report from the heart of brazil stuart's watch nights on d. w. ah ah ah, this is dw news lie from berlin, a show of force from the kremlin. russia extends its joint military drills with bella roasts, including tests of nuclear capable missiles, the west stepping up diplomatic efforts to head off an invasion of ukraine. us vice president camella harris wraps up a major international security conference with a warning that war in europe remains a real possibility and the beijing winter olympics come to a close with

a ceremony showcasing ordinary people as well as star athletes. ah, monica jones, thanks for joining us. russia is extending joint military drills with its ally, bellow, roofs, the 2 sides. blame rising tensions in ukraine. western leaders have repeated warnings that a russian invasion of ukraine is imminent, though the us says it will push diplomacy. quote, until tongues are actually rolling. meanwhile, shelling by rushing back, separatist and eastern ukraine is intensifying. but key of to tell sir, it's troops, sir, not to return fire. to avoid getting russia a pretext to launch an invasion. on the lookout, a shells fall on ukraine's eastern front. government forces say they have been

ordered to show restraint on the thrust right now, we don't respond to their fire because we're or so says shooting at us now at the command, post commando, unusable to live. our commanders don't allow us to file and we are following orders even if there is a wish to respond or thought of deutsche, because the enemy is waiting for us to shoot back at the mortgage in the police. but if there is no political agreement, things will get resolved with military power. ukraine's interior minister came under fire while visiting soldiers in the east. he was later brought to safety. with navy school we. i'm a civilian, i'm not a soldier. i'm shocked. say more and i know that the civilians who live here in permanently feel this fear. christina law human though, as a civilian,

who do i fear that is uprooting lives as the crisis intensifies residents of ukraine, separate us regions boarded trains and buses bound for russia. oscars o, my husband said, go away, take the kids and go to their physical and psychological health is more important than anything else. meanwhile, russia has extended joint military drills with belarus that were scheduled to and sunday. the exercises include nuclear capable missiles. nato has joined the us in warning that russia is planning a quote, full fledged attack against ukraine. he ws nick connelly joins me now from keith. nick, russia and belarus are extending their joint military exercises. what's the reaction to that in keith?

well, i don't think this comes unexpected for people here and give who didn't really believe those russian troops would ever leave belarus at least the short to medium term. and indeed, lots people say here that as basic the 1st step towards russia incorporating, perusing, keeping those troops on a permanent basis, and increasing its control of obliviousness, internal affairs. the really important thing here is that those russian troops and bellows bearers, it has a 1000, clumped long border with ukraine, that stretches all the way to poland and that you need to broader. so by having russian troops along the whole stretch of ukraine's borders from poland, basically all the way to the black sea along a 2000 kilometer russian border with ukraine. it spreads ukraine's forces very thinly and makes it very difficult to prepare for any potential attack. belarus is basically just over a 100 kilometers as the crow flies by air direct from care of. so any troops based in dollars could be in kia very soon compared to if they were having to reach care from russia stiffly. the ups, the threats and makes situation here a lot more tense, even though it doesn't really come as much surprised that these ex excise are being

extended. yeah. and as tension grows ukraine, a sir calling on the west to implement sanctions against russia. now, while at the same time diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis continue, how likely are we to see any breakthrough? well obviously as this threat becomes more real and more convincing image near the expectation here is that there will be greater pressure from the west on ukraine to compromise, to agree to implementing those piece talks on dumbass in the way that russia wants them to, which would be to basically allowed separatist to become ukrainian politicians. and yeah, basically pick up a kind of permanent, a bit of leverage over ukraine and it's future by legitimizing them and bring them into the fold. ukraine of it doesn't want to do that at any cost and has been resisting those calls. but it's a question of a diplomatic pressure on ukraine from those western allies who so far have stood up for what ukraine sees to be right. what ukraine thinks is the energy from its duration. it doesn't look like so far. the russians got anything that they could

sell in, certainly as a when there be no a promises by nato to rule out membership for ukraine, the future or to pull back. nato forces in those eastern european member countries . so very little that would suggest that some kind of deal face saving deal when when is possible and on the cards right now. all right, and of course are right in the middle of this crisis today, ukraine is commemorating the victims of the my down protests in 2014 oh, what's been happening? are people in a, in any kind of mood to commemorate that today? we're definitely just behind me we're, i'm here and sent of key of near the might on square. you've had people with flowers are coming to the kind of impromptu memorial still stands that was created just after those deaths back in 2014 people are crying. taking pictures of pictures, old memorials, to friends or relatives who lost their lives in those protests. very human, very real direct connections and as a kind of protest, medium. southport is going on behind me. and when you talk to these people, awesome, we'll tell you that back then standing up for european values and ukraine's choice

