captioning sponsored by cbs >> diaz: tonight, closing in on kyiv. invading russian forces intensify their airstrikes as ground troops move into position around ukraine's capital. in the bombed ruins of other cities, ukrainians make their stand while thousands protest russia's abduction of their mayor. president zelensky today accusing moscow of terrorizing his nation. cbs news is on the ground. oarpt i'm chris livesay in odessa, where the city is waiting for a russian invasion. >> diaz: the russian leader calls for mu cease-fire. cbs' david martin has the latest

on this american-made weapon helping slow the russian advance. >> it's a very destructive and very effective weapon. >> diaz: plus this weekend marks two years of the pandemic. america now racing ahead oarpt i'm lilia luciano in los angeles, where restrictions are rolling back. >> diaz: and later, pep bands return to march madness. >> this is the "cbs weekend news" from chicago with adriana diaz. >> diaz: good evening. tonight, russia is warning the united states that it would fire on weapons shipments to ukraine raising the risk of direct confrontation between moscow and a nato country. today, russian forces expanded their attacks, including strikes around kyiv. fierce ukrainian resistance has made the fight a slog. this is new video from the southern city of mariupol. it and other cities are being pound read punishing and destructive shelling and

airstrikes, this as the humanitarian situation deteriorates with critical supplies in some places scarce. with the war now dm its third week, casualties are adding up. so are russia's gains on the ground across ukraine, seen here in dark orange. tonight, cbs' chris livesay is in the city of odessa. >> reporter: well, here in the crucial port of odessa, the city is bracing for a fight as the ukrainian president accuses moscow of waging a war of annihilation. ♪ ♪ ♪ a war that once seemed unthinkable is now advancing funeral by funeral. mothers and wives clutch the hand of their soldiers, fallen while defending a country their invaders say does not exist. ( explosions ) invaders who have killed even more civilians than soldiers, says ukraine, as indiscriminate shelling rages across the country, slamming into a cancer

hospital homes and families in the strategic port city of mykolaiv. among those spared, these women and children must cram beneath a derelict market inside a basement turned bomb shelter. two weeks ago they were paying hide-and-seek, now they're hiding from cluster bombs says the mayor, oleksandr senkevych. attacking civilians, is this on purpose? >> i think the main idea is to kill ukrainians as much as they can. it's complete liar when they say that they want to protect us. they want to kill as much as they can. >> reporter: kill and sometimes capture. this security camera footage in the top right corner is said to show the moment russian soldiers apprehend the mayor of the occupied city of melitopol, putting a bag over his head in broad daylight. to the outrage of his city. in this information war, russia

has released its own footage, showing the moment it captured the hostomel airfield outside kyiv. now, russian forces are advancing toward odessa, the country's last major coastal stronghold, and it's bracing for a fight, fortifying their city, their symbols, and their spirits. members of the famed odessa opera sing their national anthem. slava ukraini, thigh cry, glory to ukraine. >> diaz: chris livesay joins us now from odessa on the black sea. a critical city, as ukraine's largest port. chris, how are locals preparing for an attack, and how do they feel? >> reporter: well, adriana, they're bracing for the worst. and they're digging in for a fight, whether that's literally with weapons or if it's to provide moral support or any kind of military aid. we've seen people filling up sandbags on the beach, filling up crates of water and food for the soldiers. their hopes are extremely high. they've seen the military

perform very well, above all expectations across the country, but they've also seen the devastation in places like mariupol, and you'd have to be crazy not to be nervous. >> diaz: okay, chris livesay in odessa. be careful out there. today, president biden authorized up to $200 million for arms and equipment for ukraine. cbs' debra alfarone is at the white house with the latest. debra. >> reporter: adriana, today, russian warned that u.s. weapons sent to ukraine are legitimate targets, this as president biden says that moscow may be ready for a chemical attack. >> russia would pay a severe price if they used chemical weapons. >> reporter: president biden did not say what that severe price may be, but the administration has repeatedly said he won't send u.s. troops to ukraine. on friday, the president severely restricted russia's ability to trade and took direct aim at putin allies. >> they support putin. they steal from the russian

