on d w ah ah, this is the w news, my from berlin. european leaders blame sabotage as the most likely cause for 3 civil tiniest gas leaks in the baltic. sea gas churns into the waters of the scientists detect explosions along rushes north stream pipelines to germany. you threatens with the strongest possible response. russia says it also wants as president zalinski balance to take back the old ukranian territory, rejecting pseudo referendums in russia occupied regions. moscow installed officials

claim up to 99 percent of voters were in favor of annexation and lights out in cuba. the island is left without power off the hurricane e and knocked out the electricity grid. now florida braces for the spring storm. ah, i've been for solon, welcome, european union leaders, se sabotage is most likely to blame for major leagues on the north stream pipelines that are sending plumes of gas into the baltic sea scientists recorded under c explosions shortly before the 3 leaks were detected on the gas lines connecting russia and germany, there are no claims of responsibility. poland says the explosions marked an escalation in the war on u. k. e g. force of the hunter lion has pledged the strongest possible response to any deliberate disruption of energy infrastructure. gas bubbles,

churning the baltic. see this video from denmark's military shows. thousands of cubic meters of fuel flowing from a pipeline, at least 70 meters below sea level. the under see pipelines north stream one and 2 link russia and germany. the 3 red dots mark, the places where leaks were detected, even though the pipelines are not currently delivering russian gas to europe. they are still full of fuel. after the pressure in the pipeline dropped earlier this week, the operator said that suggested actual damage to the on the see pipes. some european leaders say that damage was no accident the order sample we have swedish intelligence. but we also have received information from denmark, and based on this, we concluded that this is probably

a deliberate act. it is probably a case of sabotage. they also told anthro gormet sabotaged. it's still not clear what caused the problems on the pipeline pallets of which were constructed just a few years ago. but sweden has launched a preliminary probe to find out if the system was intentionally attacked. but if it is confirmed, that's clearly in no one's interest. um, now my understanding is the lease will not have a significant impact on europe's energy resilience. and what's critical is that we are working day in day out both on a short term basis in a long term basis to address energy security for, for europe. the u. s, as long warned that europe, his 2 dependents on russian gas and gas leaks and the baltic sea overshadowed the launch of a different project to secure supply denmark components. leaders who had

a polish facility pulse of a project to transport norwegian gas via denmark to poland. to replace russian supplies, the ruptured gnawed stream pipelines, partly owned by russia's biggest gas producer. the kremlin has also suggested foul play. she just near jay's creature near them, no option can be ruled out right now. it's clear that there is damage to the pipeline, so we can't exclude any version of events regarding the reason for this, you know, before the results of the official investigation is clear to renew scriptures which broke it down. with the accusations of sabotage, the suspicions over who is to blame a ratcheting up tensions between russia and its european neighbors. a political correspondent, benyamin of as goulburg joins us. germany, economics minister also says this looks like sabotage. what else is the government

say? that fried robert tarver, germany's economy minister pointed out that critical infrastructure is indeed a potential target and assessment that is not new. he said, but rather the basis of the work for months within the german government. he said that the country's energy supply is not affected by this leaks, and you also assured that authorities, agencies, and also his ministries of the economy, ministry are doing their part to protect the infrastructure. and this information is not new. yesterday, germany spiegel post that, that the central intelligence agency, the cia had want weeks ago that germany a could be the victim good. be a possible attacks on this gas pipeline. something that a government spokesperson, he declined to come. but neither of his pipelines are actually in operations or what the leaks actually mean for europe's energy infrastructure. it's rather not an operation, but there were full of gas. so that's where we had this gasoline of this picture.

so we just saw there, they have been at the center of geopolitical tensions between moscow and also europe. we heard, and that's also what you said that you, you commission president. also a funder line said that any deliberate disruption of active european energy infrastructure is unacceptable. and will lead to the strongest possible response. and if we look at the european energy supply is also something we just saw there in the piece is that europe is continuing to reduce its dependence on russian gas. we had to polish prime minister, who we saw there, also calling these events an act of sabotage during the ceremony with poland president and with danish counterpart. so danish prime minister, they opened this vote that will send norwegian gas across denmark to poland. and he said that the area of russian domination and the gas is coming to an end in error that was marked by black males threats and extortion. it will russia, it already shut down not stream one and not into it. never really come to fruition

at it. but tell me about this leaking of methane, will that have any sort of environmental impact according to germany's environment, minutes of these gas bubbles do not pose a threat to the marine environment in the baltic sea. that's something that a spokeswoman from this ministry set. but once the bubbles reached the surface, the risk increases because i'm content with air. this means then the man, competent of the natural gas could ignite, leading to explosions. and that's something that a german environmental group has want. so they're looking really closely at the situation. what the concern would be also for the environment for the animals living there in the air. and of course, there have been concerns also for the ships that are traveling the year. and that's where the danish military quadrant off it this area around this gas leaks ships and flights to bang. i mean other school, but thank you very much for the analysis. ukraine's president flood him his lensky,

