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The Lead with Jake Tapper

White House: U.S. To Sanction Putin And Russian FM Lavrov; Sources: U.S. Concerned Kyiv Could Fall To Russia Within Days; Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson To Be First Black Woman On Supreme Court; CDC Says Most Americans No Longer Need To Wear Masks Indoors; Russia Warns International Space Station Could Crash To Earth Due To Sanctions. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired February 25, 2022 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[16:00:23]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

And we start with breaking news in our world lead. Just moments ago, the White House confirming that it plans to impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The U.S. following the lead of the European Union and the United Kingdom which sanctioned those two leaders today.

This move accompanies growing fears among U.S. intelligence officials that despite valiant and courageous efforts by Ukrainians to defend their country, Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv could fall under Russian control within the next few days. That's according to two sources familiar with the latest U.S. intelligence who say that the belief among Western officials is that Russia's plan is to topple the Ukrainian government.

In fact, moments ago, Kyiv's mayor warned of a difficult night ahead.

That was shortly followed by this, the sounds of air raid sirens. The U.S. has observed at least 200 total Russian missile launches into Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Confirming that some of those rockets have hit Ukrainian civilian residential areas. Though as of now, we do not know for sure how many innocent Ukrainians have been killed.

CNN's Jim Sciutto starts off our coverage from Lviv, which is in Western Ukraine. Jim has new details on how the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky is trying to rally his nation to fight against the Russian invaders.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The city of Kyiv under siege. Attacks close to the city center with Russian military vehicles seen on the city streets. The sound of gunfire echoed in residential areas. Air raid sirens sounding across the capital. The U.S. now concerned that Kyiv could fall into Russian control within days and the civilians of Ukraine are paying a horrible price of war.

Citizens who fled to the safer western part of the country still finding themselves under threat. And the Ukrainian military doing their best to halt the Russian advance. Claiming to have inflicted some 800 Russian casualties, and destroying more than 30 tanks, seven aircraft, and six helicopters.

Russia denies losing any aircraft to the Ukrainians. The Russian advance is going forward. Overnight, Russian units pushed into Ukraine from three sides, including an amphibious attack near the city of Mariupol.

Ukrainian President Zelensky today released video of himself defiant on the streets of the capital, trying to rally his nation.

PRES. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINE (through translator): We are all here defending our independence, our state, and it will remain so. Glory to our defenders.

SCIUTTO: Zelensky spoke with President Biden today saying they discussed strengthening sanctions, concrete assistance and an anti-war coalition. But earlier he expressed frustration with the West, saying sanctions on Russia are not enough.

ZELENSKY: This morning, we are defending our country alone. Just like yesterday, the most powerful country in the world looked on from a distance.

SCIUTTO: Zelensky appealed directly to Vladimir Putin for talks.

ZELENSKY: There is fighting all over Ukraine now. Let's sit down at the negotiating table to stop the death of people.

SCIUTTO: For his part, Putin has called on the Ukrainian people to rise up against Zelensky's government.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Just take power into your hands.

SCIUTTO: Russian's foreign minister claimed Russia would not target Zelensky.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Nobody is going to attack the people of Ukraine. Nobody is going to somehow degrade the Ukrainian armed forces.

SCIUTTO: But the Ukrainian president is not buying it.

ZELENSKY: According to available information, the enemy labeled me as the number one target. My family as the number two target.

SCIUTTO: Despite the overwhelming odds, the Ukrainian spirit has been on full display.

The former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is taking up arms himself, alongside Ukrainians in the face of the invasion. PETRO POROSHENKO, FORMER UKRAINE PRESIDENT: We Ukrainians are not

standing in line for the bread, for the cash from the bank machine.

[16:05:00]

We are standing in line for the weapons.

SCIUTTO: Ukraine released this between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the Black Sea before the Ukrainians were killed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): I am a Russian military ship, repeat I am a Russian military ship, proposing to put down arms immediately to avoid bloodshed and unjustified deaths.

