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The Lead with Jake Tapper

U.S. Officials Worry The Worst Is Yet To Come For Kyiv; U.S. Adds New Sanctions To Punish Russia For Its War In Ukraine; U.N.: 500,000+ Refugees Have Fled Ukraine Since Russia's Invasion; Prominent Judge Who Advised Pence Endorses Biden Supreme Court Pick; NYC Likely To Drop School Mask Mandate, Proof Of Vaccination Next Week. Aired 4- 5p ET

Aired February 28, 2022 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:02]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Yeah, more than 6,000 at the last count.

We also have President Zelensky saying that anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, come and stand with us. Fight by our side. We don't know who's going to take that up. But that's the call from Ukraine.

THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER starts now.

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. Explosions rocking Kyiv, Ukraine this afternoon. A city with a population of almost 3 million people, roughly the size of Chicago.

Air raid sirens becoming a familiar sound in Kyiv just as the Biden administration warns the Russian military could take a, quote, more aggressive approach toward capturing that capital city.

A senior Pentagon official saying Russian forces are growing frustrated that the progress has slowed, partially because of tougher than expected resistance from the Ukrainian people. That warning from the Pentagon seemingly backed up by new satellite images showing a Russian military convoy stretching for nearly 17 miles, one that has advanced to the outskirts of Kyiv.

CNN's Matthew Chance finding a different Russian convoy destroyed earlier today on a bridge leading into Kyiv, smoking remnants of vehicles, and the bodies of dead Russian soldiers.

And a first, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations meeting for talks which concluded without any immediate breakthroughs. The talks taking place in neighboring Belarus just as Ukrainian government sources tell me, their intelligence indicates Belarus is preparing to join Russia in attack Ukraine. Belarus already is allowing Russia to use it for staging and allowing Russian troops to get into Ukraine. U.S. secretary of state Anthony Blinken announcing earlier today that the U.S. embassy in Minsk, Belarus, has suspended operations, as the Biden administration warns Belarus not to involve itself any further in Russia's warn on Ukraine.

And tensions are ratcheting up even further. Moments ago, the U.S. confirmed, it has asked 12 Russian diplomats the leave the country.

CNN's Clarissa Ward starts off our coverage from Kyiv, Ukraine, where she witnessed Ukrainian citizens eager to defend their homeland, including making their own Molotov cocktails.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The people of Kyiv are mobilizing. Across the capital, volunteers are pouring in. Building up the city's defenses with whatever they can. Women bring in empty Boston to be made into Molotov cocktails.

The leaders of this militia say Ukraine will win this war, emboldened by recent successful operations to repel Russian forces.

One shows us his passport. I am Ivanoff. I am originally Russian, he says, but no Russian boots will stand here.

Do you have a message for President Putin?

It's a popular sentiment on the streets. This man's sign is too vulgar to translate. Another billboard warns invading forces. Russian soldiers leave. How will you look your children in the eye?

Ukraine has borne the brutality of this invasion with patient grit and determination.

Outside every supermarket, there are long lines and scarce supplies. But no one is complaining. It's amazing to see the optimism of people here. They've been waiting in this line about 40 minutes to get into the supermarket.

But still they're saying, everything will be okay. You can feel a growing confidence among people that they do have a chance to defeat Russia.

In an eastern suburb of the city, Raisa Smatko's (ph) front yard has turned into a staging area. You can see, they're collecting things to donate to people. Sleeping bags, sleeping mats, pickles, foods.

Smatko (ph) is a grandmother and a retired economist. Now, she spends her days preparing for battle.

Okay. This is where they make the Molotov cocktails. She said she will show us now.

These are the only weapons she has, but she says she's ready to fight.

Let those Russian shits come here, she says. We are ready to greet them.

How did you learn how to make Molotov cocktails? Google help, she tells me.

You Googled it.

[16:05:02]

Of course, she says.

If Russian forces push into the capital here in Kyiv, what will you do? We will beat them. They won't come, she tells us. I believe in our Ukraine. I believe in our Ukrainian people.

