ah ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin anniversary the world never wanted one year since the full scale invasion of ukraine. diplomatic attempts to avoid the conflict failed. as president lensky thing did work, indeed. unity, the unity of ukraine, germany and the free world as a whole. ukraine's president honors his military and the families of those who died . some big countries abstained from the vote, will tell you who plus seeking justice in the ukrainian city of china. our special

correspondent visits one man, coping with big devastation left by russian occupation last year. we'll also hear from a nobel laureate on the effort to document war crimes. ah, i'm pablo fo lillius under eve, ukrainian president of a lot. amir zalinski honored members of the military. he presented medals to serving troops and to families of those died in the line of duty. it was a sombre occasion which marking a milestone in a war that is claimed thousands of lives and displaced 1000000 president landscape address at the ceremony was one of appreciation for his forces. but it was also a message of defiance. he, a jagow seemed door. i combat vernon, so i am going glory to the ukrainian armed forces on the national guards wasn't it

was, but the intelligence serviceability border guards on the go and every one in the defense and security forces salem, oberon, n e bras, back you will a grinding war of attrition has set in along a 1000 kilometer front line. let's take a look at how moscow's initial plan faltered and what the next steps might look like. as it ramps up a new offensive. one year ago, russia are attacked ukraine from 3 sides. in the north army from russian occupy crimea, russia's navy also attacked from the black c o ukrainian soon so that the russians had under estimated them. a massive column of russian tanks, heading towards ki if was stopped in its tracks. the battle for kia was lost and it was clear that wouldn't be the quick victory. the moscow that many expected,

by april russian troops had retreated from the north. they regrouped to focus their efforts on the east and the south. the strategic se and port city of murray. opal had been surrounded since the early day in september, ukraine's military surprised russia with a lightning offensive that took back the city of harkins as well as hundreds of square kilometers of territory. ukraine then proceeded to liberate the city of cas on 2 in a major humiliation for the russian army russian troop or i'll was said to be low. meanwhile, ukraine was benefiting from an increasing flow of high tech western weapons stable with russia focused on capturing the city of back malt. this is part of an effort to take the entirety of the done yet scanned the hands provinces, one of russia's original stated goals. so what's next? russia has pulled hundreds of thousands of new conscripts into the fight,

but the latest offensive pushing along the front line and the dumbass has so far yielded no major gains for russia. meanwhile, ukraine is also gearing up for a counter offensive and is expecting deliveries of dozens of advance battle tanks from germany, poland, britain and the u. s. u clear that keith can only keep fighting as long as the weapons keep flowing from its western allies. cross now to her son were d. w, corresponded in ukraine. economy is standing by 1st, nick, great to see. so we saw the jubilation from harrison's recapture from russian occupation last year. but what are conditions like there now? it's certainly a city that has been transformed by just those 3 months, or i'm standing on the square. the day present. lensky arises for the song. people very relaxed, very confident the life was somehow going to get back to normal. and that is definitely not the case. every couple minutes we hear shelling,

the russian army is still exceedingly close just on the other side of the deeper river. a couple of columbus away. people are keeping a very low profile to day, especially rule days, staying at home when you see people out, they really avoid open spaces. they keep close to buildings anywhere where they can find a bit of safety, but of protection case, something comes their way. everyone's hypervigilant here, but the sort of thing is there is power again here, there is mobile phone coverage, the supermarket shelves, and you've been living in ukraine and for several years now give us a sense of what life is like in ukraine, but in cities that are near the front line, you've touched on there a little bit already. i think it's we have question people being in survival mode. people do not make plans. people are just thinking about that next couple of hours next couple of days that people often try and send their kids as far away as possible either to western ukraine or abroad. and people are basically living in hope that western weapons will flow in bigger quantities that ukraine will be in

