of sending weapons in terms of locating financial assistance, i think that we need to go much further. still. i think these days are crucial. this week is crucial in order to make sure that the ukrainians continue to have the possibility to fight. they are fighting not only for their country, they are fighting for europe. and therefore when they ask for more equipment, we need to be ready to give them more equipment. when they ask for a quicker, let's say a possibility to access funding. we should be able to give them that. and when they ask for the strongest of political messaging that we do not want to remain dependent on russian oil a coal, but also gas that we need to be ready to say that different countries have different realities. but the one thing that fortune will try to exploit is any posit potential divisions between the member states. or do you think you are really has to really think it's reality? do we really have to come to a new appraisal of fender meant fundamentals?

so that is more defensive, quicker reactions, a more offensively political stance are not offensive in the sense of the more like of course, but it politically going further fighting for democracy more openly. absolutely. we have seen this political will over the past few weeks at where there is that will we act more efficiently, more effectively. and with immediate, that's a coherence between the different institutions which is important not only for ukraine, but also for our citizens to see that the european union is capable of acting. we can no longer rely on other parts of the world to fight for freedom and democracy. it is also up to us, if not only up to us. at the moment, there is a war on our continent. we need to have all the arson. if i can use that word, whether it's political, economical, or military, in order to have tools in our hands to fight it, the craniums are fighting for the fundamental values that we share. they are

fighting for justice. they are fighting for rule of law. we now have to fight to make sure that those atrocities will never go unpunished and will never be forgotten. president, thank you very much. thank you. our leaders have condemned the parent a war crimes committed by russian forces in ukraine. evidence mounting now of civilian killings, rape and torture. authorities are still trying to identify hundreds of victims of atrocities in the town of rocher on the outskirts of cage. as russian troops were drawn now from the north of the country, locals are coming out of hiding and taking stock after nearly a month under russian occupation and did abuse. nick only visited a small town the town of beef, keith, which found itself in the middle of intense fighting between russian and ukrainian forces from late february, and he spoke to residence, struggling to make sense of what happened to them. this is,

we give a small town, it's just emerging from a month and a russian occupation month in which it was on the front lines. she, russian and ukrainian forces. toys was sometimes just the woods. people were children. it's as much as many residents of this ukrainian town could think of a plea to the russian troops to leave them and their families alone, as they hid in their homes. who disagree with, let's assume new people in this village spent 27 days without water on the 27 days without bread. we grew up when you had a demon his wife held out for 3 weeks until the shelling became too much to bear. and they were finally able to leave for a neighbouring village of them up when they got back of the cranium. military had retaken the town home, would be ransacked by retreating russian troops with they've got it. everything carried everything out. all that's left of the walls and the sofa. oh dear.

yes, they've taken all the electronics. i don't even know where they put it all over. over the months they were here, the russians really changed for the worse for me. so i'm just disgusted at the thought that they were moving around and eating in my house. the at least didn't sleep here with the full doesn't look dollars. relo to put in the witness column. they just destroyed things for the sake of it, him on the road that the refusal never believed in it. but the impact of this community goes far beyond routed homes, locals to this, they were kidnapped and detained in sellers for days on end. accused by the russians of helping the ukrainian military, several residents is still missing. fear killed, a priest arrives the neighboring village when supplies for those who have lost almost everything. yeah. but it's not food or money that the locals are asking for . that us, who am i, and what was a willing to put the people here need tranquilizers, who were, who many of them have lost everything that they spent

a lifetime saving for wallace with this, with their houses, sought their cars. it's all gone into separate con, what you both shows is the damp seller where she, her husband and her neighbors spent some of the coldest nights of the year. no truth gone yet. and i agree with linda. we weren't just hearing the shelling, we could feel it. everything was shaking all the way in the all we could do is pray that it wouldn't hit us. we just kept praying supplies like these kipling woven has been going during the week sandra occupation or the shop stood shut, leaving home would have meant running a gauntlet or was it that he has got us by the time you've been up and down these steps a few times you lose the well to do anything else. to both tells us she and every one she knows has exhausted her what you can always waiting for something that they can't quite define. unable to ever let go. mostly we said we didn't use to understand what it was that people and on boss have been going through all these