SCIUTTO: And their last words?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (translated): Russian warship, go f*** yourself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (on camera): Tonight, CNN has new reporting that the U.S. believes Russia is threatening Ukrainian soldiers that it will kill their families if they don't surrender. These are mob tactics, Jake, but I will tell you, here in Lviv, we are seeing more fully uniform Ukrainian military in full combat gear inside the city center. They are here to defend it, around the country to defend the country. They are not backing down.

TAPPER: Famous last word: Russian warship, go F yourself.

Jim Sciutto in Lviv, Ukraine, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Let's go now to Clarissa Ward who's live for us in Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

And, Clarissa, the mayor of Kyiv is warning that Russian troops are, quote, very close to the capital. Tell us what's going on the ground there?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, it's a very eerie situation tonight. It's completely silent out there with the exception of the steady thud of explosions, mostly in the distance. Few of them just about 20 minutes ago were a little closer and then we heard those air raid sirens, which you mentioned before.

That's pretty much the only sound you hear out on the streets these days, is those air raid sirens. People are hunkered down, taking cover, fearing the worst. We know that Russian paratroopers have already taken control of an air field just on the outskirts of Kyiv. There are also Russian troops moving towards the city in three different directions.

They have been facing some pretty stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces. But the expectation from many is that it won't be long before they are able to press further in. We actually drove here today from the city of Kharkiv in the east and we saw along the way a Ukrainian military convoy, of about three vehicles, that had been bombed.

It looked like it was targeted in aerial bombardment. It was a multi- rocket launcher, along with a sort of truck with gas or petrol on it, and another vehicle. There were a huge amount of smoke and we saw firemen trying to put out the flames. At least one Ukrainian soldier that we saw for ourselves was obviously killed in that attack.

But I think what it goes to show you is the distinct disadvantage that the Ukrainian military has because they don't have air defenses and because it is so difficult to hide the movements of weaponry like a multi-rocket launcher, for example. The Russians are able now to just come in and target opportunistically where they see they have a moment to do so.

As we got much closer to the capital, we saw a large group of civil defense volunteers. You know, Jim mentioned in his package that people are just signing up to fight. They want to be involved in this fight. They're collecting weapons where they can collect them. We saw them standing there with a huge pile of tires, presumably they were planning to set fire to the tires, to attempt to block the road if Russian forces started to get close to the capital.

But it obviously gives you a sense as well, Jake, of just how outmatched they are. At the end of the day, despite the courage and the valor, it's just not realistic to think that burning tires and fighting in this way can really compete effectively with one of the most sophisticated militaries in the world. In using air power is a major, major advantage, obviously, Jake.

TAPPER: And we know that Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke with President Biden today. What can you tell us about that call? What can you tell us about Zelensky's thinking right now?

WARD: I think Zelensky is in a tremendously difficult position right now. He's been appealing endlessly, not just to President Biden but to all the European leaders. He said he called all leaders of 27 nations begging them to essentially let Ukraine join NATO. The idea being that that might then enable them to invoke Article 5 and come to the rescue here with some kind of military support, because despite the strength of these sanctions, let's be very clear. It does not appear they are having an effect in the moment in terms of sort of softening the ferocity of Russia's advances, particularly on the city here in Kyiv.

We heard also from Zelensky last night saying he is target number one for the Russians, and his family is target number two.

[16:10:02]

And yet he still came out tonight on his Facebook account with, surrounded by some of his cabinet members, and made a selfie video where he said, we are here. We are in Kyiv. We will defend you. We will not leave you.

Which is, you know, pretty exceptional courage when you think about, that it has been some time now that the Americans have actually advised Zelensky that he should think about leaving the capital because there is a sense that he could be in very, very real danger once Russian ground troops reach the city center, Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Clarissa Ward live in Kyiv, Ukraine. Thank you and stay safe.

Let's break this down with retired Colonel Cedric Leighton at the magic wall. He's a CNN military analyst as well as former member of the joint staff at the Pentagon.

So, Colonel, show us on the map where Russian troops are around the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and what your assessment is of how soon Russia could possibly take the capital.

CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right, Jake, yes. First of all, we have the Obolonskyi District right here. This is the northern most area of Kyiv and it is the area where Russian troops are coming in this way, and this way, and this way. Those are the three areas that Clarissa mentioned in her reporting.

I notice that the Antonov airport is right over here. Special forces of Russia captured that the other day. Matthew Chance happened upon them when they were there.

This is what -- how they're doing it. They're going basically one piece by another. What they're going to do here in terms of how long this will take them, I would estimate, if they're going to not only capture Kyiv, it will take 24 to 48 hours for them to do that. There is a chance, of course, when they capture a place like Kyiv, it is capture in name only. There will be a lot of resistance going on in the streets of this major city.

And, in fact, when we break this down into Obolon right here, this is that district I told you about. It is surrounded on three sides by water. It's relatively triangular. A lot of residential areas here, some factories and people of economic activity in this area.

It will be tough going if the Ukrainians defend this area, house by house, street by street.

TAPPER: And let's take a bigger picture. We're seeing a ton of Russian troops coming in from the north from Belarus, which is an ally of Russia. Would a scale like this be possible without the active help, support and complicity of Belarus?

LEIGHTON: Not really. Yes. The Russians could have a greater concentration of forces in the east in this particular area, but the main important thing. We have to keep in mind what their goal is, Jake, and their goal is Kyiv right here, because that is the center of the Ukrainian universe and frankly, the Russian universe as outlined by Vladimir Putin.

And that is why Belarus become so important. Belarus is complicit in this invasion. There's no question about it.

TAPPER: And as we just heard in Jim's piece, there was a defiant, a very brave last stand by border guards on part of Ukraine called Snake Island. Is there a significance to that island? LEIGHTON: There is actually. This is a very interesting piece of

property. It is right here, not in the middle but the edge of the Black Sea. But what's interesting about this, this is Romania. This is a NATO country.

And this right here is the mouth of the Danube River. This is basically Ukraine's southwestern most border point. And as a result of that, this island has strategic significance.

So what the Russians are effectively doing is they're controlling the area in which traffic, river traffic from the Danube can enter the Black Sea. So the significance is quite great in this case.

TAPPER: Chilling, actually.

Colonel Leighton, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

We're going to stay with our breaking news.

Our CNN correspondent Sam Kiley is driving from eastern to western Ukraine and he's live in one town that was hit by Russian missiles just this morning. That's next.

Plus, breaking news in our health leader. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just changed its guidance for mask wearing indoors. That's ahead.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:18:34]

TAPPER: We're back with our breaking news coverage of Russia's war against Ukraine. CNN teams have just arrived to a town in eastern Ukraine that was hit in recent days by Russian strikes.

Let's get straight to CNN's Sam Kiley there in the town of Kropyvntskyi.

Sam, tell us what you're seeing there.

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a town, Jake, about 200 kilometers, 160 miles almost due south of Kyiv. A town that would otherwise be unremarkable but it is the base for the third Special Forces regimen of the Ukrainian army. It was attacked with missiles earlier on today.

It is jam-packed now with refugees. As we were driving from the west to the east, we noticed more and more convoys, small self-organized convoys of whole communities on the move from towns in the interior of Ukraine. Of course, this is not just a military campaign, although the focus is clearly on Kyiv and the decapitation attempt against the Ukrainian government by Vladimir Putin's armed forces.

There are attacks ongoing in Kharkiv where we were this morning, and right across the country, and lots of refugees pouring in. We've been traveling around just before and after curfew and the only people on the streets are refugees looking in vain in most cases for somewhere to spend the night before heading on, most likely to the Polish border.

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We stopped by one hotel where the receptionist said, listen. Money is meaningless here. There was no amount of money that she could take to accommodate the 500 people she already had in the building, Jake.

TAPPER: Sam Kiley in Ukraine, thank you so much. Stay safe.

Joining us now to discuss, Republican Congressman August Pfluger of Texas. He's on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and he served in the Air Force for nearly two decades. He's a colonel in the Air Force Reserves.

Congressman, thanks for joining us.

Sources tell CNN that U.S. officials are very worried that Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, could fall under Russian control within days. Do you agree? Is that likely to happen?

