olena pankiv-bola has been rushing round for days, barely sleeping. she's originally from ukraine and owns a local boutique. she's been colcting donations for fellow ukrainians and organizing accommodation for refugees. she managed to put up two mothers and their children at a local hotel, free of charge. they want to remain anonymous. >> we travelled for 48 hours. our bus had to leave the city at full speed. shells were exploding behind us. our men have to stay and fight. reporter: she cannot say more about her family in ukraine. these ukrainians have come to olena's boutique to propose taking humanitarian aid with them when they head to ukraine. viktor, ladislaw, and irina intend to fight for their country. they say they have no choice -- they know what the war is doing to ukrainians. irina: my daughter and grandchildren are suffering because of the russians. viktor: i know exactly what i need to do. i am going to defend my country. reporter: irina says they will persevere, because they are patriots. the events unfolding in her home country fill ole

olena pankiv-bola has been rushing round for days, barely sleeping. she's originally from ukraine and owns a local boutique. she's been colcting donations for fellow ukrainians and organizing accommodation for refugees. she managed to put up two mothers and their children at a local hotel, free of charge. they want to remain anonymous. >> we travelled for 48 hours. our bus had to leave the city at full speed. shells were exploding behind us. our men have to stay and fight. reporter: she cannot say more about her family in ukraine. these ukrainians have come to olena's boutique to propose taking humanitarian aid with them when they head to ukraine. viktor, ladislaw, and irina intend to fight for their country. they say they have no choice -- they know what the war is doing to ukrainians. irina: my daughter and grandchildren are suffering because of the russians. viktor: i know exactly what i need to do. i am going to defend my country. reporter: irina says they will persevere, because they are patriots. the events unfolding in her home country fill ole

alex olena tells me it was scary getting to the train station there. kiev amidst gunfire and bombings. she's relieved to make it here to the us safely with her children, but says our hardest heavy for those who are still in ukraine, including family members. amount of people. that was unbelievable. how many people are trying to get on that train? olena ukrainian american fled ukraine with her children friday by train to poland. it was very, very difficult to get on. an arms and harmed a 15 hour ride on what she describes as a small inner city train not designed to go long distances cramped with people. people were taking turns . people were standing in sitting on the floor standing everywhere. and a lot of people had come in and next station, so it got even worse. olena tells me an ordeal prolonged because the train was forced to change directions a few times to avoid bombings. it was very scary, especially as i told him you couldn't use our phones. we had to turn off. er location that nobody could find us. and there was no light. sometimes it was driv

julie olena lived here in the bay area and worked as a waitress in san francisco. she returned to keep 11 years ago. her journey back to the u. s is a harrowing one. amount of people. that was unbelievable. how many people are trying to get on that train? olena ukrainian american fled ukraine with her children friday by train to poland. it was very, very difficult to get on. an armed unharmed of 15 hour ride on what she describes as a small inner city train not designed to go long distances crammed with people people were taking turns . people were standing in sitting on the floor standing everywhere. and a lot of people had come in and next station, so it got even worse. olena tells me an ordeal prolonged because the train was forced to change directions a few times to avoid bombings. it was very scary, especially as i told him he couldn't use their phones. we had to turn off. er location that nobody could find us. and there was no light. sometimes it was driving or riding the train in the darkness. she took these photos crossing the border is minus three minus fo

and olena “oins us now. thank you so h for them. and olena “oins us now. thank you so much _ for them. and olena joins us now. thank you so much for— for them. and olena joins us now. thank you so much for talking - for them. and olena joins us now. thank you so much for talking to l for them. and olena joins us now. l thank you so much for talking to us. how are you and how are you children first of all? ., ., ., ~ first of all? hello and thank you for asking. _ first of all? hello and thank you for asking. we _ first of all? hello and thank you for asking, we are _ first of all? hello and thank you for asking, we are basically - first of all? hello and thank you | for asking, we are basically fine. each morning when we wake up after the night and we arrive at the date we are fine thanks to our army that protects us and thank you for the monica. and she wanted to say that she is very angry! she wanted to show how angry she is with what putin is doing because she wants to come back home, come back to school and come back to normal life. i and come back t

olena ukrainian american fled ukraine with her children friday by train to poland. it was very, very difficult to get on. an armed and harmed a 15 hour ride on what she describes as a small inner city train not designed to go long distances crammed with people people were taking turns. people were standing in sitting on the floor standing everywhere. and a lot of people had come in and next station, so it got even worse. olena tells me an ordeal prolonged because the train was forced to change directions a few times to avoid bombings. it was very scary, especially as i told him he couldn't use our phones. we had to turn off. our location that nobody could find us. and there was no light. sometimes it was driving or riding the train in the darkness . she took these photos crossing the border with minus three minus four and the snow and standing, but she says the polish people opened up their homes and their hearts to refugees. she and her children stayed until tuesday before they flew to the us and arrived in southern california. wednesday around four am am eight yea

