ah ah ah, this is dw news coming to live from berlin. russia moves in on cities in eastern ukraine. so better done yet because hit by intense shelling as moscow aims to claim victory in its attempt to capture the don boss region. and we made a mother and daughter from ukraine now living in berlin, one wants to return to her homeland. the other isn't sure. also coming up another

horrific mass shooting prompts renewed calls for gun control in the united states. as texas grapples with america's worst school shooting in a decade, president joe biden says he's sick and tired of the violence. ah hello, i'm terry martin. thanks for joining us. russia continues to pound ukraine's eastern don bass region. moscow has made taking the industrial heartland, its main objective after cap. failing to capture the ukrainian capital, kia russia says it will continue the offensive until it achieves its goals. ukrainian forces are doing their best to push back russian troops. despite heavy shelling in this village. now back in ukrainian hands, residents tell of their fears as the russians arrived. but i don't think you

can we try to keep out of the way messiah? yes. well, maybe we should go back to the basement. she says a little bit as a team of associated press film, russian artillery, keep up the bombardment along the road. more evidence of the fighting rushes objective is to cease to don best provinces done yet, and no hands in the east. at least 12 people were killed by shilling as heavy fighting continues in and around civil autodesk. the local governor says the russians have taken 3 towns in the genetic region. russian troops are gaining ground in the east. these are frontline positions now

abandoned by ukraine. but further away from the fighting in areas where the ukrainians have regained control. residents are determined to start over over 34 that other people are returning home, even though it's safer to wait further away. but it seemed to teach us who was personal, missa luda bought a 3rd to the 3. the new people are coming back to their houses and starting to rebuild the helping our military. your school, what we asked the battle for done best intensifies many more lives will be lost. our correspond mathias bellinger is in eastern ukraine. he joins me now from the town of cromwell tours. but he is. russian troops are concentrating their attacks on a few key areas of the don bus region. now the twin cities of sabera, jeannette, skin, loses shanks, are being heavily bombarded. reminders again mathias,

why these places are so significant? yeah, these 2 places are basically the last 2 places in the low hands. cobbler's in the low hands province that are still in ukrainian hands. these are 2 cities that used to have each 100000 inhabitants. so they're quite significant. cities similar to the nurse was the administrative center of those parts of the region of the, of the province that we're still controlled by ukraine. so they, they are significant in that way. and they are also, are the russians are seeing an opportunity now to gain access to, to, to cut them off to pocket these 2 cities. and that would, of course, be a major again. russia has not been very successful. the cities in this war, they have take the only major city they have taken more or less easily. was her son in the south, mary, you, paul, we all know the story has been a tragedy, but they,

in the end they gained control. plus a few cities near there, but mostly they have been had trouble. jew is around or enter the cities and that's also why this would be a major game. i know mathias that you've been talking with the governor of lou hands region about what's happening there. i think we can play that clip now. i have to devote the bit of noise if it's just been, it's difficult to predict anything in war time. it's been exactly 3 months since the beginning of russia's full scale invasion ration of dinner. hans gretchen is holding the defensive line. although throughout these 3 months, our positions have been under fire daily. if anything is possible and what we want to, but we're witnessing the russian army trying to completely destroy yet yet of the netscape. the death shelling the whole place and they don't care if they're civilians there, or whether there's a hospital or a school, luke, i destroying old building switches, but also to emerge seem within it is what about the people who are living in these

towns that are under heavy bombardment, are they facing a similar situation to what we saw in mario, paul, what you mentioned earlier were thousands of civilians were trapped for weeks and desperate conditions. the conditions already very jaya in both of these cities. we've been there a few days ago. there's no electricity, no phone connection, no internet or there is no gas we, we are hearing now. and of course, a lot of it's very difficult to get supplies in there. no running water drinking water has to be brought in by trucks all the while the road that is going met as being shelled constantly. so a dangerous to get there for these many tarion, 8 convoys or for an evacuation buses and et cetera. the russians were even able, at one point to, to, to, to set foot on that road, but they were driven away. so it's very difficult,

but the difficult difference with my you both now is that the road, although it's dangerous, is open and somewhat something is going there. there is human cherry and 8. people are not starving there, but this could change very quickly as the situation the fighting route along this road intensifies. and then we would indeed have the situation where civilians, 20000 remain now in this a chance can 15000 we're hearing and save or go next. plus a soldiers are trapped in the city and that would be very similar probably to what we have been seeing in murray or poll. ukraine is relying on weapons being supplied above all by the us and european countries. can you tell us mathias, if those weapons are actually being delivered? and if so, are they making a difference on the battlefield? here the u. s. has promised a little a little bit less than $100.00. m 77. how it says franz has promised caesar how it

