ah ah, this is the w is life from berlin. russia's president says he will push on with his war anew crane law to move through to the address is moscow's annual victory day parade, blaming western countries for provoking his invasion, praising russian forces for their efforts. despite little recent progress, also on the program reform or fall apart, european union leaders are in strasburg to hear citizens demands on making the bluffs stronger and more democratic. ah,

i'm so gale. welcome to the program. russian president vladimir putin has praised his armed forces for fighting his war in ukraine and promised to push on with the invasion. his speech was delivered in moscow at russia's annual victory day parade, celebrating it's $945.00, defeat of nazi germany. thousands of troops and military vehicles paraded through red square. president putin used his speech to repeat his claim that western countries had provoked. his attack on you crate, went on to claim falsely, that countries were planning to invade russia, that ukraine planned to obtain a nuclear weapon. he could also claim that he so called special operation had been launched only after exhausting every other chance for peace. and i see it is though russia called on the west to an honest dialogue all in vain. the nato countries did not want to hear us, which means and in fact,

they had completely different plans. and we saw it. there were open preparations for another punitive operation in danbury for an incursion into our historic lands including crimea. eve announced possible acquisition of nuclear weapons and the nato block started active military colonization of territories belonging to us. so an absolutely unacceptable threat for us was created directly near our borders that you then you put a none of that's picked through this island. dissipated speech with the w report aren't tilted, so what's the corresponding to out about moscow? puter? welcome, erin. this means didn't go as far as many expected, but if you mr. burton also didn't sound like a man looking for an exit strategy, or you're definitely right. i think a lot of western governments, especially their intelligence services, expected that putting would declare some type of mass mobilization mass drafts, conscription and maybe than that we could see an official to collect declaration of war against ukraine. he stopped short of that because right now from the rush

perspective, this is an award, this is us a military or special military operation. now instead, what we saw was a man who, i do think to a certain extent on the back foot. he basically was swearing his people to get in the line and basically saying, look, this is going to be a long conflict. there isn't going to be an easy short answer to this. i mean, i think the russian people really did kind of expect a quick victory over ukrainian forces and their military has not been able to deliver that far. so it seems like we saw a vladimir who isn't ready to back down. but at the same time, he's not going to go for that full push for a total war. instead, he's looking at a much longer conflict like a go months and years 1000000 into the future. and he's listening to him in that painting, russia as a victim, knowing what we know, but also knowing that the russian people are only getting one side of the story. yeah, well that's something you really have to remember when you're looking at a lot of political framing that's coming out of russia. they're speaking very much

to a home audience. of course, there are some dog whistles, a little hints to the international community. but this was a speech designed entirely for domestic consumption. now, victory day is very important in the mind of the russian people. it represents, you know, the victory over nazi germany, which was a real existential threat for the soviet union and the russian people's back during the world war 2. now he was invoking that image constantly during this speech, basically saying that this is another existential threat. just like that, i mean he didn't really mention ukraine by name. very often. however, he said that they were fighting nazis are fighting extreme. it's very much an attempt to portray russia as the victim here, as a country defending itself against western and ukrainian aggression. now of course people watch g w news and read international media will be realizing that doesn't jail with the facts on the ground. but the russian media landscape is very different. it's controlled by the kremlin. there isn't really a free opposition media. there are those spaces for

a lot of democratic opposition and just free discourse when it comes to the conflict in ukraine. so he's very much plain to a captive audience, literally when it comes to this rhetoric. and like i said, his focus now is getting the russian people ready for a long dragged out conflict. similar to what the soviet union got involved with an innocent in the eighty's. ok, thank you for that until to thank you. well, with a war on it's doorstep, but european union is considering reforms to make it stronger in the face of external threats. ideas have been gathered through the so called conference on the future of europe, which draws to a close today. these are life pictures from inside the european parliament in strasburg, where the closing events taking place. the conferences spent 2 years gathering demands from citizens on how to strengthen democracy, unity and it's happening as countries mark, europe, day, anniversary of the foundation of what has become the european union

