sir says just because they don't with me, facing with a gun can change your life. people need to know what is happening with guardians of truth. certainly. 3rd, on t w to day russia declared that its campaign to take control of eastern ukraine. the industrial heartland of the country is now underway. grades president zalinski describes it as the battle for the don't bass and both sides are bowing victory. the fight for this region is expected to be the fiercest and deadliest that we've seen so far. will it also be where this conflict comes to an end? to night on day 55 of the invasion does the following, apply more to russia or to ukraine? he who wins the battle, also winds the war. i'm forgotten berlin,

this is the day. ah, that is more than we can now state that russian troops had begun the battle for the dawn of us. that there shaylee from all directions. but we don't even know where the shelling comes from. racial in the used to train aimed as was in those from the very beginning to full deliberate did than yes can lebrans, quickbooks in this of derision will continue. this is an aggression against the international rules and free samples on which our modern civilized world is built. we will defend ourselves and we will do it every day. we won't give up anything ukrainian green school navy. the more also coming up in parts of northern ukraine,

the russian invasion happened at lightning speed. the russian withdrawal came just as quickly and yet there was time enough to devastate the homes and lives of innocent people. there isn't a building we can say that doesn't at least bear some scars of the war and many ireland beyond repair. while the physical clean up is underway, the emotional scars will take a lot longer to hear to our viewers watching on cbs in the united states and to all of you around the world. welcome. we begin the day with a 1st win for the russians in ukraine. today, russian forces seized the city of krajina in the eastern part of the country. ukrainian forces reportedly withdrew completely, making this the 1st city to be captured in a new offensive in eastern ukraine of that offence. it was confirmed today by russia's foreign minister, a campaign to take control of eastern ukraine, which is known as the don't best region over night. russian forces claimed missile

attacks hit more than 1200 targets. and despite the heavy barrage, ukraine says the front lines remain unchanged. we have more to night in this report . shots fired on the front line. ukraine says these are some of the opening salvoes in russia's offensive in the east. in footage, released by the ukrainian defense ministry troops to say they are ready to defend the don bus them to high school, let them come. this soldier says they will stay here forever. there is enough land to bury them all ukraine's president confirmed the stock of the new face in the war . in that us zamora, we can now state that russian troops had begun the battle for the dawn of us law for which they hadn't been preparing for a long time. seeing that he or a significant part of the entire russian army is now concentrated on this offensive . no matter how many russian troops are driven there,

and we will fight. we will defend ourselves and we will do it every day that we won't give up any thing ukrainian. green's gl navy. the more thousands of residents are now trapped in towns under constant shelling this woman lives in the remains of a village near the front line. she describes living in anew. no man's land, milwaukee sell it on one knee. fine. we don't even know where the shelling comes from. here we wait for it from there. so i'm thinking that the ukranian army will protect has it. and it comes from there. you know that there shelly, from all directions that one humanitarian groups raised to evacuate sick and elderly residents from the contested donate, screeching adding to the estimated 10000000 ukrainians, who now fled their homes by any means possible or myrtle thus. thus, the main difficulty is that people who have problems moving you had to be evacuated

or change very old people who are living there final days or weeks or months. and that's why it was so difficult on you. you which and olga with him, with russian force, is in control of much of the south and east. one pocket of resistance remains the as of style steel plant in mario paul, several 1000 ukrainian forces are entrenched here under heavy attack. on tuesday, russia issued yet another deadline for them to give up their arms. but here as elsewhere, ukrainians are refusing to seat any of their territory without a fight. and for more on this new chapter in the russian invasion, i'm joined tonight by bradley bowman, brad as a u. s. army officer and black hawk pilot and senior director at the center on military and political power in washington, d. c. he's also a former national security adviser to the u. s. senate. it's good to have you back on the show rad. we've got a lot that's going on right now,

rushes offensive to take control of eastern ukraine. it's now underway. here is how the pentagon is describing yet. let's take a listen to that. i'm like to get your reaction. just over the last several days, you can see, you can continue to see the russians are, are doing what we call shaping. they're trying to set the conditions for more aggressive, more overt and larger ground maneuvers in the don boss. but again, i would remind this is an area of the country that has seen fighting over the last 8 years. this is a terrain that both sides understand and know what, what are your thoughts brand? i mean, is this a new offensive where both sides have equal chances, if you will. thanks for the up to join. you guys can to see again, thanks for the question. you know, i think what we've seen over the last week or 2 is obviously that withdrawal of russian forces around keep after that defeat there. frankly. and we've seen kind of

