so reflections there. let“s knowing exactly what they will face. so reflections there. let s go back to our reporter, frances reid, who is listening into those statements outside court. yes, very moving. that is the first time that matt ratana“s partner has ever spoken as well, so a huge day. that is what they are talking about comedy justice. that is what they are talking about comedyjustice. thejustice that is what they are talking about comedyjustice. the justice they wanted for matt. they talk about him being this friendly personality, compassionate, a real good officer, dedicated to hisjob. for 30 odd years, you know, about to retire. and i think that is what they wanted to get across today, that bravery of the met police officers as well in doing that dailyjob in what is a very riskyjob. and i think the met police were very keen to get that across today. and they gave the officers involved in this case,
now that russia cannot get away with it stacked x. these tactics. the destruction of the dam comes as reports of the long awaited ukrainian counter offensive entering its initial stages. this video from ukraine s military, released in the last few days, referred to the counter offensive and confirmed there would not be an announcement about the start. now, a us official has told the bbc s partner us network cbs that it is accurate to say that the ukraine counter offensive is in its opening phases but that the main thrust has not yet begun. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse has spent the day travelling the area affected by the dam. a breach of a barrier designed to protect. this is the major kakhovka dam, failing to contain a reservoir resembling a sea. the waters of ukraine s dnipro river surge downstream,
this video from ukraine s military, released in the last few days, referred to the counter offensive and confirmed there would not be an announcement about the start. now, a us official has told the bbc s partner us network cbs that it is accurate to say that the ukraine counter offensive is in its opening phases but that the main thrust has not yet begun. earlier i spoke with alexander rodnyansky, an advisor to president volodymyr zelensky. thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. i want to start with this dam explosion. president zelensky has about 80 towns and villages could be affected. what is the impact on the country s energy infrastructure? yeah that s right. well, the impact is devastating, it is still to be seen what will happen exactly but it is notjust the energy infrastructure. keep in mind about 80 towns and villages are flooded, maybe more.
chances of chris christie. we start in ukraine. and let s begin with that breaking news in the last hour that a us official has told the bbc s partner us network cbs that it is accurate to say that the ukraine counter offensive is in its opening phases but that the main thrust has not yet begun. we ll have more on this in the next few minutes with a defence analyst. but now the attack on the dam. un security council meeting in next hour. we re going to do two things. look at scale of damage. and ask our experts who s most likely to have done this.
happens to the zaporizhzhia nuclear power station and the people would have to think about how they would have to think about how they would have to think about how they would have to survive this incredibly hot and dry summer in ukraine, as the nova kakhovka reservoir is drinking. that would be difficult for them. thank you for that vitaly shevchenko. just some breaking news in relation to ukraine that we just received from our washington bureau. a us official has told bbc s partner, us network, cbs news, that it s accurate to say that the ukraine culture offensive is in its opening phases but the main thrust has not yet begun. so, if you were with us yesterday, there was an increase in activity from the ukrainian side and we were trying to get to the bottom of whether or not this was the start of the counteroffensive are not. we had this from a us official who told the