his vow to defend all his country's territory, including the occupied regions where raja claims residents voted in favor of being annexed. moscow installed officials say between 87 and 99 percent of voters in 4 ukrainian regions. but guess in circle referendums on joining russia, the results have been widely discredited by ukraine and its western allies. once again, russia seems poised to take over neighboring territory illegally. moscow says the referendums, unoccupied. ukraine reflect the voice of the people, and that they say they want to become russian. ukraine in its allies, say the votes are nothing more than a pretext for expansion. there are also fears that russia would try to press men in the regions into military service to fight against keeps forces. ukraine's president says he's not going to let that happen. each other all was provo. this further attempt to annex ukrainian territory means there is nothing more to talk

about with the president of russia. i shall audit fishy leveled them with you. we will act to protect our people in the henderson region in this, appalachia region in don bass, in the currently occupied areas of the heart of cape region. and in crimea, if cromwell, russia's, annexation of crimea and 2014, was preceded by referendum, much like the one that just ended unconstitutional, announced mir days before voting began and carried out in a war zone in the presence of armed soldiers. most countries don't recognize russian control of crimea. western allies say the same will apply to the 4 regions where the latest sham referendums took place. at the u. n. the u. s. promised to make russia pay if it tries a repeat of crimea, the united states will never recognise any territory. russia attempts to seize or allegedly annex as anything other than part of ukraine. we reject russia's

actions unequivocally. and we will continue to work with our allies, partners and like minded to impose cost on russia and to provide historic amounts of support for ukraine. but international condemnation hasn't stopped moscow's ambitions and ukraine. vladimir putin has even threatened to use nuclear weapons to defend territory. he claims his part of russia at this point, only he knows where that imaginary border lies. dw cars on a nic connelly joins us from cave. is there that much support for russia in the occupied regions of ukraine that moscow could master up a considerable fighting force? wildly in this is not a time where people there can openly express their feelings without fear of retribution. we don't have any kind of sociology. there, we've already seen russia even before these a sham referenda trying to kind of coerce people there into signing up to various

kind of ups, mostly volunteer forces. we've seen those people sent to fight against ukraine. now, after these votes have gone through and here we are expecting russia to an out fish limitation of these region. soon they'll be hanging out even more russian passports and such as russia citizens, men that can very well expect to be called up to fight. i mean, there's definitely a sense that russia is trying to take more soldiers from places like that. so as up what he's done yet, than from the big cities moscow petersburg in the hope that that causes less in the way of kind of social problems back home. if these people end up losing their lives in a fearsome crane with what happens now that these regions become part of raj recording moscow if ukrainian forces attack these areas? well, we've heard lots threats in the last few days and weeks from top. russian leaders basically saying that there that would then be an attack on russia proper, and a such russia would be willing to use its nuclear arsenal to respond. am i think so far we haven't seen any real signs that russia is mobilizing nuclear forces. the u

. s. intelligence kind of sources are not seeing anything, then at least not talking about seeing anything there. and i think this is a bluff for now. and also in terms of ukraine using its western weapons. we'd heard in the past that america saying that ukraine must only use these weapons on its own territory, not against russia proper, but seeing as no one outside of russia is going to recognize these a referendum their results that doesn't change anything. ukraine will continue to use high mars another western systems against russian positions internet sconce, cardon, and crimea for that matter. so i think basically this is about the political kind of log logics logic behind your russia storytelling and doesn't really change very much in the battlefield for now. okay, we'll have to leave it there. a car spotted nick connelly. hearken, ian has knocked out cuba entire electricity system, leaving the country of 11000000 people in the dark. she was electricity provider says, work is underway to restore power. arkwin. ian is now heading for the southern united

states residents of florida, preparing for what could be one of the strongest storms to hit in years. battling the elements as hurricane in closed in on cuba. the hurricane ripped through the western part of the island for 5 hours. tearing down power, lions, and flooding homes. over 40000 people were evacuated. they escaped with their lives, but many have nothing left to go home to. no, you can get through anything except death. we'll keep going. we'll always keep going. hurricane ian is expected to head northwards over the gulf of mexico, where it is likely to grow wider and stronger before reaching florida and bringing heavy rain and flooding to georgia. while residents prepare for the worst summer. still hoping that hurricane in will go away up to 3 meters of

storm surge is expected. leaving those near the coast, particularly vulnerable prima him at the moment. can you imagine we are 100 meters from the beach? we're trying to take precautions. bought damages, unavoidable. because a hurricane that comes out with such a force will cause damage, but we're trying our purse. i will see you as president joe biden has declared a state of emergency in florida. and some 2 and a half 1000000 people are under evacuation orders. the government has prepared huge amounts of fuel, water meals and emergency personnel to try and mitigate what looks likely to be a full blown disaster. reminder of the top story we're following for you this ella . the european union chief says sabotage is responsible for gas leaks from the north stream pipelines between russia and germany. scientists detected explosions

in the baltic sea before the lakes. coming up on to the break, the w business with sticking beardsley looks at the impact of the surging dollar. i'm paying for solar. thanks for watching. with every journey is full of surprises. we've gone all out to give you some tips one day in the, in the foot of the rigby home. i'm in europe northern most count to please ah for a time.