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[00:00:08] MUSIC
[00:00:11] Live from London. This is BBC News News with me, Ben Brown. A look at
[00:00:15] at our latest headlines. And Saudi Saudi Arabia has threatened what
[00:00:17] what it calls a serious response response to the deadly Houthi attacks
[00:00:21] attacks on Riyadh International Airport.
[00:00:26] Airport. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia hit
[00:00:28] hit a power plant in Ukraine immediately immediately after Donald Trump claimed
[00:00:32] claimed both sides had agreed to
[00:00:34] to an energy ceasefire. It was clear
[00:00:38] clear that Putin does not read Truth
[00:00:43] Truth Social and his cheeky drones drones follow a different set of
[00:00:47] of instructions. As the mid-term mid-term elections loom in the United
[00:00:51] United States. We have a special special report on one of the key
[00:00:55] key political flashpoints the data data centres that are powering the
[00:00:58] the current AI boom. Big night planned.
[00:01:03] planned. And the actor Robert Pattinson Pattinson tells the BBC why he took
[00:01:06] took on the role of a journalist journalist who helps expose child
[00:01:10] child predators in his new film,
[00:01:13] film, Primetime.
[00:01:23] Hello. Saudi Arabia is threatening what it calls a serious
[00:01:27] serious response to deadly Houthi Houthi attacks on its airports and
[00:01:31] and energy facilities, as the Iranian Iranian backed rebels warn people
[00:01:34] people to avoid the kingdom's airports.
[00:01:37] airports. Saudi officials say one one person was killed and 11 were
[00:01:40] were wounded in an attack on King King Khalid International Airport
[00:01:44] Airport in Riyadh on Sunday. That
[00:01:46] That came just a day after 13 people people were killed and more than
[00:01:50] than 300 injured in another missile missile attack on the airport, the
[00:01:54] the deadliest attack on Saudi soil soil in more than a decade. Well,
[00:01:58] Well, this footage from Saudi state
[00:01:59] state television shows the orange orange flash of the missile blast
[00:02:03] blast passengers waiting for their
[00:02:05] their flights managed to escape from
[00:02:08] from that particular blast. Well, Well, the Iranian backed Houthis
[00:02:11] Houthis say they are targeting Saudi Saudi Arabia because it supports
[00:02:14] supports the Yemeni government in
[00:02:16] in the country's civil war. The Houthis,
[00:02:19] Houthis, named after their founder, founder, are an armed political and and religious group from northern
[00:02:23] northern Yemen. They championed the the country's Shia Muslim minority,
[00:02:26] minority, and they see themselves themselves as part of an Iranian
[00:02:28] Iranian led axis of resistance to to Israel. The civil war in Yemen
[00:02:32] Yemen has flared up again in recent
[00:02:35] recent weeks after the Houthis seized
[00:02:37] seized more territory. There. Let's
[00:02:39] Let's talk to Thomas Copeland, who
[00:02:41] who joins us now from BBC Verify
[00:02:44] Verify and the BBC Verify team has
[00:02:45] has been taking a look at the footage
[00:02:48] footage of those Houthi attacks at at Riyadh airport. What more can
[00:02:51] can you tell us, Thomas? Well, first first of all, this is part of a wider
[00:02:54] wider change in the way this conflict conflict has panned out. So we have
[00:02:57] have been tracking for weeks now
[00:02:59] now attacks on oil facilities across across Saudi Arabia. We know and
[00:03:03] and we have verified footage of Houthi Houthi attacks on the exporting port
[00:03:06] port at Yanbu refineries in Jeddah. Jeddah. That east west pipeline has
[00:03:10] has come under attack there. Clearly
[00:03:11] Clearly the intent to be to damage damage Saudi Arabia's economic ability
[00:03:15] ability to export oil. But experts experts have told us that Saudi Arabia
[00:03:18] Arabia has shown a strong ability ability to repair after those attacks
[00:03:21] attacks to keep oil flowing. And And what we've seen really in the
[00:03:24] the last about a week or so is an an increase in escalation in attacks
[00:03:28] attacks on civilian airports. The The one in Riyadh is clearly at the
[00:03:31] the heart of that. But we've also also seen escalating attacks on airports
[00:03:34] airports at ABA Nasra, King Abdullah. Abdullah. And remember, in all of
[00:03:37] of this, Saudi Arabia has quite strict strict rules about the kind of content
[00:03:40] content video content that can be be uploaded online. So the footage
[00:03:44] footage that is typically available available to us to verify, to understand understand what's happening, there's
[00:03:48] there's less of that than we would would normally find. So what we're we're seeing and what we can show
[00:03:51] show you is probably only really really a snapshot of what's actually actually happening on the ground.
