ah, it is a testament to the quality of the waters, one of them, any success stories from a bastion of biodiversity. sports may 20th on dw renewed attempts are under way to bring the remaining civilians trapped at the as of stalls steel plant to safety. they haven't seen sunlight or had access to enough food and water for 2 months. survivors say those stuck under ground aren't even aware. the city around them has been reduced to rubble. variable has faced the most destructive siege in putin's war on ukraine. it's capture would let russia claim total control of the strategic port city. just the kind of victory it's believed put in once before mondays, victory day celebrations. i'm claire richardson in berlin. this is the day.

aah! laura luke grady says, forcing simple rough procedures. i mentioned and limitless in its potential for global harm. forward 2 and a half months, the russian army has committed numerous crimes against humanity, just killing their raping. but they're ready to go for sorry, some of the bill allows it. we must hold both in russia unfinished, perpetrated and ordered the war crimes committed in ukraine to account. they want to break us down, but the only thing that will break it break down into an is russia also on the day for the 1st time in northern ireland history, a nationalist is likely to become 1st minister, shin fain looks at to win the most seats in elections, bringing the possibility of

a united ireland closer. the journey towards irish unity is unstoppable. i think we will see a referendum within the stack head. i think we will see that referendum for unity being one. hello and thanks for joining us. thousands of civilians have been boston safety after being evacuated from a received steel plant in mario poll ukraine. the survivors have been brought to russia occupied territory, bought there, accompanied by members of an international rescue efforts. united nations says around 500 civilians have been evacuated from russian controlled areas around mario, pull this week displaced ukrainians, q for 8. their fled from regions occupied by russian forces including besieged mario pole. while they have made it out,

others remain trapped in the as of styled steel plant ukraine's last stand in the port city. there is a risky over the lease currently, russian shelling in the assault of the us doll does not stop civilian, but civilians still need to be taken out. a women children, many children are still there. just imagine this held them more than 2 months of constant shelling, bombing constant death, which you nearby okey board. this video, released by the as of regiment shows heavy shelling of the steel plant. the remaining ukrainian soldiers have vowed to defend it until the end. russia says it's a grade to a ceasefire to allow humanitarian corridor out of the plant that ukrainian fighters claim. otherwise isn't the rental boiled water for the 3rd day? the enemy has broken through the territory of the as a stall plant where heavy, bloody fighting continues. luciana blueshield itself, once again,

the russians violated the promise of a truce, did not allow the evacuation of civilians who continued to hide from shelling. and as a star plants basement, the un and the red cross were able to evacuate hundreds of people during a brief ceasefire on wednesday. we are accompanied by 11 buses, filled of civilians are women, children, and elderly, who wants wives seeking safe haven outside the steel plant, mary paul is largely under russian occupation and clean up efforts have begun in preparation for may. 9th, when russia celebrates the soviet union's victory day in world war 2, analysts say moscow is eager to gain full control of the strategic port city in time for one of russia's most important holidays. let's bring and dmitri kornberg, he's an expert on security issues in the former soviet union and on russian foreign policy. and the russian military is out with a c and a, a non profit research and analysis organization in arlington, virginia,

a very warm welcome to the day our russian forces are still unable to secure full control of the other stall. works in mario, paul. how indicative is that of the whole offensive? well, it's part of a general record of poor performance by the russian military. but other style is a particularly difficult environment for them to, to, to capture because of the reinforcement of the tunnels and the bunkers and so forth . so it's, it's quite a, it's, it's quite difficult to, to fully take it over. so it is remarkable that there are ukrainians holding out at this point. i'm, do you think that russia has now settled on the capture of the dumbass and a land of bridget to crimea as it's final war? and i think for now, yes, i wouldn't be surprised if they are successful in that aim,

which is not necessarily, you know, of could be a certain then they could revisit and expand the aims later on. but for now that's, that's what they're aiming for. yes. and have you been surprised by the way things have been going for russia in this conflict? i was surprised initially. i thought that they would perform better in the early days of the 1st couple weeks of the war since then. i think it's just been more of the same. so i'm, i haven't been surprised that they have been less successful with the, the, the sort of the face to don bos, offensive than, than, than they expected that that's kind of more or less in line with their performance in the 1st, in the 1st space. now the west is pouring increasingly po, tens, military aid and cash into ukraine. at what happens here if the war drags on?

