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U.S. Military Drawing Up Options In Case Of Russian Invasion Of Ukraine; Kremlin Plotting To Install Puppet Leader In Ukraine; Some European Nations Ease COVID-19 Rules; Anti-Vax Attitudes Pushing Hospitals To The Brink; U.K. Partygate Report Anticipated Soon; Former Deejay To Become Jamaica's First Olympic Alpine Skier. Aired 2-2:30a ET

Aired January 23, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and welcome to CNN NEWSROOM, everyone. I am Michael Holmes, appreciate your company.

Coming up here on the program, the U.K. government, claiming, Vladimir Putin plans to install a pro Russian government in Ukraine.

Also, as health care workers risk their own lives fighting the pandemic, we hear stories about unvaccinated patients pushing them to the brink.

And he set a record, even before the Olympics begin. Meet the first alpine skier from sunny Jamaica.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Michael Holmes.

HOLMES: With Russia's military looming over Ukraine from multiple directions, the British foreign office claims to have information about an alleged plot by the Kremlin to install a puppet leader in Kyiv.

It goes on to name a number of former Ukrainian officials allegedly in contact with Russian intelligence. A source telling CNN that U.S. intelligence has the same information as the U.K.

The Kremlin dismissing the plot accusation as misinformation and demanding the U.K., quote, "stop engaging in provocations."

A senior U.K. defense source meanwhile says Russia's defense minister has accepted an invitation to speak with his British counterpart about the deepening crisis. No time or place for that meeting yet set. For more on the prominent Ukrainian's name by the foreign office, Saturday, here is CNN's Nic Robertson, in Moscow.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: So what the British foreign office is saying here is that they have information that indicates that the Kremlin is planning to install a pro Russian leader in Ukraine.

The foreign office says the Kremlin is thinking about this, as it's considering whether or not to invade and occupy Ukraine. The man that they say that the Kremlin has picked out to possibly lead Ukraine, Yevhen Murayev.

CNN has reached out to him and he says, essentially, that he really doesn't have anything to answer.

He says, "I don't have a comment because I am on sanctions from Russia already."

So his point being, why would Russia pick me as their man in Ukraine if I'm already under sanctions for them?

The British foreign office has also named four other people, four other former Ukrainian officials. One of them a former prime minister, two of them former deputy prime ministers, one of them a former national security official, whom they say have been in contact with Russian intelligence operatives, the same operatives that the British foreign office say are currently planning the invasion of Ukraine.

And the British foreign secretary says that this shows the sort of planning and thinking that's going on in the Kremlin at the moment and the difficult situation that faces Ukraine.

What it does do, it sends a very clear message from the British government to President Putin that there will be costs for the potential of invading Ukraine. Russia has said that it won't. But the British government essentially saying we know what you are doing and there will be costs if you do it -- Nic Robertson, CNN, Moscow.

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HOLMES: With more on the U.S. reaction, here's CNN's Arlette Saenz, at the White House.

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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Biden convened a meeting of his national security team at Camp David, on Saturday, to discuss Russia's recent aggressive actions toward Ukraine.

Joining him in person for this meeting were his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, along with his counselor, Steve Ricchetti, and other members of the president's national security team joined virtually.

The White House, releasing a statement and readout of this meeting, saying, the president was briefed on Russia's recent military actions regarding Ukraine and, also, on those diplomatic efforts, to try to de-escalate the situation.

Additionally, the president discussed the deterrence measures that the U.S. and allies, are taking, regarding the situation including, the recent security assistance, that has been delivered to Ukraine.

Importantly, at the end of that readout, the White House also said, President Biden, again, affirmed, that Russia should further invade Ukraine, the United States will pose swift and severe consequences on Russia, with our allies and partners.

Right, now the White House is really trying to pursue this diplomatic path to try to de-escalate these tensions, encourage Russia to de- escalate the situation.

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SAENZ: But also they are making these contingency plans of what the U.S. would do, how allies would respond, if Russia follows through with that invasion. That includes the potential of severe economic sanctions as well as the Pentagon, drafting options, for what type of military options the U.S. military may be able to provide, to Eastern European NATO allies.

But right now, the White House is, really, laser focused on that diplomatic effort. We expect the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, will be speaking in the coming week with his counterpart, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.

And the White House, has not taken the option of a meeting between President Biden and President Putin off the table. But right now, a senior State Department official says, they are pursuing that diplomatic path, but adding that, if Russians move into Ukraine, further, then diplomacy is over -- Arlette Saenz, CNN, the White House.

