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U.S. Warns Again Russian Invasion Possible "At Any Time"; Investigation into Kabul Airport Bombing; ITA Confirms Russian Olympic Skater Failed Drug Test; Australia Lists Koalas as Endangered. Aired 12-12:30a ET

Aired February 12, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers all around the world. I am Lynda Kinkade.

Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, the White House warning that Russia could invade Ukraine within days. U.S. President Joe Biden prepares for a high stake call with Vladimir Putin.

And the IOC says a top Russian Olympic skater will soon find out whether she'll be allowed to skate again in Beijing after failing a drug test.

And later bush fires, drought and deforestation means this beloved animal is now endangered in parts of Australia.

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

KINKADE: "You should leave Ukraine as soon as possible."

That warning from a growing number of countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Japan and Australia. They're telling their citizens to get out now. The U.S. military has directed 3,000 additional forces to Poland to assist American evacuations from Ukraine.

Ramping up the urgency, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the latest intelligence suggests a possible Russian invasion could come sooner rather than later.

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JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I will not comment on the details of our Intelligence information, but I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics.

QUESTION: So you now believe that Russia has all the forces it needs to mount a full-scale invasion of Ukraine? SULLIVAN: What I'm saying is that Russia has -- needs to conduct a major military action. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by quote "full scale invasion," but Russia could choose in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine.

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KINKADE: The White House has confirmed U.S. President Joe Biden will speak with the Russian leader around lunchtime in Washington. Mr. Putin is also expected to speak Saturday with the French president.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is trying to make the case that fear of a Russian invasion is a Western disinformation and propaganda campaign, a view that ignores the reality that more than 100,000 heavily armed Russian troops now encircle Ukraine on three sides.

CNN's Alex Marquardt is in Ukraine, just hours away from the front lines with pro-Russian separatists. He filed this report a short time ago.

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ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The level of alarm that we are hearing from Ukrainian officials on what may be the cusp of a Russian invasion of their country is not nearly the same as what we are hearing from the White House.

And that is in keeping with what we have seen over the course of the past few weeks, in terms of a difference in messaging between Kyiv and Washington, D.C. That does not mean that Ukrainian officials are dismissing the prospect of a Russian invasion.

They are seeing the same intelligence as the U.S. and the rest of NATO. But they have been trying hard to keep their population calm.

We have heard from a Ukrainian official, who is close to the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who tells CNN that the situation is really serious and uncertain.

One of the more stark messages that we have heard is from the mayor of Kyiv, the capital city that was named by the national security adviser of the United States as one of the potential early targets for the Russians.

The Kyiv mayor saying that they are taking steps to protect critical infrastructure. He says that evacuation plans are being put in place, that generators to power electricity have been installed and that there are more than 5,000 shelters in case of a bombing campaign by the Russians, which could indeed come.

The number of shelters growing in recent years. The Ukrainian government has also warned of potential provocations by the Russians, a made-up pretext to justify an invasion. This is also something that the United States and others have warned could be coming. Now there is still some daylight between Ukraine and Western countries --

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MARQUARDT: -- as countries like the U.S. and the United Kingdom tell their citizens that they need to leave Ukraine and draw down nonessential members of their embassies.

A spokesman for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky saying that the security situation has not changed enough to justify that just yet.

And in the streets of Ukraine, we're also seeing a bit of daylight about the expectation of what could happen, both in Kyiv and here in Dnipro in central Ukraine. People are out and about. On a Friday night, they were in restaurants, in bars and cafes.

When I spoke to several people here in town, they said they are not thinking about what the Russians may do; they are going about their lives as normal. Of course, that could change the very second that Russia crosses their borders -- Alex Marquardt, CNN, Dnipro, Ukraine.

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KINKADE: Susan Glasser joins me now, a CNN global affairs analyst and a staff writer for "The New Yorker."

Good to have you with us, Susan.

SUSAN GLASSER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Thank you so much, Lynda.

KINKADE: So there seems to be a growing urgency here in the U.S. and also in Europe today, with nationals in Ukraine being told to leave.

Do you see signs of an imminent attack or some sort of either full invasion or perhaps some sort of action in the east in the Donbas?

GLASSER: Look, they're very clear messages coming out of Washington and the Biden White House today, essentially saying there is no path forward at the moment for diplomacy.

They seem to really have moved their communications around this to a different level, urgently telling Americans in Ukraine to leave within the next 24 to 48 hours. What we see is also a number of European governments, as well as Israel, telling its diplomats to leave or close up at least part of their shops.

