more life starts may 28th on d, w with d w. news lines from berlin. the long wait on ukraine's front line with russia looking to step off its assault on south and east in ukraine. dw visits ukrainian forces as the face down enemy troops. and an unprecedented election victory in northern ireland shouldn't fain look set to form the territories best nationalist government vowing to be united ireland. but it's past links to terrorism. have many

worried class, the search for survivors in havana after an explosion kills at least 22 people at the iconic senate dot gov hotel. cuba president calls of the tragic accident that authorities blame when he ghastly. ah, i am eddie micah junior and you are welcome to the program. east in ukraine is brazen for escalades and attacks. it's believed russia once issue a force and it's war as it prepares to back. it's victory day holiday on may 9th. but more than 2 months into the conflict rash is offensive, is stalling in the face of ukrainian resistance. keith says it's forces have now killed more than 25000 russian troops in amber that has not been independently verified. russia's parents go now, cops or ukraine's south and east,

but it hasn't made any major gains in these areas in recent days. did of use matthew as belinda is embedded with the green, an army on the front line. yet, michel life in the south where russia's forces are being kept at bay. for more than 3 weeks, the ukrainian and russian soldiers have been standing within eyesight of each other . a few kilometers outside of michel life. when they are positioned at 1 o'clock to and help us too much at night, we can see the outgoing fire. the russian troops came in here in the beginning of the war and were then driven out by the ukrainians. now their positions are about 5 kilometers that way when you come up with they are digging themselves in deeper. initially, the russians were advancing quickly. they were able to capture her son, but here a little over 20 kilometers from the center of mc alive. there was thought

michelle was, is we are now in position, but they are also in the trenches. they'd been here before. and so they had dug themselves in well and, and now shooting from their positions community laid. the war has changed. initially, the russians were advancing, straightforward with massive troops and equipment. the ukrainians were ambushing member the small mo bile attack groups for 3 weeks. now both sides are in a war of attrition. nice them out. a little of lot on with. this is one of our helicopters work that only out of you can see the smoke over there. now money back on the soldier say that especially at night shelling is intense on the college. so here trying to out gun us by quantity of agile is not working on him or they might still have to get past us. but they went the ukrainian soldiers here say that they are ready to move

forward as soon as they are ordered too. but for now, each side is stuck where they are dw correspondence, funny facia isn't keyed. she spoke with us a short time ago about fresh air strikes being reported with russia expected to ramp up a tox ahead of them may, 9th, victory, days, and abrasions. as you're speaking right now, we're just hearing the new air strikes ah, in there being encountered in odessa, according to ukraine. information obviously already strikes, aware at witness there earlier today. but what's really interesting, bizarre, even for me, like in the lead up to the beginning of this food get invasion on february 24th and recovering from here from key of the kind of a very similar a feeling. i like something is in there. this is, this is what it feels like right now and to lead up to a, me, asia may, 9th, may, 9th, obviously, when a russia celebrates their victory,

but it was then soviet union over there now to germany, a 2nd world war. so yes, definitely people have this feeling out maybe, and this is and in fact goes with presidents and ascii, pointed out in an emotion address yesterday, online. the people should take these air raid sirens seriously and go and seek shelter. because obviously with the war on going now in the 3rd month, some people say, okay, i've heard that before, i don't think something is going to happen and they just simply ignore it. so certainly i had all those celebrations that by russia, in any part of ukraine, people are bracing for food for strong offense. if they, even though we do not know if this is actually likely to happen on out. so bracing for strong offensive. now, while russia's attacks continue, ukraine's military says it has killed more than $25000.00 russian soldiers. how reliable is the figure bluntly, blanche put really briefly. it's not reliable in terms of it's not an independent

source. obviously, information in any will, is used, but also misused by any side that's being involved, potentially misuse to for different reasons. obviously to bolster the moral among soldiers. as i say, this is the 3rd month into this war. so by the ukrainian government saying your resistance is successful because so and so many people send so many soldiers, russian soldiers have been killed is, of course, was away to tell the soldiers, staples, they are, make sure that you continue this fight. you need to keep up your spirit, but no, we do not know whether this number is correct, just like you do not know what it's correct to say that in the russian side that many ukrainian soldiers have been killed. but as i say it's, it's the numbers, obviously that politically are, are being used in a way to increase that moral spirit, however, was quite interesting. in this context is the president's landscape. she pointed out yesterday, if those people who are trapped in as of solstio planned a, the civilians but also the soldiers who are hold up, they are, if they're being killed. if instead they could release that any peace deal is

basically obsolete or any, any attempt to form a, please feel the rush is obsolete. this is quite, i want to given the fact that as we're speaking, unfortunate people are being wounded and killed right now. and ukraine did of your correspondence. funny for shy and keith. thank you very much. now, 2 other developments and the conflict rushes military as were has and i had of may, 9th, known as victory day. the holiday marks the soviet union's role in defeating nazi germany in world war 2. president fulton will be looking to use the day to put a positive spin on his war in ukraine, despite the russian military sluggish campaign there. ukraine's military house release the fort age of what it says. easy drone strike on the russian london vessel on snake island in the black sea. the video also shows an attack on the building. ukraine says was used for storing mess house. no details have been