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HOLMES: At least 83 people were killed in Friday's airstrike on a detention center, in Yemen, according to an international charity group. Save the Children tell CNN, more than 100 others were injured at the facility in northern Yemen.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels, blaming the Saudi-led coalition for the attack. But its spokesman told Saudi state news, those claims are, quote, "baseless and unfounded." The airstrikes also hit a telecommunications center in western Yemen, causing a nationwide internet blackout.

U.S. hospitals are filled with unvaccinated people and health care workers are worn out. A doctor on the front lines, talks about the toll, caseloads and anti-vaccine attitudes, are having on hospital staff.

Plus, British prime minister, Boris Johnson, teeters on the edge, as we await a key report on the Partygate scandal, gripping through Downing Street. We will be right back. (MUSIC PLAYING)

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HOLMES: China recorded some 56 new COVID cases on Saturday, 19 locally transmitted, 37 from overseas. Now this comes less than two weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics, with officials taking strict measures to try to curb the spread.

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HOLMES: French protesters, shouting, "Macron, we don't want your pass," marching through the streets of Paris on Saturday, thousands coming out to voice their anger at the vaccine pass now required by law. It mandates that anyone over 16 must show proof of vaccination in order to access most public venues.

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HOLMES (voice-over): And across the Channel, some staff members of the U.K.'s National Health Service, demonstrated against the vaccine mandate for workers there. They are required to be vaccinated by the beginning of April and must submit proof, in order to remain employed.

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HOLMES: I'm joined now, live by journalist Al Goodman in Madrid.

Good to see you, my friend. A growing number of protesters, were just talking about over restrictions. But at the same time, you have some countries loosening the grip, even with high case numbers. Bring us up to date.

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What you're seeing in some countries, like Ireland, loosening the restrictions and, in other countries like Austria, tightening them. And in other countries, like France, doing both. They are tightening and loosening.

France's vaccine passport going into effect on Monday, tomorrow, for people 16 and older, as you just mentioned. Basically, to go about many of the daily activities in their lives, they have to show proof of vaccination, to get into a restaurant or a bar, to get on long distance transportation. A negative PCR test is, no longer, good enough.

But at the same time, as they're doing that, France will also be loosening some restrictions. In February, they will let sports venues and cultural venues be at full capacity. People will have to be masked but they will have all the seats occupied if they can sell them.

And they're talking about getting people to go back to work, to their normal worksites instead of just working from home.

In Ireland, on Saturday, restrictions came down for bars and restaurants, which had early closing hours. Those were imposed back in December, because of a rising number of cases, due to the coronavirus spike in cases, in the Omicron variant.

So they are going back to the normal hours, as well as night clubs being able to open again.

In Austria, the European Union's first country to impose a vaccine mandate for people 18 and over, with some few exceptions, like for pregnant women, that goes into effect in February.

And Germany has praised that. The German health minister says that is a milestone, what neighboring Austria did. And the German lawmakers are due to take that up. Already, the new German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has already heeded calls from people, to try and impose the vaccine mandate there.

So you are seeing as the vaccination rate, Michael, is different in some countries, than others, in western Europe, much higher in western Europe, than many other parts of the world. But still, differences in western Europe. You get different responses from different governments and you're getting pushback, like those protests you just mentioned. Michael.

HOLMES: Absolutely. And the Spanish PM, where you are, he is talking about treating COVID like the flu.

What is that all about?

GOODMAN: He is in a group of political leaders and now, some scientists and medical experts, who are starting to get out this word, as the Spanish prime minister put it on Monday of this week, in a joint press conference here in Madrid, with the visiting German chancellor.

He is saying, not right away but, sometime in the future, we need to think about turning this from a pandemic, which is this emergency situation all over the world, into something like endemic, treating it like the flu.

Why would that, happen he says?

Because here in Spain, with 90 percent of the population 12 years and older vaccinated and about 50 percent of the kids 5 to 11 vaccinated already, in a program that started in December, these kinds of countries, first in Europe and in some of the more developed countries in the world, the prime minister saying, can afford to start to think about this as endemic.

But he and health experts are saying, it is way too soon to talk about this for the entire world. And, clearly, it is a nonstarter, in some places where the vaccination rates are so low. Michael.

HOLMES: Right, understood. Good to see you, Al Goodman in Madrid for us.

Now across the United States, hospital intensive care units are filled, largely, with unvaccinated COVID patients. And health care workers are being pushed to the brink. In an op-ed for the "Los Angeles Times," Dr. Venktesh Ramnath, a pulmonologist at UC San Diego Health, writes this.

