the russian president but admired him as a political operator, and that the invasion of ukraine was a consequence of western expansion. the reform uk leader said he had predicted the war ten years ago. i stood up in the european parliament in 2014 and i said, and i quote, "there will be a war in ukraine." why did i say that? it was obvious to me that the ever—eastward expansion of nato and the european union was giving this man a reason, to his russian people, to say "they're coming for us again," and to go to war. home secretary james cleverly accused him of echoing putin's vile justification for the invasion, and there was criticism too from labour. the only aggressor in ukraine is vladimir putin, and it is shocking that nigel farage chooses to align himself with putin. he's become a putin apologist. mr farage said last night that putin was wrong to invade, the eu was wrong to expand eastwards, and "the sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace. " he was also challenged on his views around climate change. he said he wasn't arguing the science, but called the government's net—zero plans "mad," and he was asked about comments he once made about king charles. the king — i mean, he wasn't the king then — and i can't speak ill of the monarch, obviously! but he did used to say... you said he was stupid. he did used to say that carbon dioxide was a pollutant, which i thought was a very stupid comment. and it's the issue of the environment which is likely to dominate campaigning this morning. sir ed davey has put the state of britain's waterways front and centre of the lib dem campaign. today the party says it would protect chalk streams from environmental disaster, with tougher regulations on sewage dumping. labour are also talking about water cleanliness, with a pledge to introduce new powers that they say could make law—breaking water bosses face criminal charges. the conservatives said they'd already taken clear action to tackle the issue, with further investment and a quadrupling of inspections. jack fenwick, bbc news, westminster. so what does ukraine make of mr farage's comments? our security correspondent, gordon corera is in kyiv. one source in the presidential office did tell the bbc that, in their words, the virus of putinism unfortunately affects people and can be even worse in its consequences than covid, and that that virus needs to be nipped in the bud. and i think you can hear from the tone of those comments, the kind of weariness here, the sense that they've heard this before and they associate that those kind of comments with the language of vladimir putin and of russia — the idea that somehow it was ukraine and its allies which provoked russia rather than ukraine having been subject to an unprovoked attack first in 2014 and then a full scale invasion in 2022. so i think there is a wariness. having heard these kind of comments and an annoyance, but not necessarily an on the record reaction to them at this point from ukrainian officials. tell us more, gordon, about the latest russian missiles that have been directed at ukraine. yes. overnight, another barrage of ukrainian russian missiles and drones targeting ukraine. 29 in all. 13 of the drones were shot down, but four of the missiles did get through and hit in lviv in the west and in the southeast. and in those cases, the target was clearly energy facilities. and this is part of an ongoing russian campaign to target those critical energy facilities and power transmission. it is having some effects. there are already scheduled blackouts in parts of the country because of this long running campaign. and these new attacks have certainly done some damage. and it looks like there will be some changes to those schedules. so a clear emphasis here in ukraine on the both the need to protect those facilities. and that requires more air defense, more air defense missiles which have been promised but which are very much needed and work to repair those facilities. but clearly, a sense here that western support remains vital in order to protect ukraine from that ongoing russian campaign targeting energy facilities. ben wallace criticised the nigel farage claims and said he was inaccurate and had would know plan if elected. ., ., inaccurate and had would know plan if elected. . ., , ~ if elected. nigel farage is like the ub or at if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the _ if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the end _ if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the end of— if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the end of the _ if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the end of the bar - if elected. nigel farage is like the pub or at the end of the bar who l pub or at the end of the bar who said if i was co—running the country and presents simplistic answers to in the 21st century complex problems. it's not that easy to govern a country but also to find international solutions to problems and the sort of i was warning and i was the only person right all along, that's not factually correct and secondly if he became prime minister tomorrow morning, what is a solution tomorrow morning, what is a solution to dealing with the president putin he alleges he admires, a man, remember, who was involved in the murder of a british citizen, dawn sturgess with the deployment on nerve agents and his answer is we provoked him. he will have to deal with the real world and seeing some of the comments today, there's that rather odd admiration of totalitarian leaders that we hear from the sort of part of the donald trump campaign and some of the nigel farage, he's a good old, strong leader. he might be a good old strong leader but he's done it at the expense of our group —— sacrificing half a million russians, dead, injured or deserted on track by the end of this year. the former defence secretary, _ by the end of this year. the former defence secretary, ben _ by the end of this year. the former defence secretary, ben wallace, . defence secretary, ben wallace, campaigning for the conservative party. the international committee of the red cross says its offices in gaza have been damaged by shelling, which killed 22 people who'd sought shelter around its compound. it said all parties had an obligation to take precautions to avoid harm to civilians and humanitarian facilities. the icrc did not say who had carried out the attacks, adding — that it was the most recent incident to have endangered civilian lives. an israel defense forces spokesman told the bbc that initial inquiries suggested