says these weapons, most of the m 777, have arrived in ukraine and they are deployed here. some of the successes of the ukranian army, r e, are due to these weapons that these are how it's, is that have a longer range than the how it is that the russians are using. so that gives the artillery the ukrainian artillery re an advantage. but what we're hearing is that it's far from enough. russia has thrown a lot of equipment and many soldiers into this battle into this point into this, into the battle around these 2 cities. and they have been shelling the ukrainian positions for a month intensively. they have a lot of ammunition. so what the ukrainians are saying is that they need more artillery more how it is more rocket launchers in order not only to stop the russian attacks or fight back the russian attacks. but also in order to be able to

advance, to destroy the russian position so they can, can advance and take back territory. that's not what we're hearing. the defending maybe 10 attacks they're, they're holding up against 10 attacks. but then there's an 11th one that they cannot hold back, and that's how russia is advancing, step by step on the territory test. thank you very much for your reporting. that was our correspond mathias bellinger in cremmit tours in eastern ukraine. russia's supreme court is due to decide to day if it will dig, designate fighters from ukraine's as of regiment as terrorists. hundreds of the fighters are in russian custody after surrendering in maria pull last week. if they're deemed terrorists, they're unlikely to be included in prisoner exchanges. between ukraine in russia, as all regiment, ah, the last of the us off fighters rather surrendered to russian forces last week after holding out in the as of straw steel works for months. the regiment has

extreme right routes and should its members be deemed terrace again. those they would be ruled out from those prisoner exchanges. here's more about the as a freshman. with the last defenders of murray, you pull ukrainian fighters, surrender to russian forces. the siege of the as of style steel plants is over. for weeks, the, as of regiments and other ukrainian military units were hold up here under dire conditions. the battle for the industrial complex has become a symbol of ukraine's fight against that mighty russian military. the as of fighters, the face of the resistance followed glory to ukraine, says new de la zix of the defense of matter. you, paul, getting the higher military leadership have given an order to preserve the lives and well being of the service men and ceased defending the city little minister. but marable's defenders have a problematic passed. the unit was formed by neo nazis and ultra nationalists in

2014, to fight pro russian separatists. later, the as of regiment was integrated into ukraine's national guard, and it has officially been de politicized since 2017. but it is unclear how many fighters still hold far. i've sympathies and that's neo nazi past plays right into vladimir putin. narrative of d not defying ukraine. such an russian stay t v showed what it said were fighters from the as of south plans. along with russians who are checking their to, to say, looking for extreme right wing symbols. being designated terrorists could mean as a fight, as will not be released as part of a prisoner swollen. and their fate is left in the hands of la demy putin. united nations though estimates 3rd nearly $7000000.00 ukrainians have left their homeland since the invasion started. half of a half

a 1000000 of them have come to germany. we went to meet her mother and her daughter who were now staying with a host family here in berlin. and neve, ne of key, if after month of heavy russian selling much of the city is destroyed, it is anna and such as hometown. in march, the mother and daughter fled to berlin, but their thoughts as still with their family and friends in ukraine. in mind that a yoke i thought i thought my friends stayed inch an if guy, my classmates what, but i can't bear the thought that they did not have the chance to escape even though they wanted to. i think it's terrifying what and even though i'm doing well here, it's hard because i can't help them in beckon ukraine and i was finishing up high

school. sasha walked in a call centre than the attack started. now they live with mountain and cornelia young english. he's an entrepreneur, she's a doctor. the couple drove to the polish ukrainian border to help any refugees and take them to germany here, and the villains listens, it's honestly, humans are social beings. if someone folds down next to you, you bent down and picked them up again. it's completely natural for simpson to day . and then sasha, at the social welfare office of like all ukrainian refugees and germany, they can apply for financial aid. to day they receive that fast monthly payment, $350.00 euros. each only will spend less neck on the want to save up and send some money to grandmother so she can repair her roof, the skin which was destroyed and the wool. but needless anon sash i want to integrate quickly. they have signed up for

