>> this is "focus on europe." i'm lara babalola, welcome. missiles are hitting civilian targets in ukraine once again, knocking out power and water supplies. the destruction of energy infrasucture has led to power cuts across the country. even in cities in ukraine's far west like lviv. residents have been left in the dark and in freezing temperatures. in the capital kyiv, the deep metro stations are offering shelter from the bombardments. >> in ukraine's north, fears of renewed russian attacks are

growing. these ukrainian soldiers are stationed on the border with belarus, and are keeping a watchful eye on their neighbor. belarus, which is allied with russia, is allowing putin's troops to use its territory as a deployment area. when the war started in february, russian soldiers tried to advance on the capital kyiv from this region in belarus. ukrainian soldiers in chernihiv are on high alert, determined not to let the enemy pass through the north once again. >> in the far north of ukraine, there's no cell reception. so maps lead us towards the border with belarus. e region of chernihiv ll when rsia invaded in februar but in april ukraine took it back. >> this is russian equipment they left behind while retreating. and there's tons of it in our forests. we patrol these positions, this forest. and these are like trophies, we're very proud of

the ukrainian armed forces. >> this russian cannon is now being deployed by the ukrainian military. the soldiers here are on constant alert. >>i think anything's possible. because they're losing along other fronts, so they might decide to start a new one here. >> dmytro used to work for the railway. in almost nine months of war, he's spent just two weeks with his family. he has a lot of anger towards russia. >> i'm angry, because they've endorsed civilian deaths. if this were a proper war, it would only be soldiers dying. but when a nation celebrates the deaths of children during air raids, disabled children even, that me angry. >> maksym from chernihiv has also been deployed here. he's just 20 years old.

>> i'm in great physical condition. i'm a quick learner. we're not split up into age groups here. we all have one task. my comrades are between eighteen and sixty years old. we're all equal. >> this ukrainian village along the border is afraid of fresh attacks. the russian military is said to be just thirty kilometers away. but hardly anyone wants to leave. >> how can i leave? i was born here. i raised my own and other people's children here. where am i supposed to go? >> pensioner valentyna has also spent her entire life in this village. she recalls the fearful moments of the attacks early this year. >> we were attacked in february. there was a whole convoy of vehicles along our street here. we were so scared we couldn't

sleep. night or day. and then at 10:00 at night, they started launching these bright missiles. >> valentyna's children are in the regional capital of chernihiv. but she's not thinking about joining them. this is our home. we were born here. we are not going anywhere. >> the russians raided the village store when they invaded in february, says anna, a sales clerk here. it pains her to see how neighboring belarus sided with the russian military. >> we used to be friends with belarus. but now i have a bad impression of them. they used to go shopping in chernihiv. now they have made us their enemies.

>> the men in the forest are preparing for the worst. oleksiy is a former veterinarian with three children and three grandchildren. and he's fighting for them. >> my grandchildren have already learned what war is. they know about shelling. they have lost friends. my son is in the military. my son-in-law is. there's a lot to lose. and you only live once. but if someone's hit, it should be me and not my children or grandchildren. >> the situation remains tense. russia is conducting air raids on ukraine from belarus, and likely receiving belarussian tanks. an attacker could come at any moment. >> the war in ukraine has also triggered hardship in other european countries. greece is grappling with rising living costs. and in the capital athens, one

neighborhood is together to help those in need. exarchia is a historically socialist area with a strong community spirit. mata lives there and she treasures this sense of solidarity. now, she's fighting to keep the spirit alive in times of change. ♪ >> from bird's eye view, athen's "exarchia" neighborhood looks like any other densely populated district in the greek capital. but when you look closer, you realize it's more diverse, young and alternative than other neighborhoods. and there's greater solidarity, says mata kastrisiou. the actor has lived in this liberal neighborhood for six years. >> you can go to the shop even if you don't have money to buy, to the grocery, to the coffee shop, to eat something. and you know each other so we can live here without having

sometimes money. >>ore and more people are that is why more and more people are moving here in these economically tough times including immigrants those with limited means. "el chef" is a neighborhood kitchen that gives out meals to people in need. >> our message here is "cooking , together and serving meals in solidarity." the people here cook around 200 meals a day. the local authorities, who should actually be looking after these people, tell the homeless and refugees to come here. but that's no problem. everyone gets something to eat here. we don't receive any subsidies. but this building has been a squat since 2008. >> squats and protests have a long history in exarchia. despina kolatsidaki remembers the student protests against the greek military junta when she was a little girl.