[00:03:55] ground. And that airport, Riyadh Riyadh in particular is an especially
[00:03:58] especially important target because because it is a real hub, isn't it?
[00:04:01] it? Well, yes. I mean, it's important important both symbolically it is
[00:04:04] is the main international airport airport in Saudi Arabia. Strategically
[00:04:08] Strategically as well. And we've we've sort of seen a ramping up of
[00:04:10] of the attacks on that particular particular airport last Wednesday,
[00:04:14] Wednesday, the Saudis say that they they intercepted a ballistic missile.
[00:04:16] missile. Then on Thursday, that really really dramatic footage that showed
[00:04:20] showed a strike on an aeroplane. aeroplane. We know that a pilot was
[00:04:22] was killed, at least three others others in the surrounding facilities
[00:04:26] facilities of the airport. Then on on Saturday, that major attack, at
[00:04:29] at least 13 killed more than 300 300 injured and then a Sun on Sunday.
[00:04:33] Sunday. You know, another person person killed as well. The impact
[00:04:36] impact is really clear. Delays, cancellations,
[00:04:39] cancellations, airlines pulling out out their planes from some of the
[00:04:42] the routes having a real impact on on civilian life in Saudi Arabia.
[00:04:46] Arabia. And it's also the case, you you know, the Houthis have been warning
[00:04:49] warning airlines and passengers not not to fly into Saudi Arabia in airports,
[00:04:53] airports, not to use the airspace. airspace. The UK Foreign Office, Office, for example, warning against
[00:04:56] against all travel in large parts parts of Saudi Arabia. And I mean,
[00:04:59] mean, we know that over the last last few years, the government in
[00:05:02] in Saudi Arabia have been spending spending billions and billions on
[00:05:06] on defence, on military hardware.
[00:05:08] hardware. What I suppose many Saudi Saudi people, civilians will be asking
[00:05:12] asking how on earth can all these these missiles get through? Well, Well, this is a really important
[00:05:15] important question for the Saudis. Saudis. They have a close military military alliance with the US. They
[00:05:19] They purchase a lot of military equipment equipment from the US. We know that that Donald Trump has said that the
[00:05:23] the US is weighing up getting involved
[00:05:26] involved directly or more directly directly involved in this conflict conflict by striking the Houthis
[00:05:29] Houthis directly. The UK government, government, for its part, is already
[00:05:33] already providing an air to air refuelling refuelling support to defend against
[00:05:36] against some of these incoming missiles. missiles. We understand the UK government government is considering increasing
[00:05:40] increasing its level of support, support, but fundamentally and we we have seen this time and time again
[00:05:44] again over this conflict. In particular, particular, there is a deep asymmetry
[00:05:47] asymmetry here. It is cheap and it it is easy for the Houthis to fire
[00:05:50] fire ballistic missiles and drones drones over the border. And remember, remember, of course, that Saudi Arabia
[00:05:54] Arabia is a very large country, a a lot of territory to defend Saudi
[00:05:58] Saudi Arabia. And for any country country that's looking to defend defend against those attacks, it
[00:06:01] it is more expensive and it's just just harder to do so in all of this.
[00:06:05] this. And we understand from experts experts as well that Iran has been
[00:06:08] been providing the Houthis with an an increased technical and logistical
[00:06:11] logistical support. But there's a a fundamental asymmetry there that
[00:06:14] that is always going to be hard to to resolve. Thomas, thank you very
[00:06:17] very much indeed. And we can also also talk to Rob Geist Pinfold, who's
[00:06:20] who's a lecturer in international international security at King's King's College London. Thank you
[00:06:24] you very much for being with us and
[00:06:26] and talk us through how you see this this conflict. And let's just pick
[00:06:30] pick up on that point because Saudi Saudi Arabia does seem relatively
[00:06:33] relatively helpless, doesn't it, it, in the face of these Houthi attacks
[00:06:36] attacks at the moment? Well, Ben,
[00:06:38] Ben, it's important to stress that
[00:06:41] that this predates the Iran conflict.