REP. AUGUST PFLUGER (R-TX): Jake, thanks for having me. I do agree. Unfortunately, it is a tragic situation. You find Kyiv, which I was just there four short weeks ago, meeting with Ukraine officials, including the President Zelensky, and you see that the objective is absolutely Kyiv. It's the control of Ukraine.

And Putin will stop at nothing short of trying to get the capital and then from there, I think we need to continue to check him with strength. It's time for Americans to come together, to act with strength to deter him, because it's not just about Ukraine. This is also about China and other malign actors.

TAPPER: The White House announced the U.S. government will sanction Vladimir Putin as well as the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. I know you've been calling for sanctions against Putin.

Do you think that's enough? Do you want to see more actions taken by the Biden administration against Russia? If so, what?

PFLUGER: I think it is a step in the right direction. As we come together as America to be unified, strength is the only position we should take here. It is a step in the right direction. But we really need to go further to the heart of the matter which is energy. When I was with President Zelensky, he made it very clear that Nord Stream was the lever, was the power that emboldened Putin to get to this point and this was four weeks ago, to get to the point where he could invade. So, we've got to hit him where it hurts. I think the start of that really is energy. That's where they've been able to build up the foreign reserves to $600 billion, $700 billion.

We need to make a mark not only on Putin but any other would be actors that would be watching this, like China. TAPPER: Russian leaders claim they're ready to send a delegation to

Minsk in Belarus for talks with Ukrainian leaders. I assume you don't think Russia is actual serious about any sort of diplomatic solution. So, why would they make that announcement?

PFLUGER: Well, this is part of the disinformation, misinformation campaign. It is straight out of the playbook. And I'll give credit to the Biden administration for releasing intelligence ahead of the attack to make it known, not just to the American public but worldwide that they intended to use a false flag operation to start the provocation.

So this is very similar out of the play book. We need to respond by first saying, we're not going to negotiate with terrorists. I think the Ukrainians would agree with that. But this is a sovereign country. They'll fight for the borders. And until they pull back, there is no negotiating.

TAPPER: So you've been very active in the case of former U.S. Marine Trevor Reid who has been held in a Russian prison for more than two years. What do you think this war means for efforts by you, by the Biden administration and others to get Trevor Reid, and other detained Americans, such as Paul Whelan, out of captivity?

PFLUGER: Well, first off, Jake, thank you for your work to highlight this. It is a tragedy, 924 days for Trevor unlawfully held as a political pawn by Vladimir Putin. And we need to get him home. We need to get Paul Whelan home and others home.

Unfortunately, I think what the world is waking up to is an actor who has been emboldened because of this environment of weakness to not only invade a sovereign country but to do things like cyber crimes around the world. So we really need President Biden to step up in this case and make it very clear that none of these actions are okay. That the Western world, democratic values, are, have been impeded in a way that are not okay. And I'm praying we can get him home as soon as humans possible.

TAPPER: Republican Congressman August Pfluger, thank you so much for your time, sir, and thank you, of course, for your service.

PFLUGER: Thank you, Jake.

TAPPER: Turning to our other top story. President Biden making history today with his Supreme Court nominee. Why her unique background could change the dynamics of the court. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:29:34]

TAPPER: We'll get back to our coverage of the Russian attack and invasion of Ukraine. But, first, to our politics lead and the story CNN broke for you this morning.

Moments ago, President Biden made his Supreme Court pick official, selecting Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee. She's 51 years old. She's a D.C. Circuit Court judge. If confirmed, she would be the first African American woman to ever sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

As CNN's Jeff Zeleny reports for us now, some Senate Republicans today are congratulating Brown's nomination while others remain skeptical.

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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For too long, our government, our courts, haven't looked like America.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Biden making history today, nominating the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Ketanji Brown Jackson accepted it last night, now beginning the confirmation process to become a justice on the nation's highest court?

I am truly humbled by the extraordinary honor of this nomination.

BIDEN: If approved by the Senate, Jackson would succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, a mentor for whom she worked as a claw clerk in 1999.

KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE NOMINEE: Justice Breyer, the members of the Senate will decide if I fill your seat but please know that I could never fill your shoes.

ZELENY: Her liberal ideology would not change the balance of the court. Yet her presence on the court would mark a major mile stone. It is two years to the day since President Biden first pledged to animal nominate a black woman to the court.

BIDEN: I'm looking forward to making sure there's a black woman on the Supreme Court, to make sure, I'd push very hard for that.

ZELENY: Jackson has been a federal judge for nearly a decade. Elevated last year to the influential U.S. court of appeals for the D.C. circuit.

BIDEN: Incredibly, Judge Jackson has already been confirmed by the United States Senate three times. She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice. That's something all of us should remember.

ZELENY: Born in Washington and raised in Miami, she spelled out her dreams early, saying inner had high school year book she aimed to go into law and eventually have a judicial appointment. She did just that, graduating from Harvard, both undergraduate and law school before serving as a public defender, rare experience for a Supreme Court justice.

JACKSON: Justice Breyer exemplified every day in every way that a Supreme Court justice can perform at the highest level of skill and integrity while also being guided by civility, grace, pragmatism and generosity of spirit. ZELENY: Now 51, with the prospect of being only the third black

justice in the court's 233-year history, Jackson has responded to questions about race during previous confirmation hearings, carefully addressing the role it plays in her thinking.

JACKSON: I don't think that race plays a role in the kind of judge that I have been and that I would be.

ZELENY: But not discounting it.

JACKSON: I've experienced life in perhaps a different way than perhaps some of my colleagues because of who I am.

ZELENY: For the last year, Biden has been studying the opinions and writings of Jackson and other finalists. A former chairman of the judiciary committee, Biden is well-accustomed to bruising confirmation fights. This, he said, should not be one.

BIDEN: My hope is that they will move promptly and I hope they will move fairly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY (on camera): And, Jake, we are learning more about the secretive meetings that went behind this. The president interviewed three final contenders on Valentine's Day, February 14th, meetings that went under the radar of everyone at the time. He offered the position last evening to Judge Jackson. This was all held under such tight secrecy. She actually appeared on her day job on the court of appeals this morning on a routine hearing as to not give up the decision.

We do know meetings will begin tomorrow at the White House to begin preparing for confirmation hearings. She's set to meet with senators starting next week.

TAPPER: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thanks so much.

Let's discuss. So, Nia-Malika, Biden is making this announcement two years to the day, after this pledge he made at the South Carolina debate during the 2020 presidential race. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm looking forward to making sure there's a black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure in fact -- not a joke. Not a joke.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: That was a pledge that he made in order to secure the endorsement of House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina who we're going to have on the show later today.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, and it was a pledge to secure the votes of African American voters, particularly black women voters. You heard the crowding wild there we know black women are the back bone of the Democratic Party, particularly in those primaries. So there you had Joe Biden today standing there with an African American woman, a vice president, a pledge he also made to name a woman to be vice president, and then Ketanji Brown Jackson who is going to make history, already made history as the nominee.

I will say this. It isn't often that we see black women who look like Ketanji Brown Jackson, in court or in power, someone who is a dark- skinned African American, who has natural hair, and who has a -- as she described it, a funny name. So that's something that I noticed as I was looking at her deliver this very moving vision and sort of journey from her background, a uniquely African American background.

She opened her speech by quoting an African American hymn. She said we come this far by faith and she closed it, talking about Constance Baker Motley, a first African American judge who was hugely important in the civil rights movement. Not as well known as Thurgood Marshall. She certainly should be because she helped integrate those southern universities and made really important decisions, too, in terms of expanding the rights of women. It was quite a day for America, quite a day for democracy.

TAPPER: There were three finalists. He said he was going to pick a black woman, and he did. But the other two black women, South Carolina District Court Justice Michelle Childs, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, both of them also very highly respected. Why do you think he pick Judge Jackson?

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You're right. The finalists were all highly credentialed. But Judge Jackson has federal public defender experience. She's been in the trenches. She's seen the criminal justice system from the point of view of the accused as well as the point of view of the judge and has been part of the federal sentencing commission.