olena: i want you to show this video so that the whole world sees what aggression and war are. peace must be preserved. we have to do everything to ensure that there is peace, because this is a tragedy. reporter: many have fled to western ukraine. julia is a volunteer seeking to help. julia: this is a camp for the displaced. we're collecting lots of things for them. take a look. the streets are almost empty. but there are lots of people at the borders. men aren't allowed to leave the country. only women and children. anna mariia: this is what we have just in case of an emergency. so, i have some medicine right here for everyone in my family. we actually thought that it was unlikely that the war was going to spread so fast and that maybe we would have to leave, you know. in case of an emergency, my dad and my mom will drive us to moldova. we don't really want to leave them here. so, yeah. yeah, so, we brought our backpacks and our luggages up here from our basement. reporter: with events moving fast , the family takes action. anna mariia: me, my sister, her friend, and my father

olena: i want you to show this video so that the whole world sees what aggression and war are. peace must be preserved. we have to do everything to ensure that there is peace, because this is a tragedy. reporter: many have fled to western ukraine. julia is a volunteer seeking to help. julia: this is a camp for the displaced. we're collecting lots of things for them. take a look. the streets are almost empty. but there are lots of people at the borders. men aren't allowed to leave the country. only women and children. anna mariia: this is what we have just in case of an emergency. so, i have some medicine right here for everyone in my family. we actually thought that it was unlikely that the war was going to spread so fast and that maybe we would have to leave, you know. in case of an emergency, my dad and my mom will drive us to moldova. we don't really want to leave them here. so, yeah. yeah, so, we brought our backpacks and our luggages up here from our basement. reporter: with events moving fast , the family takes action. anna mariia: me, my sister, her friend, and my father

olena ukrainian american fled ukraine with her children friday by train to poland. it was very, very difficult to get on. an armed unharmed of 15 hour ride on what she describes as a small inner city train not designed to go long distances crammed with people people were taking turns . people were standing in sitting on the floor standing everywhere. and a lot of people had come in and next station, so it got even worse. olena tells me an ordeal prolonged because the train was forced to change directions a few times to avoid bombings. it was very scary, especially as i told him he couldn't use their phones. we had to turn off. er location that nobody could find us. and there was no light. sometimes it was driving or riding the train in the darkness. she took these photos crossing the border with minus three minus four and the snow and standing. but she says the polish people opened up their homes and their hearts to refugees. she and her children stayed until tuesday before they flew to the us and arrived in southern california. wednesday around four am i am eight y

olena will be four soon and knows she won't get a birthday present. she told her mum, "that's ok, you can get me one later." victoria remains silent, her childhood changed forever. orla guerin, bbc news, kyiv. stay with us here on bbc news. still to come, the russian billionaire roman abramovich who denies links to vladimir putin says he is now selling his chelsea football club. first, the plates slid gently off the restaurant tables. then suddenly, the tables, the chairs and people crashed sideways and downwards. it was just a matter of seconds as the ferry lurched onto her side. the hydrogen bomb on a remote pacific atoll. the americans had successfully tested a weapon whose explosive force dwarfed that of the bomb dropped on hiroshima. i had heard the news earlier, and so, my heart went bang, bang, bang! - the constitutional rights of these marchers are their rights as citizens of the united states and they should be protected, even in the right to test them out, so that they don't get their heads broken and are sent to hospital. this religious con

reporter: today, olena is giving the lesson. fore the war began, they could all be at school together. now, most of her classmates are scattered all over europe. that is why olena teaches them digitally. she is still in kv. >> it is dangerous to stay at home. but tching the children distract me from the reality that we live in. i would like to close my eyes and wake up in another life. but unfornately, that is not possible. natya, along with her sister and rather, have been placed with a host family in germany. it gives them security and the time being. nevertheless, like thousands of other ukrainian children, the kidsre missing important school lessons. that is why they will be enrolled in germany until then, online lessons help them. >>. >> i do exercises withhem, paint with them. we carve, we make all kinds of artwork. this gives them sength, it gives them courage and also confidence for the future. >> thas for doing the shopping today. we need lots of things. reporter: she is in germany. her classmates are in poland, the cze

olena will be four soon and knows she won't get a birthday present. she told her mum, "that's ok — you can get me one later." victoria remains silent, her childhood changed forever. orla guerin, bbc news, kyiv. the international criminal court has opened a war crimes investigation into russia's invasion of ukraine. the missile strike on kharkiv is likely to be amongst the issues investigated. rocket fire and air strikes have killed 21 people there in the past 24 hours. many of the city's residents have fled south to the city of dnipro. a warning, there are some distressing images, in sarah rainsford's report. a university folding in flames, in a war that's against all logic and reason. the attack on kharkiv is intensifying every day, and these targets are not military at all. the city council was hit today — a whole street left in ruins. and from the wreckage of people's homes, rescuers bring out a survivor. it's why so many in kharkiv have moved underground to hide in basements and bunkers. we spoke to paulina's parents yesterday, the three—yea

