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announcer: and now, "bbc world news". anchor: i'm lan washington and this is bbc world ne america. the russian bombardment of cities across ukraine intensifies with civilians under fire. here's the scene just 40 miles from the ukrainian capital. airstrikes and more heavy shelling in kyiv. thousands of people are killed. to the south, the port city is under siege without power and water. ukraine's president warns if the country falls, baltic states will be next. >> god for bid if we are no more, than latvia, lithuania, estonia will be next. then moldova, georgia, poland, and so on.

laura: more than one million ukrainians have fled the country since the war began. we'll bring you the very latest throhout the program. ♪ welcome to world news america on pbs and around the globe. on day eight of russia's invasion of ukraine, president putinims everything is going to plan but has had to admit the russia troops have been killed. russian forces are moving closer to ukraine's capital, about 15 miles from kyiv. to the north of the capital, the city has been under sustained bombardment. ukraine officials a dozens of people have been killed there after airstrikes hit residential areas, including two schools. in the south after capturing the city of hersen, russian forces have surrounded it and are firing on it. more than 200 people feared

dead. ukraine's president has once again called on the u.s. and its allies to give warplanes, warning that if ukraine falls, the baltic states could be next. a second round of talks between russia and ukraine made little progress. the two sides agreed to bring aid to areas of intense fighting. it does contain some stressing images. >> this is the city of -- 80 miles north of the capital, kyiv. and this is war. this is a residential area. and here's ather. russia's military did this to whole communities in syria, as well as chechnya. they have lost 22 of its

citizens in this attack. the governor says two schools were also hit. make no mistake about vladimir putin's desire to colonize this land. ukraine says russian targeting is indiscriminate. welcome to the town of -- population 12,500. parts of it are wasteland out of discretion in an increasingly destruction in an increasingly dirty work. >> god for bid, if we are no more, then latvia, lithuania, estonia will be next. then moldova, georgia, poland, and so on. they will march to the berlin wall. believe me. reporter: it's the same story of destruction in southern ukraine. large parts of the port city of mariupol are being shelled as russian forces tighten the noose

, a humanitarian tragedy unfolds. the city's electricity supply has already been cut. , and resistance though noble, is futile, conquered by russian tanks, the first major urban area to fall in this war. but there's no bigger prize than the capital, kyiv. an explosion overnight rocks the railway station. debris from a russian cruise missile shot out of the sky. it's unclear how many were injured. by day, t capital is being abandoned. these cars have been dumped outside the railway station as thousands flee. >> it is pretty much deserted here, a couple of people out for a stroll. in the snow. but this is a city that is so much on edge and all of the

checkpoints we've come across. the guards have come up to us. they are once to check our papers, wanting to check if 're filming them. there really is a sense of dread here, which is, frankly, to be expected. reporter: and this is why. not far from kyiv, a column of heavy russian armor inches closest to the capital, waiting for adimir putin's order to strike. laura: clive mario reporting there. well russia's president putin says the operation is on track, he praised russian soldiers as heroes. but russia's forces have encountered fierce resista from the ukrainians. our security correspondent, frank gardner, has this assessment of wristers strategy. frank, so this is how ukraine is looking -- russia's strategy.

frank: so this is how ukraine is looking. they are advancing slower than they planned, but making important gains in the south here, they've used crimea as a springboard to push north, taking their first major city. they are also trying to overrun the port city of marriott, where conditions are said to be desperate. they're looking to link up with forces in the east to try to encircle the ukrainian army. russia now controls much of the black sea. in kharkiv, ukraine's second-largest city, there's been intense russian shelling and mounting civilian casualties. another northern city over here is also being shelled. it's suffering widespread destruction. but the big price for president putin remains the capital, kyiv. if his forces can take this, then they will be hoping resistance will crumble and the government there will collapse.

so what about the massive russian armored column that's now just a few miles north of kyiv? british defense officials say it's got bogged down with breakdowns, congestion, and some ukrainian resistance. but make no mistake. it's coming for the capital and russia will be looking to encircle it until it surrenders. laura: frank gardner there with that analysis. joining is now from the western ukrainian city of live it, close to the border with poland, is yield a hacking. what are you seeing and hearing tonight where you are? >> well, laura, it's eerily quiet here. there's a curfew imposed since this war began about eight days ago. and everyone is asked to go inside, ioors, from about 10:00 in the evening to about 7:00 in the morning. but just after that curfew was imposed, a siren went off here and we could hear it right across this city.