[00:06:43] conflict. The US and Israeli attacks
[00:06:45] attacks on Iran at the start of this
[00:06:48] this year, the conflict between the the Saudis and the Houthis have been
[00:06:51] been has been going on for quite quite some time. And the long and
[00:06:55] and short of it is that the Saudis Saudis felt like they could contain
[00:06:58] contain the Houthis. They had numerous
[00:07:01] numerous unwritten agreements or or understandings with them and with with other factions within Yemen.
[00:07:05] Yemen. They'd even agreed to pay
[00:07:08] pay the salaries of government employees
[00:07:11] employees in Houthi territory. So So the Saudis felt like they had
[00:07:15] had the Houthis contained. They hadn't hadn't reached some sort of long-term
[00:07:18] long-term agreement with them, but
[00:07:20] but they tried to insulate that conflict
[00:07:23] conflict from the broader regional regional tensions, which obviously
[00:07:26] obviously started on October 7th 7th of 2023 and have got progressively
[00:07:30] progressively worse since. And this
[00:07:32] this is a case of that understanding understanding collapsing now where
[00:07:35] where basically the Houthis are pushing pushing the Saudis. They want they
[00:07:38] they don't want to take over Saudi Saudi Arabia, but they want to come
[00:07:42] come to a deal with the Saudis that that is on their terms. And the Saudis
[00:07:46] Saudis are, of course, very, very very resistant to that and are likely
[00:07:49] likely to start trying to push back. back. Yeah. How will they push back?
[00:07:52] back? How will they respond to all all of this, do you think and will
[00:07:55] will they try to get some of their their allies in the region and indeed
[00:07:58] indeed the United States to join
[00:08:00] join them, to help them? Well, in
[00:08:03] in 2016, under Defence Minister Mohammed
[00:08:04] Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudis launched launched Operation Decisive Storm,
[00:08:08] Storm, which was something the Saudis Saudis don't normally do, which is
[00:08:11] is a which was a Saudi led military
[00:08:14] military offensive to destroy or or to severely degrade the ability
[00:08:17] ability of the Houthis to threaten threaten the Saudis. Now that backfired
[00:08:21] backfired spectacularly. And of course, course, Mohammed bin Salman, who who was then Defence Minister, is
[00:08:25] is now crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
[00:08:28] Arabia. But he seems to be, I suppose,
[00:08:31] suppose, affected by the negative negative effects of that conflict. conflict. The fact that it didn't
[00:08:34] didn't get a solution and it also also caused a lot of international
[00:08:38] international opprobrium against against Saudi Arabia. So the Saudis
[00:08:40] Saudis do not want to go to all out
[00:08:45] out war against the Houthis. They've They've been resistant to that for for some time. They want to come
[00:08:49] come to some kind of an understanding understanding not just with the Houthis Houthis but with all factions within
[00:08:53] within Yemen. The problem here is
[00:08:55] is that is far more difficult when when those factions not only don't
[00:08:58] don't want to come to an understanding, understanding, but in the case of of the Houthis, they want to use
[00:09:02] use force to escalate. They're doing doing exactly what Iran did during
[00:09:05] during the recent war, targeting targeting that critical infrastructure
[00:09:09] infrastructure in the Gulf. And the the results are that they are having,
[00:09:13] having, unfortunately, far greater greater kinetic effect than Iran Iran ever did in terms of the number
[00:09:16] number of casualties they are generating generating with those consistent
[00:09:20] consistent and repeated attacks on on Saudi infrastructure, particularly
[00:09:24] particularly but not exclusively exclusively airports. And we talk
[00:09:26] talk about the Houthis being Iran
[00:09:29] Iran backed, Iran supported. To what what extent is Iran really pulling
[00:09:32] pulling the strings in this conflict? conflict? And to what extent is what
[00:09:36] what we're seeing the civil war in
[00:09:37] in Yemen really a mirror of the
[00:09:41] war in Iran? Now, the Houthis are are often labelled in Iranian proxy.