olena will be four soon and knows she won't get a birthday present. she told her mum, "that's ok — you can get me one later." victoria remains silent, her childhood changed forever. orla guerin, bbc news, kyiv. so much has changed for people in ukraine in that city of kherson. for more on this, i'm joined now by mark lobel in london. what more can you tell us about the situation in kherson? yes, picking up on what orla was saying about kherson, if we can just show you some pictures of russian tanks rolling through that city on tuesday, what appears to be the first major city to fall to russian forces, it is a fluid situation, ukrainian forces could push back on that but right now it is an important city because it is a regional centre as you can see, north of crimea. it sits on a strategic position at the mouth of the river that reaches the black sea and the reason we are saying it has been taken is because of a statement from the mayor, saying: and to underline the new rules that they are under, he said that they are under, he said that there will

and people like olena. she's here to see what can be salvaged from the wreckage of her daughter's tiny flat in a block that was badly damaged three days ago. "look," she says, "a fragment of a rocket." luckily, everyone was safe in the shelter. and in the kitchen, olena says the fridge, the microwave, the extractor, it's all gone. and there's another piece of rocket in the ceiling. even the shopping was burnt. "my daughter and her husband are newlyweds, we'll get through this." translation: it's bad, very bad. the russians are supposed to be our closest people. i never expected they could do this to us. we never wanted the war. the neighbour, mikola, came to fix the door the firefighters kicked in. he's been arguing on the phone with his wife's cousin in saint petersburg, who he's known for 50 years. translation: he told me, "you've been killing - "russians, we did nothing. "our putin is a king and a god." i told him a person like that should be in a mental hospital. how could you russians let him be presid

olena, how are you and your kids doing today? >> we are doing -- kids are doing fine. a little bit tired. me, i'm doing bad because we are in a bad situation. >> has something changed about the situation? do you -- i understand -- i heard you say that you heard more gunshots and that you feel the russian forces are close. >> i'm not sure what exactly it was, but we went outside and kids were playing at the playground, and all of a sudden, we heard these guns shooting very close to us. and we just went into the bomb shelter. maybe this was someone -- i don't know what was it, but it was very close. and in the day time, we hear a very loud explosion. maybe that was air defense that worked and keeping something. but at times we hear explosions and we hear the guns. and, like, we are in the northwest of kyiv, in ablynn region, so what you know, we're very close to the position of russians who are coming and position of the ukrainian army who are protecting us. so, we hear a lot of explosions. and -- >> you're in the northwest. you feel if russia invaded, that is the direct

and people like olena. she is here to see what can be salvaged from the wreckage of her daughter's tiny flat in a block that was badly damaged, three days ago. look, she says, a fragment of a rocket. luckily, everyone was safe in the shelter. and in the kitchen, olena says the fridge, the microwave, the extractor, it's all gone. and there's another piece of rocket in the ceiling. even the shopping was burnt. "my daughter and her husband are newlyweds, we'll get through this." translation: it's bad, very bad. the russians are supposed to be our closest people. i never expected they could do this to us. we never wanted the war. the neighbour, mikola, came to fix the door the firefighters kicked in. he's been arguing on the phone with his wife's cousin in saint petersburg who he is known for 50 years. translation: he told me you've been killing russians, we did nothing. - our putin is a king and a god. i told him a person like that should be in a mental hospital. how could you russians let him be president for

olena says her heart is heavy having left behind her 84 year old mother and her husband feel awful for people who love their. i feel awful because situation is getting worse and they're very scared, uncertain and just afraid of tomorrow, olena and her family were able to make it out of ukraine safely with the help of friends here in the united states. now the goal is to help others do the same. amp. early ktvu. fox two news new at nine. the reportedly extending its mask requirement another month until april. 18th previously the mask mandate on planes and trains and other forms of public transportation was set to expire on march 18th. a government official tells the associated press that the cdc is working on devising new guidelines that would ease the nationwide mask mandate on transit next month. let's get outside this gorgeous california sunshine steve paulson, maybe like jacket is in order. today it's going to be cooler that's for sure. pretty good breeze here kicking in you guys for many, so we do have a wind advisory are we'll take a look at the much needed beginning point here. w

olena. thank you. >> john: our prayers are with you and to everyone in ukraine. >> sandra: it's tough, and we will check back in with her and will continue to do so. and news her husband made it home for the first time, she said in two weeks, got a shower, spent an hour with the family. >> john: you can see the toll it's taking, her young son there crying, every day they go to the bomb shelter and spend the night in the bomb shelter and out there in the threat that at any moment a rocket or missile or month are tar shell or artillery shell could explode and we saw in irpin, take their lives away in a half a second. it's just, i can't imagine living in that. >> sandra: we have to thank olena and her beautiful baby for joining us and hope to follow her story, john. and now this. the russian invasion of ukraine has caused make geopolitical disruption but problems could be arising on the international space station. nate foy has the story for us. >> hello. thanks for having me. two big things ar

