ah, bill, earlier in the mode with my thought process, i thought this video was from a film crew on the front line. i was showing what's happening right now with the heavy shelling continues are difficult to make out from the pictures though you could hear the rumbles in the distance. correspondents right now remain in the dont bast republics. well, this endless continuing shilling and fire is still coming to us from, from up north, just north of logan city, where the product line is where we still hear artillery fire mortars and multiple rocket launch. systems, however, is becoming more and more distant. this comes out to let him a potent, has ordered

a special operation in the dawn bass saying the aim is to protect the people there from genocide by the ukrainian military rushers. western partners disagree with that analysis fusion is drifting. russia has currently no occupation plans with ukraine. you're going to have decided to conduct a special military operation. we do not plan to occupy ukrainian, terry trees. and a russia is a special operation, is targeting apparently only military facilities and infrastructure that is the latest statement from the russian defense ministry, which are so there's no threat to ukraine's civilian population. a has broken off diplomatic, a diplomatic ties, not with russia urging the west to build an antique hootin coalition that has leading well. politicians of slamming the crediting operation. that's quite a pop barrick attack and they are bowing the harsh just sanctions to date

the what's being described by western partners to russia. obey heinous attack, the russian invasion. this is today's military escalation in east ukraine. welcome to a rolling cover, a chair. it's breaking news on the international. vladimir putin did announce a military operation in the don bass during the address to the nation much earlier in the morning. the soft of the people republics did actually turn to russia for military assistance. was russia western partners round on moscow for what they're calling an invasion? they say russia must be punished or the russian defense ministry stresses there's no threat to civilians because it's only targeting military infrastructure that does go in stock. contrast to what partners in the west are saying in relation to putin's latest actions, that's cross live now to roman coast reporting from don't yet. but i got see of lou ganske, both of you. hello again. what are the 1st to you?

we did the videos of explosions in the gans go. we have video of the republics artillery firing. well, what is the situation there now? has it calmed, is there allow there is certainly a lot z saturation file tillery barrages that we heard this morning, which are ordinarily launched before an offensive begins to the soften up at me. positions as is, as is it said in the military terminology are also that, that the has been a lot, but during that saturation 5 that the egg exclusions would sort of singular things . they, they melted and melted together and into this, this constant growth to help you understand how intense these bombardment buzz since then the local authorities here in the republic of the republic of la guns come, said that they are on the offensive, that they are pushing to reclaim via the entirety of the province of the region.

now they called republic as it was, its boundaries when it was part of ukraine, the fighting, we are told, ease, ferocious there is little opportunity to move closer that a fraud lives. we have been turned back because of safety concerns, obviously this, there's also a lot of journalists here looking at to head towards the front lines, but it's been very difficult so far. what we heard a few hours ago is that you, the ukrainian ministry of interior confirmed that had lost several settlements here . that had been competing messages about that about who controls the town of shasta which it, which is just kilometers north of us, which is where previously the ukranian armed forces with situated they have spent 7 years fortified positions the frontline, which stretches from horizon to horizon elsewhere there have been, there have been reports of, of battles are in ukraine proper,

between the russian units and units of the ukrainian military that be competing messages from governments as well. russian ministry of defense, a said it had seen a mass desertion and some pull at some locations by ukrainian troops at the ukrainian military has denied this back. but at the same time, they have called on any one quote, who can hold a gun to join up with the military. they have also been videos of, of huge fleets of air craft helicopters, a parody seizing air fields in the, in central ukraine. also reports about russian helicopters and just miles, kilometers from kia, which have been confirmed recently by care of itself. and they said that yes, they have made progress in the vicinity of the capital. but as i said, there is a lot of misinformation. there's a lot of propaganda at this moment. it is very difficult to verify the footage seen