[00:09:44] proxy. That is far too simplistic
[00:09:46] simplistic an explanation. Nevertheless,
[00:09:49] Nevertheless, this recent escalation escalation began when the Saudis
[00:09:52] Saudis had been monitoring and observing observing a clear build-up in Iranian
[00:09:56] Iranian military personnel and equipment equipment being moved to Yemen specifically
[00:10:00] specifically to serve the Houthis. Houthis. It began, of course, when
[00:10:03] when the Saudis struck a runway that
[00:10:06] that was carrying that that was supposed supposed to land where the plane
[00:10:09] plane was supposed to land, coming coming back from Iran, this was carrying
[00:10:13] carrying the Houthi leadership. But But the Saudis alleged it may have
[00:10:16] have had other things on board as as well, particularly Iranian Revolutionary
[00:10:19] Revolutionary Guard personnel. So So that's where everything started.
[00:10:22] started. But as I said, this conflict
[00:10:24] conflict predates the current tension tension between Iran, though they
[00:10:28] they are of course all interconnected. interconnected. This is very much
[00:10:30] much a case of the Iranians at least
[00:10:33] least giving the Houthis a yellow yellow light because they know that
[00:10:36] that the more they pressure the Saudis, Saudis, the more they can create
[00:10:39] create another maritime choke point, point, not the Strait of Hormuz,
[00:10:41] Hormuz, but the Bab el Mandeb, which
[00:10:43] which will keep gas and energy prices prices high throughout the world.
[00:10:47] world. So this the Houthis are not not an Iranian proxy, but at the
[00:10:49] the same time, they're working closely closely with the Iranians to make
[00:10:53] make sure that there is no stability
[00:10:56] stability and Western consumers are are hurt by the current lack of a
[00:10:59] a resolution to the conflict. All All right, Rob, thank you very much.
[00:11:02] much. Rob Geist Pinfold, lecturer lecturer in international security
[00:11:05] security at King's College London. London. We're going to take a very
[00:11:07] very short break back in a moment moment with the latest from Ukraine
[00:11:11] Ukraine around the world and across across the UK.
[00:12:14] Brief live with an audience here
[00:12:16] here on BBC News. Ukraine says that
[00:12:24] that Russia has attacked its power power plants despite a claim from
[00:12:27] from President Trump that both sides sides in the war had agreed to an
[00:12:31] an energy ceasefire. Ukraine says says attacks on energy infrastructure
[00:12:34] infrastructure in the capital Kyiv Kyiv and in Kharkiv caused power power blackouts in several areas,
[00:12:38] areas, raising fresh doubts about
[00:12:41] about that supposed agreement. President
[00:12:43] President Zelensky said he was surprised surprised by President Trump's claim
[00:12:46] claim that a ceasefire had been agreed,
[00:12:48] agreed, while Moscow is yet to comment.
[00:12:51] comment. Here's our correspondent
[00:12:53] correspondent Joe Inwood. Vladimir
[00:12:58] Vladimir Putin may not have formally formally responded to Donald Trump's
[00:13:01] Trump's claim of an energy ceasefire,
[00:13:03] ceasefire, but in the city of Kharkiv, Kharkiv, people feel they've received
[00:13:07] received his answer. An overnight overnight strike near a shop killing
[00:13:11] killing at least three people and
[00:13:13] and injuring nine more. But according according to one woman who saw the
[00:13:17] the attack, the actual target was
[00:13:18] was the city's thermal power plant.
[00:13:22] plant. We'd already seen the statement statement that they wouldn't target
[00:13:24] target energy facilities, and we we really believed it. Ten minutes minutes had passed and there had
[00:13:28] had already been five strikes. My My child and I saw a missile hit
[00:13:32] hit thermal power plant number five
[00:13:34] five and watched it burn there. It's
[00:13:37] It's horrific. This weekend has seen
[00:13:39] seen a head spinning, chaotic series series of events, all stemming from
[00:13:43] from rising fuel costs in the US.