of e u commission. presidents are sort of fun. the line it will take to the lecture and a couple of minutes and we'll bring that to you live 1st. we'll hear from the w correspondence. bob available was following events from the european parliament in strasburg. welcome barbara. i'm presuming this was a routine shed. you will speech that now appears to have gained significance because of president putin speech this morning. so what should we expect from the front lines? some sort of repudiation of president putin's words. she will probably so leave that to the french president monro mcclung who is going to speak a bit later here. and i presume that the main political message will be coming from him. the answer to putin must come from another head of state might what she will be talking about is europe's answer to the changed association. it finds itself in and to this conference of,

for the future of europe that you mentioned has been thinking about one year citizens from all member states have been thinking for a one year about what should be done to make her europe more flexible at the same time and more united to make it fitter for the future. when these people were talking together and, and thinking about this, they didn't know yet that there would be a war in ukraine. so this is the, the recent events of course have absolutely sharpened the demands and they have really sharpened the bird. net. the leaders of the european union now have to sort of orientate the you towards a future challenges because everybody sees what's been happening throughout the last 2 months. the european union had to answer on and russia's aggression was sanctions. we're not talking still talking about the 6 sanctions package and it's not easy. it's difficult to get countries together. and so these are the, the,

and also the military side. of course, the weapons have been delivered. money has been found to finance weapons weapons for ukraine. many has been found to support ukraine, it on the u. human and terry inside to finance the ukrainian state and so on. so this is a huge bundle of challenges that need answers. plus it is also what citizens in europe think should be done for them in the future. this has to be brought together in that this is what they are talking about today. okay, so good the 2 years in the making. i think you said that that to one side we have the ukraine, 2 months or of of what's been going on probably ever since i can remember i'm people have been calling for for more democracy and more accountability in europe. now the citizens have got the leaders there is that how much chance is that? is there that what they ask for will actually be listened to and acted on

that is a fear that many here in europe have. in fact, some european states already have scandinavian states among them have already formulated, is sort of a secret half secret open letter ed to european leaders and said, do we really at this point in time, need this to we really have to think about em, how to make you repeat healthcare better, do we really have to think about him, how to sort of make european environmental regulation more level and better? and do we really have to sort of delve into the european treaty and that is the main fear that many have as soon as you start opening the treaties add that have been a sort of signed in, in 1992. as soon as you open them, it's a box that you can't get the lid on again, that countries will come up with so many different demands. so many here in europe

says, say, don't do this, don't touch the treaties. citizens however, think it should be done and they probably don't appreciate how difficult it is. so yes, there is, of course, a strong push to listen to these demands at the same time, the burden of immediate response, the immediate responses for europe, against the russian aggression. and to counter it to come up was ever more sanctions to find ever more money to put re position themselves all the time in, in their support. few crane is a different thing. and there are many people who think the letter is the more important they have to deal. first was the immediate tasks they have, and then they can think about making europe more fair and more democratic. okay, better, but that sounds like a very your offender answer, $50.00 reserve is over. thank you very much for what you said. people were quite busy at the moment, so we'll get back to you on that if you would mind. and i suppose the rest of us

would ask me, what's the parliament therefore, if not to be the voice of the citizens? of course the parliament is the voice of the citizens. but of course the parliament is also institutionalized. i mean, you know, this every parliament parliamentarians, they become professional politicians after a while and they sort of get further and further away from the citizens. they are representing. so what they say in but many say in the european union is there needs to be a more direct democracy. people and citizens need to be heard on a more regular manner. and in a more direct way, in order to be able to articulate themselves because many people in europe say, yea, basically europe is a good idea, but we don't have a say in it. we don't really know how they get these results there that are then being put into laws and regulations. and so that, that seems to be the point. there is a democracy, like in europe that has been talked about for many, many years. and this whole convention and conference thing was just that one of