so, i just want to live. >> olena gnes, i appreciate you taking the time to talk to us. thank you. >> you're welcome. >> a mother and her three children in a basement in kyiv tonight. >>> there's still a lot to cover in the hour ahead, as fears mount that russians may be considering the use of chemical and biological weapons. we'll check in with former u.s. secretary of defense. also a russian journalist with insights into the inner circle of vladimir putin and the thinking of them. he joins us as our live coverage from ukraine continues. inner voice (sneaker shop owner): i'm using hand gestures and pointing... ...so no one c can tell i'm unse about my business finances. inner voice (furniture maker): i'm constantly nodding... ...because i know everything about furniture... ...but with the business side... ...i'm feeling a little lost. quickbooks can help. an easy way to get paid, pay your staff and know where your business stands. new business? no problem. yeah. success starts with intuit quickbooks. we hit the bike trails every weekend shinges doesn't care. i grow all

will reeve is back at a closer look at olena zelenska. hey, will. >> reporter: good morning, george. if president zelenskyy is target one of russia, his wife and kids are target number two. but in the face of danger, olena zelenska has not fled the country she loves and cares for. as her husband rallies international support and leads and defends ukraine from the front lines, olena zelenska stands stout protecting her family. the 44-year-old wife and first lady to ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy posting messages of solidarity to her people on social media writing, ukrainians are no mob. we're an army. >> standing by your people and by your country when you're a personal target, how can that not inspire? how can that not impress? >> reporter: zelenska and the future president, met at university. she was training to be an architect, he a lawyer. later, as zelenskyy shot to television fame, olena became a writer for his comedy troupe. the two married in 2003. the mother of two reportedly had reservations about her husband entering th

olena in kyiv is one. we spent the day talking to moms whose sons, daughters, husbands are out fighting. and to see what they are doing and how they are fighting, how the moms are fighting. and there's a lot of different ways, a lot of different front lines in this country. we went to a volunteer center, where moms are packing supplies. that's one mom showing me her husband, who went off to war. we'll take you there and show you the determination moms here have. his future became my focus. lavender baths calmed him. so we made a plan to turn bath timime into a business. ♪ ♪ find a a northwestern mutual advisor at nm.com i recommend nature made vitamins, because i trust their quality. they were the first to be verified by usp, an independent organization that sets strict quality and purity standards. nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. for people who could use a lift new neutrogena® rapid firming. a triple-lift serum with pure collagen. 92% saw visibly firmer skin i

so there you go, alisyn. >> that is incredible to hear from olena. she's so composed and what the average ukrainian woman has to endure right now with her newborn there and her little daughter. that was just incredible. and zdon, we'll check back with you if there is anything happening from your location. >>> meanwhile, according to the u.n., 3.8 million ukrainians have fled their country since the end of february. most refugees heading to neighboring poland. we'll show you what that looks like, next. hellllo, kevin hart! earnrn big time with chase freem unlimited with no annual fee.. how do you cashback? chase. make more of what's yours. hitting the road? not all 5g networks are created equal. t-mobile covers more interstate highway miles with 5g than verizon. t-mobile has more 5g bars in more places than anye. another reason t-mobile the leader in 5g. do you have a life insurance policy you no longer need? now you can sell your policy - even a term policy - for an immediate cash payment. we thought we had planned carefully for our retirement. but w

and that is a feeling that we heard from olena, a woman we met, nbc actually first talked to across the border in lviv, where my colleague kyle perry is, and we met her as she crossed the border here into poland. and she told me, she feels immense guilt for being here, for being safe, while so many others in her home country are not and she wondered what it would be like to go back home, what her home would look like. and her biggest fear, michael, is that ukraine would be occupied, would be ruled by putin. she said she would not go back to a ukraine that was under putin's control. amid all of that, though, she is so grateful for the generosity of the polish people. take a listen to what she told me about this. >> but these people are showing us the immeasurable kindness. and i really hope that this kind of relationship between ukraine and poland will never end. but i also hope that there will never be time in their history when they will come for help in return. i just hope that they will not need that. >> reporter: yeah, michael, the whole world impacted by this, invested in this, but

olena agreed and hunkered down. for security reasons the government won't say where she and her children are. only that they remain in ukraine. ukrainians have held off the russians for almost three weeks, with a first lady whose efforts have made her target number two for assassination. under siege like her country, olena finds herself revered at home and abroad for her rallying of ukraine with chilling determination. both olena and volodymyr have done something never done. mobilize add nation not while the barbarian was at the gates, but after they had already entered the house. we don't know if three months from now the couple will be in prison in moscow, under a pile of rubble or still leading their nation, olena is convinced and convincing that it will be the last one. >> willie, remarkable, what has happened to this family over the past month. you look at this guy who, again, was a comedian, a dancer. >> an actor. >> he was an actor. if you want to see his series, can you can see it on netflix now. mika and i

and people like olena. she's here to see what can be savileed from the wreckage of her daughter's -- savaged from the wreckage of her tiny flat. look, she says, a rocket. luckily everyone was safe in the shelter. and in the kitchen, the fridge, is -- the microwave, extractor, it's all gone, and there's another piece of rocket in the ceiling. even the shoppin was burned. my daughter and her husband are newlyweds. we'll get influence this. >> it's bad. very bad. the russians are supposed to be our closest people. we never expected they could do this to us. we never wanted a war. report: the neighbor came to fix the door the firefighters kicked in. he's been arguing on the phone with his wife's cousin in st. petersburg, who he's known for 50 years. he told me you've been killing russians. we did nothing. our putin is a king and a god. i told him a person like that should be in a mental hospital. how could you russians let him be president for so lg? so i said wehould probably end this conversation. in the othe