on my social media. the has been a lot of old footage from syria, from, from the war in 2014 posted here online on twitter or facebook. and what have you so, so again, the situation remains fluid. it is very clear to make a judgment about who has seized watson, who is holding. but my dad, while i still got you on the line, i want, i want to ask you one more question for a man, i'll come to you very soon. a difficult me please. and what i wanted to ask you or what western partners are calling this a huge russian invasion that calling it a bob barrick act. now i'm just trying to understand exactly at what level of military escalation is the situation there in easton, ukraine. as i understand from the russian defense ministry, aerospace forces war jets were making precision strikes against military infrastructure, essentially trying to avoid any and all civilian casualties. and i'm just trying to understand at this point, because the western media is calling this an invasion. i'm not seeing any reports

of russian tanks rolling into any of the major cities. can you from what you've seen down there? can you classify this as an invasion? we're not look as there's sir various ways to look at this here in logan's, in the next, the, to break away republics whose independence of russia has recognized. we haven't seen any russian troops the, the offensive here led by the local militias. from what we have seen our lead entirely by local, by local so local soldiers who have enlisted, who were drafted over the past several weeks. elsewhere in ukraine, we have seen again, i'm verified, but footage showing russian tags russian jets roaring again. the key, for example, in handcuffs and other major ukrainian city, we have heard about battles between russian units and ukrainian forces. again, the, the criminal has just come up and said that the goal here is to liberate ukraine

from it, from its eats new nazi course to d, nazi fi, the country that is the terminology they used as for extra barbaric. well, we haven't seen any mass civilian casualties. we haven't seen any missiles, heating, apartment, buildings, all populated areas. oh, all we've, we've seen is, is various arms, depos, birding, you credit units hit. i can't exclude that there have been civilian casualties. an operation of this magnitude. it is unfortunately, something that, that is going to be have to, you know, people are going to have to address this and, and answer for this. but nevertheless, from what we have seen, and the ministry of defense, russian ministry of defense is made very clear. they came up a, came up with a statement early on saying precision strikes and we have seen caliber missiles in there, very is videos at flying over ukraine film by people. it was who with mobile phones

are where they have said that they use it. precision strikes to disable enemy air fields. aw, ukrainian airfields, military installations, infrastructure as well as me anti missa, i sorry, anti air defenses. and does to take out assets belonging to the ukranian animals. and we have seen plenty of videos confirming that as, as the statement holds, we're able to have the euclidean official come out and say that it isn't in putin's interest to, to, to stage of massacre because the russians, he said, want public support in ukraine. so it's a certainly very difficult to judge at this point, but the, but a russian president has just come up and said that zelinski knew that there was going to be this operation that he had a chance that the speak to negotiate and, and he refused it obviously we haven't heard from the ukrainian president, but that is what has been said. again, it is very difficult to judge politically,

socially and militarily, what is happening here given that the lack of information and the amount of propaganda. all right, moran creature, that up there. that's a go now cross over to raymond caseres, sunny by frost there. it looks like the situation. your city there's and don't. yes it is actually calming for the me. time is about 10 past 2 in the afternoon. we're a man, how are things that who does sounds a lot more calmer than it was said during the nights and later in the morning we are still hearing artillery fire here in done as however, it said not as frequent and it doesn't sound as it's close it is getting more and more distant by the hour and there was nevertheless, pricing is still going on on the outskirts of the city and along the front lines in the next people's a republic, according to the military of the people's militia. here they have advanced at least 3 kilometers into the territory of for the next people's republic that was formerly occupied by a, by a key of our forces. and apparently,

2 towns have already been a liberated on the next people's republican military are now using all available methods to them in order to strike ukrainian positions this according to their own as statements. and that will be done in order to free the rest of the territory of dennis people's republican. we're talking about cities like murray, opal, a slab on ski, crowd source can that's just to name if you are now a denise pushing the head of the dentist people's republic said a little bit earlier that says this operation will soon and, and it will end with the liberation of the inside, the next people's republic. he also said that sir ukraine's headquarters, the ukraine's army headquarters here in dunbar, have been practically destroyed since separation began. now, intense lighting is that taking place all over the republic?