we were then ushered underground into an underground bunker. these bunkers were built in the second world war, and to find them being used again in 2022 is, in itself, a surreal experience. but we found women, children, men, frightened people from all over this country seeking shelter here in levine in the western part of this country. and the western part of ukraine hasn't been impacted yet by this conflict. they're just taking in all the migrants, all the refugees, internally displaced people who are fleeing the fighting in kharkiv. i spoke to a young family who had come here from kyiv, and they said they're hoping to stay for a couple of weeks here in a hotel. and then they want to return back to their homes, to their families. but there are desperate scenes also on the border, the polish-ukrainian border, where we met mothers, women, children who had to say goodbye to the men in their lives. of course, this country, since

the war began, maial law was enclosed, so men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been told to stay and fight. so we found devastating scenes of children weeng as they said goodbye to their fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and any other men that they knew. laura: and what is it that ukrainians really want fm the u.s.nd its allies as they try and fight this war against russia? >> well, when we speak to people, they say thank you. thank you to the west for the ammunition, the sanctions, the support, the outpouring of solidarity. of course, borders have opened and we've seen hundreds of thousands of people cross into places like poland, into hungary. we're hearing that theuro rail is also allowing for people to come from paris into the u.k., free of charge. so there is this sense across europe that ukrainian refugees, migrants, people that have been displaced and forced out of

their homes can come, and their homes have been welcomed. we saw images in germany, in berlin, where people were standing, waiting at train stations for people to arrive so that they could take them home. but what they really want is tougher sanctions. and some people are even asking for a no-fly zone. laura: thank you. in belarus today, there was a second round of talks between the ukrainian and russian delegations. the two sides are going to organize humanitarian corridors to get aid to people in need. in the u.s., sanctions were imposed against russian oligarchs and their families, while in europe, super yachts have been seized. our correspondent, caroline hawley, has the latest on the the privacy. caroline: for weeks, diplomats tried to avert this war to spare ukraine agony of a conflict with truly global consequences. in geneva this afternoon,

another emergency meeting, this time of the u.n. human rights council, with one burning question, how to hold pssure to account as allegations of violations mount. >> massive damage to residential buildings have been inflicted. the use of rep - weapons with wide area effects in public urban areas risk of being indiscriminate. i call for the immediate cessation of such force. >> the russian troops carry out most blatant violations and abuses of human rights just to engage and acts that clearly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. caroline: but the kremlin is showing no signs of retreat. in fact, the reverse. today, vladimir putin called president macron of france. they spoke for an hour and a half. it didn't go well. president putin said russia will continue to fight until it achieves its goals, the demilitarization of ukraine. the palace warns that the worst

is yet to come. in t baltic state estonia, the defense state russia crossed a line with its evasion of ukraine and the impact would rip through europe for years. >> the msage to president putin is, stop. it isn't too late to stop what you are doing. caroline: but as russia writes a new history for europe with the lives of ukraine it's, america and europe are united, and their coming divisions to respond. this is the prime minister of hungary visiting the border of ukraine. he was once one of president putin's closest european allies. >> we tried to provide all the transfer negotiation, becau what is going on now is war. the work can only be stopped by negotiations and peace talks and cease-fire. it is not depend on the european leaders prime minister. it depends on the russians and the ukrainians, basically the russians. caroline: this afternoon, delegations from russia and ukraine did actually meet on the border of belarus for the second

round of talks. president zelensky said he hasn't send a team to negotiate while the bombs are stl falling. with a humanitarian crisis growing by the hour, ukrainians wanted to press for a cease-fire, and for humanitarian corridors to be established to try to save civilian lives. on this, it seems, there appears to be at least somerogress. caroline hawley, bbc news. laura: now, president putin made a televised addressed today in which he signaled he is determined to continue the war. mr. putin cled the ukrainian army neo-nazis and bandits. russian authorities are cracking downn independent media. our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg has more on how russia's governmen is trying to control the narrative about the war. steve: from president putin, a moment of silence, an admission that russian soldiers have been killed in ukraine. but apparently, no regrets for sending them there. >> our soldiers and officers are

fighting for russia, for a peaceful life, for the citizens of the donbass. the dean office occasion and demilitarization of ukraine. so that the anti-pressure on our borders will not teaten us. >> total control of the messaging is what the kremlin wants now in this war. this is echo of moscow. they are still broadcasting in social media. but the radio programs and website have bee blocked. censorship over their coverage of the war in ukraine. tatiana has worked at echo for 18 years. now, russia's oldest radio station says it is being forced to close. >> we just can't say welcome to the north korea. or maybe welcome to the ussr. right now, in 2022, you cannot

destroy all the voices of the truth. you cannot do it. >> the staff, the news came as a shock. it's the end of an era for echo and for russia. more than any other media outlets in rusa, this radio station was a symbol, a symbol of the freedom of speech, and democratic values that russia embraced after the fall of communism, freedoms which are now under threat. >> soon after, another blow to independent media. this station said it was closing, targeted by the authorities over ukraine coverage. and as critical voices fall silent, the official ones get louder and more hostile. russia's foreign minister, sergey lavrov, said america was acting like napoleon and hitler's, trying to control the

whole of europe. stern shank since our beginning to bite -- sanctions are beginning to bite. th value of the ruble fell to a new low. d a string of international companies suspended ties with russia. toyota says it's halting production at this factory in st. petersburg. >> this war is destroying lives and livelihoods. and free speech. who knows when russians will get that back? >> steve rosenberg, bbc news, muska. laura: -- in moscow. laura: former nissan executive greg kelly has been given a suspended six-month sentence over allegations he helped former chairman carlos an avoid disclosure of $80 million after his retirement. he denied any wrongdoing. in libya, arrival government has been sworn in today as a showdown with the existing