years stuck in their sellers. the last month has taught us what war is, is name certificate for now. the russian army has been pushed back more than a 100 kilometers, but the fear they might return suddenly, as they appeared, was never far away. and i understand that we can actually take you now to ukraine to my colleague did. you corresponded nick a collie who is joining us from the capital achieve. nick, um we talked in the past couple days, you've been to several town surrounding keith in the wake of the russian withdrawal . i also understand you spoke to a lot of survivors, residents of these areas that were under russian occupation. talked a little bit about your experiences. well, i mean, the overriding impression you get from these people is of chaos and fear. the russian army seemingly in total disarray, not expecting the kind of resistance that they found, the ukrainian only providing them. and just under deep shock. you just hear

everyone saying that the russian army divisions in towns like butcher bruce, other towns i've been to, didn't know what of the road regimen, whatever divisions with their didn't know who was meant to be in charge were badly supplied. rotten are not supplied with the food they needed to sellers. they had to ask the locals for food if they didn't break into shops and steel for themselves. and we heard tales of soldiers of ray young, seemingly so frightened by the experience of their 1st 2 days in ukraine that they basically assumed the any civilian out on the streets was a legitimate target because they potentially could be someone helping the ukrainian me, someone they would be fearful of one man put it like this. he said that every time you left the house, you knew that you were being watched through the site of the russian rifle. and that was basically the route they lived with for a month in butcher. most people seem to have been killed that way on the streets, a shot, often with, without so much as an exchange of any words with the people attacking them. and then, in most cases,

left for days or weeks on those same streets only in some cases than being collected by other locals who created those mass graves in an attempt to somehow provide some dignity to people who lost their lives. who then collected their passports. if they had anything, any id on them in the hope of now after the crane army returning to butcher and then getting in contact with the relatives and basically holding on to what happened to these people at nick you. um, we understand that russian forces have now retreated completely from the areas around keys. and well, what we're seeing right now is probably the battle for don bass, the ukrainian government urging civilians to leave that part of the country. are they heating the government's call? some are in the definitely lots of trains heading west. i mean it's pretty extraordinary how the train network has held up despite several attacks on the tracks on the network. several, the train staff have lost their lives so far over the last few weeks,

people are leaving, especially people who've got out of mario pulled by row to then get to the big city of the patricia, which is one of the big centers in southeast new crane and then heading west from there, but i think in the, for the main part, people are staying put. they are not heating this in the numbers that the great in government would want them to. i think the, the kind of bitter reality is that until people can hear the shelling near their homes. they're not really willing to believe that it is going to affect them. we saw that in the weeks, months leading up to this war, when you had basically all the west, it doesn't services warning about flooding. putins real intention to actually make good on these threats and to invade. and we were there, we were on the ground. we were asking people who are living within a matter of kilometers of that russian border that isn't very well defended for most of its length. and they were saying this is all bluff. putin doesn't mean it. this is just a diplomatic game. we're not gonna make any preparations because the issues that really affect us our, our jobs. fact of the local shop goes down and all that, that's far away from us. that was really the, the reality in ukraine crashed by the fact that ukraine's already been at war with

russia since 2014. and now it seems that people aren't really budging in large numbers, like only reporting from keith ukraine. thank you very much for your important reporting or as russian forces regroup, nato is warning of a possible escalation in the kind of weaponry that's been used and stopped by warren on wednesday. that any use of chemical weapons by russia would have far reaching consequences as devastating as russia's military assault on ukraine has been. the west is warning. the kremlin, that waging war with chemical biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons, would be a game changer, potentially drawing nato territory into the conflict zone. it will affect the people in ukraine, but there's also a risk that will have a bardic effect on people living and make the congress recall. so oh, we can see contamination. we come to the spread of and chemical agents or

