[000:00:00;00] ah ah, this is the w news coming to live from berlin, putting claims victory in the besieged city of maria pole, and again calls on ukrainian fighters there to surrender. the russian president holds off on plans to storm the cities as a stall steal plant, constructing his forces to blockade it instead with ukrainian troops and civilians inside. also coming up, ukraine zooms its dead from mass graves, gathering evidence of possible war crimes. as relatives watch on, we hear from

a mother whose son never came home. and in france, the 2 candidates and sundays presidential run off hold their only face to face debate. emanuel michael and his all right, challenger marina pan clash over her links to russian money. and his record as president ah hello, i'm terry martin. good to have you with us. russian president vladimir putin, his claim victory in mario poll, saying his forces have successfully liberated the port city in south eastern ukraine. the as of stall steal plant is the last place in mario poll, still in ukrainian hands. russia says more than 2000 ukrainian troops are holding out in the heavily fortified plant. ukrainian officials say around a 1000 civilians are also seeking refuge. their cube is demanding that moscow

opened a humanitarian corridor to let them flee. in a televised, mating protein told his defense minister sergey chicago to blockade the us up. stall, steel, plant with ukrainian troops, sensibility and strapped inside. critical. again, i consider the proposed storming of the industrial area, pointless. i ought to a bolt it. this is a case where we must think, we must always think that it's even more so in this case, about preserving the life and health of our soldiers and officers. there is no need to climb into these catacombs and crawled underground through these industrial facilities block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through the molecular t u m, which doesn't actually move. or earlier i spoke to d. w, correspond rebecca ritter's in keir, and asked her about the situation in maria pull. when he heard it there from the horses mouth, president ploot potent and claiming victory of mary paul for the russians. we

haven't had confirmation all from the ukrainian side, but it's not unexpected. terry have been expecting mary full to full to russian control for some days now. but in reality, territorially, nothing really has shifted since prior to the statement by president potent that they have for some days actually held control of the city and of the port. but not all of that as of steel plant, as you just reported. and that remains the same, still thought to be 2000 or so defenders. and around about a 1000 civilians hiding in tunnels in the vast tunnel network under that as of steel plant. but there has been a shift taxi clear as you heard there, president putin calling for a c sing of the bombardment of that steel plant and instead to be blockaded. it's not exactly clear why that directive was given. whether or not, perhaps they want to keep that steel plant intact, so that even when they do gay control of it,

they can still use it. or perhaps they do indeed need to save some face there and change that tactically because they haven't been able to root out those remaining defenders. so what's going to become of those people in that steel plants, rebecca, both the soldiers and the civilians, and i understand they're also around a $100000.00 civilians lift elsewhere in mario poll. that's right, will the sight of the soldiers and those civilians at the steel plant it really remains to be seen at present. imprudent has said that he guarantees their safety should they surrender bad. those troops have ignored previous a cease and desist orders by the russians to come out with their hands up, bab, assuming that they don't trust president pohden and the russians that they will in fact be taken to safety. one of the battalion late is actually come out calling for an extraction by international forces and that they be taken to neutral territory.

and that looking very unlikely at this stage, so not entirely clear what's going to happen to them. but you heard of there from president polk. no fly shall pass. so what's the situation elsewhere in eastern and southern ukraine? rebecca, what's the latest in the battle for don bass? yes. well that to expected battle for don bass is entered. it's the de, terry, we've seen really an increasing a really large increasing in bombardments in that area, particularly in the city of hot keith. to day the marriage come out and said it's been on. it was constant bombardment. very worried for the some 1000000 people still living in that city or other areas. lou hands being in the don bass region being very badly shelled as well the mer. they're saying that the civilians have no power, no water in utilities won't be able to be restored until after the war. and it was mc alive to the south, has also been

