep deep in its economic with china and president xijinping is expected to go to moscow some client soon to get symbolise that partnership. we know the indians are actually buying more russian energy because of the opportunistic price levels they can get it out. we know that brazil and south africa and a host of other countries are not only refusing to impose sanctions but are also refusing, frankly,

to condemn putin and what friendly relations with him. the idea that you could isolate russia and bring it low, economically, frankly, it does not seem as though it will work. it not seem as though it will work. ., ~' work. it will work in the long-term. _ work. it will work in the long-term. so - work. it will work in the long-term. so again, i work. it will work in the l long-term. so again, we work. it will work in the - long-term. so again, we cannot long—term. so again, we cannot expect that it will happen overnight. that russia will be weekend overnight. what needs to happen soon is acknowledging russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and putting secondary sanctions on them, pushing harder. basically what has been done to them was the hope that the economy will be torn apart was just step one of the longer plan. 0ne item that we are working on is making sure that russian central bank assets are being... so putin has been preparing for the war and has stored about $500 billion in the countries that he actually despises. so in the united

states, canada, uk and other democratic countries. so what we should right now, what is fair and logical way to go on is to confiscate those assets and use them to support ukraine. that would be another hit to the russian economy and that would be the fairway to not make people in the country that support us pay for putin's crimes but also make him pay for his crimes and for the destruction that he made. when we are talking about the international coalition and the countries that do not want to stop dealing with mr putin it will be another sign for them that the ones who are breaking the international laws will be punished as well. i the international laws will be punished as well.— the international laws will be punished as well. i guess the theme of— punished as well. i guess the theme of the _ punished as well. i guess the theme of the conversation i punished as well. i guess the i theme of the conversation today is it is not looking like a long war and is it is not looking like a long warand ukraine is it is not looking like a long war and ukraine has to prepare itself for that long struggle. do you think in terms

of ukraine's internal cohesion as a society, it is able to sustain all of the pressures that come with fighting in all—out existential war for years? it all-out existential war for ears? , ., . ., years? it is a challenge indeed- _ years? it is a challenge indeed. and _ years? it is a challenge indeed. and it - years? it is a challenge indeed. and it is - years? it is a challenge indeed. and it is easy l years? it is a challenge | indeed. and it is easy to years? it is a challenge - indeed. and it is easy to be united for one month, it is harder to be united for six months and it is very hard to be united and cohesive for years. but for us the question is what is the alternative? 0n the political matter it has been a year and we were doing very well for this year, we made a vow at the very beginning, the first day of the full—scale invasion to put political differences aside and to work as one. no matter how painful it was, i think we managed to sustain it. but there are _ managed to sustain it. but there are now— managed to sustain it. but there are now signs of

fragmentation. 0ne immediate example, your defence minister was widely tipped just a few days ago to be removed. it was felt that zelensky wanted a new approach in the defence ministry. he made it plain that he was not prepared to budge and now there is a great deal of uncertainty about exactly what is happening. this is not good for that projection of unity, is it? fit good for that pro'ection of unity. is in_ unity, is it? of course and this is why _ unity, is it? of course and this is why we _ unity, is it? of course and this is why we are - unity, is it? of course andj this is why we are working unity, is it? of course and i this is why we are working to make sure that media announcements are made before the decisions are made. because they hurt everybody. it is not a good time to change a minister of defence when you are on track to getting the weapons that you need and that you are preparing for a massive attack from your enemy. however, the reasons why the

minister of defence was supposed to be removed were recent claims of corruption that we are fighting. this is one of the huge challenges for our country. d0 one of the huge challenges for our country-— our country. do you think... it should be _ our country. do you think... it should be clear _ our country. do you think... it should be clear to _ our country. do you think... it should be clear to everybody i should be clear to everybody that you are actually the leader of an opposition party in kyiv. the golos party. so in a sense, before the war began you were a harsh critic of zelensky when it came to allegations of corruption in high places in ukraine in the failure to take on the so—called oligarchs. are you satisfied with what he has done in recent days and weeks? missing various senior officials fired, allegations of corruption, even within the defence department when it comes to the procurement of basic goods like foodstuffs for the armed forces. zelensky says he is not on top of it, do you think he is? —— he is now on top of it. i think he is? -- he is now on top of it— top of it. i think he is firing --eole top of it. i think he is firing

people and creating - top of it. i think he is firing people and creating casesl top of it. i think he is firing i people and creating cases and it is a good start but i will be satisfied when i see the processes are changed and there is a proper control of them and that we are moving towards the transparent procurement for the army. this is what we are fighting for, not for having someone fired, but to make sure that every single day we are becoming better and thus processes and measures. we understand that the war can be long—run for us. this is why we need to prepare on a larger scale, not on the scale of one or 23 people fired.— or 23 people fired. what does an opposition _ or 23 people fired. what does an opposition leader - or 23 people fired. what does an opposition leader due - or 23 people fired. what does an opposition leader due at l or 23 people fired. what does an opposition leader due at a | an opposition leader due at a time like this when all of the talk of need for national unity, have you buttoned up your lips to a certain extent when it comes to critiquing the government and president zelensky in particular? yes we

are doing _ zelensky in particular? yes we are doing it — zelensky in particular? yes we are doing it behind _ zelensky in particular? yes we are doing it behind the - zelensky in particular? yes we| are doing it behind the scenes. i am working as a team ukraine not as in oppositional unit —— leader. there is no opposition in times of war.— is that altogether healthy to be team ukraine there are questions about how he is handling the reform of the constitutional court which the european union is not happy with. also questions about the way in which the county government is handling the question of you —— minority rights when it comes to russian language in russian culture in your country. doesn't ukraine even at this time of terrible war need in opposition that is really willing and able to confront difficult truths? this is the work that is being done. we have all of the spectrum of

