♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planne george: actually, you don't need vision to do most things in life. it's exciting to be part of a team driving the technology forward. i think that's the most rewarding thing. people who know, know bdo.

narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from ewers like you. thank you. announcer: and now, "bbc news". kristin: hello. i'm christian fraser. >> we do not attack moscow. we fight on our territory. >> we live it to ukraine to decide how its going to defend itself and how it is going to try to get back the territory that has been seized from it illegally. >> it is a potentially very significant development.

if this was indeed a ukrainian attack on the kremlin. ♪ christian: looking to the program. the kremlin accuses ukraine of trying to assassinate president vladimir putin. ukrainian say they had nothing to do with it. at least eight peoples in a security guard have been killed at a shooting at a school in belgrade. police have confirmed the 13-year-old student at school as been arrested. we will bring you the latest on that. a major police sting in europe, and hundred 30 people arrested across six countries in a coordinated operation against the italian mafia. and artificial intelligence governments should be using it to advance and grow our economy. two people think there are

benefits that outweigh the risks. we begin tonight with's owning pictures from above red square. russia says it has shut down to drones flying above the kremlin and accuse ukraine of trying to clear -- trained to kill vladimir putin. you will see in the night sky an object flying over the dome of the kremlin palace before a small explosion. president zelenskyy said ukraine had nothing to do with the drone strike and this was kremlin trickery to motivate the russian peop. that's go to russian editor steve rosenrg, who is in moscow for us this evening. it is a drama in any event, whether it is a ukrainian attack or russian propaganda. steve: absolutely. this is unprecedented. we have not seen this before. one thing that is strange was that earlier today president putin's press secretary held his daily conference call for

journalists, and made no mention at all of the night's dramatic events. a couple of hours later, the kremlin issued this dramatic statement saying there had been an attempt didn't drone attack on the kremlin overnight, and accusing ukraine of trying to assassinate president pruden. so that was quite strange. also odd that there was no meeting of the russian security council. you would have expected that. however, dramatic picres. but esther medic as those pictures were, the pictures of the explosions over the kremlin, to me, it does not look like an attempt to assassinate president putin. what was it? cards on the table, we simply don't know. we don't have the full picture yet. but there has been feverish speculation here. some people suggesting this was ukraine trying to send a less than subtle message to the kremlin that we can reach you wherever you are. some people say perhaps it was

russian partisans, or even russian hardliners, pro-war russians who wanted to exact a hard-line response from the kremlin. we don't know, and perhaps in the coming days we will find out , will have a better idea, when we see the kremlin response to this. christian: we cannot of course discount that it may be a false flag. there have been others. if that were the case, it would be a remarkable image to put out. it is a remarkable image to comment on, because it is a very potent symbol of just how vulnerable the state is. steve: absolutely. here we have the kremlin, the seat of power of the russian president, one of the most well defended, in principle, seats of power in the world. and yet we see these images of objects, drones, flying into the kremlin and exploding there. that is quite embarrassing for

the kremlin if this was an attack by ukraine, if these were ukrainian drones. that is hugely embarrassing for the kremlin. but as i say, we don't have the full picturef what happened. maybe other pieces of the jigsaw will be filled in, in the coming days. christian: thank you for that. the white house has been commenting in the last hour. the americans say they have no intelligence about what it was or who might have sent the drone. >> we are aware of the reports but are unable to confirm the authenticity of them at this time. i do not want to give rise to speculation from here about what happened. we are dealing with the reports. >> does the administration see putin as the commander in chief of russian troops that have waged this war against ukraine, as a lawful military target? >> here is what i will say.

since the beginning of this conflict, the united states is not encouraging or enabling ukraine to strike beyond its borders. we have been very clear from here about that. but again, i don't want to get into speculation on the authenticity of this report. so i'm notoing to speculate from here. christian: that is the position of the white house. here is what ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy has to say. president zelenskyy: we don't attack nor moscow. we fight on our territory. we are defending our villages and cities. we don't have enough weapons for this. christian: let's move to the bbc's kyiv correspondent. he has been judging some of the reaction over there. what do you make of the timing of this supposed attack, hugo? hugo: i think the timing of this

alleged attack is very interesting, because the ukrainians say they are finishing their plans for this much-anticipated counteroffensive. they have received nato weapons, battle tanks, military equipment, and they say they are now reaching the finish line in the preparations for this counteroffensive. we know that russian forces have not achieved major gains recently here in ukraine. they are actually fortifying their positions ahead of this counteroffensive. i think we heard from president zelenskyy that he not only rejected these allegations that the ukrainians are behind this alleged attack, that russia has achieved no victory on the battlefield, so it has to create, in his words, the surprise drone attacks. this is happening as the ukrainians are preparing for this counteroffensive. russia is fortifying its

