Ah, i have signed the decree on the introduction of martial law in these 4 regions of the russian federation. President putin has made it very clear what the pseudo referendums and the occupied territories that hes not looking for a way that russia specially enterprise is maybe one of a tremendous problem. Only person who cannot right know in the war. If this is a do or that content right now, today, if is, let me put wanted to, this is his work. He started this war also on the show back in terran, the iranian climber who caused a stir for a competing abroad without a headscarf appears in public for the 1st time. Was she siding with Anti Government demonstrators and will she face consequences after claiming it was all an accident . I. Hello, so i, i apologize to the iranian people, the comment because i created problems for them as my uncle and they were concerned about me with this one. Again, realism, thanks for joining us. Its a law from 2002, one that had never been invoked until now, flooding reputed as declared martial law in territories that do not belong to his country, and that are in big part not even under his control. This gives his proxies in the occupied regions, sweeping emergency powers, and could have devastating consequences for the civilians still living there. But potent says, really, its just a formality with this is you, napoleon, let me remind you that martial law was an effect in the donuts peoples republic to lu hans peoples republic in the her son and appreciate regions. Do you ever since their entry into the territory of russia, each of them . Yeah. And now it is therefore necessary to apply this law within the russian legal framework. Therefore, the more i have signed a decree on the introduction of martial law in these 4 regions of the russian federation. Now its unclear of what the declaration of martial law will mean in practical terms and those illegally annexed regions. The commander of Russian Troops in ukraine has been forced to acknowledge difficulties on the frontlines. Moscow is struggling to maintain its hold on several strategic positions. There. A fierce battle for control over her san looms again of her social. It was one of the 1st ukrainian cities to fall to Russian Forces at the start of the war. Now russia says ukraine is preparing to take it back. Images posted on social media by a russian installed official claim to show fortifications outside the city. Allegedly, pro kremlin regional leaders are urging civilians to leave in order to avoid casualties. And to give the russian army room to maneuver. What id have to do about our school was i ask you to interpret my word seriously as a cold to evacuate quickly. We wont abandon the city, will stand until the end of the gun thought since issuing the evacuation order. The russian appointed administration said it had decided to move across the nipper river. But vowed that moscows forces would fight to the death. Keeping harrison will be the 1st big test for general sergey serv. Eakin in his new role as commander of russias forces in ukraine. The man known as general armageddon, admitted the battle for his son would not be easy villiers in a ship blow. Now further actions and plans regarding the city of high san itself will depend on the military tactical situation at hand. Well, i will say this again. It is already very difficult as of today this morning, but also as for the 10s of thousands of people, moscow says are fleeing the city. Russia has promised them housing certificates if they wish to leave ukraine. But its unclear how many are leaving under their own free will. Since the start of the invasion, keith has accused moscow of forcibly resettling thousands of ukrainians to territories inside russia. Far from home. And earlier i spoke to investigative journalist and writer, catherine belton. She works for the washington post. Shes also the author of the 2020 book putins people. I began by asking what she thought the strategy was behind put in declaring martial law in the annex territories. And hes obviously very worried about this ukrainian counter offensive. It doesnt look like the very, very close. Its not taking care. So and, and hes sort of making steps to make it clear to his population that this is your crane. The aggression, not russians, aggression. And in fact, an advisor to the Defense Ministry has said that hes worried that the russians are doing a preparing the ground for a kind of a mis inflammation campaign. Hes worried that this you ation is preparing the ground, brought some kind of bombing attack, which then the russians could blame on the cranium. So theres all kinds of shuffling going on. But really, the bottom line is a lot of hassle. The preaching is going to be very big blood. Every little mace is a further escalation that things, if you just digging a deeper and deeper hole for himself or can he actually turn the tide of the war . You know, its very difficult. Obviously, hes already been backed into sourcing the mobilization of his own people. Youd always promised that he was never going to have to do that. Its a deeply and popular step which really undermines the foundations of his own presidency. His legitimacy is president , is based on his popularity. Im ready by bringing the war home to russians. Now, bringing it, not, its not like it was popular women russians because they were watching on this as if they were watching a football match on tv. But now theyre risking the life of their loved ones. People who might not come back from the front to going to be trained and equipped to fight me crazy and, and really he never want to measure that. He never wanted to take, and its already leaving him very vulnerable to criticism within his and by declaring martial law is also in a way of admitting that russia is in fact at war. Its something that hes trying to avoid until now, by labeling it a special military operation, hasnt he . What could be the domestic repercussions of this . You know, i think, i mean, with each stage over the past months as russia