those ideas pushed by the french president among mac, wrong to sort of get, get, get better to sort of involve people more and say ok, if you have a problem with europe, why don't you tell us, why don't you tell us what we should do politically? so this is what this was about. but as you mentioned, of course, when the war broke out, all the, all these lofty ideas and great ideals sorta tumbled all over each other. and now we're just face was totally different, much harsher reality. ok, thank you for now. barbara. barbara vazo at the conference on the future of your, of the european parliament in strasburg. we'll come back to barbara in the next few minutes. we're expecting to hear from us. you'll fund the lion, and then after that, and the french present emanuel macro. but for now, a bob thank you, will turn to events or elsewhere. of course you crave, but the city of mich alive is on the front lines of the war in southern ukraine has

been hit by russian attacks time and time again since march, and is blocking and advanced by moscow's forces towards odessa. a correspondent, mit is bullying her, accompanied the ukrainian army on the front line near mc life and spoke to residents who lived through su me through the onslaught. southern dreams shattered lives destroyed by 8 russian bombs. the southern ukrainian city of mc alive has been plagued by bombing and shelling since the beginning of the war. alexander was sitting in his garden in early march, when 2 planes flew overhead, dropping bombs below bill there were explosions. there was white smoke everywhere. it took off the roof and the fence just so bull was over there, but 2 people died when it was a clear day. so they were flying low. i knew they must have seen that there are no

soldiers here. can you go with me just as civilians ask the fighting continues in the region during a visit. it was here in mac alive that the rational bonds was stopped. now the city is blocking a russian advance towards odessa, but the price is destruction. in late march the governor's resident's became at target. this building was hit by a russian clever messiah the obvious target. being the governor who has been one of the most important public figures during this war. the river on good morning, we're from ukraine. seward. last night, they bombed and be bombed and bombed. we are from ukraine, the opening line of vitaly. kim's daily video has become famous. being at the frontline, his videos are watched all over the country. the governor is

a close ally to president. zalinski will have no chance for now to ah, to get through our defense. so i don't think they had no forces to get through our defense for now was for, for a, for a couple days at less. for now, pressure on the city has eased a priorities to restore water supplies for 3 weeks. now the tops in the city have run dry. wood. william says we are fighting and overcoming all difficulties. we always hope for the best. i think hope for the future and optimism are probably characteristic. traits of ukrainian people come with nothing can break us use a lot and you didn't know much is in life within the next week, the city administration has promised tap water will be running again. the w corresponded monsieur, is pulling a file that report is now in cave,

and i asked him if russian offensive had been gathering pace to coincide with the days victory day celebrations in russia. her shelling has intensified. odessa has been hit again today. now that's 3 days in a row that rockers were fired on that city, or lake or the surrounding areas. there has also been intensive fighting in don boss in the frontline, this is where most of the action most of the fighting is happening right now. the russians have been advancing a little bit. the ukraine's have been advancing in another points over the last few days have been intense, but it was not the barrage that people have expected or some people have her have predicted that we have seen so far. okay, and the fight for the east, a course that rages on. what's the latest there? there russians have made incremental gains in some places ah, at,

but the ukrainians have been able to drive the russians back in other places. the city of harker is now more or less slid, the russian forces have been driven away from the city of harker. significantly. that's significant because are the ukrainians have take many of the positions from where the city was shell during the past few weeks. and, and that caused this destruction in the city that the russian troops had never entered a. but on the other hand, the ukraine's had to retreat from some of the smaller towns in john bass and fighting is intense. there. they are also counter offensives, as the hope that the rush of the ukrainian troops are the friend troops are trying to cut supply lines by moving in from the hark. if area to was east cutting off, some of the russian troops further south of this. but these positions, but nothing has been decided there yet, it's still a very intense battle. this is where