[00:13:46] US. On Friday, Donald Trump announced announced he'd done a deal to buy
[00:13:49] buy Russian diesel completely reversing
[00:13:52] reversing previous policy and seen seen as a betrayal by Ukraine and
[00:13:55] and many others. On Saturday, Volodymyr Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian
[00:13:59] Russian glide bomb attacks were a
[00:14:01] a thank you for what he called a
[00:14:03] a weak deal. Later that day, Donald Donald Trump blamed Ukrainian attacks
[00:14:07] attacks on Russian refineries for
[00:14:09] for rising diesel prices and called
[00:14:12] called on President Zelensky to quit. quit. Before last night announcing
[00:14:15] announcing on his Truth Social platform platform that both Russia and Ukraine
[00:14:19] Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking
[00:14:20] attacking each other's energy infrastructure, infrastructure, seemingly without
[00:14:23] without either side's knowledge,
[00:14:25] knowledge, the Ukrainians have repeatedly repeatedly called for an energy ceasefire
[00:14:29] ceasefire but say the Russians have
[00:14:30] have refused to sign up. It was clear
[00:14:34] clear that Putin does not read Truth
[00:14:38] Truth Social. Speaking at the Warsaw Warsaw Security Forum, President
[00:14:42] President Zelensky said if Russia Russia continued to attack his power
[00:14:46] power plants, he would target their
[00:14:47] their refineries. Those refineries
[00:14:50] refineries that Putin is so shamelessly
[00:14:53] shamelessly trying to sell to the
[00:14:55] the world. The solution claiming
[00:14:59] claiming they can somehow make up
[00:15:02] up for the losses in global oil supplies
[00:15:05] supplies caused by the crisis in
[00:15:08] in the Strait of Hormuz. He mentions mentions the Strait of Hormuz and
[00:15:10] and in some ways this weekend's events events come back to the war with
[00:15:14] with Iran. The real reason that diesel
[00:15:16] diesel prices are so high Donald
[00:15:18] Donald Trump is facing a vital set
[00:15:20] set of mid-term elections. He knows knows many voters hold him responsible
[00:15:24] responsible for rising oil prices. prices. He's hoping to deflect some
[00:15:28] some of that anger onto Ukraine.
[00:15:32] Ukraine. Back in Kharkiv and the the clear up is under way. This country
[00:15:36] country has faced many dark nights nights with an energy cease fire
[00:15:39] fire looking highly unlikely. There
[00:15:41] There may be many more to come. Joe
[00:15:45] Joe Inwood, BBC News. And actually,
[00:15:48] actually, we've just heard from Ukraine's Ukraine's President Zelensky saying
[00:15:51] saying it is clear Russia will not not agree to stop hitting energy
[00:15:55] energy targets. He said, quote, it it is increasingly evident that Russia
[00:15:59] Russia is unwilling to accept an
[00:16:01] an energy ceasefire proposed by the the United States. Well, we've also
[00:16:04] also been hearing from Nato Supreme
[00:16:07] Supreme allied commander in Europe. Europe. Alexis Grynkewich, who's
[00:16:10] who's delivered a stark warning to to Russia at the Warsaw Security
[00:16:13] Security Forum. Whenever the nation nation that's come under attack is
[00:16:16] is ready and has met their legal legal requirements to attribute the
[00:16:19] the attack, we ought to do that. that. That lets the Russians know
[00:16:22] know a that we're onto them. It lets lets them know that their network network wasn't as unattributable
[00:16:26] unattributable as they thought it it was. They think they can get away away with this because we won't be
[00:16:29] be able to figure out who it is. is. We ought to tell them. We can
[00:16:32] can figure out who it is. The second second thing that I mentioned is is one of the main objectives is
[00:16:35] is to break the West's will to continue continue flowing support to Ukraine.
[00:16:39] Ukraine. So one of the best responses responses is to prove that false
[00:16:43] false to them. And when they come come in, when one of these attack
[00:16:46] attack happens, respond by increasing increasing your contributions to to the Purl programme or respond
[00:16:50] respond with a donation of air defence defence interceptors and show that
[00:16:53] that the Russian premise for their their activity is false and you're
[00:16:57] you're only strengthening our resolve.
[00:17:00] resolve. And we can speak about Ukraine Ukraine now to the country's former
[00:17:03] former deputy Defence Minister Vladimir Vladimir Havrylov, who joins me now.