a german language course. a charge congregation organizes it for free with it. do you have children here been? i am 2 children. if a little bit, if you go home, but it's okay. it did oh yes, good. and we want to started your money. i have to play it. so little i a that's why we moved into that all of it. you know my new with the mother and daughter, i slowly finding that bearings in berlin. and i could even imagine studying in germany and loss of this, and i wanted to come back to ukraine to see my family members. but i think about leaving german for my life. yeah. and you've done both of us. if the i'm to, oh, to completely overturn my former life,

all my relatives on ukraine and my house to do i want and that to decide for herself whether she wants to st. germany over 20 ukraine. little. but i want to go home sunday. you live there and listen, i yeah, its yellow blue. there are lots of them white, but bush. but at the moment they have no idea how long that will take. dr. 3 bell, russian political activists are said to be awarded this year's charlemagne prize today. the war to sponsored by the german city of often and recognizes contributions to european unity svetlana taken off skia maria collis niga and veronica of carlo are being recognized for their struggle against viruses, authoritarian regime, and their work to promote freedom and democracy. they teamed up in 2020 to try to unseat bella versus long time leader chicken off sky a ran for president and says she won. but the regime responded by arresting

thousands of opposition supporters for sneak of i was jailed and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government of carlo and 2nd of sky were forced to flee . dw brussels bureaus bureau chief alexander for nomine. asked with all her taken off sky of what it was like to lead the opposition against a dictatorship. 2 years ago, you had the courage to stand up to the be larose regime risking every thank you life, you freedom to cassidy for you children. what was the most painful moment during this time? oh, you know, they were a lot of painful moments, but maybe for me personally, the most painful moment was when they had to leave building rows. when i was threatened and they had to choose between children and freedom. and so my fight and i for this 2 years, i'm fighting side with older son and you have been instilling in jail sentence to

18 years. how is he doing the conditions for political prisoners and there were some prisons are awful, they much worse than for dinner. criminals now was the relative freeman actually in prison and the people morally and physical schumer li to their torch. and i was even deprived of hygenic cur issues, you know, and it's really torture to be there. and i guess resume is doing everything possible to show to other people don't tries up because you will have the same fade as our beloved. but despite of terror and repressions, our people don't give up. and my husband and marshall you think of any other boat called prison is the number to reach at the moment. is 1200 are very strong day behind the bus. they believe in us. right now, all eyes are on russia,

brutal assault on ukraine, and that all the shadows, everything. so how difficult is it for you to convince europe not to forget you cause some credit politicians understand how the arrows is important in this, in jail political situation. because without freebie laross, there will be constant threat to ukraine to r y, a western neighbors. so it's a very important tool are also to give guarantees of for your sense as well as security guarantees. and the russian troops who are still in our contra, has to be, have to be withdrawn from bureaus as well. so we are support and ukraine. we are fighting against dictator and be in need. of course, a lot of attention. i understand that sir attention result with refocused on ukraine and we fully understand this. we support him because we understand how freedom of ukraine is important for those. and for them as well without re crane

regime will prevail in bureaus. and that's why when the war has started, a hundreds of thousands of there were since when to the threat to shoot they it is you to the war. according to paul's or 86 percent of there are some people don't support the war and a lot of for those and men went all ukraine to fight alongside ukrainians. now we are here in the german city of who were you and 2 fellow opposition leaders have been awarded. were the charlemagne prize one of the most prestigious prices in the european union. how is this prize going to help you cause her christopher? i have to say that this price is not for me or even for our trio, it for all and her previous sense to journalist or an activist volunteers. and i think that's their sense deserve this price because as said, 12th century segora, how the mind united europe now invented when to be united europe as well. because

despite off a political, her argues between parties between countries where there was consolidated policy towards the arrows. and it was sarah strawn european voice. so i, this, this price is the key to, to our pray people. and of course, it will help us to track more attention to our situation, to our country. that as you said, is to have all the shadow close to beat by ukraine and to again and again, explain that our fight is going on as repressions are going on. in our country that there is no that say, and critic walter will not have to give up at unity for shanker to survive this time the atlantic can oscar. thank you very much. so you look at some other stories making headlines around the world today. shanghai has relaxed,

some covered 19 curves ahead of a planned exit from lockdown. next month. more people have been allowed out of their homes to work, or my essentials is comes as authorities elsewhere in china. step up there 0 coven policy, including in the capital beijing. boeing's star liner astronaut capsule has returned successfully to earth from the international space station. previous test flights were dogged by technical problems. the capsule landed safely in the u. s. state of mexico of new mexico paving the way for a crude mission next year. holding up, you can see those present. joe biden is leading calls for stricter gun control. after the u. s. experienced, it's deadly. a school shooting in a decade, a teenaged gunman barricaded himself inside the classroom. at an elementary school in texas. he killed 19 children, and 2 teachers police later shot the attacker dead, but many republican lawmakers oppose tougher gun laws despite the ever growing