That's something they hadn't done before. So, I do think what we are seeing is certainly a very different communications strategy and a sense that all of the military assets that would be needed for military action are now on hand, according to the American government.

KINKADE: I'd love to get your perspective, Susan, on what you make of the fact that the U.S. intentionally declassifying and releasing intel on what it thinks Russia might do to provoke a response.

Is it doing that in an effort to deter Russia?

It seems quite an unusual tactic.

GLASSER: I agree. I think it's very unusual. And it's certainly -- first of all, it's a big departure from how the Biden team handled the very first foreign policy crisis of the new administration in Afghanistan.

They seem to be certainly correcting or even potentially overcorrecting in the other direction and getting out in front of the warnings they're receiving in real time.

There is a real interesting divergence between what you're hearing from the U.S. government and what you're hearing from the Ukrainian government itself, which has been consistently downplaying the threat.

You could argue that, of course, it's much more potentially destabilizing for the government in Ukraine, that there is a concern about causing panic and the like. But I haven't seen anything like what we are seeing out of Washington in terms of the real-time communication of information.

Perhaps they think that they are simply exposing Russian machinations in hopes of forestalling them. That's another scenario here. But not yet is it clear.

KINKADE: Yes, I mean, you have to wonder what the next move will be from Vladimir Putin.

I mean, would he invest this much effort, move so many troops in and then back down?

What are the risks of him doing something simply because he can't look like he's doing nothing?

GLASSER: Well, you know, look, I don't think that he has left himself a lot of room for climbing down here, not only assembling this enormous and very costly invasion force on the borders of Ukraine.

But the demands that he's made on the United States, on the West and on Ukraine are essentially nonnegotiable demands. And I mean nonnegotiable, not on the part of Russia per se but on the part of the West.

You know, there is no scenario under which the Biden administration is going to be negotiating overturning back the clock, even if they wanted to. That's not something that's possible.

When NATO expanded in 1997 -- that's not the reason that Vladimir Putin is really at the borders of Ukraine today. And it's certainly not within Biden's power or anyone else to tell Poland that they shouldn't be a member of NATO, when this is exactly the reason, something like this invasion, force why Poland (ph) any other countries wanted to be a part of NATO.

So I just never saw that Putin was outlining something that seemed like a real viable negotiation. So in that sense, it's hard to see him just walking away and claiming victory. KINKADE: And so, what are the potential political costs for Putin, if

he takes no action and backs down?

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GLASSER: Well, you know, that's the other interesting thing, is that it's hard to see a scenario where he can just claim victory. But the flip side is, actually going forward with a military invasion of Ukraine, I think it's fair to say, it's potentially catastrophic for Vladimir Putin.

And the cost on the Russian people would be very high indeed, not just in terms of the sanctions but you know, militarily. I think there's real potential risks in the longer term to Putin's government inside Russia.

So he has embarked on a high-stakes gamble here, that does seem somewhat out of keeping with what we've seen of Vladimir Putin for the previous 20 years. This is a very, very high-stakes game at this point, either way.

KINKADE: Susan Glasser, as always, great to get your analysis. Appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

GLASSER: Thank you very much.

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KINKADE: Now a follow-up to a CNN investigation into U.S. military findings that no one was hit by gunfire during a suicide bombing at Kabul airport amid the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last August; 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians died in that attack.

Now newly released documents are raising alarming questions about the military probe. CNN international security editor Nick Paton Walsh has our report, which contains videos some viewers may find disturbing.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): The U.S. military insists nobody was shot after a bomb, detonated here at the Abbey Gate of Kabul airport in August.

The Pentagon says all the casualties -- more than 180 -- were killed by the lone suicide bomber.

They have disputed the findings of a CNN investigation, based on medical records, doctors at several Afghan hospitals and 19 survivors, who saw people shot or were shot themselves, that raise serious questions about the military's findings and whether gunfire hit Afghan civilians.

The military maintains U.S. Marines and U.K. troops fired on just three occasions, all harmless warning shots over the heads of the crowd. JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We respect the reporting of CNN clearly. But our -- our -- we -- we are going to stand by the investigation, which did not find any conclusive evidence that there was gunfire of any kind by American troops on -- on Afghan citizens.

WALSH (voice-over): But more evidence has emerged in nearly 2,000 pages of documents from the U.S. investigation released over the weekend. While military investigators admit not speaking to any Afghan civilians, the papers reveal what the U.S. military survivors of the blast told them, what they heard and saw.