the refitting in their resupply as best they can as quickly as they can in the concentration. those forces in the don boss. so we see a huge quantity of russian forces combined armed forces. by that i mean artillery armor and other other common elements converging on a smaller region with the goal, frankly, of taking other parts of look don't ask in lieu, hans if the russians hadn't already controlled. so that a potent, perhaps, by early next month when they celebrated a major historical anniversary might be able to claim their russian forces control all the don boss, of course, standing between potent and that goal are ukranian forces that have been fighting in those very locations for 8 years, many of them are dug in. the ukraine as are bringing forces reinforcements themselves. and they're also getting tons and tons of weapons for the united states and or european allies, including a new ship, a shipment of howitzers, 18 howitzers, which are going to be kind of the bread and butter of this coming. find that we're going to see it's going to be largely artillery. conflict in the side that can

maintain fire superiority, may win. so it, it really is a raise to reinforce the respective sides. and this could be a decisive fight that we're seeing in the coming days and weeks. ukraine's ability to repel russian portions for almost 2 months now. and how important have weapons from the u. s. and the west been for ukraine's ability to survive. you know, when i look at what's happened on the bow, so there's been some things that have been predictable and there's been a lot of surprises. if we're being honest. i site really 3 primary things. first is, you know, my review of history and also these more recent events is you never underestimate the will, determination and ability of a free people defending their homes. you know, we've just seen that throughout history. once again, the cranes have put that on full display. and that can overcome all kinds of advantages in the camp of the adversary. so want to give the cranium great credit

to i would say the provision of weapons, particularly the javelin weapons, or the anti tank weapons, the singer into aircraft missiles. some european equivalents of those have been absolute, decisive in the way the cranes have employed those weapons are having to weapons is one thing, how you employ them with your tactics, your operations, your, your operational concepts, the incredibly agile and using frankly, the non commissioned officer corps which the u. s. helped them develop since the 1990s, a lot of years may not know the california national guard has had a relationship, brings us in 1009. these helping them among other things built there and ceo coined in the last. the 3rd thing that i would say is just surprising deficiencies on part of the russians were related to logistics sustainment in combined arms, the ability to integrate air, land, and sea forces to achieve combined arms of facts. they haven't been able to do that very effectively. up till now. it's going to be interesting to see whether an amount of weeks with, you know,

a new general here or new general there they're selling and be able to do that. if they can't, then i think they're going to continue to have a hard time against. are you creating people defending their homes yet we we've seen the ukrainians in a years, the switchblade suicide, drones fairly effectively on in urban areas. and i'm wondering if that will continue to be. so what happens if and when russian forces are able to take this fight to the, the broad and flat planes of eastern ukraine, you know, for america and, you know, i've been in, keep, i've never been in the don boss, but as i understand it for americans you know, it's a bit like kansas is that new jersey. so exactly in the don boss region, much more open and that's why the artillery fire is right you cover and concealment is limited, right? the ability to protect yourself from being seen or head is limited. and so it's about maneuver and firepower, frankly. and that's why i was in society until the moment you mentioned a switch way, drones, those are very effective and helpful, helpful and urban warfare course. there are 2 different variants of the switchblade

drums with different size more heads, but the point scan them. the last they help with intelligence surveillance, recognizance, and then as you suggested, they can become a kamikaze drug that actually goes and takes out the target. but the size of target they can take out on depends on what the 2 variants are looking at. but the bottom line is, you know, the ukrainians are have high morale. they, they are have incredible support coming from the u. s. but, you know, let's remember ukraine's industrial sectors is the wars zone. so russia is going to be and by the sanctions. so they're going to have a hard time reinforcing their forces over the long term. but ukraine's the defense industrial base lot of it's being destroyed. if you see the russians take marable in the next few days, the now will free up roughly 10 or 11 battalion capital groups, which will then be able to converge on the don boss as well or be used elsewhere. and so there is a connection between what we're seen in mary paul and don barton. if i can, real quickly, brent on terry hall, i know couldn't goal is to establish elaine bridge from russia to crimea,

