the the, this is the w news coming to line from berlin. a kingdom in russian occupied ukraine has been blown up, causing widespread flooding. ukraine and russia accuse each other of destroying the cut called cut them in the south of the country. evacuations are underway. this comes as ukraine says, it's conducting offensive operations around the city of buff moved russia meanwhile,

says that his portrait, another large scale ukrainian attacked. we'll take a look at the ongoing information for 1st, the russian pillar military grooves fighting against putting the the w here is for, for a politician. now, part of the volunteer core bottling russian forces. also coming up, germany looks to boost security ties in the in the pacific defense minister boars. the story is now in india as part of a 4 day tour hoping to counter russia's growing influence in the region. the hello, i'm terry martin. thanks for joining us. ukraine and russia are accusing each other,

blowing up a major damn, and hydro electric power plant in a russian controlled part of ukraine. widespread flooding has been reported. the video show water surging through the collapsed wall at the nova kirchhoff cut them in southern ukraine, local authorities of urs residents. a village is downstream to evacuate. ukraine's military accused russia blowing up of them while russian officials in state media blamed ukraine. but the reservoir supplies water for drinking agriculture and for cooling, the nearby separation nuclear power plant. scroll straight over to our correspondence on your phone, your call who's standing by and t a. sonya, what more can you tell us about the destruction of this that it will tell me of this event as sparked, huge alarms you're in ukraine. the president zalinski has said he's going to get an emergency meeting of his national security and defense counsel to discuss the issue

audio. she posted on the telegram messaging app, you know, seeing that, you know, russia was responsible for the proof. the russian used to be expelled and uh, you know, from every corner of ukraine. um, we have to remember that this, this them is a really significant facility, provides much of the drinking water across the new equipment. the policy is not really worried that the most 80 townsend villages could not potentially be affected . that could include the strategically important city. ok, so now we've been shouting from the gulf know off because on region he has already announced that he's evacuating residents. low line districts because he feels but what's the levels you know with would start to rise in a matter of hours we, we showing of residents now being evacuated from villages, districts. we've also seen supporters of the equipment video of some private homes instead of uh, already under water, and that is expected to continue hospitals in the region, honor and high a low. so there are 2 of the big concerns linked to this incidents. namely, this operation nuclear power plant, which is located for the upstream,

whether it could lose access to water for the schooling. that is a big concern on whether the what does apply to adoption of the bi claim. you could also be sub a severely affect sonya stay with us because this comes, of course, as ukraine says, as forces have launched defensive actions on parts of the front line of russian occupied territory. the scale of the operation is secret, and that's just how key, if once us, as you cream, noticed a tax and several areas in the east of the country on monday, they are remaining tight lips on the scale of the appliance related counter offensive against russia. this video released by ukranian forces shows the fighting, has intensified in the mood which has long been at the epicenter of the ongoing conflict. ukrainian president load them is lensky. praise the advances of his troops bucking once, getting off. now heading to bottom, moved. well, don't worry, as we see how hysterically brush it reacts to any action. we take the old positions,

we take, the enemy knows that ukraine will win when they see it when they feel it. thanks to your strikes, maria's particularly in net region of the thank you for that. jack was upset most go release the own during footage of ukrainian tanks, launching and attack, and the don't that screeching russian officials said earlier on tuesday. so they had to say it's another large scale offensive inflicting huge losses on ukrainian troops. so what are you currently an official saying about the latest developments in the war? have they acknowledge that their long awaited counter offensive is now under way? i will tell you this, likely not using the word come to offensive with the code from ukraine's deputy defense. some of the stuff on on monday are now yes to be she said degrading forces are shifting to she said, a series of small scale, almost defensive operations, mainly the 20th screeching around the tone of the quote she described. it used to

be as the epi central facilities, she also said you created to be games that are up to one mind and several directions outside buckled. they've been reports of intense fighting, an auditory authority file in separate villages around that tone. a rush of course, is claiming that it has repels as also there's very little independent verification of what's actually happening on the ground of the situation. the front line is, is quite a pick up as little to the information you know, coming from the ukrainians. they pretty much remain tight lipped low details of that operations. what we do though, of course, is that there was significant ministry activity along a multiple points along the front line, which really kind of stretches over hundreds of miles right from the south to the northeast ukraine. and stepped up in recent weeks of, you know, a to re spikes and russian logistical infrastructure there. and now we're hearing from the understanding ukraine saying that the kind of fighting was being playing out in the east amounts to kind of an initial trust by you creating forces,