there was "no indication" that it had carried out a strike in the area — but added that the incident was "under review". the raid comes as a simmering conflict between israel and the lebanese armed group hezbollah risks turning into a wider regional war. the two sides have exchanged fire across the lebanon—israel border in recent weeks. hezbollah says it is fighting israel to support hamas in gaza. israel's military said that operational plans for an offensive in lebanon had been "approved and validated". our middle east correspondent, lucy williamson, has been to the israeli side of the border this week, and has this report. war empties neighbourhoods. here on israel's northern border, many say war is also the way to get residents back. david has refused to leave. even when rockets landed right in front of his house a few weeks ago. shrapnel slicing through the walls, missing him by inches. it has made him even more determined to stay. every day, every night, bombs, and i was born here. if you live here one night, you will go crazy. very, very strong problem. bombs, rockets. why? rockets hit this area every week. this slipped past israel defences last friday, hitting a street outside the mayor's office. the us is pushing hard for a diplomatic solution here but the mayor says full—scale war is the only way out. translation: sitting - here like lambs to slaughter, just waiting for the day they attack us like we saw in the south, it is unacceptable. everyone understands the choices between the war now or later. i don't think there is any country in the world that would accept daily firing against its citizens. israel has been striking back across the border and talking up preparations for a full—scale offensive against his brother, who have vowed that nowhere in israel would be spared. tough talk is a part of both sides�*s deterrence but it can also spotlight the path to war. it looks like they shot it. tom was out when a rocket hit his house right on the border. what a rocket can do to one house! everything isjust ruined, it is crazy. he says israel's leadership has failed. they lost it. they need to quit, all of them. the biggest failure of our army and our country was not on the 7th of october, the day of the leaders. there is growing pressure in israel for a ceasefire in gaza. that would likely calm tensions in the north as well. but israel's prime minister is keeping both conflicts going, mortgaged by his promise to far right government allies to destroy hamas before ending the gaza war. playing for time is his specialty. but the longer this conflict goes on, the more it turns into playing with fire. more now on the general election here in the uk. our political correspondent tom symonds is with the liberal democrat campaign in east sussex. yes, what they call on the bus the yellowhammer tour and i don't know what it means, is grinding on through the campaign and concentrating on areas where the liberal democrats think they will win seats from the conservatives. we will talk about the chickens in a minute but with me is sir f daly, the leader of the liberal democrats. this is your environment day and you are talking about the policies the lib dems want to offer to the electorate that you specifically say you want rivers and streams to have blue flag status which beaches currently get so you can stop water companies putting sewage into those watercourses and rivers and streams. how will giving them a mark like that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, _ that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you _ that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you want - that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you want to - absolutely right, you want to protect — absolutely right, you want to protect your precious rivers are far more _ protect your precious rivers are far more and — protect your precious rivers are far more and we are focused today on chalk_ more and we are focused today on chalk streams and england has 80% of the wodde— chalk streams and england has 80% of the world's chalk streams and they have often — the world's chalk streams and they have often been called in—�*s rainforest and that is how precious they are _ rainforest and that is how precious they are. and yet last year the government and the water regulators allowed _ government and the water regulators allowed them to pump nearly 49,000 litres allowed them to pump nearly 49,000 titres into _ allowed them to pump nearly 49,000 litres into these precious ecosystems so we are going to get tough — ecosystems so we are going to get tough on _ ecosystems so we are going to get tough on the regulators and we've said a _ tough on the regulators and we've said a lot — tough on the regulators and we've said a lot about the election that we want — said a lot about the election that we want to end the sewage scandal and the _ we want to end the sewage scandal and the blue flag status would come with extra _ and the blue flag status would come with extra support where they will be monitored more closely and the laws would be tougher and the people who wanted to bathe in them would know _ who wanted to bathe in them would know year— who wanted to bathe in them would know year round that it was safe and would _ know year round that it was safe and would allow — know year round that it was safe and would allow nature to recover so i am excited — would allow nature to recover so i am excited about this and it goes along _ am excited about this and it goes along with — am excited about this and it goes along with the ideas of having a tough _ along with the ideas of having a tough regulator and the clean water authority— tough regulator and the clean water authority and i think it would really— authority and i think it would really be _ authority and i think it would really be effective. are authority and i think it would really be effective.