essentially already has. but he has this, the mary, a pull on that axis, and he either he has 2 goals, either wants to replace the cranium there with, with right now russians, if you will, or to destroy it. and he seems to be going with option number 2, and by destroying, i mean, literally destroying marable. i, he will as stablish and unimpeded land bridge between russia and crimea. that would be a major political good. yeah, i will ask you brad. well, you know what i asked at the start of tonight's program that the battle for don bats is now under way. is this a case of he who wins the battle will also win the war? i couldn't. ah, the furniture in east? sure. all dos, colonel and yet me in it,

we go to 8. so yet it was an on baffle miss of course. sorry to learn a little more credit. i think we're having to remember we got a problem with the sigma. unfortunately, we're having a tough time here you that we're going to have to break that off. but i appreciate your time tonight. anyway. brent bowman, joining us there from the us. ah. origin forces have spent weeks bombarding the port city of mario pole. as we heard, a take overlooks inevitable, but it is not complete. several 1000 ukrainian soldiers and civilians remain inside the cities. massive as of stall steel plant refusing to surrender ukraine claims. russia is using cluster bombs to attack the plant. we cannot verify that claim we are joining me tonight is maria, sir jenko,

a former resident of mario poles who is now sheltering in levy re it's good to see you again. i'm glad we're able to see you again and that you are alive and well. the russian government, it says that it has set a ceasefire in mario po for to morrow, april 20th. i mean this appears to be a demand that those inside that steel plant lay down their arms or else have you heard anything about that tonight? yeah, i heard a lot of stories of really horrible stories from my relatives, from, from my friends who are, is still in maryville. and many of them are hiding in the, in the plant. and there are hundreds of civilian people who are hiding the air because they can't get out and they are homes already destroyed. so they seek shelter. they are, and russians use super powerful bombs to kill everyone. so it's so it's,

it's an al into earth, really air it in, you know, you're from maria po, what can you tell us about this steel plant? there were these ukrainian soldiers and civilians are standing their ground against the russians. i, i understand that this is a, just, you know, a simple factory. i mean, this is a huge cause complex, right? yeah, this is to bonham. the biggest plan, sat in ukraine basically. and this was one of the main plans and mary, you pull and hundreds of thousands of people weren't there. so it's, you know, one of the biggest in, it's was one of the biggest employers or marie pl citizens. so i mean this as it's tal plant the last time that you and i spoke of you had made the journey to levine to escape the, the attacks where we're talking about the bombing of and the city theater in mario

pole. what has happened since then for the people, you know, the people who may have remained in mario poll unfortunately. um this a taishan is in get it any better and there is still no electricity, no water in no power. and people are staying there because they can't leave. and dissertation is only getting worse. for example, one of my close friends, she lands, they are to find their parents and little sister. she found them, but unfortunately she can get out because the russian, the, are creating this filtration camps. so she can just leave the city because they need to, you know, wait for some days and they are searching for, you know, every, everything they can find to not long people get and out of the city. so this nation get an, a better, you know, the world we're,

we've seen this endless stream of pictures showing mario pole in, in ruins. and i'm wondering what about your apartment? for example, me, do you know what if you could go back, would you have a place to go back to even if the situation were safe? almost all my house, where is my apartment was destroyed. as for my apartment, i know for sure that there are no windows to and probably some of the parts of this apartment are also not. you know, it, we're not able to leave. they are in this evening, the station is said, getting that or let's say i so i think her 999 percent of the buildings and the cd i just tried to and you know, every day i remember i dream about my past there about my home and coming back there and then weary celebrate and we were

a celebrate and easter every year in mary paul with my whole family, you know, gathering together. and right now it's merely pop. impossible because russians the tallest they tall ever seen our future, our memories. so i can't imagine how i can get, get back the area because they are just nothing laughed from the city. i remember. and i know, and you know, in the western ukrainian city of levine of ed, it was seen as a safe haven for people trying to get out of places like mario po, that is changed particularly in the last couple of days with more and more airstrikes from russian forces, i mean, do you feel safe where you are nail? i think there is no safe place in ukraine right now. not on leave, not in any other city of the country. and unfortunately,

this is the station very leaving in for the 2nd month already. of course, after he has today's attack, of people are more worried and they want the are peaceful future battling and how to finish this war. and when to be able, you know, and get back home for some of people, at least to feel safe. because right now it's impossible to be safe in any part of ukraine. and what happens, i mean, i'm thinking of, you know, worst case scenario. what happens if the attacks they're in the v, they've become more intense and you have a situation where staying there can be a bigger threat than you want to take me. what, what would your plans be? what would you do that? i really don't know cuz i, you know it's, it's hard to plan and i understand that in comparison to marry paul or to hark if