has lost more and more territory. Ukrainians, which is sort of preparing the ground, it seems with the recognition of what hes called a special military operation. As a war, both you have mobilize ation other marcia who are in the ukranian regions in a kind of a semi marshal status even within the russian regions itself. On the borders of ukraine is going to be strict and always in for an economic mobilization to support the effort. Though the wireless, its creeping closer and closer to that and really having a big impact on his standing in the lead on among the population. There was a recent opinion by the criminal make Public Opinion foundation, which found that 70 percent of russians and now very, very anxious about whats going on. Hes really bringing, bringing the situation home to ordinary russian says, i think his position is much more for terry than its ever been in his entire president who is still on board with this war. He wrote a book called food and people who are poor people at this stage. You know, were seeing divisions emerge within the around him. Of course, there are hard liners who are pressing pretending to act as or against ukraine. I mean, he himself will sees this war that he began almost by accident because he believes that, you know, at the sight of Russian Troops, president lensky of reclaimed, would just run away. I didnt think he ever in the business that a month on hes still be fighting this war but has gone on. Hes backed into a corner. So there are hard liners such as your guinea, pretty goods in hes a long time. I let his from st. Petersburg, who has sent his own rest and me into the fight in ukraine. There is another whole cold nikolai popular ship, who is the head of vs Security Council, who was very instrumental in and paving the way towards thats more in ukraine. He told who turned just days before and now infamous Security Council meeting, thats the u. S. With using ukraine as a platform to destabilize russia and undermine it. And he told or put in that our task is to defend russia sovereignty and territorial integrity. They pretty much have includes what to do. So hes definitely a whole. But there are definitely those within rushes economic and now who are becoming more and more a gasket . Whats going on in the summer . They will perhaps content to that the will rumble on in east ukraine. They were hoping to divert trade, those to china and india, and avoidance of western sanctions. But thats becoming ever more difficult and seeing who to lose territory. And thats not just a loss to his popularity its, its kind of a loss to his standing within the leaks and suddenly he is coming back. Game has been going to Great Lengths to place the blame for russian defeats on his defense minister. But he is the commander in chief of the Russian Armed forces. So are people starting to point fingers on him . Well, we seen some reporting out of the us, i think from some some colleagues who said that to, to have, with personally taking command of the army that he was actually issuing orders himself trying to sort of, kind of been bagel himself into the day to day operations, so at some point its going to come back to bite to, i mean, so from most of the criticism has been directed at his military chief. But i think thats getting harder and harder to keep the lid on, especially as we see this constant retreat. Catherine belltime, investigative journalist and writer, let her speaking to you tonight. Thank you so much. I think the latimer prudent finds himself in an incredibly difficult position. And what reflects to me is seems his only tool available to him is to brutalize individual citizens. You can choose to try to intimidate them and to capitulate. Did not come. And i was you as president job, im saying lot of recruitment is running out of options in ukraine and washington has played a big part in that since february the u. S. Congress has approved tens of billions of dollars to help ukraine defend itself against Russian Forces. And so far that funding has enjoyed strong bipartisan support. Both in the senate and the house. The us, along with as western allies, has promised to back ukraine for as long as it takes with weapons and humanitarian aid. But with the u. S. Mid term elections less than 3 weeks away, and the republicans likely to take control of congress. There are a signs that cross Party Support might be starting to wayne. This week, the Republican House minority leader, Kevin Mccarthy, gave this warning and an interview. He said, i think people are going to be sitting in a recession and theyre not going to write a blank check to ukraine. They just wont do it. Its not a free blank check. And i want to talk about all of this with our washington correspondent series. So misconduct. So hes so good to see you at. So is Kevin Mccarthy really saying the republicans will cut funding for ukraine if they win control of congress . Nickel. Thats a question. A lot of people have been asking in washington to day because this really is the 1st time that we have publicly heard a leading republican signal doubt about the resiliency of u. S. Support for ukraine. And Kevin Mccarthy, of course, is the House Minority leader. So that means hes the Top Republican in the house of representatives right now. And as you said, this is an issue that until now has gotten broad bipartisan support. I mean, both parties have been very eager to show that they are firmly behind ukraine. The white house is set on multiple occasions that they see this war as fundamental to us security as well. Congress has approved tens of billions of dollars of humanitarian aid of the white house ascent, of course, billions of dollars worth of military equipment as well. So these comments have raised eyebrows. Nicole and i thought it was interesting what the white house said. They were asked about mccarthys comments and the press secretary, karen john pier didnt really address it. And she thanked congress for its bipartisan work and supporting ukraine. And she said, quote, the white