of going close europe costs ukraine daily. we had that russian annexation of crimea, beginning of that conflict in don bass. they would say that now this is again the same story. russia trying to prevent ukraine moving, west, moving close to nato. and again, they see russia willing to use force against ukraine. dr. nick connelly, they're reporting from t a for us. thank you so much. the u. s, vice president, kamala harris has won that war in europe, remains a real possibility. she was speaking as the 3 day munich security conference, due to a close, the gathering brought together western leaders and was attended by ukraine's precedent. but russia sent no representative for the 1st time since 1990. 1 delicate stress that a massive sanctions package is being prepared in the event that russia doesn't bait ukraine. on its last day, the conference shifted for goes to europe and its role in the crisis unfolding on ukraine's border new council presidential. michelle summed up the views of many in

the block and janet, however, offer an olive branch while rush, sharon dick's missile test, and continues to em, us troops with ladies and gentlemen. one thing is certain, if there is further military aggression, we will, we are with massive sanctions. and the just for russia must be and will be severe. but let's be french. it will be also a, just for us, in europe. losing our prize europe seems willing to pay if russia does attack ukraine, because the threat from moscow has not caused division in the alliance. michelle stressed, but cemented unity and unity of purpose. the use foreign policy chief added in contrast to countries like russia and china, which were undermining democracy and watering down human rights must realised that

the main tar digit not about defending western values is not about defending the west, but upholding shed principles that on to been come on security and promote galactic goals. the conference was a show of western resolve, but not of dialogue with russia, which was absent for the 1st time in decades. the hope is that bloody mir putin can still be persuaded to step back from the brink of war. and here's a look at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. the editor of a local newspaper in turkey has been shot dead by an unknown assailant. gun gore, iris land died in hospital after he was attacked outside his office. reporters with our borders have said that our son was under surveillance for his research and to corruption in his city of could chinese people in malia, celebrating frances move to pull its troops out of the west. african nation. french

forces have supported molly and tackling radical islamist, malicious. for the past 9 years. are relations have soured since the army seized power in 2020 britons. queen elizabeth has tested positive for covered 19. she's received 3 doses of a vaccine against the disease. buckingham palace says the monarch has mild cold like symptoms and will continue with light duties. in the coming week, the queen met her son the prince charles just days before he tested positive for the virus earlier this month. dw, corresponding big mass is following that story for us in london. big, how is queen elizabeth handling the infection so far? as usual, buckingham palace is not giving a running commentary on the queen's health. on any monarch's health, we know that she is in windsor, and she's said to have only light symptoms on social media. it's been reported that there is a wider outbreak of staff of covey in windsor, but that's not,

not something that buckingham palace has confirmed. however, we do know that she had met with prince charles and camilla, who both both had tested positive of covey. but as for now, we only know that she is well continuing to have mild symptoms and, and, and doesn't want to give out work remarkably, which yeah. which and, and typically for her of course, but let's not forget, the monarch is 95 years old and she's had health issues over the last couple of months. how other people in the united kingdom reacting to the news well, absolutely. she is $95.00 and as such she is more vulnerable. even though the only cron variant is lighter, but older people are more vulnerable even if they are vaccinated as, as she has been. i think a lot of people will be relieved that the symptoms appear to be mild, but i think it does put

a spotlight on the government's policy that we still have tens of thousands of people getting infected with on the chrome every day. however, there are virtually no restrictions, and those johnson is even announcing that in the very near future and the next days he intends to lift the obligation for british people to self isolate. if they do test positive. and also, testing will not be as widely available as it is at present. so i think the monarch's illness at this age of 95 puts a spotlight on the government policy. and you know, there people will be asking whether this is really the right strategy. all right, thank you. big master in london in beijing after 2 weeks, hundreds of metals and no shortage of controversy. the winter olympics has signed off with a traditional closing ceremony. the organizer said they were happy with how the games have been staged. i'm at the pandemic,

but there was no mention of the doping issues or other controversies that have plates. event. ha, fire works lit up the night sky in beijing to mark the start of the 2022 winter olympics. china's government spent billions in the builder and cove. it didn't make it any easier for host nations. human rights record was put under international scrutiny. their treatment of wicker muslims prompted countries like the u. s. and the u. k. to stage a diplomatic boycott, china responded by having a weaker athlete. life eel, a big flay, sticking to the script. international olympic committee president, thomas bah, cited his know, politics pledge, the or her position or for the the i you see. her must be given the year for the tickler neutrality that we are not her commenting on her political.

her issues, however, organizers did comment on this display from ukraine. instead of calling it political, the i o. c described it as a call for peace on the sporting front. russia's 15 year old figure skater, camilla valley ava dominated headlines due to testing positive for a band substance. but due to being a minor, while the eva was allowed to continue competing, which didn't and well for the teenager, away from the politics and controversy. china hauled in a record 9 gold medals. 2 went to freestyle skier, eileen gu, francesco free day, and germany's bobsled team had an unforgettable showing in beijing. but when it comes to the best of the best, out doing all nations was norway. the norwegians topped the metals table with

a record 16 goals for more than the successful germans. despite the hiccups here and there, the beijing winner games provided plenty of sporting highlights and historic achievements. coming up next, a documentary, hello, a. i love stories from the future. it will be back with the latest news at the top of the ella season. and we're interest in the global economy, our portfolio, d w business beyond. here's a closer look at the project. to analyze the fight for market dominance, you to step ahead with the w business beyond on you tube.