of course, in the south of the republic about a 100 kilometers a if from here i have a fighting the same place near the city of murray will. and according to the people's militia, ukrainian military are already retreating in some points and according to also to them, some of the ukrainian soldiers have surrendered. and this is something that to denise pushing, and edward about soren, representative of the people's militia were talking about earlier. they pleaded with the ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms and to go home and those people who will leave their weapons behind. we'll face amnesty in the future. now, media report, sir, suggests that according to the office of the president says, lensky in kia, for at least or more than 40 ukrainian soldiers had been killed since

a start of aberration, and more than 10 civilians also have been killed. now we haven't received any confirmation on those numbers or whether that fact had indeed taken place. also we heard earlier from my adorable sore and representative of the people's militia that the city of mario pole is now surrounded by the national territorial defense of italian. the well that they are known for, for their neo nazi beliefs. and it's been reported that so they have in circle the city and they're preventing civilians from a leaving, from evacuating, making, making human shields out of them. also the sound of a girl of go about an hour's drive from here from where i'm standing. and then as also it's also being shelled in fire was essential for 8 years, but more so the last few days the mayor of girl of car reported earlier on his

social social pages that at least one civilian had been fields earlier on thursday and 5 had been wounded while they were working at so one of the factories now us shelling of jeanette skins. a nearby town said will outskirts of don't ask action actually a nearby it sounds is old. so the continue and over the last few days and that resulted in the damage of a water pumping plans of power stations. and of course, because of that said, damage to civilian infrastructure, thousands and thousands of people are now without water or without electricity or evacuation or a residence was continuing in done as here up to this thursday. but to denise push it, in the head of the republic, said earlier that he put a halt to the evacuation and of those who still wish to evacuate can do so. but

within the next people's republic, they can go deep inside the territory where they can find safe space and where ukrainian artillery will not reach them. all right, auto remind caught a roof and without gazda both of you. thank you. oh oh, i thought i thought that this video he was filmed by a crew on the front line and i don't yet group public is where heavy shutting is on . going very difficult to make out on the pictures though. if you listen closely closely, you can hear rumbling in the distance because remember, the bombs rushes defense ministry says that a ukrainian forces of firing at cities and don bass. we cannot verify that yet, by the republics authority say they are engaging ukrainian soldiers on the contact line. so there is shell 5 going on from both sides. meantime, a series of powerful explosions of been reported across parts of ukraine this morning. allow blasts rock several cities after russia launched

a military operation that has been lambasted by western partners as bob barrack and a full on invasion. it is being reported to be explosions were caused by missile strikes from russia's aerospace forces. now, we've just recently received these images from mariel smoke all across the sky was awful explosions, also being reported in not too distant regions to that. now let's give you an idea of the get out there. here's the map, the map of the don't you can look on the people's republic. so the 2 republics announced the independence from kia very shortly after the 2014 mile down revolution. and have have, have its claim been repeatedly shelled, ever since leading to numerous civilian casualties. reportedly 23000 of them both republic say they will liberate their territory, still under cubes control. and president putin says russia recognizes these 2 states as defined by this map and food is recognition is something not being shared by his professional partners in the west. meanwhile, we've heard from don bos,

resident, who was evacuated across the border to russia or aust, off region. and here's what you had to say. what's happening right now is, of course, very scary, but we're glad the russia is finally providing us with assistance. the troops have entered the liberating territories to help non military and civilians. we hope this ends quickly. now, although we're rushes, western partners are calling this an invasion. they're talking about a possible occupation of the russian president vladimir putin saying there are no designs on any occupation. says if you get rich with a quote as to the article, 51 in the 7th chapter of the un charter with the sanction of the federation council, according to the friendship and mutual help treaties with the nets and lu ganske, the public's i have decided to conduct a special military operation. the goal is to protect the people who for 8 years of a bullying and genocide from the key of regime. and for this we aim for the

demilitarization and the nurse, if a cation of ukraine will bring to the court. those who committed multiple sanguinary crimes against civilians, including russian citizens, we do not plan to occupy ukrainian territories. meantime, ukraine's president lensky with the latest out of key if he says he's, he is now severing diplomatic ties with russia. earlier, he did impose martial law. so i think the fact that the ukrainian military, the infrastructure that was coming under attack and that is true ukraine's foreign ministry says a full scale russian invasion is underway. that is a sentiment echoed by western partners of kiev, that he was president zelinski. again, speaking on ukrainian tv, just a bit earlier, said arnold, suddenly this morning has gone down in history. but this story is absolutely different for our country and for russia. and we have severed diplomatic relations