Moments later, she's off. Russian forces are still moving forward. And there is much work to be done.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WARD (on camera): And so now, Jake, the question becomes, how long does that resilience, that determination, that defiance, that courage and optimism last? Because there are real concerns now being voiced by U.S. officials as well that things could get a lot worse here in Kyiv. You mentioned that huge column some three miles long of Russian armory, which is bearing down towards the capital. Also, we have been warned about the possibility of Russian forces completely encircling the city, cutting off all humanitarian aid, food, and beginning what one would program to be a much uglier bombing campaign.

So you're seeing a lot of strength and defiance but there is also still a sense that things could get much worse, Jake.

TAPPER: Clarissa, we also saw residents of one central Ukrainian town seemed to block a Russian convoy earlier today. Tell us about that.

WARD: Yeah, this is just one of many examples that we're finding on social media every day, in geo locating. This was in a town in central Ukraine. You can see the men basically blocking this column of 40 armored vehicles with their cars. They're telling them in unison that they are united together. That they will not move.

And eventually, what is amazing is that those Russian vehicles, the drivers get out and the Russian vehicles actually are forced to reverse, presumably to find another route in.

And we're seeing these examples of bravery all the time. There's another video we saw where a man literally climbs on to a tank and then kneels in front of it trying to stop the tank in its tracks. In a town of (INAUDIBLE) in the town today, which is in the southeast of the country near Mariupol, which was completely taken by Russian forces, we saw this extraordinary sight of a group of people carrying Ukrainian flags, going to the town hall. Standing in the face of Russian soldiers and singing the Ukrainian anthem, Jake.

TAPPER: Clarissa Ward in Kyiv, Ukraine, thank you and stay safe.

Here to discuss, former secretary of defense under President Trump, Mark Esper. He's also the author of a new book coming out. A memoir called, sacred oath "A Sacred Oath". It comes out in May. Secretary Esper, thanks for joining us.

So, just in the last few hours CNN has heard explosions across Kyiv. We know Russia has been frustrated by how much resistance their forces have faced from Ukrainians but do you think ultimately, it is inevitable that Kyiv will fall to Russian forces?

MARK ESPER, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY UNDER TRUMP: Well, first of all, good to be with you. Let me say geopolitically, it is cheer that the post Cold War in Europe is over. So, the notion by anybody, the hope that somehow through an economic engagement, Putin can be convinced to play by international rules and norms is probably completely extinguished by now or should be.

And as I said a couple weeks ago, on another network before the invasion, he's already managed to do three things that we knew he didn't want to do. First, to better unify NATO. Second to have more NATO troops on his borders, and third, to push the Ukrainian people further into the arms of the West.

It is apparent after five days of fighting, those three things are even worse. Now to your question. Can he take Kyiv? Maybe. We'll satisfy. I think the inspired leadership of President Zelensky has been overwhelming. The fight and grit of the people of Ukraine has been very impressive.

So, he may make it into the city. I will tell you, urban warfare is tough. Many years ago, when I commanded an infantry unit in the United States army, we trained and you can consume a lot of troops very easily in a small area. If the Ukrainian people are going to fight, a city of 3 million people, they may get into Kyiv. They won't be able to hold it and frankly, they may never get out. It will be brutal fighting and I think right now, time is on the side of the Ukrainians.

TAPPER: You expressed some skepticism that economic sanctions and those types of punishments will work on Putin, at least in terms of ever -- him ever hoping to be back among the community of nations.

What do you think President Biden and the West should do? Is there anything at this point that can stop Putin?

ESPER: Well, we don't know for sure whether or not he'll ultimately be successful. I think at this point, Putin is in the fight, he's committed. He has to follow through, and we can talk about what that might look like. I think my complaint would be that we haven't imposed enough sanctions quickly enough.

And that may be because of some reluctance by the Europeans.

[16:10:01]

I don't know for sure. But we should be immediately placing all the economic and financial sanctions we can on Putin himself, on the oligarchs and, of course, on the energy sector.

I understand that folks in Europe and maybe here in the United States are concerned about the impacts it might have on our own economies.

But look, these innocent people in Ukraine are dying. It could get much, much worse. Putin is threatening security in Europe and the international order. I think we can sacrifice a little bit, pay a little higher prices at the gas pump this summer if it means possibly curtailing this tragedy in Ukraine.

TAPPER: The White House today restated its opposition to creating a no-fly zone over Ukraine. That's because obviously, it would require NATO aircraft including U.S. aircraft to be there to disrupt Russia's air operations.