a major student uprising here at athens' polytechnic was violently shut down in november 1973. we saw trucks with soldiers driving towards the university, they were singing marching songs. we realized it would get bloody and sought safety. we will never forget those imes. exarchia is proud of its history. the movement that exists here today follows in the tradition of the student protests. >> but for the old rebels and newcomers alike, the area is getting more expensive. the cost of rent is climbing, and the number of holiday apartments for tourists is growing. sometimes, violent protests erupt in the area during the night. but most residents, like mata, prefer peaceful protests in

exarchia. there's currently a lot of attention on the neighborhood's central square, which is under construction to add a new subway station. a large fence protects the site. and there's a round-the-clock police presence. mata agrees subways are a good thing. but that they could have built the stop elsewhere. she thinks authorities are trying to push locals out of this area. >> residents were not involved in the planning. even though this will destroy the only public square in the neighborhood. it's one of the few places where we can come together, where children can play. >> three years ago, a minister of the conversative government came to this square and announced it would be taken back. >> we will return this square to the people, we will end the

lawlessness. thanks to our party, nia demokratia, this will become a normal square again. most people in athens, however, have no problem with exarchia's alternative charm. residents from all over come together at the neighborhood's weekly market. >> what's wrong with occupying a building that's been vacant for years if that saves you living on the streets? you're not driving anyone out. >> a group of locals have gathered in a small park to discuss how the area can be made more appealing. they want to make the improvements themselves. but police officers watch them suspiciously. >> the public open spaces are in danger in athens and, i

don't know, around the whole country. ♪ >> the people of exarchia want to preserve its unique character. and mata wants to keep promoting a life of solidarity and sustainability. even if the neighborhood's future looks uncertain. ♪ >> the baltic sea is like a second home to uwe krüger and his grandson. it's where the elder passes his knowlege of fishing to a younger generation. but making a living on the sea isn't what it used to be. that's because pollution and climate change have drastically altered the condition of the water. fish are few and far between, despite attempts to revive the ecosystem. parts of the baltic sea are suffocating as oxygen levels deplete to record lows. but cleaning up the sea also means paying close attention to what's happening on land.

>> uwe krüger has been fishing around the german island of usedom since he was 5. he was one of more than 200 fishers in his hometown of ahlbeck. now he's the last one left. but uwe still takes his grandchildren out to sea, to pass on his knowledge. >> making a living from fishing alone is tough. you don't have much chance with today's fuel prices. if you market the fish yourself, you could just about make it. >> this year, his grandson nils is the only apprentice fisher here in sassnitz on the baltic sea. he wants to make fishing his career, just like his father and grandfather. by the uncertain future and drilling stocks. >> one or two boxes per net will be bad. 20 to 30 kilos. >> they don't even get two boxes out of the water today.

some of the fish are too small and have to be thrown back. all-in-all, it's far too little to live from. where did the fish go? there have been strict catch quotas for years. why are stocks not recovering? fisher uwe krüger blames the birds. he says they're taking all the fish. but researchers at the thünen institue in rostock suspect a lack of oxygen. they set up a research area in the baltic. they wanted to find out how much oxygen there is in the water and how high the temperatures rise. a few months later, they had the data they needed. program director christopher zimmermann says the results are devastating. >> from june we were under the critical concentrations and from august, there just wasn't any oxygen there. that might be an error, but you can see that the oxygen concentration is getting lower and lower.

the start of august, it is at zero, and that doesn't change. >> massive summer algal blooms are the problem. when the algae die, they drop to the seabed and are broken down by oxygen-consuming bacteria. this creates zones that can no longer support life, called dead zones. >> cod are being sandwiched between high temperatures near the surface and oxygen depletion down below. by august there's no space left. the upper water is too warm and the deeper water has no oxygen. which means no more cod. and that's exactly what we're hearing from the fishers. >> they're not catching cod anymore here. >> this phemonenon isn't new, but in recent years there's been more algae, and the dead zones are growing. why are the algae growing so intensively? we join environmental action germany to investigate near the

oder river in brandenburg. there are big farms here for fattening chickens, that produce a lot of manure. >> the manure is picked up from the farms and spread onto the fields. the plants take up some of it, but not all. that's because in germany they're allowed to use excessive amounts. this excess ends up in the groundwater and streams that flow across our landscape. via these streams, the manure quickly reaches the oder and then the baltic. >> in poland, too, there are farms right on the banks of the oder. for years now, heavy fertilization has left phosphorus and nitrogen concentations too high. both of which are found in manure. just this summer, there was a major fish die-out in the oder, ostensibly triggered by excess algae. there's still a thick carpet of red algae on the surface. >> that's caused by humans and

humans have to stop it, and do better. it enrages me. that's all there is to it. >> that's why uwe krüger is seeing fewer and fewer fish. how long can that continue? >> maybe five years, or four. if they don't raise the quotas soon, then no one will be able to continue. we just want to maintain this cultural legacy. >> if the health of the baltic doesn't improve, the cultural legacy, family tradition and the entire baltic fishing industry might soon go under. >> who invented the french fry? both france and belgium claim to have introduced this guilty pleasure to the world. though fries aren't the healthiest option on the menu, there's no need for a guilty conscience. especially if you order them in the north of france. the region is famous for its crispy golden potatoes.