positions on the battlefield. i think hearing kyiv, we heard from the senior to president zelenskyy, who not only dismissed these allegations, but also said that thi was an indication that moscow was preparing a large-scale attack on ukraine, in his words, essentially saying russia is going to be using this allegation that ukraine tried to assassinate president putin to justify a massive attack on ukrainian cities. christian: just in terms of the retribution people might fear, hugo, with this put the leadership in kyiv on their gud ty haon t, to take extra precautions in light of what is being said in russia? hugo, yeah, i think the expectation is perhaps that russia could launch another wave of missiles and drones. this has been something that has been happening in the last few

days here. this morning, we had a wave of drone attacks targeting cities across the country, including here in the capitol, kyiv. to give you an indication of how deadly this conflict has been -- today, 21 civilians were killed in a southern region, including people who were shopping at a supermarket. russia continues to carry out these attacks targeting cities and places away from the front lines. i think the fear we are hearing from some officials is that russia could be using this alleged attack to justify more attacks targeting cities and towns across the country. christian: thank you very much. we can speak to an advisor to the ukrainians on defense. thank you for being with us. what do you make of the video you see, and what you see in it? >> good evening. if you mean the video of the

explosions over the kremlin, i can just repeat what you said and what hugo has said is report. our official position is -- it has been announced in a number of occasions during the day -- that we had nothing to do with it. what i would like to say is that it is very suspicious, considering russia's strange belief in these mystical dates. that these activities happen a few days literally before the so-called victory day, which is celebrated in russia on may 9 every year. for the secd year in a row for russians, this victory day is way more important than christmas. this will be essentially the second time, the second christmas, when russian people, instead of receiving gifts, they will continue to give away what they have -- their lives on the

battlefield. their security, stability -- their future, essentially. and the only thing they are getting in return is a feeling of guilt, a global feeling of guilt. of course faced with a lack of progress on the battlefield, faced with these problems with a staggering amount of people who are soldiers who are dying on the cranium battlefield because they are used as cannon fodder -- its very plausible to assume the russian government is struggling to find new arguments to explain to their people why they should continue to die and why they should continue to inflict this global sense of shame and disgrace upon themselves. we have seen false flag operations carried out by russia in the past. they have come up immediately with a statement accusing ukraine. but this is not anything we are behind. christian: in fairness, the ukrainians never comment on any

action behind enemy lines. but we know and we see that there have been attacks on trains in recent days, on fuel depots. does ukraine have drones that can reach the kremlin, 500, 600 miles from the ukrainian border? >> since the beginning of this large-scale invasion, we have been thinking hard, do we improve our defense capabilities and ensure that in the future we can be self-reliant and self-sufficient, and not rely just on military assistance from our western partners. of course, this has resulted in the outburst of different activities related to the creation of drones and every other type of weapon that can be used to defend our country. what i will repeat -- we have to understand that in russia today it is very plausible, and you mentioned, that there are

partisans. there are people that are unhappy with what the bloodthirsty regime is doing in ukraine. there are also oligarchs that arnot very happy about the prospects which the kremlin gives them. there are so many possible scarios. christian: i don't have much time. i just want to get your thoughts on what was announced at the white house in the last hour -- a new security assistance package for ukraine to include more ammunition and supplies. do you have enough supplies at the moment to begin this counteroffensive? >> we are almost ready for the counteroffensive and welcome this new security assistance. but what we need more is fight are jets and long-range missiles. we have been saying it all along. fighter jets, f-16s, are the only ways we can protect our cities from attacks like the one ntioned by hugo today. 21 civilian people killed in caps on -- in kherson.

there are over 4000 f-16s worldwide. christian: very grateful for your time this evening. let's discuss what we have heard this evening with the bureau chief at the financial times. good to have you with us. let's presuppose for a second that it is authentic. what would ordinary russians make of this? >> as steve rosenberg said earlier, it is very embarrassing for the kremlin. it shows how far the expectations have fallen and how much of this invasion has been a failure. they went through thinking at the beginning of the invasion that they were going to capture kyiv in three days, and today the statement is that president putin was unharmed in the attack on the kremlin. it is enormous state decline. in the late 1980's, there was a

german teenager who flew a small biplane and landed it on red square, unbeknownst to the soviet border guards, who had been drinking all day. and this was a major symbol of the coming end of the soviet state. but i think also the kremlin have been quite keen to bring the war home in the last months to most russians. most russians are going about their lives as normal. they have been able to mostly ignore the war. when you see literally an explosion over the kremlin, where the russian flag flies, it is hard to ignore the immediacy of that. christian: the ukrainians would point to partisans within russia. is there evidence there are organize groups in russia that would want to carry out something like that? >> there is evidence there are sabotage acts going on in russia. you have a lot of isolated incidents of people setting

military recruitment offices on fire. you have roads in southern russia that have been damaged in the last few days. there has not been that much confirmation of any sort of independent underground activity which would be very difficult to carry out. the fsb, the security service, just today, they claimed to have foiled yet another attack in crimea by what they claimed was some sort of ukrainian-controlled group of ukrainians and russians. given our lack of trust in everything they say, it is very hard to tell. the one really, really public display from a russian partisan group was with these far right partisans who made a little incursion into western russia, going through the forest. one of them right afterwards said that ukraine had paid them to do this little, weird attack that they did.