"Far from heroes or even compassionate advocates for health, providers are viewed as biased technicians, with dubious motives, locking loved ones behind hospital doors."

He adds, "This kind of thinking is taking a toll on beleaguered health care workers and staff."

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HOLMES: Dr. Venktesh Ramnath is a pulmonologist and medical director of critical care telemedicine outreach at UC San Diego Health.

Doctor, great to have you on. You wrote this op-ed and you spoke about rising tensions when it comes to dealing with the unvaccinated and families. Explain that for us.

DR. VENKTESH RAMNATH, PULMONOLOGIST, UC SAN DIEGO HEALTH: As you know, I think there are a lot of folks who've been feeling a lot of stress, during the entire pandemic. And, that includes, health care workers.

But certainly, during the last 6-8 months, there has been a little bit of a shift after those first waves. We started seeing that, even though the vaccine was out and efficacious --

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RAMNATH: -- that people were still not taking that for themselves. And which is certainly their choice.

But there were questions asked around whether they would get different treatment as part of their choice. And so some of the conversations around the latter part of the summer were around that, where patients who were suffering from critical illness were worried about whether they would get different care.

And we reassured them, saying, no, we would treat them the same as we do everybody. But it didn't seem to convince them.

HOLMES: Have you been able to get a sense of why some people are feeling the way they are?

Why they are so resistant and sometimes angry?

And why some patients will refused lifesaving treatment up until the very end?

RAMNATH: Well, I think it's a challenging time in terms of understanding what's happening in the world and certainly in health care, with the pandemic. It's been so overwhelming to so many people. And a lot of people don't know where to turn for answers. And in the

wake of that chaotic state of mind, people are not sure whom to trust. And sometimes that conflict becomes unbearable. And it shows in ways that we don't intend. I don't think these patients and families intend to show these kinds of emotions.

HOLMES: Right.

RAMNATH: But we are human beings and that's what happens. And unfortunately, on the health care side, the health care workers are feeling the effects of that.

HOLMES: I can't imagine how stressful it must be, even without that factor.

How many health care professionals have you seen just give up and quit the profession?

And what do departures mean for those still on the front lines?

RAMNATH: I think it's a hard time for any health care worker. And I have to say that I don't know the statistics of this anymore than I know that it's a growing trend of people who are thinking about this. They are thinking about their careers in ways that maybe they didn't think about before.

And I know that certainly the nursing staff, of people who have been there for years and even decades, have taken decisions to either move on or go to other types of clinical work that are just less intense.

HOLMES: So is there a message that you would have for anyone watching this?

RAMNATH: Well, I just want to let everyone know, whoever is watching this, that we, as health care workers, are on your side. We are here, really, for the best interest of the patient. We do not care about your religious preferences or your political views. They do not enter the doctor's office. They do not enter the hospital room.

The only thing that matters is the best interest of the patients. And that may come in the form of medical recommendations that we will suggest, based on the preponderance of evidence and the experts in the field.

But also it will come with heartfelt and sincere communication and empathy around, how do we align what we have with medical therapies with your values in life?

It is very important that you understand that we are on the same page with you. We are on this battle together, against this common viral enemy. And we are doing this together. I just wanted to impart that to your viewership.

HOLMES: Yes. And we appreciate it, Dr. Venktesh Ramnath, and appreciate everything that you do. Thank you so much.

RAMNATH: Thanks for having me.

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HOLMES: The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, is fighting for his political life as Downing Street awaits an official report on the so- called Partygate scandal. Mr. Johnson has faced growing calls to resign amid allegations that his staff held a series of parties during strict COVID lockdowns.

The government is expected to release the findings of the internal investigation into those claims next week. Meanwhile, Johnson also fending off accusations by some members of his own party that Downing Street tried to intimidate them into staying silent amid the scandal. For more, we are joined by CNN's Nada Bashir in London.

Good to see you.

So how much peril is Johnson in?

What can we expect as the inquiry wraps up?

NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Michael, it's set to be a pretty decisive week for the prime minister. We are expecting to see that internal investigation findings released this coming week over more than a dozen parties and social gatherings believed to have taken place, both on Downing Street and other government buildings.

Of course, the image of Boris Johnson sitting in a Downing Street gardens with other colleagues, in that bring your own booze party, he said, he believed it was a work meeting. But according to polls, many members of the British public think that's highly doubtful.

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BASHIR: There is a series of concerns that have been expressed by the Conservative MPs as well. But one can expect to see from this investigation being led by civil servant Sue Gray, it is really an ascertainment of what actually took place.