olena, 76—years—old, is lost and confused. in an instant, everybody�*s life here has been upended. but this young nation has surprised russia and the world with its resolve. we weave our way past the fallen into no man's land, with the ukrainian army. here is 21—year—old yevgen gromanski. where are the russians? over the sound of shelling he tells me, the russians soldiers are about 900 metres away from here. you can hear right now they are firing on our positions and we are firing back. it is a grenade launcher, british. it is more than just a grenade launcher. it is a guided missile. is it good against tanks? it is the best we have right now. how are the russians fighting? like soldiers of 1941. they attack, they don't do any manoeuvres. they have a lot of people, a lot of tanks, a lot of vehicles, but we are fighting in our lands and we will protect our families, so it doesn't matter how they fight, we fight like lions and they won't win. this city of over a million people has emptied out. this civilian, so close to ukrainian lines, just didn't make it. we have actually come

olena lennon from the university of new haven greatly appreciate your time. thank you. thanks for having me. well the price of a gallon of gas just continues to skyrocket, and some people are now taking drastic and illegal steps to fill up their tanks. foxes william la jeunesse has more now for us from los angeles. the pain at the pump continues for millions of americans. the national average of the price of gas increase to 4 33 a gallon more than a dollar from just a month ago. here in california, regular unleaded is going for an average of 5 72 a gallon highest in the country. as a result, consumers are altering their driving habits, a triple a survey finds. 75% of americans will drive less if gas prices top $5 in their state. it's certainly a tipping point for americans and how they will adjust their driving behaviors to compensate for the expensive gas. gasoline theft is also on the rise in houston. police say a group of thieves used a small rubber object. to manipulate the pump at one station in los angeles. police were called after two men allegedly broke a pump a

grandad oleg hugs his wife olena, but he must stay behind to care for an elderly relative. the women carry the burdens of exile. whistle the family reached lviv eight hours later, but they have already caught another rescue train west to peace and exile. ukraine is now in its fifth week of this russian invasion, and so far moscow has failed to grind down its defences or capture any major population centre. and with the relentless bombardments happening in the north, it suggests russia is trying to force ukrainians into either accepting the terms of the surrender or witness the slow destruction of their country. debate is continuing in the international community on how to react to putin's aggression and so much hangs on the balance. in this war, nothing remains certain for long. hello there. after the warm and often sunny days we've become used to lately, the forecast for this week may well come as a shock to the system. it is going to turn quite a lot colder. there's snow in the forecast for some and the nights will become increasingly cold and frosty. as we go through ton

grandad oleg hugs his wife olena, but he must stay behind to care for an elderly relative. the women carry the burdens of exile. whistle the family reached lviv eight hours later, but they have already caught another rescue train west to peace and exile. ukraine is now in its fifth week of this russian invasion, and so far moscow has failed to grind down its defences or capture any major population centre. and with the relentless bombardment is happening in the north, it suggests russia is trying to force ukrainians into either accepting the terms of the surrender or witness the slow destruction of their country. debate is continuing in the international community on how to react to putin's aggression and so much hangs on the balance. in this war, nothing remains certain for long. this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories: the us government tries to clarify president biden's comments about vladimir putin remaining in power saying it is not america's job to force him out. as you know, and as you've heard us say repeatedl

olena left kharkiv, thank you very much. olena left kharkiv. her— thank you very much. olena left kharkiv, her mother _ thank you very much. olena left kharkiv, her mother is _ thank you very much. olena left kharkiv, her mother is still i thank you very much. olena left | kharkiv, her mother is still there. kharkiv, her mother is still there. kharkiv is the second largest city and it has suffered nightly russian air strikes and dozens of civilians have been killed and buildings have been decimated. someone who is still there... kharkiv, ukraine's second—largest city, has suffered nightly russian airstrikes and shelling which has killed dozens of civilians and decimated buildings. we're joined now by nargiz gurbanova a lawyer in kharkiv. she's been sheltering in the basement of a local hospital but says people cannot sleep due to the sounds of missiles. thank you for talking to us, where are you now?— thank you for talking to us, where are you now? now i am staying in a local hospital. _ are you now? now i am staying in a local hospital, bad _ are you now? now i am

olena kozlova runs their pediatric oncology ward. learning your child has cancer is the worst day of a mother's life, dr. kozlova explains >> but in this situation, when they must leave her town. >> reporter: but having a child with cancer amid a cruel war is a hell no one should have to endure. single mom ina's 8-year-old son danilu was diagnosed with blood cancer on february 5th then the war started three days ago they fled the besieged city of kharkiv in an ambulance. bombs? everything >> translator: it was full-scale war everything was bombed. we were living in the basement all the time. >> what does it feel like as a mother to have all of this out of your control? "i have to be strong," she says i'll do whatever it takes to get him the treatment he needs." but the logistics are complicated. dr. kozlova and her team staying in lviv are partnering with st. jude children's hospital to get children safely out of the country. >> our for ukraine, we cannot go to abroad. we must stay here. >> reporter: for ukraine and for brave little