Some Ukrainian leaders and some in Congress, Adam Kinzinger, for example, say NATO needs to follow through on a no-fly zone to give Ukrainian chances a fair chance against Russia. Obviously, the risk is that American pilots would be killed.

What would you recommend?

ESPER: At this point, I would not recommend a no-fly zone. I recognize the obvious benefits. I doubt we could get all of our NATO allies on board to support that. But that's it.

And the reason being, it obviously could result in a major conflict between the United States and Russia and really broaden this war in ways we don't want to see it go. That said, I would not take the military option off the table. We don't know where this is going to go.

If the Ukrainians continue to fight with the grit they're showing, the Russians are unable to meet their objectives on the ground, you can see Putin growing increasingly frustrated and result in what is traditional Russian warfare, which would be the heavy shelling of civilian areas, aerial bombardments, et cetera. At that point, the devastation could be so enormous, the civilian deaths so enormous as well. That the moral outcry would compel to us make that move.

So, I would not take that option off the table. Frankly, I think President Biden and other Western leaders should message that to Putin right now not to go that way.

TAPPER: For our viewers who might remember, you were ultimately fired by President Trump after he lost the election. Something interesting that came out, ABC News' Jonathan Karl obtained a memo when he was working on his book, betrayal. There was a memo circulating around the White House in October 2020 penned by Johnny McEntee trying to come up with reasons why Trump would fire you. One of them is very relevant to what is going on today. It said that you, quote, focused the Department of Defense on Russia, directing last September to sprint at them and to look at every facet of competition with Moscow.

So, why would your desire to fend off a hostile foreign government like Russia, why would that be seen as a negative within the Trump White House?

ESPER: I don't know, Jake. I can't explain it. I elaborate a little on this in my book for sure. My memoir. I was clearly focused on Russia and China.

And, you know, I was secretary of Army before I was secretary of defense, during that time, we put more forces into Europe. We had one of the largest exercises ever, a return of forces to Europe for my tenure. And we did -- we tried to modernize the United States army to deal with heavy forces from China and Russia and, of course, I carried throughout some of those things as secretary of defense.

So I don't understand it. I think it's very important that we stand up to ought Democrats and authoritarian regimes such as those won by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. And, look, at the end of the day, the international order of democracy as we know it is under threat.

It was just a few weeks ago that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin stood side by side, shaking hands, celebrating their new partnership and issuing a joint communique that talked about the west and all of our alleged failures. So this is what is at stake right now. And we're seeing it play out in Europe and we could very well see it play out in Asia.

And, by the way, it is important to note that I think the inspired leadership of Ukraine and the grit of the Ukrainian people is something the Taiwanese people should be looking at. They should be preparing for a similar attack by China one day.

TAPPER: So, we're out of time but I do want to get -- if you have a sentence or two just to respond to the fact that former boss, President Trump is calling Vladimir Putin a genius.

ESPER: Vladimir Putin is a ruthless autocrat that we need to deal with, with strength and resolve and we do it with our allies and partners. That's one of the things I tried to emphasize in my time. Ultimately, that's the way we will get him to stand down. Quite frankly, I think this will be a strategic failure. We could see him forced out of office if this goes the wrong way, or the right way, however you look at it. Forced out of office, which would be a good thing.

TAPPER: Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, I know you have a lot more you want to talk about. You're saving it for your book and we'll have you back to talk about that. Appreciate it. It's a sacred oath. It's coming out in May.

[16:15:02]

We're following the breaking news out Ukraine. The United States and the rest of the world are taking unprecedented moves to target Russia's economy. Will that pain be felt in markets around the world? Will it be felt by you?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: In our money lead today, the United States and other nations are taking unprecedented steps to try to cut off Vladimir Putin's financial power as punishment for his unprovoked, deadly attack on the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Today, the Biden administration blocked Russia address central bank from U.S. transactions. On Saturday, the U.S. joined a global coalition to try to shut down Russia's access to SWIFT, which is an international bank messaging system.

CNN's Kaitlan Collins is at the White House where other crippling measures are under discussion.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amid explosions in Kyiv and talks on the border with Belarus, the West is working overtime to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin even further today.

[16:20:02]

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The eyes of the world are on Ukraine and the brave people who are fighting to protect their country and their democracy.