people. >> reporter: european partners are also targeting those closest to putin. italian officials seized the super yacht of putin ally and billionaire andrey igorevich melnichenko. it's thought to be the largest sailing yacht in the world, worth more than $570 million. as more than 100 u.s. troops deploy to europe to assist nato allies, today, vice president kamala harris underscored the alliance's support for ukraine. >> when democracy is threatened anywhere, it threatens us all. >> reporter: earlier this week, congress passed a spending bill with about $13.6 billion in aid for ukraine. president biden plans to sign that next week. adriana. >> diaz: debra alfarone, thank you so much. some of the firepower flow to ukraine includes the american-made antitank weapon known as the javelin. cbs' david martin reports on how it's helping ukraine's

resistance. >> reporter: before the war started, this was unimaginable. outgunned and outmanned ukrainians stopping a russian armored column in its tracks. u.s. officials estimate the ukrainians have destroyed several hundred armored vehicles which are the heart of russian military power. >> the russian army is equipped with literally several thousandand, fairly modern battle tanks, and it's central to their way of war, which is focused on mass and on momentum. >> reporter: retired army colonel richard hooker, now with the atlantic council, says one of the weapons that has slowed the russian momentum is the american-made javelin antitank weapon, which the u.s. is shipping to ukraine by the thousands. >> once the operator launches the weapon, the missile takes over and flies itself, so the operator can seek cover. >> reporter: can it actually destroy a tank? >> absolutely. it's a very destructive and very effective weapon. >> reporter: fired from ground level, the javelin first pops

up, and then dives down on the tank. >> it will come in on the target from a high angle of attack and hit the roof of the tank where the armor is very thin. >> reporter: the u.s. is one of 15 countries ships tens of thousands of antitank weapons to ukraine. you can see the ukrainian soldiers carrying them into combat. not all of them are are as sophisticated and deadly as the javelin, but in the right hands, a rocket-propelled grenade can disable a tank. >> reporter: you'll get what's called a mobility kill, which means the tank may not be completely destroyed, but it will not be able to move and it can be targeted with other weapons at that point. >> reporter: what's it like to go up against a tank when you're on foot? >> it's very, very terrifying for an infantry soldier. it takes a lot of courage and a lot of determination to fight tanks like that. >> reporter: the ukrainians are supplying the courage. it's up to the u.s. and its allies to supply the weapons. david martin, cbs news, the pentagon. >> diaz: and this programming

note: the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell will broadcast from the border of ukraine and poland. that coverage begins on monday. today, a late winter storm whipped up wild weather from mississippi to maine. near harrisburg, pennsylvania, a 73-car pileup on a snowy highway shut down the road for several hours. and in florida, this water spout in fort myers sent beach-goers scurrying. the two people caught in its path are reportedly okay. in florida, police have arrested a suspect they say sold fentanyl-laced cocaine to spring breakers who overdosed this week, including five west point cadets. 21-year-old axel casseus appeared in court today. the cadets were staying at a rental home outside tampa. four were hospitalized. and and this week marks two years since the world health organization declared a global pandemic. hard to believe. today, america is moving on from

covid-19, even if some are saying not so fast. cbs' lilia luciano joins us from los angeles with more. lilia. >> reporter: that's right, adriana. here in the u.s., the masks are pretty much off at this point, but covid spikes in other parts of the world should serve as a warning that this sense of normal could be fleeting. in two years in the u.s., covid took more than 963,000 lives and changed everyone. now there's a seismic shift as all states, with hawaii the latest, rolling back restrictions, a sign of i don'ts rapid retreat. in hong kong, a fifth wave is a reminder of the misery when the virus began. isolation facilities are filling up faster than the new ones can be built. and the country leading the world in new deaths. in the u.s., infections have plunged to lowestinate months, with 98% of americans now living in a low or medium covid risk

area. and 81% of the country is vaccinated with at least one dose. >> we in the united states are going from a period of hiding from the virus to now living with the virus. we're doing this because we have immunity from vaccines and prior infection, and we have the pfizer pill. >> reporter: will there be another variant? >> i literally look daily at the across the globe in a database, and i will tell you the virus is think whiching as we speak. but it really is luck of the draw. >> reporter: what would you say tops the list of the lessons learned. >> we are concommunity. it matters not just what you do but what your friend does, what your neighbor does, what other countries do. >> reporter: and part of that, dr. agus says, is making sure the rest of the world is vaccinated, because those gaps, those places that are lagging in vaccinations is where new variant could pop up. adriana. >> diaz: lilia, thank you so much. strapt ahead on the "cbs weekend news," one city finds an innovative way to house homeless veterans. also, with a deep sea discovery,

a centuries-old survival story resurfaces.