opinions in ukrainian parliament and we are the people who are telling our government when they are doing things wrong, however because of the work we are doing it behind—the—scenes. not on tv and not in a public matter as we used to do before. but the whole point — we used to do before. but the whole point of _ we used to do before. but the whole point of ukraine's - we used to do before. but the whole point of ukraine's title | whole point of ukraine's title is that you are fighting, you say for freedom and democracy, and democracy have to play out in public. how can the people of ukraine be entirely confident that behind the scenes, you are really fighting for what you believe to be freedom and justice? 50 for what you believe to be freedom and justice? freedom and 'ustice? so first of all, freedom and 'ustice? so first of an. we — freedom and 'ustice? so first of all, we do — freedom and justice? so first of all, we do hope _ freedom and justice? so first of all, we do hope that - freedom and justice? so first of all, we do hope that the l of all, we do hope that the limitations that we all put on ourselves are temporary. we know that the fact that we are fighting for those democratic values is so important that we keep them all intact. the freedom of speech, freedom of

religion, freedom of... marker cm processes. however, at every single point we have to make tough decisions. 0n how not to hurt our country at this time because winning the war is much more important than anything. the example is right now we have only one tv channel where all the channels are transmitting to. we have that because with the strength of the russian propaganda in the russian attacks, at the very beginning of the full—scale invasion were very strong. it is temporarily and this is one of the ways how we are defending ourselves against an enemy. defending ourselves against an enem . �* ., defending ourselves against an enem . ~ ., ., enemy. almost out of time here, a final question _ enemy. almost out of time here, a final question coming _ enemy. almost out of time here, a final question coming back- enemy. almost out of time here, a final question coming back to i a final question coming back to the notion of a long struggle, a long war. ukraine is a country with a population that is less than one third of that of russia's. in terms of scale and the ability to fight a long war and to endure terrible

costs, russia is better placed than ukraine. does that mean at some point, you recognise, there will have to be a negotiation and there will probably have to be some sort of compromise to end this work was mike it of compromise to end this work was mik . , , of compromise to end this work was mik ., , , ., was mike it has been and in it will be a david _ was mike it has been and in it will be a david versus - was mike it has been and in it will be a david versus goliath| will be a david versus goliath situation where we cannot rely on the scale or are similar ability to provide as many weapons, soldiers as russia. we have to find different strategies. where we have to be struck smarter, stronger, more modern in fighting back. in terms of negotiations, we learned that you cannot have negotiations with russia. unless you have a proper way of ensuring that they will keep their worth —— word. and there's no sign in the past that they will keep their word.

it is quite the opposite. so before there is any way a person or organisation or anything that can't assure us that russia will not attack us again. there are no negotiations, no deals. 0ne again. there are no negotiations, no deals. one of the personal things is that we all share is we have seen all of the terrors of this war and what we owe to our next generation is that this war will end on us. for this particular sake, will end on us. for this particularsake, untilwe find particular sake, until we find a particularsake, untilwe find a proper way to make sure that putin, russia, whatever will not attack us again, we will continue fighting. kira rudik, thank you _ continue fighting. kira rudik, thank you so _ continue fighting. kira rudik, thank you so much _ continue fighting. kira rudik, thank you so much for- continue fighting. kira rudik,j thank you so much forjoining me. thank you very much indeed.

hello there. there was a hard frost across england and wales with plenty of sunshine on wednesday here. but we had gale force gusts of winds and rain further north. this is how we closed out the afternoon in highland. and that weather front that was responsible for this continues to sink its way steadily south and east. no significant rain by the time it pushes south—east as it bumps into this area of high pressure. so a band of cloud, light drizzle from east anglia down to cornwall, slowly clearing towards the channel. behind it, some sunshine coming through. a brisker north—westerly wind will continue to feed in showers, particularly north—west of the great glen. and winds still gusting 40 to 50 miles an hour at times. so a noticeable, strong westerly wind. temperatures around 7 to 9 degrees. one or two places, if we're lucky, just seeing ten celsius as a high — 50 fahrenheit. now, as we close out thursday into the early hours of friday,

we'll start to see a contrast. more cloud pushing in to the far north, some showery outbreaks of rain here. but milder — temperatures holding up above freezing. with clearer skies temperatures falling just below freezing once again across england and wales. so we can't rule out frost and fog again for friday, but high pressure dominates for england and wales. still a bit more of a breeze up into the far north—west. and this westerly feed of air will continue to be a story. so it will be a slightly milder feel. generally across the country, we're likely to see temperatures into double digits. that weather front toppling across the high will bring outbreaks of showery rain into scotland. more cloud, high cloud across northern england and wales as well. highs generally of 9 to 13 degrees. now, as we move into the weekend, that milder air

will continue to be the story. the high pressure reallyjust sitting across europe and clinging on to central and southern england with weather fronts toppling across that high. so that means we'll always run the risk of more cloud and outbreaks of rain with a stronger wind across the far north and west. there'll be quite a lot of cloud generally on saturday, but it will be largely fine and dry for england and wales and a little bit milder — 9 to 13 degrees, the high. similar story as well as we go into sunday. watch out for that early morning mist and fog once again.

welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: the earthquakes in turkey and syria, have killed more than 12,000 people — it's feared thousands more are still trapped. president erdogan has acknowledged mistakes were made in the initial response, as the extent of the devastation becomes ever clearer. the rescuers say that they will come back tomorrow and the next day. they will return to sites like this for as long as it takes to return loved ones to their relatives. we'll be speking to the turkish ambassador to singapore about the scale of the disaster. the other main headlines: in ukraine, russian forces are pushing hard for victory

in the city of bakhmut, but ukranian troops are using drones to fight back.