biological weapons. moscow pledged not to do this under the chemical weapons convention. it ratified in 1997, which also required russia to destroy it stockpile. but since then, kremlin agents have poisoned at least 2 critics. with nova took a soviet era nerve agent banned under that agreement. but that doesn't require large quantities of the substance. so today whether or not he would, could, russian president vladimir putin use such weapons to stage a significant attack. and so do we really think that there's widespread ability to do chemical warfare? annabel feel? don't think so, dan casita is a prominent expert in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear substances and agents called c b r n. he says moscow did verifiably eliminate virtually all its chemical weapons capability under the chemical weapons convention and has probably not invested in rebuilding it in part because it's not

that useful. there might be one hour or less on a particular day at a particular time. you know, in a spot where chemical worker actually is more useful than a conventional weapons. but that hasn't start to nato from supplying ukraine with detection kids and protective gear. and for the 1st time ever activating special rapid response units to combat possible c. v r n attacks on alliance territory. but nato's not the only entity when contingency planning. the european union has reportedly agreed to stock pile equipment and medicines throughout the block. and here in belgium, even local hospitals are preparing for the worst case scenario, about an hour from nato headquarters grant university hospital. just held a refresher session on treating victims of c v r n attacks. we do not know if at some point we could be under a deck and, and we, we could have a victims in belgium, head emergency nurse,

steve dugger says procedures for potential mass casualties from c, b r n. were initially intensified in the wake of the islamic state linked terrorist attacks on belgium in 2016. now they're being fine tuned to potentially treat patients evacuated from ukraine's war zone. or in case belgium becomes one doctor says the teen takes the threats in stride. what would really rickety mouth is that if you were to say, hey guys, in half an hour we are getting someone who is a been involved in a dirty bomb. we don't know what it is yet, but i a, i've got a suit here. you have to take it on and we'll just go ahead with it. we think it's best to be to be prepared. trying to be ready for every possibility in vladimir putin's playbook while the german shall, so all shalt says offended his government's response to the war, getting back at claims. berlin is not doing enough to help ukraine and promising more support. he also called the murder of civilians, a war crime. oh,

with a rare powerful sight outside the german parliament in berlin. people lying silently on the ground, a clock ticking rhythmically in the background. hundreds chose this way to reject the suffering than deaths in ukraine. and to demand more action only a short walk away inside parliament discussions were marked by that suffering. but by the harrowing images from boucher and other cities. officers or dodson haven't got russian soldiers massacred ukrainian civilians. there's including children, women on the elderly before retreating, fallen and i to mention the cynical assertion for made by russia to true not this was staged. this falls back on those whose bread you these lies heard of the inning . talk to the, the looking for brighten the murder of civilians. he really is a war crime and creeks for where we shall set berlin would continue to support key

if this includes further obs deliveries. if the arms are available that make sense equal for the conservative opposition feasible is not enough for the fall. germany is doing or a lot hoping ukraine or no question, financially, economically, politically. but concerning the question on, on heavy we're having reference, i think her said german government as to reluctant outside protest as one germany, andy, you to increase pressure on russia. they demand an immediate embargo and russian oil and gas, which is not likely to happen very soon. but many here believe precisely this is what will help to put an end to fighting destruction and deaths in ukraine. while since invading ukraine, russian forces of attack more than 100 medical facilities. the world health organization says more hospitals and health care facilities have been attacked around the globe this year than ever recorded on world health day. the you and body

is calling on the combatants to avoid targeting how facilities the moment a bomb exploded in the city of mary awful and this is what was hit. c the maternity and children's hospital since the start of russia's invasion, more than 90 health facilities, including hospitals like this one in the city of it's him, have been attacked according to the world health organization, brutal bullock and for some more than once. at the start of the wall, the main hospital in the town of villanova was hit days later it was attacked

again and then again while dozens of civilians were hiding inside, trying to escape, the shelling among them was andry key and he in off head of the hospitals, trauma center, who was there with his wife and children. the experience still haunts him with a shilling lasted about 20 to 25 minutes. and when we get near, you was clear and the kids just moved. it is my children and i didn't make it to the basement. we spent all this time in the corridor of the hospital with her own. we experienced all the shelling 1st hand. what she'd given us. pavlo cofton yoke is ukraine's former deputy