Firstly, one Marine said she joined other Marines, opening fire in the aftermath but did not know what she shot at.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went in and saw a lot of Marines, shooting by the jersey barrier. There was a lot of smoke. I couldn't see where they were firing. They grabbed me and I started firing my weapon as well. I don't know what I was firing at.

WALSH (voice-over): Other Marines who were at the blast site reported seeing rounds impact around them. One said --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw Marines return fire. I heard three distinct shots hit the back windows of the tower. The third round impacted right in front of my face, as I was closing the ballistic glass window.

WALSH (voice-over): Another quote read --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I could hear sporadic rounds snapping overhead for about five minutes. I didn't see any traces, but I saw sparks when bullets would impact things.

WALSH (voice-over): Another --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was applying tourniquets, I saw ricochets. Never saw a shooter.

WALSH (voice-over): Another read --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw the shots hitting around us.

WALSH (voice-over): Some interviews are done in a group and, with the names redacted, it is hard to determine how many troops are talking in each group or their rank.

Within the documents, some U.S. military personnel say they did not fire at all, despite the chaos and possibility they were under attack. Others report not hearing gunfire.

Much of the testimony is consistent with the conclusions of the investigators. But some interviewees do describe the impact of bullets near them, while the U.S. investigators said the only shots fired went over people's heads.

A U.S. military spokesman said the above Marines' statements were, quote, "deemed less credible, partly as a result of their junior rank and inexperience of some, coupled with the likely impact of the blast on their recollections."

He added, "Investigators had contradictory information from several credible sources" and that "there are conflicting statements as well as inconsistent evidence," saying, "the investigators drew conclusions based on a preponderance of all the evidence collected."

U.S. military investigators have also said no bullets were pulled from patients treated in the aftermath.

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WALSH (voice-over): A person with U.S. combat medic experience, on duty that night, recalled differently.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Originally, a lot of the wounds were classified as gunshot wounds. But they were actually because of shrapnel. But there were some gunshot wounds. There was a non-U.S. patient that had a bullet inside the back of his head after small arms fire.

WALSH (voice-over): A U.S. military spokesman told CNN that this medic was not in the operating theater and that surgeons who were did not report removing bullets from patients.

Yet the documents show U.S. personnel, at times, describing scenes similarly to Afghan survivors and raise yet further questions as to whether the U.S. military has fully investigated -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

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KINKADE: Still ahead, controversy on the ice: a Russian figure skater's Olympic future up in the air, after testing positive for a banned substance. The latest on the doping scandal, next.

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KINKADE: Welcome back.

Now to the doping scandal that is overshadowing competition on the ice at the Winter Olympics. The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency says the U.S. could prosecute any Russian individuals allegedly involved in the case, the figure skater, Kamila Valieva.

The International Testing Agency confirmed Friday the 15 year-old failed a drug test ahead of the Olympic Games. Officials say they should have a resolution to this case by Tuesday.

I want to welcome CNN's Kristie Lu Stout, joining us from live from Hong Kong.

Good to have you with us. Valieva's Olympic future certainly hanging in the balance. Bring us up to speed with the latest.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: We are getting a little bit more clarity from the International Olympic Committee. An IOC spokesperson held a press conference in Beijing earlier, saying that there will be a resolution by February the 15th, which is next Tuesday, on whether or not there would be a suspension.

I should also add February the 15th is when she is due to compete. This is after what we heard on Friday, that the International Testing Agency said, Kamila Valieva had failed a doping test that took place in December, testing positive for a banned substance, a heart medication that can be used to enhance performance.

The result of that test not coming to light until during Olympic competition in Beijing. There are so many outstanding questions at the moment.

Number one question, what does this mean for Valieva and her team, the ROC, who won the gold medal on Monday in the team figure skating event?

Will that gold medal be revoked?

Also, what does this mean for Valieva herself?

Will she be allowed to compete on Tuesday?

She is a figure skating sensation, a breakout star in the Beijing Olympic Games, the first woman to land quadruple jumps during Olympic competition and she's only 15 years old. Her Olympic dream is now turning into this Olympic nightmare. And it has drawn the ire of athletes and organizations all around the world.

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STOUT: They are funneling their anger squarely at Russia and its enablers. I want to bring up this very powerful statement for you. This comes from the Global Athlete Movement.

And it says, "Valieva's positive test shows the severe ramifications of the international community's failure to hold Russia accountable, a 15-year-old athlete, testing positive for a potentially harmful prohibited substance," unquote.