a position to end this war on its terms in a hurry. but i think, you know, deep down, people know that this is going to go on. this is not going to be done. and finished next couple months. russia has not moved at all. they still have their maximum goals. basically, you know, ending ukraine's sovereignty as an independent state. and the city i am here in san is ukrainian church, or at least be in touch with community cli claims and believe so according to the kind of legal frameworks. but yet, according to the russian way of saying this, this is temporarily occupied russian territory occupied by ukraine. so russia claims is as its own. and yet how rush is going to get out of this? how russia potentially the future could back down from the situation? no one knows people are really basically bracing themselves for more months and years of this to come. nick, ukrainian intelligence has been warning of a looming rushing, offensive, further east in the dark bass region. but have there been any signs of increased military activity where you are certainly the last couple of days that have been

a lot of attacks on parasol. there were certainly seems of destruction people dying just waiting for the bus stop a couple of days ago, people have seen those images. the heating or heating infrastructure here has been attacked in the last 24 hours. the same goes for a major hospital in the city, but for now it doesn't seem like russia is trying actively to get on back the river . the pro is just too wide, is too much of a defensive barrier. what they are doing is firstly binding ukrainian forces, who then can't go and defend ukraine, isn't in the east and dumbass. they're forced to stay here to look after. and you basically keep those russian forces in check here in class on. and it's also about the symbolism, this is a very kind of bitter blow for rush to lose the only regional capital they were able to take during this war. and to have it regained by ukraine was something it was very embarrassed if the gremlins are certainly a sense that this is a city that is in the focus. and that is not going to see a kind of, you know, it's not gonna be allowed to live its life kind of quietly and get back to some kind of melody. this is a tea that is certainly on people's minds. and that is in the center of military

action. thanks. nick t w's. nick conley in ukraine. while the ukranian city of butcher, a suburb of cave, is known for the trail of death and destruction left behind after russian military occupation. human rights experts say it's a possible war crime scene with evidence of summary executions, torture and enforced disappearances. dw special correspondent abraham met one future resident on a quest to find justice for his family. all that alexander check mary of ever wanted was to keep his family safe. he brought them to butcher after rushing back to forces attack their home town in eastern ukraine in 2014 the check mary of spot a house and made it how much than we lydia. so it was said that we could escape the war here to be, but we did not put in found us even in butcher the stone aussie you

their father brought them here a shelter under their home and planned their 2nd escape. while the chick marianne left one early morning in their car with their neighbor holly behind them, they barely made it out of their street. when they saw a russian armored vehicle were you on last good while i'm you though, i've heard of the rita my wife shout me. let's turn around. we didn't and managed to get away. you cigna that other parts of this shooting begun and my car caught fire with you, sir. alexander was wounded, but when he looked back, his wife and children were debtor marking the exact spot where he last saw his family alive. alexander story, sadly that of so many here in boucher, their reports of torture, rape, an extra judicial killings where i'm standing right now. this actually used to be the sight of a mass grave of civilians. they all had to be examined, identified and re buried when ukrainian forces retook the town. almost

a year on the question, every one's mind is, where is justice and can it ever be delivered? ukraine's prosecutors a number that goes up every day in the key of region alone, which includes boucher, that number is 10000. a prosecutor for the jurisdiction tells me the law listed with the we are identifying the names of russian soldiers investigating preparing charges and bring them to coach was upon a problem. i will know when the hug through the full of william studies limitations does not apply to will crumbs or for working non stop in on school. so far. nationwide, 25 russian troops have been convicted for war crimes. the international criminal court and the un have also opened up their own investigations. but justice can be slow, often taking years to examine crimes committed in minutes,

minutes. that will stay with alexander forever. he spoken to both ukrainian and international investigators, hoping it might help with the pain. with them to watch it. i want to look this people in the i us. that's when a will know god, they have been punished thus i am sure i will feel much better when there are results and not just legal procedures. but the thought that the people who have been given a shock, he to new the book, what i'm for now, he's kept his family home exactly as it was. the children's toys are still in their drawers. the bet sheets are fresh and their pictures are everywhere. it's not always easy being surrounded by reminders of the life he's lost. but until alexandre finds justice for his family. that is all he's got. earlier

i spoke with alexandra mcvee choke. she's the head of the center for civil liberties and organization and keith, the chair of the 2022 nobel peace prize for its work documentary war crimes. now i asked her that, given the volume of cases is just as possible. we have to make us life of each person matters and we have united efforts to achieve it. now, the e u has unveiled water colds, a game changing data center to handle evidence of war crimes in ukraine. do you see it the same way? we need the assistance of you also working on the ground to where the crimes icicle meeting daily by russians. soldiers, we need involvement of international investigators, international prosecutors, international detectives and international judges. international system to make it capable, to effectively investigate and prosecute dozens of thousands of criminal proceedings