a bombarded that's another city down south near the other key port city of a desa. so definitely seeing a huge optic in fighting in that region. but thank you very much, shar correspond to rebecca rivers in chief take a closer look now at how things have changed on the ground in ukraine this week. d w reporter joel doro is here to phyllis in joe. this week, ukraine's president declared that the battle for the don bass had begun. russia also acknowledged a new phase in its operations focused on the important industrial region to the east. now since 2014 russian back separatists have controlled parts of the don bass, namely the regions of donates and lou hands, while russia has also occupied crimea, will now russian forces occupy a territory connecting both those breakaway regions to crimea. it's in charge of the entire coast of the sea, of as all,

except for that one pocket of ukrainian resistance in mario poll will in the latest of elements this week, russia has intensified its efforts to take more of the territory across the don bus . it launched a battery of thousands of air and artillery attacks along many points along the front line. now u. s. analysts say it appears that russia is trying to encircle ukrainian troops in this particular region here between it's occupied territories by one estimate. up to $40000.00 ukranian troops, maybe be positioned there, that's around 20 percent of its known force. now these ukranian units are expected to put up quite a fight. they have been well practiced in fighting separatists here for years. russia on the other side, is estimated to have up to $70000.00 troops across the se, including units which had to retreat from after failing to take the capital of keith. some with an analyst believe that russia, however, is not yet ready for this new offensive. they say it appears that russia is rushing to attack without proper training, preparation,

or supply lines. this week's bombings are being seen as a test by russia to find weaknesses in the front line before attempting to move any tanks or troops. ford, ukraine continues to call for more weapons from western countries to try and hold the russians back. thanks very much, joe fell. ukrainian investigators are carrying out the painstaking work of zooming bodies from makeshift graves. it's part of an effort to gather evidence of alleged war crimes committed by russian troops, while forensic teams do their work. relatives of those killed weight nearby to claim their loved ones are correspondent with he has bowling. a joined other journalist on a visit to the town of borrowed younger near keith. he spoke to one mother whose son never came home for the police. it has become a grim routine. dozens of moss graves have been opened here in the past few weeks. but for the days,

a boy called this is the day she has been waiting for. her son is being ex you today. you don't show them where he was on his way back. he called to say he'd be home soon, but he never came. question to him, boy cole was shot on the street in the early days of the war. his body was given a makeshift burial on the grounds of a hospital when the morgue had to close because it had no power. please say that here in the northern suburbs of keys, they have recovered more than 1000 bodies. blue with a town or a younger was heavily shelled and then occupied by russian forces. life is too far from normal supermarkets and shops looted and destroyed. people here depend on 8 deliveries to survive. at the hospital,

police have exam 9 bodies to day it was civilians were shocked in the streets are run over by thomas. some have yet to be identified. nozzle that got that. i bought that through. unfortunately, we'll be doing this work for many more years already, but we'll work as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. so we have sold evidence to hold the aggressor accountable in the international courts will if it's not only those who did it not, but also those who ordered it give them more than that. give more, you cannot recovered. bodies are being sent to the morgue for forensic examination will then be returned to their relatives. this is the bill. hm. yeah, i know that his soul is gone. i know this is just the body, but it's the body that i used to hug and love. you made it good,

it's my child. i cry every day because of the blood to madison a boy cause one small comfort that soon she will be able to bury her son properly. is liquor. a couple of other developments related to the war in ukraine, british prime minister boris johnson has arrived in india on a 2 day trip focusing on defense and trade. the united kingdom has been trying to persuade india to reduce its reliance on russia. following the invasion of ukraine, india is a major recipient of russian fossil fuels and weapons. war in ukraine overshadowed the g 20 meeting of finance ministers in indonesia. the oldest countries finance minister noted that some members are concerned about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in ukraine and the economic and financial impact of the war. delegates from the u. s. canada and europe walked out in protest when russian officials