>> diaz: tonight, tens of thousands of veterans will spend the night without a roof over their heads. but in los angeles, some are finding shelter in a village of tiny homes. as joy benedict reports in tonight's "weekend journal." >> reporter: the west side of los angeles is known for giant waving flags and patriotism. but nestled behind the gates of the veterans affairs compound it is the smallest of symbols that seem to have the biggest impact on those who served. >> mine is down here. >> reporter: michael shay is homeless. or at least he was. >> that's a parachute rigor, and then those are my airborne wings. >> reporter: he was proud to

show off his first home in almost a year, a tiny structure built on the lawn of the los angeles v.a. >> it's not a car door. it's not-- you know, it's actual-- it's a door. >> reporter: and there are rows of doors. this is c.t.r.s., care treatment rehabilitation services, the only tiny home village in the nation run by the v.a. and reserved for homeless veterans. >> i thought that this would be the best avenue to getting back to that, you know, forever home. >> reporter: and he's not alone. there are an estimated 40,000 homeless veterans nationwide. so when the pandemic shut down group shelters and tents displaying the stars and stripes started showing up outside the gates, this program was born, a tent city, then tiny shelters, all of which are donated. >> we had a lot of homeless veterans but we needed a place to put them. >> reporter: chanin santini runs the program. in the last four months, she has seen toinations coming in from

local schools, local businesses. even former governor arnold schwarzenegger. >> it's really heartwarming to be able to offer a pallet shelter to someone versus a tent. so it's really wonderful. >> reporter: but it's also very sad when you think about how much need there is in this community. >> veterans right now are coming here from all across the country saying, "oh, we saw you have this pallet shelter. can we come to it?" >> reporter: but this is just the beginning. >> five years since i had my own place, five, six years. >> reporter: warren miller moved into one of the first tiny shelters in october. a few weeks ago... >> come into my little humble abody. >> reporter: ...he unlocked the door to a real home. i love the smile you're wearing these days. >> thank you. i got something to smile about. >> reporter: and although shay is juststhankful for his tiny shelter, he's starting to realize he deserves more. >> you know, the longer i became homeless the more undeserving i felt, so the more times i closed that door, the more i started to

feel i deserved a home. >> reporter: not just a door, a gateway to a fresh start and hopefully a home for all who served. >> yeah. .>> reporter: feels good. >> feels good. >> reporter: joy benedict, cbs news, los angeles. >> diaz: still ahead on the "cbs weekend news," the epic story of the "endurance" and the survival of its shipwrecked crew.

>> diaz: this week, a search spanning more than a century came to an end off the coast of antarctica deep under water. as cbs' roxana saberi reports, the discovery resurfaces one of the world's great survival stories. >> reporter: resting some

10,000 feet below the icy surface of antarctica's weddel sea, researchers and deep sea robots have discovered one of the 20th century's most famous ships. >> people said we'd never be able to find this shipwreck. but they did. they persisted. >> reporter: this is the first image of explorer's ernest shackleton ship "endurance" since it was crushed by ice and sank 107 years ago. frozen in time, the three-masted wooden ship is largely preserved, its bolts shiny, even dinner plates, these white circles remain. >> i never dreamed that we'd see the gold lettering of "endurance" with the polar star there on the stern. >> reporter: historian dan snow has been documenting the expedition that found it. why was this discovery so significant? >> it's the best-preserved shipwreck of the era of wooden sailing vessels that we have anywhere in the world. i takes us back to one of the greatest stories in history. >> reporter: in 1914, shackleton set sail for antarctica, attempting to be the