and specialties like french fries with mussels. and the fat used for frying the potatoes is also in high demand. for aura-lee mer-elle presents an opportunity to do something good for the planet. she's taking part in a local initiative that turns fat into fuel. with the hope that one day, more vehicles will be powered by the salty side-dish. >> french fries are a favorite food in northern france. aurélie merelle fries them up by the kilo. soon it'll be lunchtime at her kiosk, la frite avelinoise. >> this load is ready in six minutes. the chopped potatoes are cooked twice in the oil, to make them extra crispy. aurélie uses 100 liters of oil a week. for two years, she's been donating her old, leftover oil. >> recycling our waste is important to us. it's a huge issue with fast food restaurants.

the project is right here in our community. it's good for the environment and creates jobs. so there are only advantages. >> carlo battiato works for the non-profit company gecco. he comes every two or three weeks to aurélie's kiosk and picks up the old oil. carlo's employer makes it into biodiesel. >> the french fry stands are the biggest donators of oil in the north. like today. then it's school cafeterias. we get some from places like hospitals, but people eat less french fries there. >> carlo takes the old oil directly into the filtration building. there, it's put through several cycles in different machines that filter out potato remnants, other residues and water. michel millares set up the non-profit company 15 years ago.

in the lab, he demonstrates that his fuel isn't just filtered cooking oil. a process is used to make the greasy waste into biodiesel. >> we create a reaction by mixing alcohol with the oil. it's a natural reaction but it takes time. that's why we add an enzyme to speed up the whole thing. and in that way, all the oil is completely transformed into biodiesel. >> ten liters of frying oil make nine liters of fuel. and at the garbage truck depot in the town of béthune-bruay, it goes right into fuel tanks. three trucks are already running on biodiesel. soon, the whole fleet will do the same. >> it's going well. and it doesn't stink. it works just like it did before. at around 1.30euro per liter filling up

is slightly cheaper than regular diesel. but consumption is about 10% higher. the decision to switch fuels was more for environmental than economic reasons. by using frying oil, the town wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the garbage fleet by 90%. >> that's calculated for the entire production chain of the fuel. and we don't have to transport it very far because it's locally produced. that all reduces greenhouse gases significantly. when it comes to particulates, we're 60% lower than normal diesel. >> the fact that garbage trucks are allowed to fill up with 100% frying-oil diesel is due to a special exception for such transport fleets. the diesel substitute isn't approved for use on the streets in france. only small amounts. the lunchtime customers are standing in line at aurélie's kiosk. the fryers are bubbling. there's a good market for used oil. but aurélie decided to donate

hers to the biodiesel company. >> there are companies that will buy old oil, so i could be making a profit from it. but the benefit i get is being environmentally and socially responsible, and that's worth it. ♪ >> anthose french fries just taste so much better when you've got a clear conscience. >> the yearning to retreat from the world is something many of us can relate to in our day and age. for brother efimie, it's been a reality for nearly 20 years. he renounced modern life to spend his days in solitude in an ancient cave in the mountains of moldova. he gets by without necessities, such as as heating in winter. -- though efimie is a recluse he relies on his faith to keep his spirit alive. >> brother efimie is keen to get home after the daily service in the nearby monastery. and that involves walking about

a dozen steps down into this rock formation. this site served as a refuge for monks even back in medieval times. they say monks have been living here since the 13th century. >> according to the encyclopedia britannica, it's since the 12th century. we don't have any archives, so we just have a rough idea. >> now, he's the only one left living here. for the past 18 years. with no water, electricity, or heating. but he does have a little church. efimie used to work as an electrician and had a wife and children. he won't tell us why he gave everything up to live alone. but even as a child during communism, he was fascinated by religion. >> i secretly attended church from about 1955 to 1960.

and it wasn't really allowed. in the church, there was an area with a barred window. i was in second grade or so. and i remember how i would grab hold of the bars and not let go until the service was over. >> nowadays, he spends his time studying texts by candlelight and reciting long prayers. >> when i pray, it gives me a sort of peace. and sometimes pain, but they aren't directly related. it's both, pain and peace. >> now and then, villagers come to ask him to pray for their dead. they pay him with a loaf of

bread or some money. there's also a growing number of tourists interested ithe cave monastery. today, some curious folks from japan have come to pay a visit. efimie is happy to show the way. when i came here 18 years ago and people just stumbled in, i used to shout at them. >> i'm calmer these days. i speak to them. >> the world comes to him. he wants nothing to do with the world anymore. efimie travelled a great deal when he was young. today, the view from his narrow balcony in front of his cave is quite enough. as a hermit, what does he know about the world out there, the war in ukraine, for example? >> this war is complicated. but it has spiritual causes,

too. >> brother efimie doesn't want to say much more about that. the war is painful for the orthodox monk. does he have any council for humanity? >> be modest in your desires. do what you ought to, rather than what you want. and then, maybe, you will do the right thing, and it will be beneficial. ♪ >> that's his message from solitude. perhaps you don't have to be too close to the world to give it the right advice. >> living the simple life in a complex world. that's all from us this week at "focus on europe." thanks for watching. i'll see you again soon. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute,

which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy, visit ncicap.org] ♪

12/29/22 12/29/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! as antigovernment protests in iran pass their 100th day, we will look at what has sustained demonstrators with thousands arrested, more than 500 killed, and two executed so