addressed the meeting in the 1st weeks of its invasion of ukraine, russia seized control of the chin noble nuclear power, plant the side of the world's worst nuclear accident. it was the 1st time that soldiers have occupied a nuclear power plant as part of a war. after moscow's forces laughed, reports emerged of the reckless actions they took there. it seems. russian officers expose their own soldiers to high doses of radiation. this is one of the most radioactive places in the world. yet the more than a month, russian soldiers lived here. digging deep into the contaminated soil of the chernobyl exclusions own ukrainian officials say that bunking down in the zone so called red forest manned up costing some of the troops their lives. horrible molested their shift, 3 little corporal in the red forest where russians dug trenches, ally,

they lived here only breathe in dust here. usual cooked their food and set fire his hair, a hoodie le throw while when the thought so gross was burnt for them and they inhaled burnt substances. you would be holy, which hang a 3rd. of course it will damage their healthily fix. it will kill some of them slowly. battaglia, and some of them will be, will die quickly. ah, dick, which swift go with it but rushes occupation of this site, but more than the lives of its soldiers in danger. for a time, the decommission plant was cut off from the power grid and forced to rely on diesel generators to keep critical safety systems running, sparking phase of immune you could a disaster reaching well beyond ukraine. when russian troops hurt a left, at the end of march, they looted offices some report. li even stole highly radioactive materials, possibly to sell ukrainian authorities, still unable to monitor radiation levels at the site. after soldiers also stole the system's main server. chernobyl was never ready for

a military occupation with the russians gone for now, and the anniversary of the 1996 disaster approaching. authorities are working to make sure it will be more prepared in the future. chevron foreign minister alina bab box, says the nato alliance is committed to the principle of collective defense. that means an attack on one member is an attack on all of its members. burbock made the comments on a tour of the 3 baltic states. estonia, levia and lithuania were once part of the soviet union, but are now members of the european union and nato. russia's invasion of ukraine has thrust them on to the frontline of the west's stand off with the kremlin, like ukraine. the baltic states also shared borders with russia. and his sal, i've got a roost and are fearful of future russian aggression bear box lay to stop on her tour of the region as brought her to the estonian capital tale there in a press conference with her estonian counterpart. burbock said germany has no to booze. when it comes to delivering weapons to ukraine,

low to boost. so for us with regards to am to lucas and i don't know what they are needing. that's why we are supplanting other partners. a soaker off it's changing towels and to see that those sad partners throughout delivering right now out of best stacks with because they can deliver say, with ware training is not needed currently more or less bring in our political course, my hands volunteer. hans. the german foreign minister, they're saying other quote, no taboos for berlin regarding weapons deliveries to ukraine. so why isn't germany delivering what the ukrainians are asking for? yes, that's the question that's being asked here and germany also and very intense men including by the members of chancellor charles says and government coalition

government. the current answer is that germany simply does not have this equipment at the moment available to give away, as well. as the fact is that the german army itself is in need of a large amount of equipment has been very different money spent on the german army and the last few decades. because one did not see the need for this. and now that the need is urgent, the german army itself is saying that the equipment that it has available and it needs to solve for spares and for its natural curtains and so on. so what the germans are now doing, and they're saying that they have agreed on this in 2 weeks of discussions with a native partners is that some of the native partners from the east of europe who have old russian or soviet equipment in their awesome goals. and we're talking here mainly about slovenia, or it appears they will be delivering tanks and other heavy equipment to ukraine, which the ukrainians will be able to use immediately. because at the same kinds of

equipment that they have themselves in any case. and germany will assist by providing maintenance for this material by providing ammunition and probe by providing some training that might be necessary. and at the same time, germany, we will recompense those countries that are giving away their equipment with new german equipment. but that will be a much longer term process. so indirect military support. it sounds like the german foreign minister also said that germany or noted that germany's weapons stockpiles are low. as you pointed out, that means if germany had weapons that it could deliver, would still take months. what can germany, or what can ukraine rather realistically, expect from berlin in the short term hands. well, the short answer to that as money germany is saying that it is going to spend another 1000000000 euros on military assistance to ukraine. and it has obviously