So when President Biden announced her today, he didn't just talk about diversity in terms of being the first black woman on the court. He also talked about the fact that she was a lower court trial judge. Not since Sotomayor have we had someone with the experience.

TAPPER: Lots of prosecutors, not a lot of --

BISKUPIC: Yes. It's sort of a natural step from U.S. attorney to judge. But this was something a little different. And then the family history, he talked about her parents being educators. And then finally, and this is really important for the senate. She's been through the Senate process three times.

TAPPER: Right.

BISKUPIC: So, she's been scrutinized by the people who have now her fate in their hands and all three times it worked out. She's ready for this.

TAPPER: Last time, she got Collins, Murkowski and Lindsey Graham --

BISKUPIC: That's right.

TAPPER: Steve, let me bring you in. You pointed out on Twitter that Judge Jackson has almost nine years have judicial experience, which is more than Chief Justice Roberts, as well as Justices Barrett, Thomas and Kagan had combined before they were nominated. How might that impact the dynamic of the court were she to be confirmed?

STEVE VLADECK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yeah. I mean, Jake, I think it will impact it a lot. You heard Nia-Malika talk about her life experiences. You heard Joan talk about her public defender experiences. I think her trial court experience is relevant here. Only Justice Sotomayor among the current justices has trial court experience. Before her, it had been not since Justice O'Conner.

So, I think, Jake, what we're really talking about is diversity on so many axis. And from a candidate, from a nominee, who really ticks every conceivable box for the Supreme Court. And I think that's why you're seeing not just complicate many on the part of Democrats, but not the kind of immediate decisive pushback from Republican that's we might have expected for other potential picks. It is hard to figure out what the line of attack would be against someone with Judge Jackson's credentials, her background, her experience, you know, her resume. It is so formidable as to make it a smoother process than what we've seen in the last couple Supreme Court nominations.

TAPPER: Well, we'll see about that. We'll see about that, because Republicans --

VLADECK: I say almost.

HENDERSON: Yeah.

TAPPER: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was praising publicly the judge from South Carolina, Judge Childs. After CNN reported that Biden's pick was actually Judge Jackson, he tweeted, the radical left has won President Biden over yet again. The attacks by the left on Judge Childs from South Carolina apparently worked.

Radical left. I mean, he literally voted for her to be a D.C. circuit judge a year ago.

HENDERSON: Yeah, I don't think this shuts the door on him voting for her again. He has said before that elections have consequences. Presidents get to make their picks. And you saw him vote for Judge Jackson before.

He just loved Michelle Childs. She's a beloved figure in South Carolina. Jim Clyburn obviously loved her, too. He really wanted that pick.

But I expect they will get the 53. She got it before when the vote came to put her on the Circuit Court of Appeals. So I think that's what she'll get before.

Always dangerous to make predictions but I'm putting it out there.

TAPPER: We'll see. Thanks to the panel.

We have much more ahead on our world lead. The White House just announcing plans to sanction Vladimir Putin himself. How might that affect the war in Ukraine?

Plus, breaking news on her health lead. The CDC just announced a major update to his indoor masking guidance. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:44:08]

TAPPER: We have some breaking news for you now in our health lead. The CDC is finally announcing new masking recommendations saying people in the vast majority of the United States no longer need to wear masks indoors. The new guidance comes as COVID cases in the U.S. have dropped 90 percent since reaching the peak in mid-January. They're now at pre-omicron levels.

But as CNN's Nick Watt reports for us now, mask mandates have already been scrapped in much of the United States as people are eager to return to semi-normal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The CDC just announced nearly 70 percent of us no longer need to mask up indoors.

DR. ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: We want to get people a break from things like mask wearing when our levels are low. And then have the ability to reach for them again should things get worse in the future.

WATT: Why the change? Well, the now dominant omicron variant spreads faster but causes more mild disease.

[16:45:02]

Plus, vaccines and therapeutics are now widely available.