well, i can get support is going to continue. and one thing that we're potentially tracking is that as the russian trip forces become exhausted and the and ukrainian forces in the meantime get more modern, more western weaponry, we could see more counter offensives perhaps in the summer if the war continues. yeah. if we are looking at a protracted conflict, do you really think that the west will be able to keep up the pressure? i think so, i think the certainly the u. s. and its european allies have the resources and i think that there is a belief in the capitals in the west. and this early in the native member states that if that, that russia needs to be stopped at this point or that there will be of further aggression down the line. and the political consequences for russia itself in

a protracted war. the, well, the political conflict, consequences are a little bit uncertain because one thing we've seen is that bruton has become more popular domestically, even as he's been russia has become isolated for certainly from the west. them from a lot of key asian states as well. not china, obviously, so, so but, but the others. and so i think that support for the war in russia is likely to continue. but the economic problems could be kind of an achilles heel for, for bruton, as they really begin to bite. maybe later, later this year, early in $23.00, a vis monday rush will be celebrating victory day, a mark in the anniversary of the soviet union's role in the defeat of nazi germany . and what are you expecting to hear from vladimir putin on this day?

you know, i'm not expecting any a major changes. you know, i see i seen a report said, you know, is there the possibility that gordon could declare a general mobilization or something else along those lines? i don't think that's going to happen. i think that there will be most likely scenario is some kind of statement about the progress that's been made. oh, perhaps you know, highlighting the advances in the don't boss and so forth. a minimizing any failures and, and kind of a declaration of the significance and justice from their point of view of, of the, of, of the aims of what they're calling the special operation. and you think that will include claiming of victory in mario polo specifically. um i think it will depend to some extent on the situation. ok,

certainly most of the city of 95 percent of the city is now under russian control. so. so i could certainly see some kind of demonstration along those lines. but it's hard to actually declare victory when they're still on, you know, when there's obviously still fighting and, and bombing and so forth going on of the area that's, that's being that the korean forces are still holding on to a touch on is briefly about putin still enjoying strong backing in russia for his war in ukraine. give any reason to believe that that will change? i don't think so. i don't not, and then not in the short term or the anyway, i think that there is a combination of a rally around the flag effect among a sizable part of the population in part assisted bi limits on, on the kind of information that russians get from their state controlled media and also the departure of

a lot of the more opposition oriented are kinda more western oriented people to other countries. so you know, those there are several 100000 i think who have lashed in just since the beginning of march. and so i think bess provided, oh putin with some, some kind of a breathing space in a way because the most, oh anti guten, people have are leaving. ok. dmitri gordon. burke with sienna. i wanna thank you so much for taking the time to come on a day. really appreciate friendly ah, well, after initially hesitating to send heavy weapons, tear ukraine, the german government has now changed course. the 1st delivery of 7 self propelled artillery vehicles is in the works. ukraine's as the additional support will be critical in defending the dumbass region. the how it's are in action. according to

the gym bundeswehr, it's one of the most modern artillery systems in the world. armed with $150.00 millimeter shells that have a range of up to 40 kilometers to how it so requires a crew of $3.00 to $5.00 soldiers. germany now wants to give 7 such how it says to the ukrainian armed forces. as part of a german dutch deal, germany's defense minister announced the move during a visit to slovakia. dusty can mines on together. we will now support ukraine even further by ensuring that it will be able to fight with howard, sir, to thousands in the future. and so contract kemp and kung, as we can get us up next of ohio. therefore i'll starting next week. there will be training in germany on this weapons, upon campus howitzer went and afterwards a total of $125.00 deco systems to 7 german systems arch will support ukraine and

his courageous fight in comp on testers. the specific how it says have just been repaired and therefore not currently being used by the german army. the bonus for normally estimates about 40 days for training. in this case however, it could all go much faster. ah, and the british province of northern ireland is awaiting final election results set to mark a pivotal moment in the history of the territory. valid papers countered so far suggest that the nationalist should fain will become the largest party that would leave its main candidate, michel o'neill as the most likely person to leave the next government. it would be the 1st time since the partition of ireland a century ago at the northern irish government would be led by a party that advocates the end of british rule. there. the main pro british party d u. p. has seen its support drops and breaks it, although support for the union with britain remains strong in the province. i think