first to cross the continent by land. but sea ice trapped then slowly sank "endurance." the crew survived on a diet of seals and penguins, and a spirit of camaraderie for 18 months. shackleton would rescue all 27 men, making him a legend. these modern explorers used drones to scan the sea floor. for weeks, they battled blizzards and shifting sea ice, though marine archaeologist mensun bound says thinner ice than usual helped. >> the ice is a lot more sparse, which is great for us, but probably not good news for the environment. >> reporter: in keeping with an international treaty, all they took from the ship were these images and data. >> it's about pushing the envelope with technology. daring to dream. >> reporter: and surviving by working together against all odds. roxana saberi, cbs news, london. >> diaz: against huge odds. next on the "cbs weekend news,"

chicago goes green with a splash for st. patrick's day.

>> diaz: today in chicago, it's that time of year again. to celebrate st. patrick's day's day crews died the chicago river green. the electrician started when plumbers were detecting leaks with dye that turned water bright green. now a city electrician, the plumbers union dyes the river every year for st. patrick's day. they say the dye is environmentally safe but its ingredients are a closely guarded secret. when we return, the musicians who strike up the madness in march.

>> diaz: finally tonight, march madness is back, complete with pomp and pep bands. here's cbs' nancy chen. ♪ ♪ ♪

>> reporter: it's a game-day staple: and as soon as the pep band starts playing, villanova university pride isn't just heard... ♪ ♪ ♪ ...it's felt with about 100 members, the band is tasked with hyping up big crowds through big moments. >> and one, two... >> reporter: led by director beth sokolowski. >> can you imagine march madness without bands? i can't. i think it would be so boring. >> reporter: last year, covid restrictions kept bands away from the tournament. but that's no more. what do you want people to experience as fans? >> i just want them to be able to experience our energy. i think the band brings the most energy at the games. >> reporter: this would be the first march madness trip for seniors nick hernandez and michael stefano, whose plans were cut short in 2020. what does it mean to you now to be able to possibly go to march madness? >> it's really a whirlwind of emotions.

i mean, it's been a lot time coming for the cats. >> this is march march is the most exciting time of the year for college basketball. >> reporter: it's hard to beat the passion of the band itself. in 2015, a dedicated villanova pick low player went viral for her performance throughs tears when the wildcats were knocked out of the tournament. but hopefully this year there will be no march sadness. when you get out to march madness, it is madness. and it's just a blast. so i am so excite excited for our students just to be able to experience that. >> reporter: nancy chen, cbs news, villanova, pennsylvania. >> diaz: cbs sports and turner sports coverage of the 2022 n.c.a.a. men's tournament begins tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. pacific on cbs with a selection show. that is the news for this saturday. don't forget, clocks spring forward overnight. i'm adriana diaz in chicago. good night. captioning sponsored by cbs

captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org live from the cbs bay area studios. kpix 5 news. clearing the wreckage of a fiery crash that's battled fire crews. we have the latest on the investigation. >> a young girl found dead in a central valley home. the man police are searching for tonight in connection with her death. it's a bit of a band aid to temper pain. not a real solution. >> will an extra uber fee help drivers pay for rising gas prices ? why some say it's just not enough. and how communities across the bay area are showing support for ukraine today as russian troops inch closer to the capitol city. i mean, i've even heard cases where, you know, they've been threatened with guns. >> a plea tonight from the paradise mayor, why he says some angry residents are

lashing out at pg&e workers today for the first time investigators started moving the cal train involved in a baffling accident on the peninsula. >> the train crash into a construction vehicle on thursday. igniting the fuel tank into a fireball. max is live with the latest on the investigation and the frustration for commuters. >> the ntsb, the lead investigative agency on this crash has given cal train the all clear to remove the train from the tracks. we've been out here all day as crews have been working hard to begin that process. this cal train was moving ever so slowly on saturday. the first time we've seen it move at all since it was involved in a fiery crash in san bruno on thursday where 13 people got hurt. >> i'm so glad that everyone's okay. as ntsb investigators continue to comb through the wreckage collecting as much evidence as they can, cal train crews were busy repairing the track so they can remove the train. they moved some of the couc