COLLINS: The Treasury Department announcing it is sanctioning Russia's central bank, effectively cutting the Kremlin off from its financial reserves and going after one of Putin's biggest weaknesses, his currency.

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): These financial sanctions at a level of almost an act of war.

COLLINS: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the aggressive new actions will, quote, significantly limit Russia's ability to use assets to finance its destabilizing activities. As the ruble plunged and the Moscow stock exchange remained closed, Putin huddled with his financial advisers.

Meantime, President Biden spending more than an hour on the phone with European allies amid a remarkably united response to Russia's unprovoked invasion. That call happening hours after Biden chose to largely ignore Putin's decision to place Russian nuclear forces into, quote, special combat readiness.

JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We've seen Mr. Putin's announcement. We believe it is as unnecessary as it is escalating. Secretary Austin is comfortable with the strategic deterrent posture of the United States.

COLLINS: As more nations ban Russian flights from their air space, the U.S. is making clear that there is little appetite to create a no- fly zone over Ukraine, arguing it could be tantamount to a declaration of war.

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: The president has made clear that we're not going to put boots on the ground. We're not going to put American troops in danger. That means we're not going to put American troops in the air as well, but we will work with the Ukrainians to give them the ability to defend themselves.

COLLINS: A new CNN poll finding that 83 percent of Americans want more economic sanctions against Russia, though only 42 percent are in favor of direct military action should the sanctions fail to work.

All this coming as Biden is preparing to address the nation and the world tomorrow night during his State of the Union Address.

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: President Obama gave a speech during the worst financial crisis of our lifetime. President Bush gave a speech shortly after the worst terrorism attack on our homeland ever. It is always about expressing how you're going to lead the country.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And, Jake, I should note that earlier when President Biden was asked if Americans should be worried about the prospect of a nuclear war, he flatly said no. That comes as the White House said they see no reason to change their own nuclear threat levels after Putin said he would raise his, accusing him of once again trying to manufacture a rain for aggressive action on his part.

TAPPER: Kaitlan, stay with me. I want to bring in CNN's business editor at large, Richard Quest, who is in Saudi Arabia.

And, Richard, in just 48 hours, the U.S. cut off Russia's central bank and disconnected select Russian banks from the international bank messaging system called SWIFT. For the average person, what is the real-life impact of these moves?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR AT LARGE: There's going to be pain on both sides, Jake. Both sides are going to hurt. But the Russians are going to hurt a great deal more.

Essentially, all these financial measures send the Russian economy into reverse just about immediately. Supply chains already just in time, will dry up completely. They won't be able to get technology. They can't transfer money. The banks will grind to a halt.

Now, they can still print money and put it in ATMs but they're printing rubles and putting them in ATMs and that's just inflationary. On the other side, of course, Jake, we are also suffering from inflation. But the effects that we will bear will be nothing compared to the Russian economy as the sanctions bite. The economy is being throttled. It will take a bit of time but it will work.

TAPPER: Kaitlan, here in the U.S., a brand new CNN poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support economic sanctions against Russia, 83 percent favor versus 17 percent oppose.

But I wonder if the White House thinks those numbers are going to hold when American citizens are feeling more pain in their wallets and purses, and the Russians retaliate in their own ways.

COLLINS: Yeah, I think it's certainly been a concern of theirs, because you've seen over the last few days, the matters and the positions on certain sanctions has shifted as they are going after swift. They are now going after the Russian central bank. One big question has been when it comes to energy sanctions which would obviously hurt the Russians, but the White House understands that would be collateral damage, because it wouldn't just be a one-way street when it comes to the punishment for those sanctions.

And so, that's something they have not gone after in the way that some people have said they should. But others have argued it wouldn't make sense to do. And it is something they're being very careful to do in tandem with European allies, saying that Europe is very sensitive and concerned about any price spikes, any further price spikes when it comes to energy prices. And so, that is something that they're being aware of, and definitely here at home.

You've heard the president try to make this issue more relatable to Americans by saying, you know, it is not jut the concern about the world order here and democracy but also when it comes to energy prices in the United States which are already high.