[00:17:07] now. Thank you very much for being being with us. So, I mean, President
[00:17:10] President Trump was claiming there there is this energy ceasefire. Have
[00:17:12] Have you seen any evidence at all
[00:17:15] all to support that? As our president
[00:17:19] president already mentioned. We don't
[00:17:22] don't see any specific changes in
[00:17:24] in the Russian policy to target Ukrainian
[00:17:27] Ukrainian infrastructure including
[00:17:29] including our energy infrastructure. infrastructure. That's why we are
[00:17:33] are looking for the next couple of
[00:17:35] of days to understand what is going
[00:17:38] going on with the implementation implementation of the President Trump
[00:17:41] Trump announcement. But we are very very realistic that Russia is not
[00:17:45] not interested in any ceasefire during during this conflict, because that
[00:17:49] that kind of ceasefire could demonstrate demonstrate the weaknesses of President
[00:17:53] President Putin for his to his population. population. And that's not the case.
[00:17:56] case. They would like to have. Would
[00:17:59] Would Ukraine be willing to be part
[00:18:00] part of an energy ceasefire? Yes,
[00:18:04] Yes, Ukraine already we confirmed confirmed that we are ready for ceasefire.
[00:18:08] ceasefire. But of course we understand
[00:18:11] understand under this that Russia
[00:18:13] Russia will stop targeting our energy energy infrastructure. And of course,
[00:18:17] course, we are ready to stop our
[00:18:20] our targeting the refineries. And And that's our clear position. Can
[00:18:23] Can I ask you about the broader picture
[00:18:25] picture of the war? Which has been
[00:18:28] been going on for so long now. Now
[00:18:30] Now your troops on the battlefield
[00:18:32] battlefield have been making some some progress recently, certainly
[00:18:35] certainly holding the Russians and and taking far fewer casualties than
[00:18:39] than the Russian side. But the Russians Russians have been inflicting some
[00:18:42] some very serious civilian casualties casualties in Ukraine. How do you
[00:18:46] you see the state of the war at the
[00:18:48] the moment, as the country's former
[00:18:50] former deputy Defence Minister? The
[00:18:54] The escalation of Russian air strikes strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure
[00:18:57] infrastructure and civilian infrastructure infrastructure demonstrates the desperate
[00:19:01] desperate situation Russia has on on the ground, on the frontline because,
[00:19:05] because, yes, this year is a very
[00:19:06] very crucial year for Ukrainian military military because we succeeded to
[00:19:10] to deploy a lot of new solutions
[00:19:13] solutions related to unmanned system system systems different missile
[00:19:16] missile strike and deep strike capabilities,
[00:19:18] capabilities, which gave us an opportunity opportunity to target Russian logistics
[00:19:21] logistics on the depth up to 200km
[00:19:26] 200km deep in the further the line
[00:19:28] line of contact. That's why they
[00:19:31] they stopped advancing on, on the the front line. We only can see some
[00:19:35] some tactical some small advances,
[00:19:37] advances, but not like the previous
[00:19:39] previous year. But they pay a huge
[00:19:42] huge price for that. So every day
[00:19:44] day losses for Russia is not less
[00:19:48] less than 1500 killed and wounded wounded on the front line because
[00:19:50] because they're trying to achieve
[00:19:52] achieve some kind of goals which
[00:19:56] which were just stressed by the Putin
[00:19:58] Putin and his leadership in Moscow.
[00:20:00] Moscow. But our capability is on on the rise, especially on the unmanned
[00:20:03] unmanned system. We are very good good in using that new innovative
[00:20:07] innovative solutions. We also succeeded
[00:20:10] succeeded to scale up our deep strike
[00:20:12] strike capability to target Russian Russian infrastructure defence related
[00:20:16] related infrastructure deep in Russia.
[00:20:18] Russia. And that's why in this desperate desperate situation, Putin is more
[00:20:22] more concentrated on civilians in in Ukraine to create a panic, to
[00:20:25] to create instability and to push
[00:20:27] push us to kind of capitulation. capitulation. Well, we're grateful
[00:20:31] grateful to you for your time. That's That's Vladimir Havrylov, who's Ukraine's
[00:20:35] Ukraine's former deputy Defence Minister. Minister. Thank you so much for being
[00:20:38] being with us on BBC. Thank you.
