will you ah, ah, this is d w. news ally from berlin. you, craig warner, that russia plans to expand its war of cross europe. president val autumn is lensky says neighboring, moldova, he's in moscow sites. after senior russian commander hinted at extending control right across. so the new crank, as russia discuss, is taking more territory. there are growing concerns about its military capability . d, w, visits, a scene of destruction were retreating. russian forces suffered a defeat. and the final countdown to frances presidential election on sunday

incumbent emanuel mat call. and his challenger, marine le pen have made their final pitch to voters. but many are unhappy with both candidates. ah, a michael. ok. it's nice to have you with us. ukraine has warned that russia plans to attack more countries and expand its war. president valadez zalinski said, ukraine's neighbour. moldova should be concerned about russia's latest military strategy. while dover is home to trans nissan, which is a break away pro russian region which borders ukraine. russia is in control of ukraine, south east regions seen here in blue. now the deputy commander of russia's central military district says it's forces. want to push westwards. on friday,

the official told state media quote, control over the south of ukraine is another way to trans nissan. where there is also evidence that the russian speaking population is being oppressed. president lansky focused on the commander's comments in his nightly address, short, thick kinky. well, this only confirms what i have said many times the russian invasion of ukraine was intended only as a starter. they then want to capture other countries. of course, we will defend ourselves as long as necessary, one against law. these ambition of the russian federation, you know, but all nations that like us, believe in the victory of life over death, must fight with us. they have to help us, because we are the 1st on this path and who is next steps. let's almost look after darlin, and we can cross over now to d,

w. 's or rebecca readers in key. the rebecca, we've been hearing reports that russia might make a land grab for ukraine, south and reach a breakaway region in moldova. how are people there reacting to this news? well, you heard president zalinski, they're saying that they see you crying is potentially just the 1st stop for president potent. and he's something he said before. he said it on a number of occasions, but obviously this time it comes in response to that russian commander giving a plan of what they are intending to do here in new crime, which is of course, take most parts of the east of the country. the dumbass regional, the ha keith, but also the entirety of the south of the country. the about cities like mary paul that we've been talking a lot about. it's been heavily bombarded. but going all the way right across a desa and into that trans misty pre trans mystery of rage and excuse me, in moldova, as you were just saying, obviously that shocking to people here. but president lensky really wants to make

it shocking to people around the world so that you know, the other nations will step up and help you crying in this fight, saying that other post soviet nations will be coming next. rebecca, you mentioned that the city of mario pool, as you well know, thousands of people have been trapped in that port city now of 4 weeks. what more do we know about the humanitarian corridors that might in fact be their last line? yeah, well of course the stains coming out of mary paul and the stories are just horrific . the humanitarian catastrophe that's unfolding there, michael. it's still hotly contested. president putin came out and claiming victory of mary paul the other day. but i bet zalinski and ukraine sang that still too early to coal complete victory of mario po for the russians. the americans echoing those words. we've heard today that there's renewed bombardments at that as of steel plot, which is the last remaining stronghold of those ukranian soldiers. as round about 2000, we believe still fighting,

still living underneath the tunnels is vast tunnel network at that steel plant, as well as around up to $1000.00 civilians, also hiding out there. so they're fight. it remains to be same. what they fight will be about renewed fighting at that plant today. and in terms of the humanitarian corridors. one was set up today, the deputy prime minister of ukraine saying that they were trying, going to try to get a few 1000 people out of that city. she warned to be careful for civilians to keep in mind that russians are also trying to evacuate people out for the east. and we've heard reports around about $300.00. mary paul civilians being taken to vladivostok through russian humanitarian corridors. so cold. and so she was warning people against being confused and looking out certainly for the ukrainian wants, no word yet as to whether they have been successful. but we know in the past they have very tricky, very dangerous, and they often fail. this is the orthodox easter weekend, which both russia and ukraine celebrate. how likely is an eastern truce looking?

well, there was, we're calls from the un last week to korea to create a humanitarian sci fi over the easter weekend. it is now saturday to start started on thursday, no signs of a sci fi yet. in fact, we said an uptake in violence. heavier bombardments in the aisd heart. the city of hard cave saying almost constant bombardments, the mayor of la han saying the same thing. veil hans, being in the don bass, he said that says almost completely on the constant shelling over the weekend. and just in the last hour, actually hearing reports also of, of explosions and potential bombings in the city of odessa, which has been preparing for an attack for some time, but has, until now largely remained unscathed. so we are hearing of reports there, so definitely no ceasefire. inside this weekend, d. w. 's rebecca readers many, many thanks, rebecca. even as russia discusses capturing more territory,

western analyst shed it had failed to make it nipped. significant gains in recent days, dw corresponded mathias bill and go joined the ukranian government media trip to a region where russian forces had recently suffered defeat. this is what the russian army left behind the village of terrifica about 70 kilometers northeast of cave is one of the places where the russian invasion came to a halt. bars, as he calls himself, took part in the bottle to see army and be sure russia has a bigger army in terms of numbers and equipment. i'm not talking about the quality of the equipment, but it is a lot that means for us that we have to be better prepared and to plan more thoroughly to seniors of, on the line. experts say it wasn't just a clash of 2 armies, but also of military doctrines. heavy technology versus mobile equipment along the