[16:25:12]

And the president saying they're trying to mitigate the spikes here at home as they are trying to hold Putin accountable. And so, one thing though on the support for sanctions you're seeing in this new poll. It was about 82 percent. Back in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea illegally and annexed it, the support was only about 67 percent. So, you're already seeing how much higher that is now. We should note, a majority of Americans do not support direct military action if these sanctions ultimately fail to stop Putin. Only about 42 percent do so far, Jake, based on this poll.

TAPPER: Richard?

QUEST: I think when you look at the situation, both sides are economically fragile but one side is great deal worse than the other.

I'm here in Saudi Arabia at the moment. Let's just look at the Saudis. Allies of the United States, close allies, but at the same time, major OPEC plus relationship with Russia. That's why Saudi is finding itself in a very difficult position, Jake.

On the one hand, it has to be seen as the crown prince has said, to support the allied maneuvers. But at the same time, it does not want to annoy Russia or OPEC, and how you balance that relationship is almost impossible for a country like Saudi.

At some point Saudi, the UAE, all the oil producers, will have to come off the fence one way or the other between Russia and the United States, its allies and its partners.

TAPPER: Kaitlan, the American people are going to be tuning in for Biden's State of the Union address tomorrow night, his first. It's a rare opportunity for a president to address the entire nation. Our CNN poll shows 58 percent of the American people do not trust Biden to handle the Ukraine crisis. So, what's his message going to be?

COLLINS: I think it's going to be a critically important speech for President Biden. And, Jake, just look how much it has shifted over the last few weeks because initially, they had been looking at this as maybe a domestic reset, to talk about what the president wants to do going forward, what his domestic agenda is going to look like, higher costs at home when it comes to inflation.

And all of that will be included in the speech tomorrow, but also, President Biden is going to be speaking amid this crisis, and amid this invasion of Ukraine that the Pentagon has been warning about, the capability that Ukraine still has, even if they've been a little bit slower than they initially predicted. And I think that's changing the trajectory of the speech and aides have been working to add in, of course, what he is going to say about what is happening and it will be a bigger focus than I think they had initially expected, say, a month ago. So, everyone will be watching this speech tomorrow night to see what President Biden says. Of course, as they're also watching what Putin is doing in Ukraine.

TAPPER: All right. Kaitlan Collins at the White House, Richard Quest in Saudi Arabia, thanks to both of you.

Tomorrow night, join us for President Biden's first State of the Union Address. Anderson Cooper and I will be hosting our special live coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

A sea of humanity as thousands of Ukrainians are packing train stations, waiting for hours, desperate to get on any train out of the country.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:33:02]

TAPPER: Back with the world lead. And another train packed with Ukrainians leaving everything behind headed for safer ground in Poland. Just minutes earlier, chaotic scene as people begged to get in that train. Women and children were pulled up first.

These are just some of the more than 500,000 refugees, the U.N. says, have escaped Ukrainian after it was invaded by Russia. Many others have been forced to wait as police held back the crowd.

CNN's Scott McLean reports, even more Ukrainians hope they, too, can escape.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At the train station in Lviv, no one knows when the next train to Poland will come. They wade into the frigid temperatures just in case. Suddenly, an announcement sends people rushing for platform five. Some cross the tracks to get there but police turn them away.

Please keep calm and go down the stairs, shouts the officer. How can I not panic? Let us in. My kid has a disability. He's downstairs with our bag, she tells us. We traveled three days.

I'm nervous, another woman, traveling with a toddler tells us. This mother pushing a stroller says everything in just a single glance.

Under the platform, it's a free for all, but sometimes gets tense. People push their way to the front but police allow only women and children. Men are told not to bother.

This woman is offered a place on the train with her baby but not her husband, and she won't go without him. No, I can't, she says. He has everything. He has friends there. How will he get there? Not by train.

At the top of the stairs, police usher women and children through the crowd, tossing suitcases and pulling children up by their coats. It is all a bit overwhelming for kids and for mothers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very bad.

MCLEAN: They are packing as many people as they can into these trains. But there are still many people, including women and children, who likely will not make it.

This Nigerian woman who came from Kyiv two days ago is one of them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm overwhelmed. It's insane. I never want to be in this position in my life.

MCLEAN: Tired.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I couldn't sleep for days. I'm so happy at least I could get into the train.

MCLEAN: With most Ukraine men barred from leaving the country, the men turned away are almost entirely foreign.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a taxi but he said we need a lot of money, $500, $600.

