and as we mentioned, has announced a move in a surprise, television address that came shortly before 6 am moscow time. he warned the world that any attempt to interfere would lead to play with consequences you've never seen before. yeah, ukraine says russia has launched a full scale invasion of the country, not just targeting the don't boss, region ukrainian leader belong here. savanski said russia was attacking military infrastructure throughout your crane and water guards as well. he urged citizens not to panic though, and said ukraine would prevail. explosions have been heard and several ukrainian cities including give and khaki in the east scott out to our russian affairs analyst konstantin agra. he's on the line from vilnius. that's the capital of lithuania, of course. constantine, what happened?

well firstly, maybe terry, just a bit of personal reactions are on the stand and what i see on tv screens reminds me of my mother's stories. she spent the whole of the 2nd world war in moscow. house was bombed into ruins, and i never thought out see something from the old news reals from our lives. so very sad days and personal i think it is a very, very important, pivotal moments in the history of russia. russian gone actually decided to bring down in the art in russia and at least the west world. that is what is happening. in fact, i'm also and here i will try with my father was the medical office spoke to you moments ago that the most important one with the most important elements in was my speech is the mention of the notification. that means that it will not be just,

you know, a military operation. it's an attempt to establish full control of the crime, put in some photos for from us, for governance, and actually cleans those repress those who object. so what we see, we see something that well can be cheaper than the metro a few hours and definitely not in a few weeks. and this is what creates a lot on the duty. and this is something that's probably i'm afraid of the west, never expected. and never thought that will be a challenge. so this is a very dangerous moment, definitely to europe as well. what about the russians themselves? konstantin, you have, as you mentioned, very close contacts, to russia, you have deep roots. there yourself. do the russian people support this move by vladimir putin? well,

if you believe the broad governments or pulling organizations that are financed by the government, then it's your decision to recognise the so called republics got nearly any 80 percent where they can believe it or not. and i think independent postal shows that the support is much lower and you have to probably about 45 percent 50 percent. and you have to add to that that routinely. the russian probably doesn't tell the truth doesn't tell what it thinks to postpone, because people are afraid to voice their views. not all of them, but part of them. definitely. it's not because they are in a position to miss fruit and, but because it's a traditional rushing caution to remember, russian lives harvesting dictatorship in the 20th century of caution is number one . number 2, i do not think that there's going to be a support for it. on the level of the support for the crimea,

because people are now getting all these images in russia to and i think the most nations i don't want to sound cynical, but most nations like there were small victories and preferably blog images that are going to pour through social media, into russia, in spite of pollutants, propaganda machines fargo is, you know, tv and everything. they're going to alerts with people that, i mean, this is not something that was a spreadsheet. whether they're going to be active protests. i don't think that initially is going to be a mess focused movement. but what i think may happen over time is we are in this with the situation. we are in this with impending isolation of russia economic difficult over time. that will take effect. but i do not think we can support it, we can expect, you know, thousands of people, the red square, demanding,

the resigns and end. and the war stopped. i think russians have been pretty much down all this time, very much concerned about their day to day lives. i don't think that we'll see them coming out of this more very so you are in one of the baltic, republics. you're in lithuania, you move a lot between lithuania lack the estonia. those former soviet republics are very much on edge given what has happened. well, how concerned are they that this could have an impact on them? well, 1st of all, the both estates never accepted that they were members of the surgeon and had people say they were occupied. and in fact, that was not working by most of the west at the time, just a small restorable aside. but yes, i think that the moved here, vincent views, but also it is stopped really. as the

radiance historian logged me in the poll. what telling dell in paris, london, washington, that teaching will not stop after 2014. now the prove. right. and i think that there is also a mood of concentration because the feeling here that full bit for all, and that in case most goes operation in ukraine is successful, then probably pull them to the baltic states could been next on the list in spite of nathan because the understanding here is that put in, sees the west as we and he will if he wins and you will continue to growth west, then the eastern wind is basically his star sport bark. of course, you remember put in speech a few days ago when you said that basically for border,

ah, it was my, the negotiable, are all borders establish the collapse of the soviet union. so i think that there is height intention here. they're going to be cyber attacks, will ready, a getting from using that. and there is a big hope here that nature will not leave its members. both members alone and lightness, we know, said that reinforcements will be sent to the bulk of states american reinforcement . so basically natal putting woke between the baltic states and russia. constantine. thank you very much for now. that was our russian affairs correspondent there konstantin egg. joining us from lithuania, telling us that the baltic states too are quite concerned. thanks for now. constant . let's get the latest from ukraine itself. we have a couple of correspondence on the ground there. one of them is nick connelly. he's

traveling in east of the country. he is, i understand, just outside ukraine's 2nd biggest city car. keep nick, what can you tell us? what's the latest? nick, are you with us? okay, we seem to have lost our corresponding economy there for the moment. so you are watching d. w. news from berlin. this is our special coverage of the attack that is taking place right now on ukraine by russia. black may pooty, the president of russia, announced in the early hours that his country was carrying out on attack on the east of ukraine. he said that he was going to assure that the what he described as the neo nazis running the country would be taken out within the studio is, is our correspond thomas sparrow. he's been monitoring events here from berlin.