roads in this area. it is not unusual to find whole columns of burnt or tanks taken on by modern western anti tank missiles. was it 50 cottages, get on a peacock with a javelins and an lows and drive to the place where you expect them to come hid them. yeah. and then you're able to leave the sink quickly. thick there as a choice? no, it's still flitted chill right. oh, in the forest, the rhine ted reeves go, you can still see the bodies of russian soldiers. russian losses are believed to have been extremely high. ukrainian soldiers describe their attacks as on coordinated but very destructive. this school was hit by a rocket symbol. thank. there were tanks, there was mirabelle artillery. it was evolution. they sent everything they had over was all and that he'd not care that much of this did not land on target. it was chaotic fire shelling without any plan, hoping they were horn respond simply called fish. newborn. ukraine accuses russia

of systematic war crimes shelling of civilians. they say these villages lie behind the lines and were bombed from the air house after house destroyed, possibly to demoralize the ukrainians. but as the next big battle begins in the east, the commander of this unit thinks that russia's actions have made ukrainians even more determined. bama boy ali we're ready is up on the and if the west accent quickly gives us the military aid that we need more military equipment and technology than i think the victory will be ours. and it might come soon already. we will move, but a more will the for mommy do just, it was a school his optimism is not shared by most experts, most expect a long war of attrition. so how is russia's military campaign

going earlier? i spoke to samuel romani, a tutor of politics and international relations at the university of oxford. i started by asking him if we can in fact expect the long war of attrition in ukraine . well, i think a long war rejection is almost inevitable because i think it's going to be very hard for the russians to be able to make significant progress towards their objectives are taking over all of the new grant as well as consolidating control over to and yet in the landscape is simply lack the morale supply chains as well as the tactical flexibility to really achieve that because they would need to make a swift defensive underneath pro and then consolidate their forces there and then circle the ukrainians. but that's not happening. ukraine is a massive country. you've been watching developments closely or the ukrainian force is getting everything they need and if not, what's missing? well, the cranium forces are getting more and more heavy artillery, which is a positive step. i think the britons announcement that they're going to be willing

to our facilitate the supply of. he said, did you tanks from poland? i think is one good idea. i think that some of the howitzers that are coming in from the united states as part of the $100000000.00 aid package, as well as frances and answering yesterday is good. but more artillery is needed and also they need to start read. we basically replenishing leave training air force more. they've got 20 extra jets from the parts that they got, but they lost more than absences out of the events of i'm curious, what do you make of the comments made by russian commander who said that full control of southern ukraine would give russia access to moldova, is a break away region of trans nice drea? well i think that was a while in the making. the rush has been coarsely threatening moldova for some time . they been hinting, for example, of the mold opens, don't have the money to be able to pay back at the funds for russian gas and also. busy moldova, as a neutral country, is that heavily in the crossfire russia's occupied resist, rate of act over more than 2 decades, is lobbying for its independence, is claiming that russians are discriminated against as exactly the same playbook as

they used in don bass before. invading. so i think we should be very concerned about moldova security. as you put a russia has, in fact, been hinting for quite some time now. but why would russian military leadership essentially give advance warning about their potential aims even beyond ukraine while they're in the middle of this conflict that the whole world is watering is actually quite a bit baffling because the russians have always tried disguised the imperial character, their mission under phrases like liberation or dance, vacation or demilitarization. so this level of transparency about it and the fact that russian m. p 's over the past 24 hours and followed by saying that they want to include all of south in ukraine into a combined federal district with crimea is quite striking and interesting. also the ukrainians have been warning the mold over authorities for a period of time that tourist ball, which is the cath enterprises. julia could be used as an aerial bass for attacks on southern ukraine, odessa, them. aldo was brushed off those warnings in the past, but now, by summoning the russian ambassadors, he says that they're taking

a lot more seriously. there been reports of some gains of russian forces have made in the east. of course. can they be health? well, that happens in rewards against a brush in these by the small, small scale. it's all very slow moving. it's all very traditional. and we've seen the fact that russia can make gains, or at least try to make gains and also lose territory. i've seen that happened in marine cow, which happened and enhanced, they concentrated the 1st day of their offensive in their, in plasma and they lost it to the finance. so it's one a question of a making gains is to a question of holding on to it. his look now at some other developments in the ukraine war, united nations secretary general antonio terrace is set to visit moscow on tuesday to meet russian president vladimir putin. hill, then head to ukraine for talks with president. a lot of his zalinski, who cherish will discuss steps to bring about peace following russia. invasion of

ukraine. u. s. satellite images appear to show another mass grave in a cemetery, east of mario pl. pictures taken in late march and mid april suggest fresh parallel trenches were dug. ukraine has accused russia of trying to hide evidence of war crimes during their salt on the city. russia denies the claims. russia has confirmed the death of one of the crew members of its flagship missile cruiser, moskva, a week after it sank in the black sea. the mission ministry of defense said nearly 400 crew members were evacuated. kremlin critic suspect a much higher number of dead and missing, saying the ship's crew was about 500 strong. accord in moscow has ordered opposition act. its vladimir carry mussa to remain in pre trial detention is accused of spreading fake news about russia's army after denouncing the war. carol boucher has long been a critic of the kremlin and has survived to poison

a titles. human rights groups have called for his release. we said in relations with french president emanuel mac hall, and his far right challenger marine le pen have made their final push for votes before sundays. presidential runoff, pole show the race is much tighter than 5 years ago. when french voters faced the same george. though mac hall is expected to when many people say they're undecided or ambivalent, his campaign slogan is all of us, but it's not entirely clear how much of france will be with him. i knew him a call at the ballot box on sunday. both the far right opposition candidates met in le pen and the incumbent president has been making a final push for votes. and we won't unite the country by promising everything and financing.