MCLEAN: For the waiting families, the next train is due a few hours later. Many who traveled for days to get here, it can't come soon enough.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCLEAN (on camera): And that woman that you saw who was understandably distraught when she reached the train platform with her child, told me that her older child and mother were behind her in the line and she didn't want to leave them. But these are the kind of choices that people are having to make. As for the foreign men left behind, you can understand how they are feeling trapped. It is difficult to cross the border by foot or by car. Some say it is unfair that they're not allowed to board trains. Others say it is the right thing that children go first and they're happy to stay behind for now -- Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Scott McLean in Lviv, Ukraine, thank you so much for that important report.

Ukrainian officials described the scene in Kharkiv today as hellish. Multiple rockets exploding in residential neighborhoods, targeting civilian populations would be, of course a war crime. CNN has seen even more rocket launchers heading toward the front line.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is near Belgorod, Russia, close to the Ukrainian border, not far from Kharkiv.

Fred, does it appear as though Russia is preparing for an even more aggressive attack on Kharkiv right now?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are certainly some troubling signs, Jake, and one of the unique things about the positions that we have here is that we can see the Russians sort of maneuver their gear around the area and also to that area, towards the front line in Kharkiv. And so, sometimes you can see what military moves they might make next.

Now, one of the things that we observed tonight, literally, say about an hour ago, was heavy artillery rocket fire going from Russian positions towards the territory of Ukraine. Of course, impossible for us to tell whether or not they're targeting Kharkiv or the area around it but certainly, considering this is Belgorod, Kharkiv is the next city on the Ukrainian side, that is something that is certainly highly likely.

And we did also today see further additional heavy rocket launchers be deployed towards the area of the front line there. They're called Uragan rocket launchers, they can shoot about 70, 75 mails. They are certainly heavy weapons. We did see several of them cross into the territory, going toward Ukrainian territory. So, that could be a tell- tale sign.

Of course, all of this coming on the same day that you had the shelling of the neighborhood in Kharkiv and the battle heating up there as well.

One of the things we also saw, this is quite important is we did actually see a lot of broken down Russian military gear. For instance, we saw one of these Uragan rocket launchers by the wayside with soldiers tending to it, trying to get it back up and running. We also saw a howitzer that was toppled over. Not sure how that could happen. Maybe the driver drove it to the side of the road and didn't realize the earth was soggy.

But it is something that we're noticing. It is unclear whether or not that might be the regular attrition of an operation this size but it does stand out. You do see at lot of Russian military vehicles on the Russian side, having to be towed away and having to be tended to.

And, of course, also from our vantage point here, the Russians do still have a lot of military equipment on this side. Border so it does seem they could drastically escalate further if they're not making the head way that they want to, Jake.

TAPPER: All right. Fred Pleitgen in Russia, thank you so much. Stay safe.

Coming up next, an exclusive about a key endorsement for President Biden's Supreme Court nominee. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:43:38]

TAPPER: In our politics lead, President Biden's historic pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, will make the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, trying to get support for her pending confirmation hearings. Now she is getting an endorsement from a prominent and highly conservative former judge.

CNN's Jamie Gangel was the first with this exclusive reporting.

Jamie, who is this endorsement from and will it make a difference?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a major endorsement for the Biden White House and for Judge Jackson. It is coming from a very conservative former federal appeals court judge, Michael Luttig. He is really considered one of the most respected conservatives in legal circles. And wait until you hear this endorsement. It is to say the least, enthusiastic.

The Judge Luttig calls Jackson eminently qualified. He goes on to say, quote: She is as highly credentialed and experienced in the law as any nominee in history, having graduated from Harvard Law School with honors, clerked at the Supreme Court and served as a federal judge for almost a decade.

To remind our audience, Judge Luttig is also the person who became very well known in the days leading up to January 6th for a series of tweets he put out to support then Vice President Mike Pence in defying Trump because his former law clerk, John Eastman, was trying to convince Pence to overturn the election.

[16:45:13]

So the judge overruled his former law clerk.

TAPPER: I would say he's making a lot of news this year.

And Judge Luttig has some choice words for Republicans.