health minister. he now runs an organization that's trying to document each and every hospital attack or color main and primary goal is to help our economy and help their national community to hold accountable those people who would do those to war cracks. and this is what really makes her even, really, really want debated because they feel that they are doing something very important for this war. which as the war 10 use. so to do the attacks, hopes of prosecutions seem a long way off on they know he's rebecca fritters is in levine in western ukraine. she spoke to the head of the world health organizations, ukraine office, about how the war is affecting the countries health system. yana homage the head of the ukraine, a w h o office. thank you very much for speaking to

d. w. a. we know that many hospitals and health care centers have been attacked in this conflict. i'm wondering if you can tell us about the state of the health care system and whether that the ukrainian health care system can cope with the current situation, not just the injured but also the people who just need regular health care. thank you. and the situation across your crane is different. when we looked at a cities like maria pull their situation instead of the gate didn't get to what we see in heart give is difficult here at all, and leave many who have moved here are getting their health scare to what they need . so the situation from east to west varies a lot. currently, the health system is functioning when it comes to a central and westport. and that's why we are prioritizing the sport with that different medical supplies, surgical as well trauma kits, but also eating that agency kits which are to treat and support those who have non communicable diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure because we need to strengthen also the primary care how much

money is being provided by the international community? and he's that money getting through when we look double chose response and to support ukraine. we have asked for 1st 3 months, 45000000 dollars. and out of that $45000000.00, i need to thank everybody who eyes solidarity with ukraine. we have received places and actual cash for 95 percent of it. now we concentrate on the next 3 months while at the same time delivering all the support is needed because one of the biggest needs is to help neat but done is, are making good on their promises a funding? yes, currently donors are supporting doublet show supporting health and supporting your great. now as you mentioned as a lot of the health system system in the wasted functioning m a know that field hospitals are being set up here in and around levine. ah, ah, the needs of people at further east actually making it to the people who need innate it there. we see now more and more emergency medical teams moving actually

to the east. they are doing the assessments. there they are. we have also the primary health care needs. so we need to move not only the goods, but also their health care workers. doctors, nurses more to ease. but at the same time we need to do it safely. because when we have to day 91 at fax on health, is it safe to provide healthcare? and we need to call that there are no attacks on house that actually doctors and nurses can practice in the safe place. white people's house needs start increasing . you also spoke of the long term needs and the psychological needs of people. what is being done to provide psychological help for the people have witnessed these traumas. what we see, ease number of video to old sessions have been set up because people afraid they are at homes. we see people in shelters. so there are virtual services, a lot of volunteers, waterway table as a double or chill. we continue to support mobile mental health steams water going

around. just before the war broke out, ukraine was doing key reforms on mental house in 23 o blasts. their automate mobile mental health steams, but we need to do more because this war has implications to mental health and not only now, when we look the children who are fleeting ukraine, these memories will stay with them for a while and for their children and their grandchildren now to have is thank you very much for your time. thank you. our next are part looks at a group of syrians given refuge here in germany after fleeing war in their own country. last summer they were helping germans who had lost everything in a debit in devastating floods while now they're helping ukrainians, whose lives have also been turned upside down by conflict. mud. as far as the i can see in july of last year, the, our valley in western germany was hit by devastating flooding in just

a matter of days. a novel aid campaign was launched. the group, syrian volunteers in germany, put a call out in arabic for extra support. and hundreds of syrians from across germany answered to help flood victims. the omnia of hong of the we have more experience than the germans when it comes to disasters in war. and we've been through it all and survived the so we're better equipped to deal with it with and many who haven't yet faced these things and stuff and kind of, oh hum. in since each nestled in the, our valley, a group of syrians pitched in for months, they bonded with the flood victims. and now some of the helpers are moving to the valley themselves. one of them is an aldehyde. now he's helping ukrainian refugees. he and other syrian volunteers use the network they built during the floods to coordinate help for

ukraine. he picked up refugees in his bus. now he's using it to move house. during the drive he keeps getting calls to organize more aid transports for ukraine . via i know on it um to ship we built up this team of volunteers after the flooding you both of these a few onions and now the team can take on other tasks and all throughout europe and why not? uh, cielo, it's our goal to help out in ukraine. okay. oh, and wherever else we can. yeah. hindu, been via, has they empathize with what the ukrainians are going through and are using the organizational skills they applied during the floods to help ukrainian refugees. day by day they check which helpers are available and went with her. who has a drivers license, who can drive a truck?