it's a safer here. but when i hear the attacks, when you hear all this rockets heating the city, i, you know it's a, it's impossible to say safe and to stay calm. so we don't know what will be happening. we still hope for the end of this war and 4 hour mm. you know, fall a country that will, will defeat protein and russians. so this help holds says alive and we want to be positive because it's impossible to say in such conditions without without positive thinking. yeah, i mean, your positive attitude is very impressive and something to be loaded. that's for sure. but when you describe, of course, is a, is a very dangerous place. i mean, why haven't you left, you know, millions of people have lived, you know,

was the difference between them and you, why view state? you know, i, these, i think my parents said horror portion place talking as pain and the, or the, or because the manage to leave marable before the war and i visited them. i wasn't paying for some days and this for a really peaceful days. but just yesterday i came back to the for, and i, you know, i have my clothes, people here, i have my a work, i have my country and i will try to do my best to volunteer perhaps or to help other people here. so it's, ah, let me ask you before we run out of time, you know, we see so much of, of you are president of zalinski being a figure of inspiration, a wartime president, he didn't expect to be that we also hear how just every day,

civilian soldiers are doing an incredible job with weapons are getting from the west in defending the country. i mean, these are incredible stories. i mean, when you think about the future of your country, where, where do you get the inspiration most? especially for, for this positive attitude. i get inspiration from air every ukraine, n r that surrounds me here. and i think in the most difficult times, this is the moment when we as a nation, united and i believe in my country, i people that live here, i believe in ukraine. so maybe this is the thing that inspires me and how that's going forward in any case. good. well, it's good to see that you're able to still smile and we hope that you have many more reasons to smile in the future. maria are jenko, we appreciate your talking with us tonight from levine. thank you.

with russia now focusing on the dorm bass region. some ukrainians in other parts of the country are returning to their homes or what's left of the w correspondent, rebecca, bitter troubled to the city of your people, were russian forces took control earlier in the war and then withdrew. one thing that strikes you when you enter a pain is the silence. these once bustling straits now scorched and deserted, then sometimes the silence is broken. by the sound of people trying to put their lives back together. i have nothing on my route, 300 square meters of roof is missing. above full of the apartments. there's nothing but the blue sky above the post. a thing an ever ogre is the caretaker of these 82 flats and she lives in one of the top drama with my apartment is in this part of

the building that was damaged by missiles. she stayed right through the occupation to try to save them from russian soldiers taking them over, but was helpless to stop the missiles. no, not over. now, it is in this state. the house is uninhabitable until we rebuild it. do you more? next door to olga, another group with a similar story. they tell me this wasn't the 1st time they've had to flee. one of putin's was on what you have on here or maybe live here as a last resort. do you understand what many of us are from done bass we came here from war just to simply live and war came here after us. we are peaceful people. we don't want anything bad. we just want to live what law. however new hiking him, what brought the human rubbish? the most important thing is that it doesn't happen again. person could come back at any time even to morrow. their building was also badly damaged by rocket fire.

one woman shows me where her flat used to be. several m as filing a this was my bad dream and there was a balcony behind it larger and now there is no balcony there at all or so from my things were there like a little away sass switch of which had never it's gone. oh, butter on them while russian soldiers may have left a pin. but this is the city that's been left in ruins. there isn't a building we can say that doesn't at least bear some scars of the war and many a ruined beyond repair. while the physical clean up is underway, the emotional scars will take a lot longer to heal. for many who fled when the war broke out, they have little left to come back to. but for those who stayed behind many will have an even bigger recovery to contend with the dye dye. if the wall comes again, i will survive in any case. i will always survive because i have

a bear and he protects me. near scott, for the day is almost wrong, the conversation continues online. your findings on twitter, either either be nurse, you can follow me at bridge golf t v. and remember whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day we'll see you that ah ah.

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oh this is dw news wife from berlin. tonight the next front in the war, rushes new offensive in eastern ukraine. moscow has unleashed thousands of troops and a furious assault on ukraine's industrial park lab. the kremlin says that capturing the don't bass is now it's made object also coming up tonight. german transfer. oh sholtes. today saying that western leaders remain united in providing maximum support to ukraine, but they are still saying no to putting nato boots on the ground and are.