— authority and i think it would really be effective. are you going to ban water— really be effective. are you going to ban water companies - really be effective. are you going to ban water companies from - really be effective. are you going - to ban water companies from putting sewage in the rivers and streams? that's what we want to get to. how many would — that's what we want to get to. how many would you — that's what we want to get to. how many would you ban? _ that's what we want to get to. firm? many would you ban? how many would be free from sewage put into them? we have to consult on the numbers and take _ we have to consult on the numbers and take communities with us and chalk— and take communities with us and chalk streams would be the top priority— chalk streams would be the top priority but there are other precious _ priority but there are other precious lakes like lake windermere where _ precious lakes like lake windermere where we _ precious lakes like lake windermere where we want to make sure they get the top _ where we want to make sure they get the top protection possible and if you look— the top protection possible and if you look at our record in the uk and compare _ you look at our record in the uk and compare it — you look at our record in the uk and compare it to— you look at our record in the uk and compare it to other european countries _ compare it to other european countries we got a really poor record — countries we got a really poor record. they have a similar thing to the blue _ record. they have a similar thing to the blue flag status we are talking about _ the blue flag status we are talking about and — the blue flag status we are talking about and they do far better than we do so _ about and they do far better than we do so it— about and they do far better than we do so it can — about and they do far better than we do so it can be done. this is completely possible. it do so it can be done. this is completely possible.- do so it can be done. this is completely possible. it can be done if water companies _ completely possible. it can be done if water companies spend _ completely possible. it can be done if water companies spend billions i completely possible. it can be done | if water companies spend billions on improving infrastructure which they accept they should have done earlier but how will you force them to do it and stop us paying for it through water bills? the and stop us paying for it through water bills?— and stop us paying for it through water bills? ., _, , water bills? the water companies have had it _ water bills? the water companies have had it too _ water bills? the water companies have had it too easy _ water bills? the water companies have had it too easy and - water bills? the water companies have had it too easy and the - water bills? the water companies| have had it too easy and the water regulator — have had it too easy and the water regulator and the government, the environment agency have been way too lenient— environment agency have been way too lenient and _ environment agency have been way too lenient and lets look what they've done _ lenient and lets look what they've done. they borrowed billions of pounds — done. they borrowed billions of pounds to— done. they borrowed billions of pounds to pay the shareholders huge amounts _ pounds to pay the shareholders huge amounts of money and they've not invested _ amounts of money and they've not invested the money like they should have done — invested the money like they should have done. will invested the money like they should have done. ~ , ., invested the money like they should have done. ~ i. ., ,, invested the money like they should have done. ~ , ., ., ,, ., have done. will you make them do that? that — have done. will you make them do that? that is _ have done. will you make them do that? that is a — have done. will you make them do that? that is a fundamental - have done. will you make them do that? that is a fundamental part i have done. will you make them do j that? that is a fundamental part of the oli that? that is a fundamental part of the policy to _ that? that is a fundamental part of the policy to have _ that? that is a fundamental part of the policy to have a _ that? that is a fundamental part of the policy to have a tougher- the policy to have a tougher regulator and a clean water authority with the powers of the environment agency and the drinking water— environment agency and the drinking water inspectorate and give them the resources _ water inspectorate and give them the resources we want to spend on getting _ resources we want to spend on getting more in their so we can get tough _ getting more in their so we can get tough on _ getting more in their so we can get tough on the water companies. they -ot tough on the water companies. they got away— tough on the water companies. they got away with it another liberal democrats they wouldn't and we will end the _ democrats they wouldn't and we will end the sewage scandal. we democrats they wouldn't and we will end the sewage scandal.— democrats they wouldn't and we will end the sewage scandal. we saw you with the chickens _ end the sewage scandal. we saw you with the chickens and _ end the sewage scandal. we saw you with the chickens and they _ end the sewage scandal. we saw you with the chickens and they will- end the sewage scandal. we saw you with the chickens and they will not i with the chickens and they will not vote for you and there are no voters here. is this really working for you, this photocall campaign you are running? i have not seen, i am a situation with a daveymania, and you have a bump in the polls but no one is massively coming behind the liberal democrats as the poll show. on the doorsteps where we can be the conservatives in places like this and across— conservatives in places like this and across sussex and the home counties. — and across sussex and the home counties, berkshire, buckinghamshire. so many places that were previously considered to be safe tory— were previously considered to be safe tory heartlands and is the liberal— safe tory heartlands and is the liberal democrats who are challenging them and the reception we get _ challenging them and the reception we get on _ challenging them and the reception we get on the doorstep is phenomenal and we _ we get on the doorstep is phenomenal and we are _ we get on the doorstep is phenomenal and we are grateful for it will be a wasted _ and we are grateful for it will be a wasted vote in the south east and west— wasted vote in the south east and west country and their backers to be the conservatives and what an extraordinary thing and how many lifelong _ extraordinary thing and how many lifelong conservatives with families voting _ lifelong conservatives with families voting conservative saying they cannot — voting conservative saying they cannot do it this time. when you look— cannot do it this time. when you look at _ cannot do it this time. when you look at the — cannot do it this time. when you look at the polls they have reform intentions — look at the polls they have reform intentions and don't seem to be moving — intentions and don't seem to be moving wholesale. i will push back slightly _ moving wholesale. i wi