WALENSKY: Anybody is welcome to wear a mask any time if they feel safer wearing a mask.

WATT: Previously, the CDC was saying 99 percent of us should be masking up indoors, based purely on county level transmission rates. From now on, they'll use hospitalization rates and beds available as the bench marks.

Many states and counties have been ditching mask mandates anyway. Oregon just set a knew date, March 19th, masks optional.

Some folks will and can remain cautious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still frequent restaurants that have outdoor seating even though it is kind of cold for that now. WATT: Today, the first day here in Los Angeles, you don't have to

wear a mask in many indoor public places. But you got to be fully vaccinated.

BARBARA FERRER, LOS ANGELES COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR: Customers that are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a well-fitting mask indoors.

WATT: Starting Monday, public school kids in New York City will no longer need to mask outside. And nearly two years after its first recorded case, city leaders are planning the imminent end of many more mandates.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK: Now, we're going to start easing up on the mandates in place to allow people to get back to go a level of normalcy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATT (on camera): Now, one more very interesting little note regarding the CDC relaxing the mask guidelines. Until now, they have that that there should be universal masking in schools for school kids. Not anymore. They're now saying schools should follow those looser guidelines on the county level when deciding if kids do really need to mask up in the classroom -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Nick Watt in Los Angeles, thanks so much for that.

Back to the breaking news in Ukraine, and a terrifying new threat from Russia against the International Space Station. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:51:44]

TAPPER: Topping both our world lead and our out of this world lead, Russia's space agency is warning that American sanctions could, quote, destroy cooperation on the International Space Station. The ISS is currently home to four Americans, two Russians, and one German. But Russia controls the engines on board and Russia is now threatening the possibility that the station could just happen to fall out of orbit.

CNN space and defense correspondent Kristin Fisher joins us now live.

Kristin, this is a crazy story. It's like nice space station you got there. Shame if anything happens to it.

I mean, is this -- is this actually a real threat?

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: That's a great way of putting it.

Jake, it is a relevant threat in that it is coming from the head of Russia's space agency. That's NASA's number one partner on the International Space Station. And it is also real in the sense that it is the Russian section, not the American section, that controls all of the propulsion. That has all the engines.

I spoke to several current and former NASA employees, and astronauts. And almost all of them said they believe this is all bluster and no bite from Dmitry Rogozin because Russia is so invested in the space station. They've spent so much money there. But also because Dmitry Rogozin is known for making these very inflammatory remarks, especially on Twitter.

He did this, made similar threats the last time Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and nothing happen. Back then he was the deputy prime minister of defense for Russia and he was personally sanctioned by the U.S. government. Now, he is the head of Roscosmos. And just yesterday, President Biden -- when he announced these sanctions, he said they will degrade Russia's aerospace industry, including their aerospace program.

And what do you know, a few minutes later, Dmitry Rogozin made this threat on Twitter. I want to read it to you in full because it is so crazy.

Rogozin says, quote: If you block cooperation with us, who will save the International Space Station from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States or Europe? There is also the possibility of a 500-ton structure falling on India and China. Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? The ISS, the space station, doesn't fly over Russia. Therefore, all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?

I mean, that is quite the threat.

Now, NASA is responding by saying that this cooperation with Roscosmos will continue. They say these sanctions will continue to allow U.S.- Russia civil cooperation in space. But there is a lot of concern that despite this decades long partnership, that this time could be different.

TAPPER: We keep hearing these threats from Russia. They just sound like gangsters, every one of them.

Kristin Fisher, thank you so much.

Kyiv's mayor just warned that capital city has a long night ahead. And moments ago, this sound filled the city.

We're live on the ground across Ukraine. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:59:32]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

Breaking news this hour, the Biden administration has said they will unleash sanctions on President Putin himself and on his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. This is over the unprovoked war against Ukraine.

The United Kingdom and European Union also announcing sanctions against Putin and Lavrov earlier today. So far, these threats of economic punishments have done little to stop Putin. The Ukrainian president defiant this evening, standing in civilian clothing alongside his prime minister and top aides in the streets of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, promising to fight for their city, fight for their country.