in response to what she calls an overwhelming number of media requests olena has posted her testimony to ukraine take a look. >> this morning the first lady of ukraine describing the destruction in vivid and heartbreaking detail perhaps the most terrifying and devastating of this invasion are the child casualties olena zelenska writes in her open letter when russia says it is not waging war against civilians, i call out the names of these murdered children first. with photos of children she says who have now been killed in the war. like her husband, president volodymyr zelenskyy volodymyr zelenskyy, the first lady emerged as an national hero. following ab unlikely battleground president zelenskyy a actor. and his wife a comedy writer now the first lady describes himself as russia's number one target and his family target number two reportedly at an undisclosed location with her children, olena zelenska has continued to reach out to the world through social media the 44 year old mother now sharing other children's stories, like a girl who grandfather she writes tried to protect her fro

olena, thank you very, very much. she did have a brief opportunity to reunite with her husband who's back fighting, as they say, the good fight here. determined, determined to make sure vladimir putin fails in his efforts to take over that country. a couple of developments in that regard i want to pass along before we take a very, very quick break, aeronot is halting all international flights to belarus. aeronot has already been verboten around the world. saying the only place we'll fly to is belarus. also we're just learning that samsung has suspended all shipments of phones and computer chips to russia. it becomes the 112th international company to say we are no longer doing business with russia. all of this as russia has branded the likes of the bbc, voice of america, radio-free europe and radio liberty as one -- unwanted and unfair to be in russia. they have cut off those news sources to the russian people. the understanding here seems to be so as not to share is all of this news of what's going on in ukraine with

olena returned to kiev 11 years ago and owns a private school. kerry is a first grade teacher in south san francisco. their problem is our problem and as brothers and sisters the united into micro c c. i'm so sorry. we have to stand together, alina says. at this point, she and her children have food and water, but that stores are running out of basics such as bread, eggs and butter. still she is optimistic because of the ukrainian people's unity, courage and resilience. it's amazing that they would just go bare hands and against the people with arms. and just not be afraid to protect themselves and protect their land. and to see people around us. just organizing everywhere. we can't it silently and watch this happen. and i wanted to give her a voice that she's not just hiding in her basement with her four children. kerry says she hopes the war will be over soon so she can go to ukraine to help her friend. he's urging americans to donate to charitable organizations offering humanitarian relief to the people of ukraine. in south san francisco. ambe

. >> reporter: olena's husband is now keeping the lights on at the her n hale h sdie is volunerrov want to liv >> reporte yto live. >> we want to live. we want to fight for our country. for our freedom. >> and ian pannell joins us again tonight from kyiv. and ian, president biden and president zelenskyy talked for about 30 minutes today? >> reporter: yeah, that's right. they discussed the issue of sanctions, of course, and america's backing for ukrainians in terms of security assistance, economic and humanitarian aid. the two also discussing russia's escalation of attacks on civilians. now, ukraine needs all the assistance it can get, but president zelenskyy standing firm and insisting on staying here in kyiv, leading his people and his country in this time of war. david? >> all right, ian pannell, thank you. >>> the u.n. tonight warning of a worsening emergency, the mass exodus from ukraine. the u.n. estimates 700,000 people have fled across neighboring borders, most of them women and children. saying that number could soon be in the millions. abc's matt gutman tonight with the familie

." >>> we'll turn to the first lady of ukraine, olena zelenska. she is the wife of volodymyr zelenskyy in hiding from russian troops invading her country and she has given an exclusive interview to abc news. martha raddatz has the details from lviv. good morning, martha. >> reporter: good morning again, george. it is a remarkable family and she is a remarkable woman who like her husband is an example of courage.ence, ukraine's first lady emerging as a symbol of resilience and defiance. this morning, in an abc news exclusive, olena zelenska, now speaking out from hiding, sending a message to vladimir putin and the united states, quote, only two simple words, stop war. zelenska conducted the interview via whatsapp to protect her family's location in ukraine while her husband, president volodymyr zelenskyy, takes to the streets to rally his people and the world against russia. now, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, zelenska demanding action telling abc news, today a friendly pat on the shoulder is not enough. today words of sympathy and

grandad oleg hugs his wife olena, but he must stay behind to care for an elderly relative. train horn blares. the women and children, becoming refugees. children talk. woman sobs. nearly midnight, eight hours later, and the weary travellers reach lviv. a short rest, and then another rescue express, towards peace and exile. fergal keane, bbc news, lviv. and i've seen for myself over the last few days the extraordinary efforts that people here in lviv have been making to welcome families who've fled from the fighting in the east of the country, families who have no idea when, if ever, they'll be able to return to their homes. that's all from us here in lviv. now back to the studio in london. the number of covid infections have climbed by a million the number of covid infections has climbed by a million in a week in the uk, according to data from the office for national statistics. there's been a small drop in northern ireland, but rates in england and wales are up, and scotland has reached a record high. our scotland editor james cook reports. step inside this hospital — if

