Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi has appeared on state television saying he will never surrender, despite NATO launching its heaviest bombing on the capital since the allied air strikes began in March.

More than 30 people died in the latest NATO attacks on Tripoli, but Mr Gaddafi said martyrdom would be a million times better than giving in to pressure from the West.

"You cowards, you shall not intimidate the great Libyan people; you shall not intimidate resilient Tripoli," Mr Gaddafi said as he let fly at his enemies on his 69th birthday.

"Glory shall be for Tripoli, glory shall be for Libya that is facing the most aggressive, barbaric, savage campaign to force it into submission."

Some citizens are managing to flee the capital. They have told news agencies the situation is deteriorating.

"What can I tell you about the situation in Tripoli? It's a disaster, many problems," one man said.

"We have to line up in queues to buy bread, petrol and food. The roads are OK, but filled with Gaddafi's forces everywhere and there are inspections everywhere.

"Whenever you go you find a military checkpoint run by Gaddafi's forces. It's getting difficult to move in Tripoli."

The government's official spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, says the international community's intervention in Libya will only wreak hatred towards Britain.

"How is this any way out of the Libyan crisis? By bombarding a city; by sending rockets and bombs on top of the heads of Libyan people?

"How do you think the kids of Libyan parents will grow up to feel? All of them will have this memory of hatred against Britain."

He says dialogue with the West is still possible, but the toll inflicted by NATO is crippling his country.

"The forces of evil attacked with full power the centre and the outskirts of our beautiful city of Tripoli," he said.

"Today we were hit by more than 60 rockets. Today we have lost 31 martyrs from the centre of the city in Bab al-Aziziyah, the outskirts of Tajura.

"Some of these 31 were guards guarding the buildings that were hit, some of them were passers-by, some of them were totally innocent civilians. The injured are in the dozens."

Stability

The government then appealed to the West to abandon the rebels because only it could bring peace, democracy and stability to the Mediterranean.

But that message did not deter Russia; its envoy, Mikhail Margelov, held talks in the rebel controlled city of Benghazi.

"Russia is ready to help now; Russia is ready to help politically, economically and in other possible ways," he said.

"We are as a permanent member of the security council, we are as a member of G8, are ready to carry our part of responsibility for the future of this extremely important Arab and African nation."

Germany has hardened its position too in recent days, promising to help rebuild Libya once Mr Gaddafi goes.

In the United States, president Barack Obama once again warned Mr Gaddafi he should go now because his days were numbered.

"What you're seeing across the country is a inexorable trend of the regime forces being pushed back, being incapacitated," he said.

"You're seeing defections, often times of some very high-profile members of the Gaddafi government as well as the military, and I think it is just matter of time before Gaddafi goes."

Libya's labour minister al-Amin Manfur is the latest defection to the West. He switched sides on a visit to Geneva.