there isn't much of an impression that there is any sort of widespread resistance movement going on in russia right now, but there certainly are a lot of instances -- there is a you -- a munitions factory, the 10th on fire in the last few months. christian: around the world and across the u.k., this is bbc news. it is the final day of campaigning ahead of local elections in many parts of election -- local parts of england. for the first time, photo i.d. will be required, the biggest change to in person voting in 150 years. one person is dead and four are injured after a mass shooting at a medical center in atlanta, georgia on wednesday. police released these images of the suspect, identified as a

24-year-old who they say is still at large. the remains of an australian man who vanished while fishing with friends have been found inside a crocile. the 65 euros was last seen saturday in a well-known habitat for saltwater crocodiles in queensland. after a two day search of the area, police found flip-flops on the bank. they killed two large crocodiles nearby, and found human body rts. a formal identification process will be carried out. more airstrikes today in khartoum, even as the warring factions agreed to a new seven-day cease-fire. antonio guterres, who was in nairobi, said cooperation is entirely dependent on the security situation inside sudan, and called on the generals to stop fighting immediately. a third of the six million people in sudan rely on humanitarian assistance.

around 100,000 people have already fled across the border with little food and water available. previous cease-fire agreements between the army and the paramilitary have ranged from 24 to 72 hos, but none of them fully observed. a british citizen we have had on the program before -- this is video he filmed. it's from the zagreb. >> may 3, khartoum, a central part of khartoum. people are fighting in front of the presidential palace in central khartoum. so yeah, that is all of the action. chriian: tarek also sent us this video which is not his, from today's battle in khartoum. it shows men from the rs f, some

of them shouting "god is great." there wertwo bodies in this video which we are not going to show you. it would seem to demonstrate some close quarters fighting right in the heart of the capil. what chance of a cease-fire and more eight getting into the country? -- more aid getting into the country. tarek, a good illustration of how dangerous it is. you were going to try to get to the airport and then to port sudan with your family, you were still there. what happened? tarek: for some reasons -- my dad is paralyzed and difficult we are still trying to go to port sudan. christian: how are you keeping the family fed? tarek: i will find shops that

have a bit of supplies, and we will buy some sort of pasta, rice. that is how we keep going. christian: what are you doing for money if there is no work? tarek: so far, we have some cash with us. we just have to relocate and eventually start doing business somewhere else. christian: are you having discussion amongst the family as to how long you can hold out in khartoum, and when you might have to move? tarek: my dad has a family business, a manufacturing one. to reestablish the same way somewhere else is difficult. but we are convinced it is time to leave.

a cease-fire could take place, but has not taken place. it seems like both parties are eager to fight on. christian: we have seen from the videos you sent today the rsf are clearly out on the city and on the street, and it is not far from where you are. how do you get information as to where you can go, when you can go? is that sort of information available? tarek: not really. it's just -- you have to use instant.we are in our original neighborhood, where i used to live. our neighbors left. the forces started showing. basically, both parties are getting closer. you get out of the way.

as of now, the place i'm in, in southern khartoum, has not seen much action, etc., but we do get some random bullets coming over. we do get some random shots. the property that i am right now -- bullets, but nothing serious. christian: take care. we are going to keep in touch with you. we are sending our best to you and your family. think you for coming on the program. we have joined by the world food program's country director. he is just back from the border and is now back in geneva. tell us what you saw at the border. >> just back, but in fact it is taking a few days to come back. travel out there was some day. it was the second time already. more and more refugees are coming.

more and more humanitarians are getting on the ground, supporting the government response. it is very worrying still because refugees keep coming, keep coming. it is worrying because we really need to support them, and there is a lot of challenges to reach the border that is very far away from geneva. christian: how difficult is it to bring aid when you have seven countries that could be affected, and no real idea whether cease-fires are going to hold? >> it is tough. first of all, we know we have two requisition for the refugees. during the rainy season in 68 weeks, -- sixo eight weeks, we won't even reach them. but in case they stay, in case one day there will be an open window to get there inside sudan again, we need to be ready to

support that. if we do not requisition, we will never be ready, so it is going to be an issue. christian: i have a minute left. secretary-general antonio guterres said he was concerned about the fighting in darfur and the spillover into chad, a country in democratic transition. has militias in libya. it is fragile as it is. how concerned are you tt this will affect operations inside chad? >> for now, the government is looking at a lot of security. we really work on the safety condition, i must say. it is very hard to say. chad was already hosting 400,000 refugees. that's 30,000 from the last figure of the government that crossed as of yesterday. wfp, we have supported already 12,000 of them. christian: it is tough.

>> today, we can work. christian: we wish you the best of luck. thank you for coming on the program. i know you are very busy. we are going to go to a quick break, and we will talk about the awful shooting in belgrade. a reporter is there in belgrade. narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. man: bdo. accountants and advisors. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected need and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪

narrator: you're watching pbs.

♪ ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planned. george: actually, you don't need vision to do most things in life. it's exciting to be part of a team driving the technology forward. i think that's the most rewarding thing. people who know, know bdo.