the trenches, the mines exploding and kill our friends. it s a new weapon. ukraine s now using a new weapon, too, one that s banned by more than 100 countries. a this us supplied howitzer is firing on russian infantry positions. and for the first time, we re seeing them using cluster munitions. cluster shells scatter scores of small bombs over a wide area, fired to try to dislodge russian infantry and artillery. the ukrainian general overseeing the southern offensive defended their use. he says he s facing a more difficult enemy. must translation: idon t- underestimate the enemy. they ve created all the conditions that prevent us from moving forward quickly. but their weakness is they don t care about their people. how can i decide if your offensive
he s seen brutal new tactics. this is what he recently filmed when ukrainian troops, advancing from the bottom right, tried to capture a russian trench. it was empty but rigged with explosives. 0n the russian trenches, they leave remote controlled mines, and when the soldiers get to the trenches, the mines explode and kill ourfriends. it s a new weapon. ukraine s now using a new weapon too, one that s banned by more than 100 countries. this us supplied howitzer is firing on russian infantry positions, and for the first time we re seeing them using cluster munitions. the ukrainian general overseeing the southern offensive defended their use. he says he s facing a more difficult enemy. translation: i don t underestimate the enemy. they have created all the conditions
here is unclear. fred, we re hearing of a new southern offensive taking shape, tell us about that. reporter: the russians said they were heavily shelling the western area of zaporizhzhia. if the ukrainians break through there, they could be at the black sea quickly and cut off russia s access to crimea. the russians say they took a couple villages. the ukrainians say they were holding the line there. it s unclear whether russia will make any additional moves. it s one of those places, where in the future, could become a hot zone of this war. right now we re mostly looking at the east, jake. fred, thank you. let s bring in mark esper,
and in a very different way, there are also challenges in telling you what s happening in ukraine. ukraine s southern offensive is a crucial part of this war. its main focus is the region of kherson, the areas controlled by russia here in red. and the big prize is the regional capital, also called kherson. it is strategically and symbolically important, but despite how much this matters, finding out what is happening there is hard. ukraine s imposed reporting restrictions. most of the front line remains off limits to journalists. but some do get limited access and the bbc s jeremy bowen is one of them. earlier in the week, i messaged jeremy and asked if he would record his thoughts on where the battle has got to. let s take some time to see what he sent. my conclusion about the kherson offensive, which has been ballyhooed now four months, is that it has moved either
putting himself and his party policies at the very top of the agenda. that is why the plight of workers escaping a foxconn facility this week is one aspect of a far bigger story that extends to president xi s consolidation of power and to the high streets where chinese made goods are sold. president xi s decisions affect those foxconn workers directly but they also affect us all. as you will know, there are great challenges in knowing what is happening in china. the government there severely restricts what journalists and everyone else can do. and in a very different way, there are also challenges in telling you what s happening in ukraine. ukraine s southern offensive is a crucial part of this war. its main focus is the region of kherson, the areas controlled by russia i m out here in red.