[00:20:39] you. Thank you. Bye. Now discussing
[00:20:43] discussing Ukraine in a few hours' hours' time is The Security Brief
[00:20:46] Brief which is going live in front front of a studio audience here at
[00:20:50] at the BBC at 7:30pm UK time. That's
[00:20:53] That's on BBC News iPlayer and YouTube. YouTube. Christi Christian Fraser
[00:20:56] Fraser and Mikey Kay will be bringing bringing you live analysis of the
[00:20:59] the war with a panel of guests and
[00:21:02] and Sam McManus, who's part of the the programme, joins us live now
[00:21:05] now to take us behind the scenes. scenes. Sam, what have you got in
[00:21:08] in store for us? Thanks, Ben. And
[00:21:12] And yes, welcome everybody to the
[00:21:15] the historic BBC Radio Theatre here here at BBC headquarters in central
[00:21:18] central London. These seats will will be filled within hours for a
[00:21:22] a special live show of The Security
[00:21:24] Security Brief. As we take you inside inside Ukraine's war with Russia,
[00:21:27] Russia, we've got a stellar cast cast of guests to answer questions questions from both the audience
[00:21:31] audience here and people watching watching on YouTube, iPlayer and
[00:21:35] and on the BBC News channel, including
[00:21:36] including Fiona Hill, the former former Russian Trump Russia adviser
[00:21:40] adviser and also Stu Nass, who's
[00:21:42] who's the head of a UK drone coalition
[00:21:44] coalition supplying and manufacturing manufacturing drones to Ukraine.
[00:21:47] Ukraine. And with me are two of the the men that are taking us through
[00:21:51] through this Mikey Kay and Christian
[00:21:52] Christian Fraser. Hello. Just two two very excited. Mikey, tell us
[00:21:56] us more about what we can expect expect this evening. Yeah, I think, think, you know, I think the headlines
[00:22:00] headlines coming out of the weekend weekend have made the timing of the
[00:22:04] the show tonight really, really important. important. And what we do on The
[00:22:07] The Security Brief to the loyal viewers viewers you'll know. But to those
[00:22:09] those that don't is we take a really
[00:22:11] really deep dive into the capability capability components and the evolution
[00:22:15] evolution of that technology. So So not just from a Ukrainian perspective, perspective, but what the threat
[00:22:19] threat is from Russia and how that that technology has evolved. So we'll
[00:22:22] we'll be doing a lot of that tonight. tonight. We'll be giving the views views and insight into what that
[00:22:25] that capability is, but also a stellar stellar line-up. We've got guests guests that have been at the heart
[00:22:29] heart of decision making over the the last ten years. Geopolitically, Geopolitically, we've got guests
[00:22:33] guests who have just left the military military who have never done media media before, and then we've got
[00:22:36] got guests that are coming all the the way specifically from Ukraine
[00:22:40] Ukraine in the unmanned ground vehicle vehicle area that are going to be
[00:22:43] be here with us. So an absolutely absolutely fantastic line-up. And
[00:22:47] And Christian, our presenter, just just tell us how over two years this
[00:22:50] this security brief has reached to to this point that we're at now.
[00:22:53] now. It's the coming of age for The The Security Brief tonight. We started
[00:22:56] started this programme about two two years ago on the context, as
[00:22:59] as people will know, and it has grown grown and grown. And I think that
[00:23:02] that is because people want to fully
[00:23:05] fully understand how this war is is evolving and it is evolving so
[00:23:08] so fast. And many of the weaponry weaponry systems, the kit that we're
[00:23:12] we're going to show people tonight, tonight, I think does put important
[00:23:15] important context into what the Ukrainians Ukrainians are facing and how they've
[00:23:18] they've had to change over the last last 4 or 5 years to keep pace with
[00:23:22] with what Russia is throwing at them. them. So it's important perspective,
[00:23:25] perspective, as Mikey says, some some really important people on stage
[00:23:29] stage tonight who will give us the the lowdown on what they're trying
[00:23:32] trying to do to support the Ukrainians, Ukrainians, what the thinking might
[00:23:35] might be in Washington. I hope people people will enjoy it. I think they
[00:23:37] they will get a lot out of it. Come Come and join us at 7.30. There you
[00:23:40] you have it. A mammoth operation. operation. We're excited for it. it. Back to you, Ben. All right.
[00:23:44] right. Sam, Mikey and Christian,
[00:23:45] Christian, thank you very much indeed.