. tell us what kind of crimes are you investigating right now? russia uses were crimes, just the methods of fear and me document different cases when the russian troops deliberately sharleen residential buildings. again, students certainly a very long list indeed know you said the old war crimes in ukraine can be traced back to russian president vladimir putin. what proof of you gathered to support that claim? this numerous crimes to which we documentable current moment was possible because fortune and he surround in, initiated planning and started this for a progression. so we need to find new spoken and high political leadership and military and a recent hook. you said sociologists have asked ukrainians what would be their greatest disappointment after the war ended on more than 65 percent,

said impunity for russian war crimes. so what kind of justice are people in ukraine seeking justice, which can provide them to return their names? what do we mean? because when we are in word and scale, we're crimes grow so large that it's impossible to recognize all the stores. and we start to know how we're turned people into the numbers, but people are not numbers and only justice can return people. their names tell us this, how can, how can war crimes committed in ukraine be prosecuted when many of the accused directly in russia or in russian control territories. but it's not excuse to delay. we separate legal proceedings. we cannot wait when the war will end or justice must be independent of the month. if you look into teams, father and the history of humankind,

can russia invaded ukraine and you said that ukraine is a vivid example. the people fighting for freedom and democracy are much stronger than quote, the 2nd army of the world. are these ideals enough for ukraine to win the war? this is not just a war between 2 stage. it's a war between 2 systems, authoritarianism and democracy. and it was already in the regime corporate, which is other democracies have to support each other even more. it's why we ask international community to provide ukraine with more than a weapon to really more than 10 smaller planes in to be able to defend our people, our democracy choice and our territory. do you see ukraine is a stronger democracy today than it was before the war? i see it there. very deep understanding among the people for what we are fighting

for in this one. in this war with russia been fighting for freedom in all senses. are freedom to be independent state or freedom to be craniums and not to be forcibly regulated as russians. and for a freedom to have a chance to build a country where the rights of everybody are protected. thank you alex. andrea murphy took the head of the center for civil liberties and organization and keep the chair the 2022 nobel peace prize for its work, documenting war crimes and human rights abuses. an estimated 8000000 ukrainians have fled their country over the past year and another 8000000 have been displaced with them but turned in my head to my husband. and he looked at me and said, no, it can be company hard. you for your base closure and your share of the service and the 1st 30 days. so we're we are no signs just explosions,

but we didn't really know what to do because this is something so unusual. a country, the workers are your country and we were lost. everybody was running around with the suitcases cars, kids crying, 4 month old baby had a breathing problem. so she needed an elation then she needed to be injection and they took my kids to the hospital 4 months every time when we were heading road just ready to head to the railway station. the explosion started again during the takes an hour in ordinary circumstances, took us 2 days. one woman had started given bertha and other woman laws for kid because the kid was pressed so hard to die. one woman that to kind of hard to attack it was it was complete, you know, it's still shaking in by the time went worse. and in september,

my 8 year old daughter to was they agnes leave after gross income. she's on it. and she's starting place here. oh sure, i believe your eyelashes and this ink and out eating it was with i cried. the look when we crossed the border, it was the equally un baby on that because the voter and when it's full and i realize how much here i was all this time, all of it's 8 months. you and ukraine. deb mitchell is erica loud noises. been awarded the railway station and there was this train. i mean, they said, oh no, the war has started all and i still struggling, getting into my head that in the 21st century, people who are able to send her space ships out on