their long journey of life yields not peace but struggle, for 92—year—old olena and her 70—year—old daughter lyubov. etched on their faces, the barbarity of the elderly driven from their homes. a halting shuffle to get here, the british visa centre in eastern poland, trying tojoin family in the uk. they�*re safe, she knows it, but not yet at rest. "what�*s happening to us is a horror," she says. "the attackers are savages, bandits, killing children. "i would like tojoin my son in britain. "of course, i would hope getting there could be easier." the process can be long. after applying, a wait for days for an appointment here. i will let them know that yours is at 11. visas given four hours away in warsaw. while eu countries have scrapped them for ukrainians, britain hasn�*t. natasha and her family hope tojoin relatives in bristol. you applied on the 8th of march? eventually. her parents stayed behind in occupied kherson. we speak with parents every day, and we say that everything will be fine and wait. maybe we must wait one week, maybe two weeks, if we want a visa. it�*s very difficu

. >> olena, i'm so sorry. i look forward, and i know you look forward to that day, where you and your son can be together. thank you for being with us. >> translator: thank you. good-bye. >> imagine your worst fear is your son may try to get out on his own across the war zone. >>> breaking news, russian forces continue to lob missiles, explosives across ukraine despite claims that they are scaling back military operations. we're going to speak live with a ukrainian fighter on the front lines around kyiv. >> moments from now, nasa astronaut mark vandehei will land back on earth along with two russian cosmonauts. this i did play of unity, next. where 100% of all sales will be donated to the 2022 special olympicics usa games. it happens every fouour years where special athletes come together to compete. it's an opportunity for all of us to be part of helping these athletes raise up to their very best levels. so please, join us wednesday march 30th and make a difference. [sound of helicopter blades] ugh... they fo

. >> reporter: ukraine's first lady, olena zelenska, not mincing words. saying russia is conducting the mass murder of ukrainians, giving what she calls her own testimony from ukraine in a lengthy open letter posted in several languages. when russia says it is not waging war, i call out the names of these murdered children first. addressing some of the youngest victims of the war by name. since the start of the invasion, the 44-year-old has weaponized her social media, showing gritty wartime pictures and videos reflecting the reality of the war. this is how ukraine looks right now, she wrote last week. the whole world, look. zelenska's path to her perch in this global crisis started out reluctantly. i was not too happy when i realized those were the plans, she said of her husband running for president, famously first learning of his run on social media. when i asked, why didn't you tell me? he answered, i forgot. in the three years since, she has settled into her role as the first lady, taking on women's rights and children's issues and featured in a glos

olena zelenska posted an open later on tuesday that reads, quote, look into the eyes of these tired women and children who carry with them the pain and the heartache of leaving loved ones and life as they knew it behind. and the u.n. now says more than two million people have escaped ukraine in the nearly two weeks since the invasion began. that's an amazing number in a short period of time. the majority heading to poland. but hundreds of thousands have fled to neighboring countries as well. zelenska thanked ukraine's neighbors for generously opening their borders to provide shelter for women and children and for keeping them safe. >> translator: i was hearing explosions all the time. i was scared because i knew the rocket could hit my house or the home of my relatives. that's what scared me. the soldiers from russia don't want to stop. they don't know where to stop. they're dropping bombs all the time. >> now that boy is one of the more than 1.2 million refugees who have made it out of ukraine and into poland. cnn's scott mclean shows us the situation along that country's shared border.

. >> reporter: les and olena were students at ohio university, a ukrainian couple who decided to head into the war zone when russia invaded their country. they took first aid classes in america, collected donations, flew from columbus to warsaw, and drove to kyiv, not even telling their parents so they wouldn't worry. >> when i was at the door, so i called them and said, don't freak out. please open the door. >> oh, gosh. >> they freak out. this was a really combined feeling. so my father was crying on me like, you're idiot. why are you doing it? but at the same time he was smiling. >> reporter: they now drive the roads they've known since childhood, delivering supplies. les is conscripted, so he could be drafted at any time. >> it is my choice. it's my choice to stay here because this is my place where i grew up, i was raised, i was born. so it is something more than just, like, you know, be safe and study and trying to protect everything i can, everything that i am. i mean i am these places. i mean this coffee shop is -- is downtown of kyiv. >> reporter: there are those who fled in

. >> reporter: olena's son is already in the fight. what made you want to come here? >> translator: we need to protect our country. it is difficult to speak. my son is in the army since 2015. i didn't want to let him go, and he said, who will go if not me? how will i be able to say to people that i hid and sheltered? so he left, and it was extremely difficult for me. >> reporter: many in this room have had to flee their homes in kharkiv and kyiv. they wonder when the bombs will fall here. if you could talk to mothers in russia, what would you tell them? >> translator: i would tell them to take their sons back. we are all sorry for them. they are also humans. human life was created by god. how can it be taken away just like that? they will be judged and face punishment for this. you cannot do this. let them take their kids. >> reporter: this war has many fronts, and for mothers, there aren't many ways to fight. anderson cooper, cnn, lviv, ukraine. >>> still to come here on the program, the line of refugees waiting to leave ukraine stretches as far as the eye can see. w

