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 dawn 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 evasion 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. there shaylee from all directions. and we don't even know where the shelling comes from. restoration they used to train. it was

in those from the very beginning to full deliberate than yes can lebrans, quickbooks in this direction will continue. this is an aggression against the international rules and free samples on which our modern civilized world 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 heal. ah,

what you, our viewers watching on p b. s. in the united states, into all of you around the world, welcome. we begin the day with a 1st win for the russians in ukraine. today, russian forces sees the city of crimean up in the eastern part of the country. ukrainian forces reportedly withdrew completely, making this the 1st city to be captured in this new offensive in eastern ukraine. that offensive was confirmed a day by russia's foreign minister, a campaign to take control of eastern ukraine, known as the don't best region. overnight, russian forces claimed missile attacks hit more than 1200 targets in despite the heavy barrage, ukraine says that the front lines remain unchanged. we have more in this report. shots fired on the front line. ukraine says these are some of the opening salvoes in rushes, offensive in the east. in footage, released by the ukrainian defense ministry troops to say they are ready to defend the don bus will 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 phase in the war. in that as a more than we can now state that russian troops had begun the battle for the dawn about thought for which they hadn't been preparing for a long time in a hearing, 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 school 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. mozilla is seldom a new phone. 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 people to 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 seek any of their territory without a fight. over 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. russia's 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, 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 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 good, 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 the 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 combat elements converging on a smaller region with the goal, frankly, of taking other parts of look don't ask in lieu. hans and the russians hadn't already controlled so that a potent, perhaps by early next month when they celebrate 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 really is a race 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 anti aircraft missiles, some european equivalents of those have been absolutely 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 core. and then 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 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 a 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 the ukraine. people defending their homes. yet 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. yeah. you know, for americans,

you know, 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 demography. 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 sides warheads. 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, that'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 and 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 a land bridge from russia to crimea, essentially already has. but he has the c ameria poll on that axis, and he either he has to 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 steve. ah,

russian 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 to refusing to surrender ukraine claims. russia is using cluster bobs to attack the plant. we cannot verify that cling were. joining me tonight is maria sir jenko, a former resident of mario poles who is now sheltering in levine. ridge. 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 poll. i'm 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, i mean,

have you heard anything about that tonight? yeah, i heard a lot of stories and really horrible stories from my relatives and from my friends for a steel and mary ample. and many of them 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 i, they seek shelter, they are and russians. he is super powerful bombs to kill everyone. so it said, yes, it is. the holland, the earth, really air in, you know, you're from mario. whoa, what can you tell us about this steel plant there where these ukranian soldiers and civilians are standing their ground against the russians? i, i understand that this isn't just, you know, a simple factory. i mean, this is a huge complex, right? yeah, this is one of the biggest plans sat in ukraine basically. and this was one of the

main plans and mary, you pull and hundreds of thousands of people work there. so it's a, you know, one of the biggest in, it's, was one of the biggest employers or marable citizens. sir, i mean this, as it's told, planned the last time, but you and i spoke of you had made the journey to levine to escape the attacks. we were talking about the bombing of and the city theatre in mario pole. what has happened since then for the people, you know, the people who may have remained in mario poll unfortunately. um, they cetacean isn't getting 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't get out because the russian, they 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 getting out of the city. so this nation get an aim 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, at 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, you know,

windows to and probably some of the parts of this apartment are also not, you know, i'm in, we're not able to leave. they are, if this evening the citation is getting better, let's say us. so i think her 99 to have percent of the buildings in the city. 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 in easter every year in mary paul with my whole family, you know, gathering together. and right now it's merely pop. impossible, because russians, they call it, they stole 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 are now 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 air strikes 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 out the city of the country. and unfortunately this is the station very leaving in for the 2nd month already. of course, after yesterday's attack, people are more worried and they want the are peaceful future. but that we need help to finish this war and we need to be able, you know, and get back home for some of people at least to, and feel safe. because right now it's impossible to be safe in any part of ukraine

in what happens. i mean, i'm thinking of, you know, worst case scenario. what happens if the attacks they're in the v as they become more intense and you have a situation where staying there can be a bigger threat than you want to take me to what, what would your plans be? what would you do that? i really don't know because you know it's, it's hard to plan and i understand that in comparison to marry pal 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, 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, 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, it's a very dangerous place. i mean, why haven't you left, you know, millions of people have lived. you know, what's the difference between them and you? why view state, you know, i, these, i think my parents set horror portion place talking as pain and the are the, are because the manage to leave marable before the war and i visited them. i was in pain for some days and this for really peaceful days. but just yesterday i came back to be a 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 well written that leave here, i believe in ukraine. so maybe this is the thing that inspires me and how as go going forward in any case, good will. 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 or jenko. we appreciate you talking with us tonight from levine. thank you. with russia now focusing on the dumbass region. some ukrainians in other parts of the country are returning to their homes or what's left of the w correspondent. rebecca bitter traveled to the city of european, where 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 to my wrath. 300 square meters of roof is missing. above full of the apartments, there's nothing but the blue sky above the post. the thing a neighbor ogre is the caretaker of these 82 flats. and she lives in one of the top from over there to 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 alga, 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 should hear 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 hike you were brought the hacker robert, the most important thing is that it doesn't happen again. person could come back at any time even to morrow. there building was also badly damaged by rocket fire. one woman shows me where her flat used to be. several, almost filing a, this was my bedroom and there was a balcony behind it, larger and no, there is no balcony there at all or so from my things were there like a little away says which of which i know its gone. oh, but on the mile, 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 save it 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 that for those who stayed behind many will have an even bigger recovery to contend with. the boy. if the wall comes again, i will survive in any case. i will always survive because i have a bad and he protects me. near the day is almost around the conversation continues online, your find us on twitter either either be new, she can follow me at bridge. gov. tv, and remember whatever happens between now and then tomorrow is another day we'll see you that ah

ah ah ah ah

ah with ah ah, the addition of the 77 percent. well, this week we want to have a conversation around teenage pregnancy, and i'll be married. we hear stories of women, young goes, who believe them themselves almost to death. we've bought a few emotionally trapped topics to toppling today. she'll but will speak out against gender inequality. the 77 percent next on

d. w. now you used to just wait for the ray because you used to be able to rely on them on food today. valley battlefield, unpredictability of climate change. just like i have a 100000000 farmers in india, he has found some help at the other end of the wealth with global 3000 in 60 minutes on d. w. o. and transformed into an orgy of hate and violence. the history of the ku klux klan, the oldest terrorist organization in the united states. it's members fight for

racist state, ruled by white supremacy. what we're talking about here is not only disorganized violence, it's not only terrorism. it's politics. founded over 150 years ago is repeatedly died out, but always been resurrected. the ku klux klan starts may 11th on d. w, a hello and a very warm welcome to yet another edition of the 77 percent the shore where we discuss issues of importance to you. africa's youth. my name is ga catchy, and i'm your host for to day. well this week we want to have a conversation around teenage pregnancy and early marriage and coming up with me to be but i had done so always using our to be mind. respect for walking women

we talked to teenage moms about whole pregnancy.