house will continue to monitor those conversations on these efforts and support ukraine as long as it takes. So this is the 1st time were hearing Something Like that uttered in public. But how popular is that opinion among the g o. P, maybe even behind closed doors. Its hard to tell nicole. I mean, i think 1st we have to dig down into what Kevin Mccarthy said. And if you, if you look at the quote, he said it is not a free blank check. And that, i think is in part a nod towards a growing sentiment among many republicans that there needs to be more oversight of how money is spent. I mean, we are talking about billions of dollars of military equipment. And republicans are essentially saying many of them are saying theres not enough close monitoring of exactly how that moneys being spent, where it is going. If its ending up in the right hands, if its supposed to be ending up, where it, where it was intended to end up. And the u. S. Has been delivering weapons and aid at such a fast speed that it is an easy to track where its all going. So republicans, as an answer to that have offered amendments to assistance packages that would create a special inspector who would monitor u. S. Funded aid into ukraine as a way to, to amend this that might be what Kevin Mccarthy was signaling, but nichol. I think theres Something Else to look at here that is a divide in the Republican Party for the most part. As we said, Congressional Republicans have stood behind ukraine. But if you look at the hard right wing of the party, so the republicans who were tied to former president trump, they have expressed more pro russian and pro potent sentiment in the past. So i think were seeing in part a question about where 8 is going and also a rift in the Republican Party at the u. S. Is the biggest supporter of ukraines war effort . Is this an issue, voters are worried about going into the mid terms . I think its important to say there is still broad support for ukraine and of rejection of russia, but that interest and concern has waned. And i looked at a study from the pew research center. They pulled americans in september. And that study showed that the share of u. S. Adults who were concerned about ukraine losing this war. It is down to 38 percent. It was 55 percent in may. So that number is dropping. And interestingly enough, or cold, theres a partisan difference. So, democrats are more likely than republicans to express a high level of concern about issues related to the war. So its safe to say its not a major issue heading into these mid term elections, but the economy is, inflation is high. Gas prices have ticked up again, and that is something to biden administration, a struggle to address it. Weve talked to plenty of voters mean my d, w colleagues here who say the economys top of mind. So what Kevin Mccarthy is touching upon here is how long that this broad spending for ukraine can continue with. So Many Americans struggling economically, and i know thats a question being asked there in germany and europe as well. But combined with mid term elections, it does have some observers concerned. And one more note in that nicole, remember, republicans are expected to win back the house of representatives in these upcoming mid term elections. So will, could really have an impact. What we heard from Kevin Mccarthy, exactly. To me so much on a thank you so much. Always great speaking to you. I only a couple of days ago, not many people knew about l nasir copy, but after the iranian climber participated in a competition in south korea without a he job her name made international headlines. She was applauded for her bravery for her show of support towards the protest movement and then disappeared. Last night she received a heros welcome and terran, but fears are she might yet face punishment. Mm. Competitive climate illness recovery is back in a ram greeted by a bouquet of flowers and cheering crowds outside terren air horse wood. Its unclear whether any of this is staged and water fate is now. She appeared without a headscarf june, a competition in south korea the weekend. You know, they, these lamps, republic mandates that all female athletes where the he job recovery his claim competing without the head jab was unintentional and she denied report. Shed gone missing for around a day after the event i was unexpectedly called and i had to compete. I was busy putting on my shoes and technical gear. And that caused me to forget to put on the job i had to where. Then i went to compete with, fortunately, i come back to iran with peace of mind. Although i went through a lot of tension and stress so far. Thank god, nothing has happened with the last comment as spark speculation that her statements may have been coerced. Even the wind has spoken out about her case. We are aware of that case and we are following it closely. Im concerns are being raised her with the authorities as well. And what we have to stress is that women should never be prosecuted for what day, where im there to should they should never be subjected to violations such as arbitrary detention or, or any kind of violence with regards to what they were Anti Government protests in iran. Sparked for the death of a woman in the custody of the country is notorious morality, police. Ive entered a 5th week now the authorities, treatment of another woman, will be closely watched. And i can now speak about this case with you so near. Shes a human rights lawyer and director of the Atlantic Council strategic litigation project was me and thanks for joining us on the day. Again, its a very much speculation at this point still, but what do you make of this incident and the claims that it was all an accident . Well, i think its pretty clear that its not an accident, and that is being forced to say this. The video that has come out of her saying that its an accident. I think its pretty clear that her voice is low. She appears very fearful. And we have to understand that theres amik republic of iran has a very long history of forced confessions with Po