ah, we take a look back and into the future. in slowly in february on d w. ah, this is d, w. news lie from berlin, us fighter jet, shoot down a suspected chinese spy balloon. over american water. the balloon triggered a diplomatic storm that's kept the secretary of state from visiting china. beijing warns there may be repercussions also on the program. ukrainian president zalinski

warned that russia is growing more and more troops at ukraine's done yet screenshot, making a tougher for defenders to hold the line. and in sports a day to remember for door ben sebastian on 6 months after being diagnosed with cancer. he scores his 1st big goal for the club in a big win. ah, i'm michael ok. welcome those stories in a moment, but for some breaking news. coming in at the moment. perez, my shower of the former president of pakistan has died general lashara to come to a long illness in a hospital in dubai. he was 79, bouchard became president after military coup in 1999. he dodged 3 assassination attempts before leaving office in 2008. he later attempted a political comeback,

but instead was presented with criminal charges and has since been living in exile . do you stay with us for more on his passing in later bulletins? moving on, the united states has shot down the chinese balloon that's been flying high over the u. s. for the last several days, creating a diplomatic and political storm. the pentagon says it was a platform for espionage. china now warns there may be repercussions over the downing of what it insists was nothing more than a civilian weather balloon blown off course. after floating across the us for days, the suspected chinese spy balloon has been shot down off the coast of south carolina. several air pulse was shut and as space closed before the balloon was brought down by military fight. jets, landing 11 kilometers of the us, mainland

u. s. president joe biden said he all did the balloon to be down as soon as it could be done so safely. wednesday when i was break down the blue order of the pentagon to shoot down one v as soon as possible, they decided without doing damage than the one on the ground. the successor took it down and i want to compliment our aviators who did it. and one more report on his so later, china's ministry of foreign affairs condemned the shooting down of the balloon. let it maintain as he was a civilian as ship though, di you don't basing previously said it regretted his entrees into us as space or good afternoon. good us secretary of state wide, antony blinker. duncan cancelled a trip to china following is discovering a very the balloon may be neutralized. but the fall out to thir,

the soured already brought diplomatic relations between china and the united states . let's go live to d. w. east asia correspondent william young in taipei, william a. what said china's reaction to the u. s. is downing its balloon? so the chinese can dan the shot down of the balloon as an ovary action of the, from the united states as they continue to stick to the line that it is merely a civilian balloon. that is our scientific nature. and i think this really just shows that both sides are not backing down because they are required by domestic expectations to maintain and operate from a position of strength rather than showing any weakness. so following the initial reaction that they said they regret the balloon have fly into the u. s. airspace. they are now sticking to their original stance and their rhetoric, and they are really adopting

a very tough stance and not trying to show any sign of weakness. as you well know, china says it may take further actions as they put it. what might those actions be? i think that would really depend on the ongoing investigation that the u. s. congress had already ordered, and also the findings that are going to come out of the united states. and as we know, the inside the united states, the domestic rhetoric and the atmosphere right now is being very critical of the government handling of a. and also there's a lot of skepticism of the purpose of this bill. and so, as we know more from what the united states findings will be, i think paging is going to calculate about what are the proper measures for them to ensure that they don't show any sign of weakness. and then at the same time, they're not backing down from there. original stands from your perspective, they're in asia. how will this affect the already delicate relationship between the us and china? i think this is really

a big blow to the efforts that we're leading up to blink and visit as we know over the last few months, both sides are trying to negotiate an open communication. even though blink and one of the top chinese diplomats continue to have dialogue and call over this incident . but it's basically putting all the efforts over the since last november back to point ground 0. and then it's going to take a lot for them to restart any kind of a dialogue and possible visits in the following month. many thanks, william. that was william young in, ty, pay. thank you. ukraine's president, for lot of his zalinski says, the situation in the eastern province of done yet is critical. keith says it fought off a new russian assault on the city of buck. mood on saturday. the fiercest fighting of the war is concentrated on the eastern front. possible on the front line in

ukraine's east, less than a kilometer away from russia's border. ukraine's territorial defense unit is trying to hold the line when i me, but they are not. they were under constant shooting. have just been told that a drone is in the air along with the russians are conducting recognizance flight as well. up with it. usually the shooting starts an hour later. it's dangerous for we can only stay out for a bit. and then it's back to the bunker greek. there were some of which of the sort of thing. lu, i little sure of the battlefield isn't cut short by shelling the bumper before you. the unit shelters under ground waiting for the artillery fire to subside. e or and the other men here are civilians. although they volunteered to fight on the front lines in the yard, but they say they don't have the right equipment to fight the russians. ludy. what's your funny mom november over and over?