i, i know i have dual is another syrian volunteer, but he now lives in cincy with the war in ukraine has upset him greatly. he lost his entire family to a chlorine gas attack in syria. low in volunteers, zelma y is potent doing this, or bashar al assad, or all these people waging war in syria. why are they doing this? i don't know if it wasn't it while we were filming, and i told us how helping made him feel stronger and find his place in society. they hoped to lead by example and keep pitching in wherever they're needed. so let's get a picture now of what the military situation looks like at the moment and where russian forces are focusing their assaults a. here's alex forest whiting with the broader strategic picture. as the war rages on, russian troops have been forced to make strip,

major strategic changes to their military plans. now the biggest change over the last week has been there withdraw from the north east of ukraine. that means for the time being at least giving up on what would be a huge symbolic victory for moscow. seizing the capital cave instead ukrainian forces have regained control of large areas around the capitol. russian troops have almost completely withdrawn from cities like china, heave and also sue me, but they have left them out behind as we have witnessed in places like boucher on the outskirts of keys with russia now accused of war crimes. russia instead is focusing on the east of ukraine and in particular the dumbass region. now the area includes don esque and lou hunt and russian back separatists have held territory there since before the invasion. so far though, russian troops have made only small gains,

their forces from the car keep region are expected to join them. although the city of car keep itself, it's still being force over. russian troops are using the city of it, c m, which we can see there. and which they captured on april the 1st they using that as a base from which to do this. and that also said to be regrouping and stock piling supplies. military experts believe that russian forces want to advance from it's him down to slow soviets, which we can see there. and that would enable them to link up with the dumbass region to cut off ukrainian troops. now in the south, russia has been trying to create a line corridor between crimea, which moscow annexed in 2014 and the dumbass region. but the port city of mariel, pal, it's still a problem for them. yes, it's surrounded by russian forces and has been pretty much reduced to, but russia still does not have complete control. so it is continuing to conduct

intense on tillery and as strike campaigns. and incidentally, there is still thought to be around a $100000.00 civilians trapped there with reports of people now dying from starvation and dehydration. and over in the west, russia has been trying to push towards the city of odessa, in order to cast off ukraine's access to the black sea. russia continues to launch as joints on the city bought their landed fonts is have stored at make your live due to a counter attack by ukrainian forces. so that being forced back to the city of cason and just one last point to add, it's being reported that internet access among russian troops is being severely restricted. and that's to try to come, but low morale that low morale is still a huge problem for russia's war effort. and that was the, did

a reporter alex forest whiting. a sir, remind you of our top store. you crazed foreign minister issued an urgent plea to the west for more weapons, to help fund off a new russian assault and east and ukraine. after meeting with native leaders in brussels to metro collabo said people would die if the west did not deliver military aid. as soon as possible, nato secretary, generally installed berks, at the alliance, agreed to strengthen its support of ukraine, and would continue to provide a wide range of weapons systems to the country. support for viewers such as joining us, sir, a very warm welcome. you're watching dw news, and we start this hour with nato's efforts to arm ukraine to combat a fresh russian assault in the countries east. and we're showing you here live pictures from at nato headquarters in brussels, where we're expecting u. s. secretary of state antony,

blinking to address reporters momentarily after an urgent plea from ukraine's foreign minister, nato chief un stoughton, berks, at the alliance with strengthen it's support for keith. take a lesson alice. i've been doing a lot and are determined to do more now on for the medium and the longer term to help the brave ukrainians defend their homes and their country. on pushback, the invading forces are also supporting and stepping all perimeter, talent aid and financial support. we discussed what more we will do, including cyber security assistance and provide the equipment to help ukraine protect against the chemical and biological. and there was natives, the secretary general speaking just moments ago. and i'd like to take you now to nato, to our.