a lot of the things of that will happen next weeks will be decided. and a brief word about the capital cave authority has been wanting residents to to brace for more air strikes. so what's happening there at the moment? it's a beautiful day and it's quiet so far and the day has not ended yet. we don't know what's going to happen the next few days, but so far these are, these predictions have not materialized. ok, thank you for that. and he doubly correspondent, mathias billing in keith of you and says the last civilians to escape the besieged as of styles. steal planting, mario paul have made it to safety. they arrived in the ukrainian health city of zap regia, along with evacuated from the rest of mario hold, which is almost entirely under russian control. they went as a convoy of bus is carrying 174 people arrived in south region on sunday night. some of them described their experiences sheltering from the russian were sold on.

many of us will a sort of naturally acom. we were 42 people in one shelter. some people managed to leave by themselves. all right. there were 8 children of different ages. look, a little more bullet point we were trying to entertain them, of course that we played with them and painted with them to distract them from the war. young as abolished or to so what they called me aren't safe because i cooked them hot food and breakfast. look at the lazar the need to cook, motivated me to wake up while the bombing was happening. profit pots of but, but your school secret, our city, my city, when they leave, it's my lay to place all historical historical sites for my city. what should i get? we always hoped to escape and waited so long. there were a lot of unsuccessful attempts, but finally we were evacuated until to thank you. with that have

a cheaper ukrainian president. vladimir zalinski says a russian asked i killed more than 60 civilians sheltering in a school building in the village of middle rifka. it's one of the most devastating single attacks of the war so far. when, while a growing list of prominent politicians and entertainment stars are making their way to ukraine, to show their support. the 1st ladies of the u. s. and ukraine visiting a school near the border to slovakia, while mainly a symbolic visit to show support for ukraine. the 1st lady's maid time to help the children make mothers day cards and sharing with people on the lake with the brutality of this

war was once again brought front and center. when a russian air strike flattened this school in the village of below go rifka near lou hans around 90. people were believed to be sheltering here. rescuers pulled 30 survivors from the rebel. but some 60 people perished. in cheese, canadian prime minister justin today made a surprise appearance meeting with ukraine's president for lot of music pinsky to talk trade to bolster ukraine's economy. but he also visited some residential areas hit by russian attacks. we began our day to day with a visit to your pin, or i witnessed firsthand the brutality of rushes, illegal war of neighborhoods. battered homes destroyed. it is clear. the vladimir putin is responsible for heinous war crimes. there must be

accountability. canada will support ukraine as you seek justice for your people who russia is killing. and brutalizing under the streets of keys, irish rock legends, you to put on a musical show of solidarity in a metro station, making it perfectly clear that they to stand with ukraine. ah dw correspondent to funny for shies in cave, and she gave us her assessment of the reaction that vladimir putin's victory day speech, the russian people, and whatever his narrative was there while i was speaking to the people there. and basically i changing to narrative towards that may nice is the day to basically celebrate. you celebrate the victory of soviet union over not to germany, but now he's basically painting this picture that victory must be celebrated over

what he calls nazi ukraine and with the air raid, sorry on going in, keep. obviously, everyone is on high alert, not knowing just how that victor is going to be present to the people as these day goes on. may, 9th goes on. nobody really knows what kind of attacks are going to happen across ukraine as we have seen already. play out really horrendous attacks of the weekend, including that one school that really served as a shout in to ask region with 90 people seeking shall, today, 406060 people are believed to have been killed in that a bombing attack. and this is exactly the problem here, that as it seems, it appears to be russian. so just don't seem to advance on the soil. just keep bomb being a place is like the civilian civilian infrastructures. as we have seen of schools as we have seen hospitals over the course of this all of the past 3 months. so we do not know what that victory, symbolic victory basically is going to be what he's going to be presenting. but