trying to test, try to, you know, see a rushes heavily fortified defense is trying to see if there's a weakness there, seeing how strong they are, and this could potentially be a pre closer to a stronger push. sonya, thank you very much. that was our correspondence. sonya finally got into let's get some analysis now from frank language. he's a former military intelligence officer and joins is from oxford in the u. k. franco struction of this damn had been feared for a while. what are the military implications of the breach? it's good morning, terry. yes, the credit is won't about this back in november. i had one's doubts about it then, but clearly it's happened. it's conceivable that it happened through reckless negligence on the part of the russians. it was over the top to collapse, but it saves more likely the charges replacement was destroyed. there was no interest to total for the pregnancy during this it says they are the bunch which is

a group to the russians. the most advantages to address your question uh, but they, this will not provide a major obstruction in the event that i need you credit crossing a potential assault with the pass on reach. the front line is on the river and that way they will not be flooded make you described, if possible, the only other way the crossings a false in the notes and does not relevant. i would suspect one second payment for this. okay. so there's been a lot of talk track, of course about ukraine launching. it's much anticipated counter offensive. could this mean make that much more difficult as if the ukrainians would consider themselves across the deep pro river in a cuss on a blast then if they certainly could. uh, but otherwise it went to paid. it paid the defensive to tow. it seemed to be football. they, they probably bring a texas on each side, which seemed to be focused in the night sky. indeed, it's likely to the east of,

of cas on, in uh, is oper reset. just probably gonna talk to the mom because she said to, to, to test russian defences. one thing i would say about the talk of a done on it. and then suddenly touched on, this was one of the major objectives that the russian, this ironic really for in the, in last year is operation. and the purpose was to see hinted to recover the water supply to crime it. so it really is one of those. it's, it's an act of desperation on the positive russians, no tons of ukrainians, but is an expression of, of russian military desperation, not se. okay, so you're saying the russian stand to gain more from this militarily, but it will have implications for the water supply to crime here which it occupies . how. how worried should we be frank, about the impact of this, of blowing up this down on the separation of nuclear power plant. the power plant is on the reservoir behind the dam and relies on it for cooling. initial

po, seem to indicate that right now is a gauge was not a moment the day draws. oh, they that the risk as assessed is that the, the water will diminish that the reservoir and essentially move it as i understand it, move it a little bit further away from the power station. but i would imagine that the, the, the station was designed to guides the possibility of a compromise of the dime. one would hope so. and run very close to this dog was built in the, in the late fifty's along with the canal that i mentioned. frank, thank you very much for your analysis. that was military analyst prank language in oxford, and u. k. thanks so much time. it was a pleasure. it's got the russian view on all of this. now our correspond, emily? sure. when she joins us from riga as the w is banned from reporting in russia. emily, i know you've been monitoring russian media, is there. uh, what are russian authorities saying about the damage to that damn?

well, the russian installed mayor of a nearby town here that a hydro electric electric station initially denied that there had been an attack on the station and on the dam. and then he did admit that the top part of the plant had been destroyed. russian emergency surfaces told one russian news news agency that around 80 um, towns in residential areas could be at a, at a flood risk. and we are getting initial reports that some houses in the russian controlled russian occupied area around that down could be being evacuated now as well. now there's a lot of talking, of course about the ukranian counter offensive. ukraine has admitted that it is launching several small offense, small operations. what are, what is russia saying about all of this?

i know it's very difficult to, to cut through the fog of war. there's a lot of propaganda, but what are you hearing from russia about what's happening along the front line and ukraine as well. interesting way, even before ukraine admitted that there were some attacks going on. we heard in the last few days from the russian ministry of defense, there was a statement published yesterday saying in a kind of bombastic tone that russia had repelled an initial large scale attack. and they talked about a skillful and effective course of action. and we've heard a similar statement now, overnight from a representative of the ministry of defense who talked about significant damage to ukrainian forces. and there was also a statement talking about $28.00 tags being destroyed, including german made leopard tags. so very bombastic tone there and as sonya pointed out before, it's obviously very difficult to verify any of this information,

any of what's going on on the ground at the moment. stay with us, emily, i mentioned the fog of war will not you. that, of course, is driven by propaganda. and since the start of the war, russian state tv has shaped public support for the so called special military operation. but lately the media pundits turn appears to have shifted the this and pond, this price, the russian president vladimir puts in when he decided to invite you pray last february. but off the said that it's on the bottle. so the propagandist appear to be talking themselves, search into is the only agree as western countries who said their military sports for ukraine. these have more than 50 countries, outstanding, engaged us. so we are alone. and in fact, we are held on to the threats that domina it is not just the commonest rhetoric with russian saved media as well, had to show a police his thoughts,

even the focus voice is on state to be admitted. the don't the belief in our rights flex any meaning is the only thing that they can do anything the tiger turned out to be a painful one of them. yes, they say your also has nuclear weapons, but it will never use them. the rest of the in cousin of russia, tests from ukraine. this broke into the front line cell growth region 3 good for us concerns or russian political talk shows. it's gonna be similar, but a thumbs. what about fight or game of tanks the by marty to and so the one that, oh so the what about the attack on well to write up doc and all of these seemed impossible homeless. those are because i always knew was mostly, however, it's not just say to the propaganda, then doubts rushes capabilities you've given you pre goes and has become the torres, not just for leading the private mess handbook, but not as far as outspoken criticism of russian military leadership is the start of this special operation. ukrainians had 500 tanks. i said to go with speaking,