with russia for ukrainians, independence, and the right to live on their land is the highest value diploma. the shaving, most russia, the defense ministry, is claiming the whole military operation is aimed at protecting the don bass republics. again, in stark contrast to what's being said in europe, i don't say that the ukrainian cities will not be targeted, nor will soldiers who lay down that weapons is something that putin said during his televised address. earlier in the morning. he was calling on ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms. now, the ministry, the russian ministry stresses that no civilians face any danger will its early days, yet less cross live. now to our correspondent, ill, patricia, outside the ministry of defense here in central moscow. the latest you've heard from the officials in that building behind julia. laurie. hi again. well, we did indeed hear from 2 very important officials in the last several hours. first of all, let me talk about the latest comments made by the kremlin press secretary dmitri

past cove. who said that under no circumstances, should anyone use the word occupation when referring to the current military off that russia's carrying out in ukraine. a. when mr. prescott was asked whether direct contacts between his boss, latimer, potent and the cranium, president of demons, lensky. if these contacts are so a possible mr. mr. prescott said that indeed they are. if ukraine is ready to discuss russian security concerns over of everything that's happening in ukraine currently. now, besides this, mr. pasco said that the time frames for this military operation will be determined by the president of russia. however, he did not specify what exactly that means. now, while western officials, including nato secretary general against oldenburg,

keep calling what the russian army is up to in ukraine, an occupation, and an invasion. we heard of from of the russian army spokesperson, who said that the civilians will, under no circumstances be targeted. now what the, the russian high precision military edwards, sorry weapons are targeting are the military infrastructure of ukraine. that said, full stop. here's what else we heard from the defense ministry spokesperson. mister kardashian, come well, there's it in order to let you liberal ukrainian armed forces are continuing to show the cities of the dumbass. there are victims among the civilian population. russia is not conducting any missile aviation, or tillery str on the cities of ukraine. the positions of ukraine's military units that have laid down their weapons are not to be subjected to strikes russian on forces are disabling only military infrastructure at defense facilities,

military airfields, and aircraft, of ukraine's armed forces. i would like to emphasize that the russian armed forces are not striking at the cities of ukraine. they are not threatening the civilian population will go a little earlier, a lot of our potent addressed the servicemen of the ukrainian army and called on them to literally lay down their arms and go home. and then eventually we heard from the russian ministry of defense that the ukrainian military units that will lay down arms a will not be targeted by the russian army. that's another, a very important message that we heard from the building behind my shoulder. alright, alia, thank you. now, in response to the international outcry, and there has been an international outcry, a, china's, a foreign ministry, has called for restraint on all sides. lucy, russia, as

a permanent member of the un security council, it is an independent and sovereign superpower, russia autonomy, slee plans and exercises its foreign policy and strategy based completely on its own judgment and national interests. your account? sure whether you're current president zaleski has been holding talks with various leaders. in fact, leaders of the u. s. u. k. germany and others ultimately urging them to form what is calling an anti put in coalition and impose the harshest sanctions possible it as western leaders condemn russia is a military operation. is pretty much there. all speaking in unison when it comes to this military escalation. now let's cross locked berlin off. he's a polar fleer, is standing by for us, paula. we were listening to you and told him both nato chief talking just a bit earlier. he was calling this submitted escalation, quote, rushers invasion, calling a quote, i heinous a tug. tell us more about the reaction where you are. well, certainly we heard from the nato secretary general after that emergency meeting was caught. and he stressed the point that nato was deploying additional defensive land

air, and maritime forces in eastern europe. that he said it was on nato territory that they would know nato troops in ukraine. and there wasn't a plan to send such troops. he said that piece in our continent has been shattered . we now have war in europe on a scale and of a type we thought belonged to history. he also accused russia of a deliberate, cold blooded and long planned invasion. now tomorrow they will be a virtual nato summit that has been planned and in a couple of hours this evening, they will be a special european council emergency talks. europe has pledge to impose massive sanctions that have severe consequences on russia. and what we understand is late, they will be targeting strategic sectors of the russian economy. the president, our blue a peon commission, had this to say to have, and for us is sweden, where men and children are dying of fear for their lives. we condemned this