administration seems to be about two and densify. he vowed not to seek power, raising the risk of fighting among the armed factions within libya. 200,000 people on the east coast of australia have been told to evacuate their homes. the storms and flash flooding's intensify. torrential downpours led to record-breaking floods, killing at least 13 people. as we been reporting, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing the fighting in ukrain by crossing the border int poland. but there are also some heading the other way. ex-pat ukrainians returning to their country to join relatives or take up arms against the russian forces. our eure correspondent mark lowen reports. mark: the farewell of fear, ukrainian hearts split between safety and poland and a desire and need to return. driven by patriotism, brary, and knowledge they're outgunned

by the enemy. they left from kharkov, packing to survive a siege. a three hour trip to the border towards the darkness of war, praying for protection. en route,here's no respect from the news backup -- rest bite from the news -- respite from the news back home. wheeler hasn't told her mom and dad they are returning. with a berate about you going back to ukraine? -- would they be worried about you going back to ukraine? >> my parents would be right about it. but i think it will be ok. mark: many going back to fight, like husband and wife, alexander and maria, have no military experience, just a love for their untry. >> everyone says we shouldn't return. but we have to. we can't live like it's all normal here when there's were there. people tell us they would like to be in our place. i would even swap with them. but of course, we are afraid

about going back. >> when the war started, i couldn't sleep or eat. we decided to go home and that made us feel better. i will cry when i see my family. because when the fighting began, i was scared i would never see them alive again. mark: at the border, we left them, their journey continuing into the fog of war. it is so strange to think that just over a week ago, we, they would've caught this crust this border freely and without -- crusted this border freely and without a thought. once they cross, they don't know if or when they'll see safety again. it took alexander and maria another 24 hours to reach their city, which was heavily bombed. we tried to talk several times, but finally her message, "i'm so sorry we can't spk. we're under extreme stress from what is happening to our country." mark lowen, bbc news, on the

ukrainian/poland border. laura: at least ve have gone to poland. many are traveling by train througthe western ukrainian city of lviv near the border. there are peoe living there who know all too well what it means to be invaded. reporter: it is relentless. in a station where they load laid for the embattled armies in the east, and coming the other way, family propelled into exile by president putin's war. these are roma gypsies who fled the roman advance in the east. what is it like in kharkiv? >> the war, it's difficult. everything is burning. everything is destroyed. no ones listing to us. no one wants to help us.

reporter: his daughter, sonja, says it's terrible. the roma have an inherited memory of war's trauma. tens of thousands were murdered by the nazis in world war ii. and this city of lviv, crossroads of east and west, saw one of the worst programs directed at the ukrainian collaborators. this isn't about trying to draw exact historical parallels. both russia and ukraine suffered terribly during the second world war. but if you're somebody who has a personal lived experience of that terrible time, the this is a period of increased anxiety. history casting a long, deep shadow. i met someone in lviv who grew up in the shadow of trauma.

tatiana is 84 years old, a survivor of the holocaust. >> [speaking foreign language] reporter: now, tatiana has family that are trapped in kharkiv. >> [speaking non-english langge]

reporter: lviv is the city were lawyers first discussed genocide and crimes against humanity. it is a city of fingers. -- thinkers. like historians,'s like sophia, who now helps refugees and worries for ukraine and the world. >> you cannot rebuild life which was killed. and the question for us is, what kind of world we want to live in the future? the world where, because of, you know, geopolitical situation and world order, we can pay the price for human lives. i think this is about here. this is about syria.

this is about so many places in the world. ♪ reporter: at the station, a volunteer plays ukraine's national anthem. lviv's history is a story of survival, but also of war's immense continuing constant. laura: how the past has become the president in ukraine. and before we go tonight, a quick reminder of the latest on the war in ukrne. president putin has given a started defense of russia's military invasion. he claimed the campaign was on schedule and going to plan. in kyiv, ukraine's president, volodymyr zelensky, appealed for more military aid from the u.s., saying give me the planes. he warned if ukraine lost the war, latvia, estonia would be putin's next targets. mario paul warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis is encircling russian forces continue to shall the city. i'm laura trevelyan.

thank you so much for watching bbc world news america. ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... man: bdo. accountants and advisors. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. by judy and per blum kovler undation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like y. thank you. ♪ ♪ narrator: you're watching pbs. ♪ da-da-da-duh-da-da-da♪ ♪ da-da-da-da-da-da ♪♪

judy: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. on "the newshour" tonight, a tense moment -- russian forces stall in their push toward kyiv as the brutal shelling elsewhere in ukraine continues, and in russia, police crack down on independent media. then, the man of the moment -- we examineow ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky, a comedian turned politician, became the country's leader at a moment of crisis. >> he has very good antenna for feeling the public mood and in this case, those antennae are actually helping him channel the spirit of resistance. judy: and investigating the insurrection -- the congressional committee on january 6 lays out potential criminal consp