emphasized in recent weeks that it has already spent a lot of money on the financial and on humanitarian assistance to ukraine. so an extra 1000000000 not for the ukrainians to be able to purchase equipment, not only in germany, but elsewhere. and germany will pay for that then, but germany will also provide things such as ammunition, for instance, bucks of the heavy equipment that the ukraine is looking for, the tanks, the artillery, the anti aircraft systems and so on. that is something germany cannot supply at the moment because it needs it itself. at the same time, there will be a longer term perspective to this. and this is something that the foreign minister has also been emphasizing. while the battle is going on, she says one needs to think about the next few months and even years. and in that perspective, journey will be providing more modern equipment that might require quite a longer term delivery and would require more training on the side of the germans. more modern equipment. so there is

a long term perspective that germany will enter into long term commitments to ukraine as thank you very much, our political correspondent, 100 front sketch up on some other stories making headlines around the world today is really war playing struck the gaza strip overnight after hamas extremists fired for rockets at southern israel is the biggest escalation between hamas and is miss group that governs palestinian territory and is really forces since last year's 11 day war authorities in shanghai say the city will remain under tight code 19 locked down. that's despite some districts reporting no new infections, millions of people are barred from leaving their homes in an attempt to contain the outbreak. the strict measures are part of china's 0 covet policy. united kingdom's queen elizabeth has turned 96 years old. she's expected to mark the occasion with a quiet celebration away from the public eye, but she was treated to

a rendition of happy birthday by the guards at windsor castle. it's been a difficult year for the british monarchs with concerns over her health and questions over the future. the monarchy course will continue to keep you updated on developments in ukraine, but of, for now it's cross over to prance where the 2 candidates in son, next sundays presidential election are squared off in their only televised debate. the duel on wednesday was one of the last chances for encumbered the manual macolon and his fall right challenger, marina pan to sway voters and there were some firey exchanges. it was the most anticipated moment in the french election campaign. the only tv debate between french president emanuel micron and the woman who wants his job far right challenger marine le pen. ruth la, jonah thomas, also go home. they bought the civil, told him under the glare of the studio lights. the gloves were off. micron attack

la pen over her past dealings with russia. a map of the cycle shop, asked who did bondage you depend on russian power. you depend on mister putin as a few months after saying that madame le pen, that you took out a loan from a russian bank in 2015 for the 1st check russian bank left south to cushion bank. when you don't talk to other leaders, you talk to your banker when talking to russia, this is the problem then madame repeat, mooney will present on la pen insisted she was independent of moscow up anymore and return to a key see with her campaign today for the rising cost of fuel and essential left horse in if horsey objected, that caught my eye, shall i read on all the sanctions that was taken against the oligarchs against the bang us lesson. the only sanction that i disagree with is the one blocking russian count is a coil in port zuka. why? because i think that's not the right method. this is not what we'll actually hurt

russia mix and above all, it will hurt the french people a lot. we see a ecos she'll to, so i feel i know him on multiple people say, well, she'd hood with the candidates clashed of the climate change and microns economic track record in his 1st 5 year term patina. ja st. not again, on immigration and the treatment of muslims in france. the candidates policies are far apart. as ship all i want to ban the hedge out in public spaces. i'll say it on the clearest possible way. the fail is a uniform imposed by islamist alma was apology, said miss rosalie, you will create a civil war in the housing projects. madame la fern, i'm being honest, what you're saying is very serious, i suppose could, would you think or hear them, they don't accept that because what you said is very serious. i got to thank you. an opinion poll from a french broadcaster found over half the viewers surveyed thought micron was more convincing in the debate,