I should add that Valieva is one of the youngest Olympians ever to test positive for a banned substance. Back to you.

KINKADE: Just 15 years old, as you say.

Kristie, has the Russian anti doping agency responded?

STOUT: Yes, we have heard from the Russian anti doping agency. They said that they are launching an investigation into her support team, which would presumably include the medical team as well as her coach, who is a very controversial figure. RUSADA said that she tested positive in St. Petersburg in late

December. The test was processed at a lab in Stockholm. But that lab result wasn't ready until Monday this last week, which, is of course, the day when the ROC won that gold medal.

What was behind the delay?

RUSADA said the delay was due to, quote, "a COVID-19 situation," another wave of COVID-19 at that clinic in Stockholm. I should add that CNN, we have reached out to that lab in Stockholm, to get any clarity, to get any comment. So far, no response -- Lynda, back to you.

KINKADE: Very odd. Kristie Lu Stout, in Hong Kong, thank you very much.

STOUT: You bet.

KINKADE: Police in Windsor, Canada, are warning that they could start making arrests. Demonstrators appear to be ignoring a judge's order to stop blocking a bridge, which is a critical link between the U.S. and Canada border.

The Friday injunction, issued in hopes of ending a blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, which is the busiest international crossing in North America. The so-called freedom convoy of truckers has slowed the movement of vital goods across the border for the past two weeks with their protest against vaccine mandates.

It has been so disruptive that the premier of Ontario issued a state of emergency on Friday. And the mayor of Ottawa says he expects to see more demonstrators in the Canadian capital this weekend.

Meanwhile, the unrest is spilling over the border. Authorities in Buffalo, New York are coordinating with state and federal agencies on a planned protest at the Peace Bridge this weekend.

The Department of Homeland Security is warning that similar protests could disrupt the Super Bowl in Los Angeles.

The protests are not limited to North America. French authorities are dealing with their own convoy, inspired by the truckers' movement in Canada, trying to make its way to Paris.

The city is on high alert and thousands of police have been deployed to keep the so-called freedom convoy from blocking the French capital.

One of Australia's iconic marsupials is now endangered. Why the number of koalas is declining and what's being done to save them. We have that story, when we come back.

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(MUSIC PLAYING) KINKADE: The concerning report coming out of Brazil, deforestation in the Amazon rain forest hit a record high for the month of January. Official data show the deforestation totaled 430 square kilometers, five times higher than the same month last year. This is despite the recent government pledges to bring the destruction under control.

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KINKADE: Here's another sad sign of the times. Koalas in two Australian states and a territory have been listed as endangered. The country has lost about 30 percent of its koalas in just the past three years. Officials blame a rapid decline to their habitat. Our Michael Holmes with more.

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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're cute, cuddly and could one day be extinct. But the koala, one of Australia's iconic animals, may have just been thrown a lifeline by the Australian government.

The prime minister Scott Morrison pledging $35 million in the next four years to protect the species after the number of koalas plummeted in the last few years.

SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We're investing in the world leading science in looking after our koala populations. We are also investing heavily in education to ensure not only the public can understand how they can care but also, importantly, veterinarians right across the country.

HOLMES (voice-over): One of the biggest threats to koalas, bush fires. In 2019 and 2020, the World Wildlife Fund estimating over 60,000 koalas were impacted in one of the country's worst fire seasons. That is a dramatic loss, since estimates of their total numbers range from nearly a half million to fewer than 100,000 in the wild.

During that time, the world watched in horror as unforgettable images emerged from the fires, like this woman, using her shirt to try to save a badly burned koala. All the apocalyptic looking terrain of Australia's Kangaroo Island, a habitat for koalas and many other animals, where little was left unscathed.

Disease is also taking a toll on the species. In some areas, chlamydia has affected half of the koala population. Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin says the funds are coming at a critical time for koalas.

ROBERT IRWIN, WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONIST: They're on the thin edge of the wedge and so any kind of support that we can get is greatly, greatly appreciated and very, very needed. Our environment is suffering at the moment. And so, any steps that we can make toward a brighter future to make positive change.

HOLMES (voice-over): Some conservationists say money is not enough. Some environmental groups say the government needs to pass stronger laws about deforestation and climate change to protect koalas' habitats from being bulldozed, logged or burned.

Many agree the money, for now, is helpful but, without addressing the larger issues, Australia could, one day, lose what many people say is a national treasure -- Michael Holmes, CNN.

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KINKADE: Save those koalas.

Thank you so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Lynda Kinkade. "INSIDE AFRICA" is coming up next.