death toll from my shootings in the us. hugs and prayers were everywhere in you vall, day on wednesday. as the town comes to terms with the murder of 19 children, but behind the displays of grief and empathy, hunger and indignation, a rippling through america and our we must ask when in god's name will we do what needs to be done to if not completely stop fundamentally change the model, the carnage goes on to this country. joe biden will travel to texas in the coming days to meet grieving families, sierra, or is men day, is one of those relatives. her niece, 10 year old eliana garcia, was killed in the attack. i just didn't know how

people could fill that typo again to kid to an 18 year old. like what is he going to use it for but for that purpose, out of your out of line democrat, better. oh, rock publicly conference at the texas governor greg albert, you know, he accused the republican of being directly responsible by liberalizing state. good laws, sir. you're right. you came to my hometown of old houses after 23 people were slaughtered. he said he was gonna do something that he did nothing. in fact, the only thing he did was make it easier to buy a gun. the only thing he did was make it easier to carry a gun in public. and he bragged about the fact that there would be no background check, no training, no vetting whatsoever. as the political arguments continue to rage.

more details and now emerging of those killed in the attack. these just some of the innocent lives cut needlessly short c w corresponds to fancy months is at the scene of the shooting in texas. he sent us this update on how people are dealing with their grief. of course, they've pain trauma shock and all of this, but they somewhat of a permanent and overreaching moment of silence. people here are withdrawn now it seems they're going inside. they stay inside, they don't want to talk, they don't want to interact. they're pretty much alone with their pain and with their frustration and with the trauma they experienced. and perhaps this is about to last for quite a while. now. what's happening in washington of course, is a healthy debate. now progressive democrats propagating more change, tougher gun control, tougher restrictions. republicans on the other side. perhaps i suspect it won't

have, it won't touch it. for them. it's all about the 2nd amendment in the constitution that every american can bear arms and has the right to bear arms, and this should not be touched with. now the ukrainian film butterfly vision has premiered at the cannes film festival. it was filmed in don bass almost a year before russia's full scale invasion of ukraine in february. it tells the story of a young ukrainian soldier captured and raped by russian troops of fiction. the reflects the reality of russia's war in ukraine. it's the story of a female fighter lillia, a ukrainian soldier after 2 months as a russian prisoner she is released while in jail. she hadn't repeatedly rape the wife ashleigh. now the question is, how will she ever find peace again? the village, especially when she later finds out that she is pregnant. ah, it's the feature film debut of ukrainian director,

maxine not going naturally because it's a story of survival. it's a story of a will to survive and to keep standing and fighting. and her, i hope it would make its contribution into our general survival standing and fighting as ukraine. filming started at the beginning of last year in don bus were fighting, had been going on for years before the major russian attack there earlier this year . i the fictional story they were producing, turned into reality with all the horrors of a war whose end is not in sight. star more thought of them sicily, our general and the cultural identity in particular is under attack. and that's why each case of ukrainian culture being successful, being presented, being a loud and noticed survey is, is

a part of us still being alive and presenting the film here in con, also shows that the war affects everyone, including those on the red carpet at a glamorous film festival. you're watching dw news from berlin coming up next. it's focus on europe looking at ukraine after rushes withdraw. thanks for watching. a

new use the epitome of european royalty. but to the vast majority of her britain, she is always justin, her majesty. elizabeth, the 2nd is celebrating a 7 decade on the throne. and we find out just what people think of her. a named on d w into the conflict zone with

little is known about the inner workings of the kremlin, especially with my guest this week, former prime minister cassiano. what? susan? yes. susan. he knows what happens behind the closed doors of the russian government . a conflict with 60 minutes on dw blue, with christian if, whether the next crisis will come. but only when and how the media will deal with it. how can we stay focused on what is important? shaping to morrow. now. exploring opportunities for media professionals in times of

crisis. the global media for june 2020 to get your ticket. now. stay up to date. don't miss our highlights. the d w program online. d, w dot com, highlights with hello everyone and welcome to focus on europe. it's nice to have you here with me. there will be a really special party here in europe pretty soon and it will be taking place.