[00:23:48] indeed. Now a BBC investigation has has revealed the world's biggest
[00:23:52] biggest accountancy firm helped in in falsifying documents in order
[00:23:56] order to hide the former Chelsea Chelsea football Club owner Roman
[00:24:00] Roman Abramovich's wealth. BBC Panorama
[00:24:02] Panorama has uncovered hundreds of of documents that were backdated
[00:24:06] backdated by the Russian billionaires billionaires advisers. Many were
[00:24:08] were drawn up with the help of Deloitte.
[00:24:11] Deloitte. Roman Abramovich denies denies any wrongdoing. Deloitte says
[00:24:14] says it complies with applicable
[00:24:16] applicable laws. Here's Richard Bilton.
[00:24:20] Bilton. Things have changed for Roman
[00:24:22] Roman Abramovich. He has been sanctioned sanctioned because of his links to
[00:24:26] to Vladimir Putin. He's been forced
[00:24:28] forced to sell his beloved Chelsea
[00:24:31] Chelsea and now revelations from from inside his financial empire.
[00:24:34] empire. If you want to understand understand Roman Abramovich, follow
[00:24:38] follow the money. This is Cyprus,
[00:24:41] Cyprus, home to a web of companies
[00:24:43] companies that were holding his wealth
[00:24:46] wealth working with the Bureau of
[00:24:48] of Investigative Journalism. Panorama Panorama has been investigating a
[00:24:52] a data leak which shows the lengths
[00:24:54] lengths some of his Cypriot advisers
[00:24:56] advisers went to hide his billions.
[00:24:59] billions. They falsified and backdated backdated hundreds of documents.
[00:25:03] documents. It is trying to cover
[00:25:04] cover up something and what we appear
[00:25:07] appear to have here is a fiddle factory
[00:25:09] factory in a fiddle factory you fiddle
[00:25:12] fiddle the transactions, you backdate
[00:25:14] backdate them and that is what appears appears to have been happening here
[00:25:18] here regularly. In 2003, one of Roman
[00:25:21] Roman Abramovich's Cypriot companies
[00:25:24] companies called Kravin Investments, Investments, had almost $2 billion
[00:25:27] billion of his money in the bank.
[00:25:30] bank. Deloitte confirmed certain certain changes will have to be made
[00:25:33] made to the accounts. That's Deloitte
[00:25:36] Deloitte apparently advising on falsifying
[00:25:39] falsifying financial records by backdating
[00:25:40] backdating them. The evidence suggests
[00:25:43] suggests it allowed Mr Abramovich
[00:25:45] Abramovich to evade millions in tax.
[00:25:49] tax. It's a straightforward and blatant
[00:25:56] blatant move to protect from legitimate
[00:25:59] legitimate taxation assets which which should otherwise have been
[00:26:03] been subject to tax. So it's tax tax evasion? Yeah. Straightforward.
[00:26:06] Straightforward. And how serious serious is that? Well, again, if
[00:26:09] if it happened in England and it it was in the millions His Majesty's
[00:26:12] Majesty's Revenue and Customs would
[00:26:14] would be thinking about a prosecution.
[00:26:17] prosecution. Roman Abramovich's lawyers
[00:26:18] lawyers say he denies he evaded tax
[00:26:21] tax or concealed his fortune. They
[00:26:24] They say he was not involved in the the day to day operation of the companies,
[00:26:28] companies, and Panorama has provided provided no evidence that he knew
[00:26:32] knew of authorised or directed the
[00:26:35] the falsification or backdating of
[00:26:37] of any documents. Deloitte Cyprus Cyprus says it's unable to comment
[00:26:41] comment because the documents are are more than 20 years old and no
[00:26:45] no longer accessible. Richard Bilton,
[00:26:48] Bilton, BBC News. And just to say, say, if you are here in the UK, you
[00:26:51] you can see Panorama: Roman Abramovich:
[00:26:55] Abramovich: How He Hid His Fortune. Fortune. It's on iPlayer now or it's
[00:26:58] it's on BBC One tonight at 8 pm.
[00:27:03] pm. Plenty more coming up. Do stay stay with us. We're going to take
[00:27:05] take a short break. You're watching watching BBC News.
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