barbaric attack and the cynical arguments to justify it. it is president putin was bringing war back to europe. we are facing an unprecedented act of aggression by the russian leadership against the sovereign independent country russians. target is not only done by us. the target is not only ukraine, the target is the stability and europe, and the whole of the international peace order. and we will hold president putin accountable for that. now those words were echoed by joseph barrow, the high representative of the european union for foreign affairs disability in the baltic sea for, for also our troops to show. gone till reginald michelle hush called for a meeting. i'll do to be an gone shill this evening. and they will agree and

provide political guidance to our bob, the stronger baggage, the harsh it baggage o sanctions we have ever implemented. this is not the question of blocks. these are not the question of diplomatic power games. it's a matter of life and death is about the future of our global community. and we really start united with our transatlantic partners and with all european nations in defending this position. we stud reunited in saying that no violence and destruction has managed to obtain political gauge. meanwhile, here in germany, the country is preparing to deploy additional euro fighter jets to romania, and they are scheduled to take of soon from southern germany. the german chancellor

oil f scolds has also said that there is close coordination with the within the g 7, nato, and the european union. he says that the west has carefully prepared sanctions against russia. germany is also preparing for refugees who might be displaced by this conflict, as they believe at the conflict, we'll have a direct impact on refugee movement within the continent. and the security situation here in germany, there is a virtual meeting of the g 7 that is scheduled for later today. and it comes as france as president emmanuel micron has been holding an emergency defense meeting. the british prime minister pars johnston has made a televised address in which he has promised a to quote, massive package of sanctions in coordination with allies. he said our worst fears have now come true. and all our warnings have proven tragically accurate. the swedish prime minister is preparing for, to quote, an invasion to be a long term situation. and we've also heard from the hungarian foreign minister

saying that the worst scenario has unfolded. so those are just some of the sentiments being expressed across the world at the moment. all right, awesome. correspondent, policy clear. thank you. well, meantime, the united nations, i said the number of civilian casualties since 2018 has risen to almost 400 people . while the vast majority has been reported in the past republics over 80 percent, it while the 300 people, that's a 5 times more than the number of civilians killed in the territories under control . well, that's cross live now to economist, i got hammer, he's joining us live in the program. good to see you today. thanks for joining us during our rolling coverage here. and i wanted to ask you, because the american president joe biden has accused putin of waging a pre meditated war. but is it possible he has appoint because it was weeks ago? the putin issued his proposed security guarantees to washington and to european professional partners, basically saying, here are our red lines. we want to get security guarantees. let's talk about this.

and they were really rebuffed. russia wasn't engaged in these discussions. is it possible the putin knew his proposals would be rebuffed and that he would get the cold shoulder that he knew he perhaps was already ready to take the next step with ukraine, of course is the speculation, but i think putting you before because i think you have to consider all that this matter from a different angle. i think this is a political mostly in economic matter and they located in the west. the financial system is breaking apart and they need some events to blame somebody else up themselves, but they want to get in and trillion recapitalized the west, the banks and so on, which is which is due for, for ages already. so they, i think they just needed some occasion to, to blame it for number one. number 2, the nato was almost on the break of being, be eliminated by donald trump. he said,

what do we need the major for? so they are mongering back ages and doing everything to increase attention with russia to sell the west. some people we need it and we want to start out 2 percent of your g d p for our war games and so on. and now they, they are off and they prepared, i think for a long time for the event. and i think who they knew this. and he said, well it doesn't matter what i do. they have their own agenda, they are far away and this is gender. nothing to do with me. some of the work, the leaders don't even know where we are talking about and what we are exactly talking about as we have seen as a foreign minister. i want to ask you is just a short time ago, we had the nato chief, you installed him, book addressing the instructional media essentially addressing what is going on right now in east ukraine. he said at one point and.