thomas, there's we were seeing more and more reactions coming in from european capitals, including berlin. berlin has, is of course, as europe's large european union largest country with its that has played a significant role politically. in this crisis, the north stream to pipeline has always been mentioned. where are the things stand right now in terms of diplomacy, diplomacy has hit an absolute dead. and now what are, what are the next steps for europe in dealing with this? what was berlin approaching? and we've just heard that all of charged. the chancellor spoke on the phone to validate lensky, unexpressed, his full solidarity towards ukraine. and earlier, he also described what is happening now as a breach of international law. this is particularly important to understand, not only why germany has reacted the weight has reacted, but why the west is reaction. the weight is reacting because they believe that russia's decision now. but also the decision to formally recognize those 2 regions

only a couple of days ago, goes against the key principles that have been in place after the 2nd world war in europe. and that determine the peaceful coexistence of states which i'm here about the fact that borders cannot be redrawn or that a country that a leader cannot go into another country and simply invade that there must be some sort of dialogue to resolve disputes. and it's precisely these aspects that have led the west to announce that 1st tranche of sanctions against russia. but when we looked at those sanctions that they did impose that they did announce it is important to us to say they left some room for maneuver in case a situation got worse, in case the situation got worse to the point where we're seeing right now. so it's not only about diplomacy, it's not only about reassuring solidarity towards ukraine. it's also about already starting to think what the next steps might be. there will be a series of meetings,

but to day and in the next few days. for example, under the g 7, a german leadership, but also a nato, a meeting, and there are the european union leaders meeting as well. and it is very likely that in those different scenarios in those different meetings, they will try and coordinate a united response towards russia that can be 1st through sanctions. we've already heard just now in fact, from the ukrainian foreign minister, a whole list of things that they would like to see. and that includes sanctions towards russia in particular to block them from the so called swift banking system . that would, according to analysts, be a very important decision by an international leaders because it would certainly harm russia's financial realm. on the other hand, what ukrainian leaders have stressed again in that list that they just sent was the need for more weapons to defend themselves. and here is where germany again, plays an interesting role, a controversial role. because unlike other countries,

unlike united kingdom and like the united states that have sent weapons to, to ukraine, what germany has said is that they're not sending weapons to ukraine, but they are strengthening their positions within nato's eastern flank. for example, by sending additional troops to lithuanian and that is some think that germany does, again, we'll have to discuss how will they reinforce their presence within nato? will they change their stance when it comes to not sending defensive weapons to ukraine? will they increase day for their financial assistance towards key if those are all issues that will certainly be discussed by the german government with his international life? thomas, thank you so much for now. thomas ferrel, our political correspondent there. well, we do have some reactions saw to russia's military operation from around the world . let's take a look at them for you. first of all, i'll start with the meet through color bar. he is ukraine's foreign minister, and he went on twitter to say that putting has just launched

a full scale invasion of ukraine. peaceful ukrainian cities are under strikes. this is a war of aggression. he says, ukraine will defend itself and will win the world can and must stop putin. he goes on to say the time to act is now and here's what the united nations secretary general antonio returned. has to say he rip, he directed, he directly appealed to the russian president, saying, president putin in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to russia. this conflict must stop. now. us president joe biden tweeted just a short time ago. russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the united states and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. the world will hold russia accountable. the you the chief of the european union year commission, president ursula on the lion says that the president says she says,

rather that we strongly condemn russia's unjustified attack on ukraine in these dark hours. our thoughts are with ukraine and with the innocent women, men and children as they faced this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives. we will hold the kremlin account. well, we have another reaction from british prime minister boars, johnson. he just also turned to twitter, saying, i am appalled by the heretic events in ukraine and i have spoken to president lensky to discuss next steps. president putin has chosen the path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on ukraine, the u. k. and our allies will respond decisively and understand that our correspondence. conley, who is in ukraine, a can join us now on the line again. he is in the east of the country near the country's 2nd biggest city car keefe. nick, what can you tell us? what's the latest from ukraine?

i'm here in a small town in the region about a 150 way from crime, a tool, which is the administrative capital of ukraine, held back to come in for a lot of attack. see me today. you mentioned be great because 2nd, which is a long way north border, but a 100 my know where i'm definitely a sense of the initial day kind of wonderment that most people you, when i got off the train morning most were just kinda staring that phone quite legal has now shifted and people getting worried and speak to the people from the bank trying to draw cash. and just kinda get that apn now empty. the cash deal drawn, people trying to get fuel, they need to leave the special stations for that. and we've seen people in uniform compared emergency services. i'm stopping off on water and other supplies and telling us that they're heading needs to come back. they've been pulled up police.