this that can i just stand up and going kill somebody because of some crazy notion or idea east of their feet looks like a cemetery, a list of people who died just when i opened my instagram. it's like one story is someone died in the hoot another story. someone died in one's creature or something and it always just so young, beautiful people. and sometimes i just feel like i'm a walking target and and one day they could hear my nose too, or the crew therein. and you have to go to the shelter and people, i think it all k, i have at least like 20 minutes. i can go buy bread and then i'll go to a shelter or some like this. so the war is our go, their lives. the war gave us the less, i never say never,

and i think isn't and honestly, i them have plan because it is impossible. fence immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of ukraine. that's what the world demands from russia. that's the wording of a resolution that was passed resoundingly by the united nations general assembly de when took the rare staff of calling and emergency special session to vote on the 10 point plan to end the fighting. just ahead of the 1st anniversary of russia's invasion of ukraine dropped his illusion. e flesh yes, 11 sees facilities with ukraine and withdraw your military immediately slash the resolution drafted by ukraine was passed by a 141 of the u. n's $192.00 member nation susan, on the eve of the wars one year anniversary. less hail. the result is not binding. evan,

but it shows the wide support ukraine has around the world. we are satisfied with the outcome and the message is clear. it doesn't matter what russia thrice and how it attempts to undermine international order and the coalition in support of ukraine, student tauriel, integrity, it fails one time after another. this follows only 6 nations, joined russia in voting against the resolution, which also calls for investigations into serious crimes committed in the course of the war. rushes ambassador had little comment. he called the resolution useless on twitter and said it would only prolong the quote, ukrainian tragedy. china, whose foreign minister pledged a deeper partnership with russia just a day before the vote. abstained. along with 31 other country, he says g, beijing's ambassador, said his country supports the territorial integrity of all nations. ha, ha,

but opposes arming ukraine. warsaw means all also, she talked the stance. true critic. but the truth is if russia stops fighting this war, and if ukraine stops fighting ukrainians, finding or not the resolution as a sign of russia's isolation, one year into its war on its neighbour. but moscow hasn't given any indication that it's willing to stop china abstained in that un vote. and it's so to position itself as a neutral party in the conflict. but even though it maintains close ties with russia, now, beijing has unveiled a proposal to end the conflict urging ukraine and russia to agree to a cease fire and hold peace talks as soon as possible. it may be coal in a 12 point document time to coincide with the one year anniversary of the war which you don't yet. but for more we can talk to felina jack rover. she's the director of

the austrian institute for european on security policy in vienna. welcome to d w. so i'd like to start off by getting your reaction to this highly anticipated so called peace proposal, which china published just hours after it abstained from a un resolution to and russia's war against ukraine. well, as you said, it has been anticipated. now it's on the table enter yet, as we know, there has been already a 10 points apiece, plan proposed by ukraine. so the obvious question here is why ah, has china actually waited so long to well launch its own a p, sir p. so process piece of document 1st and foremost, and then obviously piece process. so are the well point considering the abandoning cofer cold war mentality order, you know, and unilateral sanctions,

so i think that sir, this sir isa plan has actually a very different task to fulfill. namely, to position china as a mediator as a constructive player in the international arena. but at the very same time, against the backbone of tis, 12 points, piece plane. we know very well that china has already cited with russia and to rush in fact, has cited we, china, even prior to taking the decision on making a move on ukraine. exactly a year ago. so basically what you're saying is china, despite the fact that it maintains that it's a neutral party to this war, it's essentially helping to prop up russia's economy will say, and russia politically, is that what you're saying? absolutely. we talk about a comprehensive course, sergio economic instrument sir, to bypass to help russia bypass to western sanctions. and, and then there is this a question mark open question mark regarding the possibility of providing even

little assistance to russia. if russia once again start struggling her at her, the front lines that tell us this, china's top diplomat were met with president putin in moscow on wednesday. and the chinese eater, she, she being is expected to visit soon. so what's in this for china? well 1st and foremost, she is under sen, 8 the, the chinese perspective of course is our systemic one here. it's all about preparing for the beek systemic conflict that is emerging on the horizon. that means the mutual the coupling curve.