What were these meetings, what were these gatherings and who was attending them?

She won't be saying whether or not he was in breach of COVID regulations or whether others were. But it will be up to British public and the Conservatives to really take their own understanding from that report.

And if there are any findings of wrongdoing, there will be actions that need to be taken. We've heard from a series of MPs from Conservative Party, calling for tougher action, even a police investigation.

But we will have to see what Sue Gray finds in that investigation. It is an independent internal investigation rather than an independent inquiry. But the results, if it is found that Johnson was in breach of COVID-19 regulations, could be pretty damning for his political career.

HOLMES: Tell us more about his own people.

Has he been able to firm up support among those Conservative MPs?

BASHIR: There are some serious tensions in the ranks of the Conservative Party. We have already seen one lawmaker defect to the opposition Labour Party in quite a dramatic and public move.

We are now also hearing from another senior MP now and various others, claiming they were intimidated by the chief whips, by the prime minister's advisers, to back the prime minister in various policies.

And of course, over this Partygate scandal, to (INAUDIBLE) their backing for the prime minister or face funding cuts to their constituents. So there have been some serious allegations there in terms of intimidation.

One MP even describing it as blackmail. He is expected to speak to the Metropolitan Police this week.

So it's a real serious concern. We heard from one senior lawmaker, David Davis, telling the prime minister openly to step down. So there have been calls for the prime minister to resign. But we will have to see this week whether any further lawmakers come forward to corroborate those claims.

HOLMES: Yes. What a week it will be. Nada, thank you. Nada Bashir in London for us.

In less than two weeks, countries around the world will be cheering on their athletes in the Winter Olympics and Jamaica has a lot to look forward to. We will get to known the first alpine skier representing that nation when we come back.

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HOLMES: In less than two weeks, some of the world's biggest athletes will compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Among the sea of athletes competing next month is the very first alpine skier representing Jamaica in the Winter Games.

The retired deejay says he hopes he can inspire a new generation of Olympians from his home country. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has this report.

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PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was only six years ago that Benjamin Alexander first strapped on a pair of ski boots. The former deejay was invited to play music on a ski trip in Canada. After watching skiers fly down the slopes, he knew what he had to do next. BENJAMIN ALEXANDER, OLYMPIAN ALPINE SKIER: I decided there and then

that I wanted to join them. And I would not come back on this annual trip as just a deejay ever again. I wanted to come back as a skier.

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ALEXANDER: So long story short, I had my first lesson in February of 2016.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Fast forward to today. Alexander is now the first alpine skier for Jamaica to qualify in an Olympic Winter Games. Born in England to a British mother and a Jamaican father, he is now realizing the dream of representing his Caribbean roots.

ALEXANDER: The goal of being the Olympic spectator in 2018 and realizing the powerhouse of the Summer Games Jamaica only had three athletes that year, I thought maybe there was a chance. So here we are now, talking about going to the Olympics, which is kind of nice.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Alexander's path to success was swift but not easy. He says he had limited finances, no full-time coach and missed long chunks of training due to the coronavirus pandemic. But he persevered, drawing inspiration from a iconic Jamaican bobsled team who rose to international fame.

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OPPMANN (voice-over): Their unlikely story became the basis of the 90s movie, "Cool Runnings." About four bobsledders from the Caribbean island competed in the Winter Olympics.

ALEXANDER: I have to say I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for that movie, if it wasn't for the crazy exploits of that team in 1988. And so I hope that my story actually serves as a continuation of that.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Now Alexander is being mentored by one of the former bobsledders.

DUDLEY STOKES, FORMER OLYMPIC BOBSLEDDER: We speak on a weekly basis. And really just as a sounding board, try to ask him the right questions about what he was doing and, of course, navigating this very difficult curve ball of COVID.

OPPMANN (voice-over): Alexander expects to arrive in Beijing early next month before his competition begins on February 13th.

ALEXANDER: I think (INAUDIBLE) are really excited to see Jamaicans here. And honestly, after the events that happened in 2020, I think a lot has changed. People are now excited to see diversity work. Perhaps they may not have been as open (INAUDIBLE) to the suggestion.

OPPMANN (voice-over): In Beijing, Alexander says he hopes to inspire a new generation of winter Olympians from Jamaica, leaping barriers and snow banks all at one time -- Patrick Oppmann, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: Thanks for spending part of your day with me, I'm Michael Holmes. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @HolmesCNN. "QUEST'S WORLD OF WONDER" is up next. Thank you.