you know, they have by 1000 to months. if $20000.00 we're able to find less now is there are 4 hundreds. how about the family? how have we deal with that to rise to you? great. it turns out that we've done the opposite to just remember if we need to be that of course, does not means as a propagandist, haven't bundled the strategy of justifying the war, a new crane. but the shift and rhetoric amongst some of the focus voices on russian tv rebels. b, a, all the different and ukraine. the scrolling emily, you've been tracking russian media since the war began, and long before that as well when you were based in russia. do you sense a shift in tone with regard to the rhetoric and the propaganda coming out of russia concerning ukraine as well? first of all, i'm sorry, i would say that overall, of course,

there is still huge support on russian state to be of the war. and you know, of continuing the war. and there are many pundits and many of servers who say we should russia should go harder on ukraine and really attack ukraine even more. so that's something that we also hear um on russian state tv repeatedly and have heard since the beginning of the war. i would say, and many observers say that around the anniversary of the, of the war. so, you know, around the end of february, there did start to be somewhat of a shift in tone. you know, when the russian observers and everyone around the world saw that, you know, there is this possibility that russia could lose this war. the western support of ukraine hasn't stopped, which i think russia did initially think that the western coalition supporting ukraine wasn't as strong as it has turned out to be. so i think, you know, as we've seen, russian calculations have changed. they thought that this war was going to be faster than it was. they thought that the west wouldn't be so strong in support.

and i think the russian rhetoric on say tv has kind of adjusted to that. the longer the work goes on, the harder it is. to completely keep reality out of state to be as well. so would you say you're seeing an increase in the criticism of the way that the putting that pertains government is prosecuting this war? what's, what's giving the, what's giving the courage to some of these pundits. we're now seemingly criticizing the government a look again. i think there's a big distinction to be made between the opposition or people who are really coming out and criticizing the war effort overall. and these people who are seeing on state tv, you have to understand that say tv is totally controlled. so the presidential administration has a special person who's in charge of state tv, who brief editors and cheese and chief about the narrative about the overall

editorial lines that they should be taking on political matters. but, you know, say to you is also some kind of a pressure valve, i would say. so it can reflect the popular mood to some extent. it can also test the popular mood. you know, you can put narratives out there and see how people in the country react. that's something that the kremlin does. so i think it's totally logical in a sense that some of these doubts about the war effort about the fact that russia could potentially lose that. some of those doubts are kind of creeping in. and in a way that's an effective way of, of, of watching them as well as getting rid of them to kind of air them on state to be and, and, and then i would say on the other hand, as i pointed out at the beginning, actual criticism of the war in russia isn't tolerated, and we seen that several times in recent months adjust, for example, with one of addition politician getting 25 years in jail for criticizing the war.

for example, emily, thank you very much. our correspondent, emily sure. when they're joining us from the left, ben capitol region until recently, the war was largely confined to ukrainian territory, but it now appears to be spilling over into russia's southern beyond the garad region. incursions there appear to be the work of russian militants fighting against proteins. regime, it's unclear how much control chip has over those groups. if any dw spoke to a former russian politician who now represents the freedom of russia, legion militia, one of the russian paramilitary groups, fighting against russia by the russian ministry. members, taking on the kremlin fights as from the russian volunteer. cool, claiming this video that they now control the village of nevada, tablo shanta in russia's belgrade region. another group, the freedom of russia legion told dw, they were attacking the russian city of shit. back in

a nearby uh and so if you surely we are totally on our own. so, so we are not so uh, guided by ukrainian meal. it sure is able to provide the information that don't supply the ration. we use the web post up with a q, with our cells, and so during the us flights, the freedom of russia legion says this trend video shows that members moving through russian town, attacking russian territory is a sensitive topic for ukraine. and it's back cuz you're up in the u. s. have been slow to supply ukraine with offensive military equipment. the fear of it being used on russian soil. but the militia says the, it's weapons that come from you crazy and stores, at least not directly of all the equipment. so serious equipment that those guys are using. they will work for your. it's during the fight, you know, new cranium territory. uh, even the american equipment was previously lost by ukrainian forces and then they

was repaid by our our troops. so the thing that we think during fighting with pushes the, the, with the units they stay with the regiments that's, uh, that's the. so that's why they have, for all the different pieces, but pretty limited and clear. obviously this was something that's was rushed to me . the coupon sold the banks out of most vehicles now which i, because i'm bmt, is the, uh, the all that are russian state tv shows the off the mouth of the attacks. the freedom of russia legions sides. they want to build a new government and what they called, liberates a territory. but for now they wants to take control of this area and face a fight to keep it. we think that the time for a long violent protest is over. and when would you know which i'm astonished at the completing of their on ukraine in february of last year when to you started the