certainly people are very much on the edge today in ukraine. they. * already, but today, especially as for sure in cave will well, many in russia backing up president putin so war. others fled in opposition to the invasion growing number. and i living in ex, solving countries including israel, including one director who's film show how russian children are raised, the culture of militarism and nationalism building a new home a. so me, tree bubble lubricant has family flat moscow at the beginning of march, leaving behind their former life as kremlin critical film makers, he says he and his wife had no choice when the war started was absolute illness that we have to live. so, and we're like, we haven't slept and eat anything because we're so emotionally or devastated and they follow the news with great concern. but lube of says he's not

surprised by the allegations of atrocities committed by the russian army. his 2019 documentary town of glory shows russians, lot of the military and how even children are indoctrinated with the attitude towards violence and russia. any kind of violence or is very m like it is a mere think like to be to your kid. if you're a teacher to shout on a students to torture some animal, the violence is normal thing for russia. i believe that this is the root of what is happening now. ukraine from i'm from gender was the

amount of the film also deals with the propaganda who, dean and his 8th test over the years to convince russian that the west is their enemy. but didn't grow up on those for years. many russians are still children about the former soviet union book, a loop of passport. and that's why many of them support the war and ukraine put in just doing what people want. he feels that people after ations, yes, he warms it up. she make it more and more and more aggressive. but still he doing what people wanted him to do. and his wife obtained is rarely citizenship after the annexation of crime. yeah. they wanted a safe haven, which is

a offers to in the going to see they miss russia that is long is building isn't power latency in the future. and you can see that so documentary town of glory by the filmmaker we just met there on d. w's documentary channel on youtube. let me take you back to our top story. russian president vladimir putin has placed his armed forces for fighting his war in ukraine, and promised to push on with the invasion. he delivered the speech in moscow, 2 countries, annual victory bag parade, celebrating its 945 defeat of nazi germany. thousands of troops and military vehicles paraded through red square and president putin used histories to repeat his claim that western countries had provoked his attack. he went on to claim falsely that countries had planned to invade russia. ukraine tried to obtain a nuclear weapon, and that is so called special military operation, and only been launched our after exhausting every other bid for peace. the frank

lead, which is a former british intelligence officer and a senior lecturer in law and strategy at the university of portland. i asked him if there been any surprises in the speech. well, what was surprising is, what was not that in a somewhat confused difference. if speech, where we heart, but not only by the way to the 2nd world war to of campaigns while we heard talking super off from the 18th century anyway. yeah, so what was it that was, that was no mobilizations are already said. you've already said there is no annexation. there's no war now which many people are expecting to also quite surprising. i suppose you can say how wrong some western intelligence wasn't ukrainian intelligence or white for mobilization is going to take place. we got no maximums. so surprising, not so much, but what was surprising was it done to pay to be any objective at all? it doesn't appear to be outside don bus, which got regularly mentioned,

which means of course, has already been said, a business going on as it has done the last 2 and a half months. a long time. you're talking about the emphasis on don bass and this is a change because originally this was supposed to be a lightning strike at a and then plan b was to sort of surrounding and go for other big cities. now he's focus is on bus . yeah. even rhetorically the original, the original object is with the not to the cation decapitation, the government, i suppose, destroying the ukrainian, destroying the army, or for the purpose, i suppose security done. but now we, we, we've minimize that. we can't come back down to the best, not even the iraq is which in which that losing so with, we've brought the war back in a sense to why it was on february, the 24th, a fight for don bus, not rock southern russia go. so the ukraine got mentioned as our historic ones. i

got one mentioned don't bus 5. ukraine didn't get mentioned all by the way. and this concentration on don bass. what you think of the practical reasons behind this? is the one upper racial theatre why russia has a reasonable chance of some kind of local success. now they are achieving some slow successes down there. there's no doubt in that, but progress is very slow and one many on the security, we expect that progress to start slowing down and stopping in the next few weeks is the campaign culminates, in other words, as they run out of steam. so it's the one. it's the one area where they can achieve something. thank you for that military intelligence and mr. frank lead, which i think the w is leih from but let me take you to the european parliament friendship.