unice are very concerned about what a shouldn't feared. victory in the selection would be in terms of a 3rd device with border pulled clown. so why we put forward an effect of 5 point plan that we believe address all of the issues that matter to people right across northern are working to help with the constitution. she is composition mostly had felt their association of bad things didn't happen. i by have said that word a decade of opportunity and that kind of opportunity, brenda, right? but she is the we work towards the am please now bring in neil, o joker t a professor of political science and says geology at the university of galway in the republic of ireland. he is also the author of deniable contact back channel negotiation in the northern ireland conflict. now it's nearly a quarter of a century since the good friday agreement set up a framework for the peace process to start in northern ireland. so i'd like to begin by asking you, what would shin feigns victory, signify in this context?

a it signifies a very deep shift in the politics of northern ireland and a long term change in the relationship between the 2 jurisdictions. in ireland, that's not to say that the reunification of ireland is going to happen in the next 5 years. or even in the next 10 years. but certainly the relationship between the 2 parts of ireland is undergoing ongoing change. and the emergence of sinn fein is the largest party with around 30 percent of the boards and well ahead of the next largest party. the d u. p is huge. the symbolic northern ireland was established in the 1st place as a state for northern irish protestants who wished to identify with britain and stay in the united kingdom. and that lasted for around a 100 years. unionists supplied every prime minister for every government in northern ireland and for the 1st time that will not be the case. there will not be

a unionist 1st minister, very are looking at a historic 1st or what has caused the loss of support for the d. u. p, their supporters call in 2 directions, one to a right wing union as challenger, who wants them to be even more hired line and more opposed to nationalism. and to the compromise that the united kingdom made with the european union in the withdrawal agreement. so they lost some votes in that direction, but they all unionists also lost vote to the moderate alliance party which is neither nationalist nor unionist. so there are many liberal unionists who in recent years have been abandoning the 2 main union as parties. partly because those parties have ended up on the wrong side of so many debates. most importantly, the debate around the european union, many in the union community, actually voted to remain and the u. r. support of maintaining a good relations with the you are not attracted by the very negative approach,

especially of the largest union party, the d u p to the european union. and how is the union as a community likely to react to action, feigns 1st minister. it remains to be seen, but i think there will be huge pressure on the democratic unionist party to go into government which and feign and to acceptation fame 1st minister sion fain. after all has been willing to go into government with the d. u. p. as deputy 1st minister in successive administrations for the d u p to refuse then to take up the deputy 1st minister role and going to government which insane would be an extraordinary. busy rejection of a system that they have accepted for many years. a rejection primarily on the basis that they didn't want to national store or republican 1st minister. although the de piece formal reason for not going back into government immediately is they want to

see aspects of the withdrawal agreement between the you and the united kingdom. changed that agreement and sure that there will be a soft border in ireland. but that has led to the introduction of some controls on goods between great britain and northern ireland. so the d p is saying that until that agreement is changed. they won't go to government, but i think they will be pressured into government relatively quickly because all of the other significant parties want to go home to get back up and running and are willing to accept ation. fane. first minister. tell us more about the fact that as post brack, that rules are imposing border checks between or their ireland and the rest of the u. k. and how significant have a factor that has been it was very important in mobilizing a union, a space to, to trying changes. but the issue has developed in a very curious way initially union leaders were indicating that they could live with this with the protocol that they could accept these limited controls. because

he claim it actually puts northern ireland and a very privileged position. it can trade into the u as though it's in the you and it can trade in to great britain because it's still part of the might neither take them freely. so actually some union could see the great benefits of this arrangement. but then partly because the british government and you know, backed resistance to this protocol or, you know, showed that it was willing to, to post this protocol and really pushed unionists in the direction of becoming much more strongly opposed to it. so that became this big touchtone issue for unionists and the main unit party, the democratic union party adopted this is a central issue partly because they were afraid of losing a lot of their supporters to this right wing challenger within unionism. they've touched on this just briefly, but i wanna ask you if she shouldn't, fain emerges with the largest number of seats in the republic of ireland and the