provided about when the strikes ok. authorities in italy have impounded. he lacks the yacht link to russian president vladimir putin. the $700000000.00 vessel have been undergoing repairs to port interest. any recent activity suggest that the crew might be preparing to sail ukraine had edged italy to seize the yacht as part of europe, white sanctions on foot and, and his associates. now the irish nationalist should fain party looks that for your historic when in the northern ireland assembly elections, both counting is still on the way by the party is already confirmed to have secured the most fast preference votes winning 29 percent. that was, she's been lead a shell neil in the position to hit the next government. it will be the 1st time not an island will be led by party advocating v unification. whether a public violent island was divided

a century ago after it's war and dependence against britain. what's now the republic emerged as a separate nation. not an island mean out of the united kingdom due to it's for just on majority. wanted to mean british roman catholics never accepted this titian tension between the 2 communities turned violence in the 960 s only end in 1998 with a good friday agreement. but rex, it sparked new tensions over the border. northern island left the you along with the u. k. while the republic of ireland means member small and s let's cross to correspond in london, shallow chelson bill. hello, charlotte. shan fain seems set for fast. when in northern ireland, what does that mean for the country? absolutely, as you say, sion fane and nationalist party are on track to becoming the largest party that

really is nothing shed as short of a watershed moment. would be the 1st time that they do have the right to the post, the division of minutes and making it really pretty historic. now in terms of consequences, i think you have to conclude that there will be a period of uncertainty no less. because as we know very clearly, sure thing has said that they are in favor of uniting the island of island, irish unity. but that's next possible. in the short time, we're likely to see the period of negotiations, not because the democratic unionist party, it said that it will not form an executive until the controversial northern ireland protocol. this breaks it deal that was come up with designed to avoid a hard board on the island divine and is radically changed. that is something that isn't going to be very easy. so you are going to see this very difficult period as breaks it really is back in the headlines over the next few weeks. and then of

course, looking further into the longer time, there is a constitutional question. this question about the consequences is the fact that she fain say that they want irish unity, although it's unlikely that not as anything that's going to happen in the short time, it suddenly raises the spectra of it. and not indeed does make these emerging results . pretty historic and treaty historic indeed now she in fame was believed to be the political arm of the i r a terror group, which used armed force to fight for the v. and if occasion of violence are those days finally over, you think well, this is a new generation of leaders with a sion fain. it is also a new generation to be a lecturers is 11 of the really key stories that is emerging so far from this election is that some versus a turning away from this. even nationalist or union is vote and going for non aligned parties, moderate parties, that is a key feature of this. so suddenly, the fact that she found does seem to be emerging as the largest party doesn't

necessarily reflect will, doesn't appear to reflect the fact that voters are hugely in favor. we're really pushing on the top of their minds that i'd like to see a united ireland. so that's something that really has to be taken into accounts here. but you will undoubtedly see some uncertainty. there are also partial point put in northern ireland breakfast being one of them. and that as i say, it's likely to play out. ok, w correspondence, shallow chelsea fill in london. thank you. i got some of the other stories in the headlines now. french president manuel, my chrome has been sworn in for a 2nd time at the ceremony. at the elisa, palace macro and b file writes bible marvina pen in iran, no votes. last month, he vowed to build a stronger friends and ease social tensions with a more inclusive style of government. japanese and south korean sources,

see north korea has fired a suspect that ballistic may fall off its east coast. this happened just 3 days. that's up. you're young, laughed miss al, launch as one in school, it may conduct a nuclear test. at least $22.00 people that have died and dozens are injured out to a powerful blast at the hotel in acumen capital. how binary search and rescue crews have been working frantically to find survivors in the rubble of the famous tow got tell. already. see the suspect a gas leak is to blame the saratoga hotel moments after the blast. ah, rhode island, the saratoga has just exploded in front of me. look at this miracle official say the gas cylinder on these truck caused the deadly explosion which got at the lower floors of the hotel and damage near by cars and buildings. where you could

see people shouting, dust rising disaster. it was like a horror film really radical higher than that. i mean cuban president miguel diaz cornell visited the scene of the disaster, which happened near cube is national capital building. i actually don't believe we're visiting the location, sir. everything seems to indicate that it was an accident with a gas tank that caused some explosion. horrible, and therefore structural damage and to collapse, stood on. there is a group of people who are receiving help person, their rescue team, so the firefighters and all the specialized forces acted very quickly. but unfortunately, people have died early to fog and, and what was wrong? i feel government. an anxious crowd gathered outside the nearby hospital looking for their loved ones. on inside, some of the dozens of people injured in the explosion receive treatment. among them, children. rescue was walked into the night clearing to bray and pulling buddies from the rubble. the hotel had been closed for over 2 years

due to the pandemic. but officials say work his way inside, preparing for a planned reopening. that's it. you're all up to date up next. well, stories, dukes out, the russian armies use of rape as a weapon. full rule, we'll have more headlines on the top. bob staging i this is with all say will gray you.