. >> lex and olena were students at university. a couple deciding to head to the war zone when russia invaded their country. they took first aid classes in america, collected donations, flew from columbus to war saw and drove to kyiv. not even telling their parents so they wouldn't worry. >> when i was at the -- at the door so i called them and said don't freak out. please open the door. >> my gosh. >> they freak out. but this was a really combined feeling. my father was crying on me like you're an idiot why are you doing it? at the same time he was smiling. >> they now drive the roads they have known since childhood, delivering supplies, lez is conscripted so could be drafted at any time. >> this is my choice. this is my place i grew up. i was raised born. it is something more than just, like, you know, be safe and -- and study and trying to protect everything i can, everything that i am. i mean, i am these places. im, this coffee shop, this downtown of kyiv >> there are those who fled in the first days of the war like mark wilkin

. >> olena, you are a civil society activist. you are a foreign policy analyst. you worked on transatlantic relations prior to this. what does your country need from its allies in the west right now, or is it too late? >> well, unity and severity of the western response. they are still too weak and too slow to deter russian aggression. these sanctions will have been proportional for 2014 when russia made a part of ukraine in donbas when it annexed crimea, but in the middle of this full-pledged response, the response should be significant and faster. today the world is astonished by incredible courage of the ukrainian army and citizens who are stopping tanks and troops with their bare arms. but now it is important to not dwell on this admiration alone and be pragmatic about helping ukraine through on the level of states, on the level of ngos, organizations and individual citizens. and i'd like a no fly zone over ukraine in order to prevent further losses which are already insurmountable. we need enhanced systems to ukraine including water and equipment. we need ex

. >> neil: last week when we told to olena gnes holed up in her basement that maybe western powers would provide military help to deal with the monster barrelling down on us, we did not, we could not. it's too dangerous. that help is not coming. we're not touching the air zone over ukraine. we'll get her reaction and what she feels she has to do as her husband fights the good fight in ukraine. meantime, someone else who is sharing that resolve to deal with the russians against enormous odds and even if it could kill him is the professor in ukraine and holed out right now in his basement but ready for the unthinkable. thank you very much for joining us. i guess you're not surprised that -- when it comes to addressing specifically the no fly zone, that that didn't happen. it was expected to happen but now what? >> look, i think that obviously the people in the ukraine are disappointed. we were hoping for some help. at the sam time, one of the things we need to realize we're doing very well on the ground. we're stopping the advances from the north, stopping the advances from the northeast a

. >> reporter: ukraine's first lady olena zelenska not mincing words, saying russia is conducting the mass murder of ukrainians, giving what she calls her own testimony from ukraine in a lengthy open letter posted in several languages. when russia says that it is not waging war against civilians, i call out the names of these murders children first. zelenska says, addressing some of the youngest victims of the war by name. since the start of the invasion, she has weaponized the social media, sharing real-time pictures and videos to reflect the reality of the war. this is how ukraine looks right now, she wrote last week. the whole world look. her path to her perch in this global crisis started out reluctantly. i was not too happy when i realized that those were the plans, she has said of her husband running for president. famously first learning of his run on social media. when i asked, why didn't you tell me, he answered, i forgot. in the three years since, she has settled into her role as the first lady, taking on women's rights and children's issues in featured in a glossy spread on

one of the folks who has benefited from this generosity is a woman we match named all olena. she originally spoke to nbc exactly a week ago across the border, in lviv. she spoke to my colleague ali arouzi. she told him that she had a very eventful week in february when she celebrated as a birthday, got a new job, and putin invaded her country. she is now living here in poland with strangers, friends, a friends, of friends who were gracious enough to take her in. take a listen to what she has to say about her polish neighbors here. >> these people are showing us the unimaginable kindness. and i really hope that this kind of relationship between ukraine and poland will never end. but i also hope that there will never be a time in their history when they will call for help in return. i just hope that they will not need that. >> but you know, michael, there is some fair when you talk to polish people that this conflict, it's right on their doorstep and they are concerns that the shoe could be on the other foot. when i asked folks if the generosity that we are seeing here, if a sm

ambassador you hear from olena about the difficulty in containing basic issues like not blowing up a nuclear plant or evacuating those people who are in those areas that have now fallen under russian control. one of the things olina was saying they continue to need help from the west. you are a former u.s. ambassador to nato. nato is on high alert, we're in a nato country now that i'm broadcasting from. what is it nato can do to prevent what we're watching unfold? >> in theory it can intervene directly into the conflict. it has military capabilities and it could in a whole variety of ways the people have been talking about, including what olina said, get involved, including with the no fly zone, but you'd have to understand that that is a decision by nato to go to war against russia. there is no military involvement in this conflict short of declaring de facto if not actually de jure in a fundamental way war against russia. take a no fly zone. in order to make sure russian aircraft and helicopters are not able to fly over the ukrainian air space you need massive numbers of nato aircr