doing? yeah. you know, some people when he's taught for destroying another country, he eliminate this over the years. now there is only one way is to destroy the dictates, or we cannot convince him to stop. he will never stop. it come to stop only with force, but it's not clear how far these grapes will go. and that baffled against the kremlin time to catch up on a few other stories making headlines around the world. former us vice president mike pet says, declared his candidacy for the 2024 republican presidential nomination pencil now campaign against his former ally and boss donald trump. the current republican front runner pens joins us grow of joys, a growing list of high profile candidates. financial regulators in the us are suing finance, the largest crypto, currently trading exchange in the world. the case also targets the company's

chinese canadian founder chang paying show the same securities and exchange commission accuses finance of inflating the size of the trades carried out and of secretly moving customer assets. finance says it will defend the platform vigorously against the alligators. so, so in the last week for sales president, i always, and not the only one that the silver has on build, his government's plan to end deforestation in the amazon by 2030 measures includes strengthening law enforcement. it goes to environmental crimes. the plan follows a pledge made by the predecessors, y'all, your boss and nora to end deforestation. global in their opinions, highest court has ruled in poland. is controversial justice reform violates you law . the court found that the police show is that the supreme court lacks independence and impartiality. potent will now have to pay almost a $1000000000.00 euros and fines the government. the conservative governors in

warsaw says you is undermining its sovereignty. the fresh of stops in singapore and indonesia, germany's defense minister is now in india morris. the story is in delhi as part of afford a visit to the country, the wants to strengthen ties with what he calls reliable partners in the, in the pacific region. he says, this cooperation is key to global peace and stability. germany support of india is depends capacity, winning and office reliance on russian supplied weapons will be part of the discussions. the w as chief political correspondent, neither has that is travelling with the german defense minister incentives. this assessment of his visit from india, a gemini, seize india as a reliable pot. now also for the next couple of years and once the strings and cooperation and that includes the area of military cooperation. now india is of

course the world's biggest importance and boars. the story is, the new german defense minister says that germany has to play a more active role in the in the pacific. so he's hinted at a discussion that is being held in berlin at the moment about potentially changing germany as export policy rules that are quite strict. because he argues that is putting off countries like india when it comes to choosing weapons suppliers. no, i had the opportunity to discuss this issue with the german defense minister into concert before coming here. and he told me that it is nothing. germany's interest for india to be so dependent on russian supplies. let's hear what he had to say. well, um when i, when i, when i will arrive at and then yeah, i will be accompanied by a representative of the german companies defense industry companies. and i want to send a signal with that we are, we are willing to support our populace already live apartments like indonesia like

india. and that include 4 examples away the way of the possibility of delivering a simpler reading for example. so we'll talk about that without losing out of photos, the sensibility of delivering weapons all over the world. we have to find a balance between delivering weapons on the ones on the one hand to our populace to our live with pipeline. and on the other hand, to control and to, to, to limit delivering of weapons all over the world. because we don't need really so much weapons anymore into what we should not have too much weapons. and you can watch the full interview with german defense minister bars, just stories on the dw news youtube channel. you're watching dw noise from berlin, just reminded the top stories were following for you. chief and moscow are accusing each other, blowing up a major diamond hydro electric power plant in a russian controlled part of southern ukraine. video show walter, surging through

a collapse wall at the know like a cop cut them back. you, agents are now underway along the disney program and ukraine. so as forces have launched, what it costs offensive actions on part of the front line, including in the region around talk, mood, bosco for its parts. is it just tortured survey ukrainian? the text inflicting huge lots of text or football program. kick off. looks back at the roller coaster race to the point us linkage champions of germany. bun cherry. martin, thanks for watching the

pulse. the beginning of a story that takes us along for the ride to perspective culture

information. this is the, the news w. mine's eco, africa. they are part of commodities. speech and penalties are being illegally treated as carpets and kidney. and we're interested in the upper 9 to a national park are found out. they want to raise awareness of the issue with a wide range of projects to protect to pansy, africa team 60 minutes on dw, the one small step. by and vacuum. one giant leap for exploiting the ocean

floor. cutting edge technology is unlocking the potential of deep sea mining. but this time, a research team will study the possible risk 1st. in order to minimize them. we have an opportunity to, to get it right before we even start environmental activists or skeptical after a whole. there are billions to be made. our 2 parts documentary, deep sea greed starts june 8th on d. w. in the fast lane is china is auto industry overtaking its former market leaders, german car makers on bikes, new friends in new business, ideas on 2 wheels in south africa, and on heavy terrain. how an 11 year old test, a land rover's off road shops. right now on rap.