LUTTIG: So, this is very interesting. He not only called on Republicans in the statement, I would say he called out Republicans. He asked for not only bipartisan support, but he says, quote, Republicans in particular should vote to confirm Judge Jackson. He believes Republicans really prematurely criticized Biden on this pick. He thinks they are short-sighted.

And there is a very interesting quote where he says, if not because they're bean magnanimous, they should make a political calculation and do the right thing and confirm her.

TAPPER: All right. Jamie Gangel, thank you for the reporting. Appreciate it.

The news that parents and students in the nation's largest school district have been waiting quite some time to hear. That's next.

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[16:50:53]

TAPPER: In our health lead, we are almost certainly just days away from the country's largest school district, ending its mask mandate. New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he'll make the final call on Friday. Data in New York City is looking good. Statewide, too, where COVID hospitalizations among kids have dropped 80 percent since the peak in January.

CNN's Alexandra Field reports from New York where Big Apple residents will also soon be able to stop searching around for their vaccine card before heading into their favorite bistro.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A giant leap forward and as strong a sign as any of where the pandemic stands in the U.S., some of the largest and most mask-abiding states in the nation getting rid of school mask mandates. California's governor announcing plans to drop the mandate in schools next week, though masks will be encouraged.

Oregon and Washington state will also lift school mask mandates next week, along with New York city.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK: We have to do it in a safe way. I can't go back to closing down the city.

FIELD: Statewide, school mask requirements will be lifted Wednesday.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D), NEW YORK: Given the decline in our rates, our hospitalization, strong vaccination rates, and the CDC guidance, my friends, the day has come.

FIELD: The latest announcements bringing more schools in line with the latest CDC guidance which says in most of the country, people can safely gather not side without masks, excluding those people who are at high risk. Tomorrow, Washington, D.C. is lifting its indoor mask mandate. Masks will be optional at the U.S. Capitol for President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address.

While lawmakers won't need to wear masks, there is still a question of whether travelers will continue to need to. Under consideration now, whether to lift the mask mandate for trains and stations, airports and planes, set to expire next month.

GOV. J.B. PRITZKER (D), ILLINOIS: Now we can all see our smiles. FIELD: The easing of restrictions is bringing long-awaited relief at

Chicago's Navy Pier, there are free rides today for showing your smile, a celebration of the lifting of the mask mandate there.

PRITZKER: We believe in the state of Illinois, the things that are under my control, that we ought to go without masks for the time being.

FIELD: More than two years after the world's first COVID case was detected, researchers say there is even stronger evidence coming from two new pre print studies that the virus originated in animals and spread to humans in a Wuhan market in China which underlines the need to pay close attention to environments where human and animals interact closely.

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FIELD (on camera): And, Jake, there is just one state left that still has an indoor mask mandate and a school mask mandate and hasn't yet announced plans to lift either. That is Hawaii. And, actually, Hawaii doesn't have any area that has what is considered to be a high level of community transmission -- Jake.

TAPPER: Alexandra Field in New York, thanks so much.

More in our breaking news. We're on the ground where all that remains of a Russian convoy are smoking pieces of wreckage. Plus, we're going to talk to a Ukrainian journalist who is trying to decide if it is safe for his son and pregnant wife to remain with him or time for them to get out of Ukraine.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:58:41]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

TAPPER: Hello and welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper.

A top Ukrainian prosecutor describes the situation in the predominantly Russian-speaking city of Kharkiv as hellish.

This after Russian rockets hit at least five residential neighborhoods, killing at least one civilian and injuring 31 others. A former American general told CNN, he suspects the Russians were using cluster bombs which delivered an initial explosion and then had multiple smaller bottom that spread over a wide area.

Meanwhile in Kyiv -- yet another round of air raid sirens tonight after large explosions were heard near that city's center. The satellite pictures show a large military convoy bearing down on Kyiv. The Pentagon today said Russian forces are roughly 15 miles outside the capital city and closing in. In the city of Dnipro, and many cities around Ukraine, men, young and

old, line up to volunteer to fight for Ukraine. One 19-year-old telling CNN today, quote, it's better to die than to not have a home.

As Matthew Chance reports for us, the Ukrainian military may be outmanned and outgunned but they are trying to fight fierce battles on the outskirts of Kiev to stop the Russian advance.

I want to warn you, some of the images we're about to show you are disturbing.

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