next elections in 2 years. how quickly do you think we would see moves toward a united ireland? well the 1st step in any process of that kind is to have a referendum and that would take place in northern ireland and in the republic of ireland. but the british secretary of state for northern ireland is the only person who can called our referendum who can make the decision. and they will only do it on the basis that they believe such a referendum would pass. so we might be some years away from that yet. and even if she and pain comes into government in the republic of ireland, they will obviously then be able to increase the pressure for such a move. but the british government has the ultimate sale. whether referendum is called or not. now support for issue unification in the north is running at, you know, most polls showed it as

a kind of $40.00 to $60.00 breakdown around 60 percent or a little less saying they would vote to stay in the u. k to more around 40 percent saying they would join the united ireland. but there is in all of these polls a big pool of don't knows. and you can see the chin fane is now orienting itself to and to winning over a substantial number of these. don't know it over the next 5 years, 5 years or so. and the tone of their president, mary lou mcdonald, when she spoke about the election results earlier today was very much at aimed at this middle ground. and, and thinking of irish re in for cation as a project that could, you know, bring people together. well, i will thank you very much, neil. oh, talking to you for taking the time to come on the show. really appreciate your insight there. thank you. ah. afore crew members from the international space station have returned safely to her?

their capitals splashed down off the coast of florida almost a day after it left the orbiting lab. germany's mathias mara was among the returning astronauts were part of a 6 month nasa science mission off to $175.00 days in orbit. it was a watery return to earth among those floating in the gulf of mexico, the 12th german to make it into space. almost 24 hours earlier, mathias maha bid farewell to the i says it's been like 6 outstanding months up here in the space station. thanks to the my crew my it's, it's been so beautiful. the thanks to all the people on the ground that supported us, it serve the end of a 6 months mission. but i think the space stream lives on mars spent his time in space, like all the astronauts aboard, carrying out scientific experiments and maintaining the decades old station.

he also became only the 4th german to leave the i assess and conduct a space, walk the very last of his ether. now that way it back on earth. mara and his nasa kali's capsule was dragged aboard a space ex recovery ship outside for those inside, it was the end of an almost day long journey. yet the astronauts made their exits with smiles and waves, if not on their feet coverage. after so long without gravity, it was stretches for every one. ah, and before we let you go check out this racing rivalry between china and taiwan, whose cars go faster after some big talk on social media from a chinese racer. a taiwanese driver responded to the challenge. here's database zachary li with the fast and the furious man, i want to say your meal is quite does tie on province even have any false cause you don't like you should bala ah, this video by chinese influence

a young early this year, claiming that taiwan has no fast cause field, public anger in taiwan there, friday, they belittled us by saying that we don't have any such cause. it feels like where poor and they're great order. it's not ok to call taiwan a province. we're a country, however you don't, it sounds like you think you're the best and but the world is big and your horizons are not broad enough. the video also attracted the attention of tie when he's racing driver, lay out his she in noticed high ones. godfather of racing, lee, i decided to stand up for taiwan. what it is, it was a dodger. this is nora invite nor war between taiwan and china. so it is just racing and i'm professionally of collateral gym. so i threw down the gauntlet builder that he some guy with my age in china told me not to do it because relations between taiwan and china, a tense, but young said not a fast cars column, right. of course we do da da the will to look why my usually atlanta. ah, yes,

i would have hardy chinese influence. i took up the challenge. you gave yell 2 months to prepare me. i'll spend tens of thousands of dollars on modifying a car. the rivalry mobilized nationalism here in taiwan and fed antique china sentiment some media even dubbed it an online war. hi to me again. i mean i am a chair racing diverse here in taiwan. this people have been watching closely, la rivalry between now and the chinese car raise that you learned, sir. and then i was showing this approach to go about making speed record is not just for president achievement, but those are in a way about they being phase for taiwan. all right, the dangers of picking fights on line. that was the day as ever the conversation continues online. you can find us on twitter at data units. and of course there's more use and analysis on our website. that's w dot com. i'm clear richardson in berlin for me and the team working behind the

scenes. thanks much for joining us. with ah, with

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with this in dw, the why, but from berlin, a new attempt to evacuate civilians from the amazon stall, steel plant. in mario fall, at least one bus load of people has been taken away from the besieged factory and taken to territory under the control of the russian military. also on the show, after a barrage criticism for not sending heavy weapons to ukraine, germany announces it will supply 7 advanced. how would sir artillery systems ah.