but french voters will had the last word in sundays run off election. d w, of course, thought elisa lewis has been following the elections, porous from paris, and had this to report on the debate while i was watching it all the way through. and i think that makes observers would agree that when it comes to the style, actually really pen improved as compared to what she did. 5 years ago when she was already facing a man in my call and ran a phase and in the tv debate ahead of that mode, at the time she was a performer, unity badly seemed hysterical at times and this time round, she looked a lot calmer. she came across to someone who is more a lot more like a president when it came to the fact though in my my call was calling her out over and over again saying, you know, your figures. i don't write your program doesn't make sense. and 80 percent of the measures that you're putting on the table. what actually lead to from leaving the

european union. marina pen denied again that she wanted to leave the european union saying that she wanted to reshape the union in mom. of course that that is not going to to be possible with your program and it's current state. well, we will see what kind of judgment voters will make of this debate. historically speaking in front of debate has never really turned around things, but it can change major intentions. a little bit by a few points counted lee and my, my call is leading in the polls. what about with about 10 percent ahead of marine the pen? now mccomb has made much of lupin's ties to the kremlin. we saw that in the, in our report. how is that going? how is that going down with french voters? yes, he writes, he insisted on that rash alone. he also insisted on the fact that in her manifesto my wheel or pen was still saying that she wanted to create and aligns when it comes

to certain topics with russia, such as the fight against terrorism. now, when you look at polls here in france, many people care about that, you know, a large majority of the french have a negative image of letting me put in a large majority of the french, i, shocked by the russian invasion in you train and it's likely that late as we'll think of that topic, especially when they turn out to late on sunday. lisa, thank you very much. that was our correspondent in paris. lisa louis, wimbleton organizers, her band, russian and beller, ocean tennis players from this year's tournament because of the war in ukraine. the ban will prevent a number of top rank players from competing in the grand slam event. the kremlin has called it unacceptable, and both the men's and women's tennis associations say the ban is discriminatory. the green, green grass of wimbledon, part of what makes it, arguably the most well known tennis tournaments in the world. but this year,

no russians are better. ruffians will grace the hollow turf organizers taking the decision because quote, it would be unacceptable for the russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvements of rational bella roosting players with the championships. the ban means big name players like denila, medford, of the russian world. number 2 and better roost is arena isabella anchor, who reached the wimbledon semifinals last year. won't be allowed to take part. in february, the international olympic committee called on the sports bodies to ban russian and bell roosting athletes. but wimbledon is going against the grain in tennis. at regular tournament, players from russia and batteries can take part as neutrals, others in the sport, believing it's unfair to punish individuals for a regimes actions. when bowden though, closing its gates to russia and belarus, the possibility of someone from those countries lifting the famous trophy and the

resulting propaganda boost back home. too much for organizes to bat. you're watching, did any news from berlin up next to its focus on europe, taking a look at the plight of surrogate mothers in ukraine. course. you can always get all the latest information and news any time you want on our website that d w dot call. i'm terry martin for mean all of us here. berlin, thanks for warranty. ah ah ah ah ah

ah ah ah ah, with ah ah, wondering more delivery by ukrainian, siri, get mother's fear of the bonds has prevented the beast from being picked up. ah arena and spent, nanette have been taken care in this key bomb shelter for weeks. ah, focus on europe next on

d. w. into the conflict zone with sebastian, russian forces have begun to the 2nd phase of the war and ukraine, that ukrainian officials said they were confident they could hold off the offensive . as the war goes on, she believes the dangers arising. he's mean of course java, great granddaughter of the former soviet lead indicate a crucial conflict zone in 60 minutes on d. w. a studio and transformed into an orgy of hate and violence. the history of the ku klux klan, the oldest terrorist organization in the united states, its members fight for races,

state ruled by white supremacy. what we're talking about here is not only disorganized violence, it's not only terrorism. it's politics. found it over 150 years ago. it's repeatedly died out, but always been resurrected. the ku klux klan starts may 11th on d w. ah . this is focus on europe. i'm lar babel ola. nice to have you with us. russia is launching fresh attacks in ukraine as moscow declares, a new phase of the war. ukrainian forces are calling on their allies to send more