we don't have enough weapons here. you baby, both of to live race from the west would help us a lot. little been on the we need tanks mortars, an artillery to defend ourselves, wal mart delirium, luke of florida multiple with regards your modem with info for now. the unit relies on the labyrinth of trenches for protection and surveillance with the billing with what would make normally we can watch them from here with i e at the store. ah, if we see something, we foreign them fire power using what could be a museum artifact, a soviet era machine gun the command center is in the basement of an administrative building. this is where the unit pushed back russian forces in september, even coordinates or just him on the list. if you have positions everywhere and

we're always changing locations. oh, okay. the russians can locate us in the tac. it's already happened even here to the people. the command station is decorated with weapons and uniforms, left behind by the enemy. next door is the russian tang that has been seized and repaired. ah, the ukrainian troops want to use it on the battlefield as they brace for what they believe is an imminent spring offensive. joining us now, d w's, russia analyst, konstantin, edgar constantine. again, those soldiers we just saw on the front line in the east. that's where keith says it fought off a new russian assault on the city of buck road on saturday. reminders. why is the done yet? regions so important for the russians?

well, 1st of all, the city of bus mote is importance. a for the russians are, it has a limited military importance because it opens the roads to 2 other more significant centers. they're slowly asked and grammar dos, but it is no politically important because it has become a symbol of a russian ability to control the whole of east of ukraine, as is the dream of poets. and to finalize the occupation of don, boss and behold is a point. it's a grinning pocket of resistance which basically hampers this effort. but it's also politically significant. you've gained pre gordon, put ins for moshef, who is now chief russian mercenary russian mercenary commander. number one promised paulson to secure buttonwood quite a few months ago, and he still can do it, in the sense, it's become also politically significant for the kremlin inside,

as in fighting. if you wish. yesterday we saw another prisoner exchange. there are no serious peace negotiations or end to the conflict inside, but still they are able to do these exchangers. how come? well, even with my limited military experience, all 3 years of national service, i can tell you when you accumulate huge numbers of prisoners on both sides of the front, that becomes politically problematic is, i mean for you, great is there is an additional i don't want to stereotype anyone, but it's very clear that the greens were taking much greater care of their people than the russians. that's actually quite traditional russian war machine is usually quite relentless and doesn't care about people. but secondly, if you have big numbers of prisoners on both sides of the front, it becomes political, embarrassing, i would say, especially for put him, because what he does wants is to basically hide the scale of the war from the

russian people. so they will remain indifferent to the war as they are today. so when you have business back it's, it's easier to either re recruit them or make them disappear. in the population, of course stories a war still circulate among people, but they have a very long way to make an impact. that is that d w's russia analyst, konstantin edgar. as always, many thanks. thank you. my a brief look now at some the other stories from around the world, anti government protesters of clash with police and lima. the capital of through, after parliament rejected a proposal to bring 4 elections. since early december of thousands of demonstrators across the country have been demanding the resignation of president dina blue arctic, after her popular predecessor pedro castillo was impeached and arrested for trying

to dissolve congress. eastern african leaders have called for an immediate cease fire in the democratic republic of congo, where a rebel group is fighting to take control of a region rich and minerals. troops sent thereupon to darcy military, as well as the east africa community have fail to contain the conflict. well, saturday was an emotional day in the boonies league or for dorman, striker, sebastian ala. he scored his 1st goal for the club since being diagnosed with cancer in july. that goal helped wrap up a big win over rivals fryeburg and place jordan hot on the heels of the leagues top 2 clubs. don't and strike a sebastian a layer was making his 1st league start at home since treatment, particular cancer, dormant marked willed cancer day by redesigning their center circle urging men to check for lumps, fry bags, killian cynthia,

did his teammates no favors by being sent off. after to 17 minutes, dockman defend a nickel, sought aback a student at the back. at times the season in front of go. though he poses a threat and gave his side the lead from the titus of angles. but fryeburg later exposed his defensive frailties. lucas hoola equalizing after the ball had rebounded off, slaughter beck. you had plenty to think about at the break. luckily for him. carina ye me, scott. his 2nd, the league season and 2nd into games. early in the 2nd half. it was quite a celebration to dobbins next goal, had fans in raptures. i am making it 3 won. this was his 1st goal having been diagnosed in july, shortly after signing for the club. his joy was there for all to see his boots told the own story. union blunt added an impressive force

and g irena, a 5th but the day belonged to alas, as dorman, boosted dead title hopes and we will have to end it. their world stories is next. i'm michael oak, who in berlin, i'll be back at the top of the hour with another news bulletin. thanks for your company and wherever you're watching, have a great day. ah, leonardo da vinci's mysterious masterpiece. ah, this perhaps the greatest leonardo masterpiece and the collection of the louvre and no, it is not the mona lisa.