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Biden Meets With National Security Team As Crisis In Ukraine Intensifies; Interview With Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) About Russia- Ukraine Tensions; New Satellite Images Showing Russian Ground Forces Near Ukrainian Borders; Queen Elizabeth Experiencing Mild Symptoms After Testing Positive For COVID; Families Flee Amid Invasion Fears. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired February 20, 2022 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:19]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST (voice-over): Tonight, on the brink of war, Russia's heavily concentrated forces within striking distance of Ukraine.

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: You could see a significant amount of combat power move very quickly to take Kyiv.

BROWN: But officials insist diplomacy is still viable.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin.

KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're talking about the potential for war in Europe.

BROWN: Vice President Harris rallies allies in Munich, vowing a swift, severe and united response if Russia invades Ukraine, as President Biden meets with the National Security Council promising unprecedented economic costs if Russia does not choose diplomacy.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The West is united and resolved. We're ready to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it further invades Ukraine.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM on this Sunday. We begin this hour with breaking news in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The U.S. has intelligence indicating orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with an attack on Ukraine. Now that is according to two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the intelligence. President Biden has wrapped up a rare Sunday meeting of the National

Security Council in the White House situation room. CNN has learned that the latest U.S. intel according to these officials says Russia has poured 75 percent of its conventional forces within striking distance of Ukraine. It is surrounded on three sides and now a disturbing new development from Belarus to the north.

Russia is extending its military drills there. They were supposed to end today. The Kremlin cites a weakened spike in violence in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine says Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country violated the ceasefire at least 74 times just today. Moscow, in the meantime, continues to encourage Ukrainian citizens to evacuate from the east and cross over into Russia.

The U.S. and its allies fear the rising tensions in eastern Ukraine will be used as a pretext for Russia to launch an attack.

CNN is mobilizing its people around the world to follow all of these latest developments. Let's start at the White House and CNN's Arlette Saenz.

So, Arlette, what can you tell us about President Biden's meeting today with his National Security Council?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, President Biden met with his National Security Council in the situation room for a little over two hours today. A White House readout of that meeting was very brief saying that the president and his team discussed Russia's ongoing military buildup on the border of Ukraine. But if you take a look at that photo released by the White House, you get a glimpse of who exactly was in that room.

The top officials spanning defense, diplomacy, financial sectors, as well as the intelligence world were all huddled with President Biden as they chart the next steps as this evolving situation between Russia and Ukraine unfold. In addition to that National Security Council meeting, the president also spoke by phone today with French President Emmanuel Macron. That followed phone calls that Macron had with President Putin of Russia and President Zelensky of Ukraine.

The White House also released a very brief readout of the meetings saying that they discussed diplomacy and deterrence measures as Russia is contemplating this invasion of Ukraine. Of course U.S. officials continue to warn that Russia could attack Ukraine in the coming days. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the playbook for an invasion by Russia is still moving forward but the White House still is hoping that that diplomatic window might be an option.

Blinken said that President Biden would be open to engaging with President Putin at any time and in any format in order to avoid a war, but that window for diplomacy, while they're holding out hope, it may be quickly closing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLINKEN: The purpose of the sanctions in the first instance is to try to deter Russia from going to war. As soon as you try to trigger them, that deterrent is gone. And until the last minute, as long as we can try to bring a deterrent effect to this we're going to try to do that. As to laying out in detail what the sanctions will be, two things first. Russia generally has a pretty good idea what we're going to do. But we don't want to lay out the specifics in advance because that would allow Russia to try to plan against them.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: So the U.S. has been working with allies to craft the sanctions package should Russia invade Ukraine, and they are not bending to pressure from some to unveil those sanctions before an invasion takes place.

[18:05:07]

Now Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to speak and meet with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on Thursday. But that meeting will only move forward if Russia has not invaded Ukraine by that moment. So the White House is hoping that the U.S. along with its allies could continue to walk down that diplomatic path with Russia even as that invasion looms.

BROWN: All right, Arlette Saenz, thank you so much.

Turning now to Ukraine, CNN chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto is on the western edge of the country.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Pam, according to the latest U.S. intelligence assessment, orders have been sent to Russian tactical commanders to proceed with an invasion of Ukraine. This according to officials with direct knowledge of the intelligence telling myself and my colleague Natasha Bertrand.

We should be clear that this is one of several indicators that the U.S. is looking for that would indicate that an invasion is coming. This one has been observed but others, such as electronic jamming or massive cyberattacks on Ukraine, have not yet been observed. It is also worth noting that orders such as this can be rescinded or could be part of a disinformation campaign intended to mislead the U.S. and its allies.

However, this intelligence comes as we've heard public statements from the president, the vice president and the secretary of state in recent days saying that the U.S. now believes Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying today, in his words, that the Russian playbook is moving forward -- Pam.

BROWN: Jim Sciutto, thank you so much.

And we have this video to share with you now of just how volatile the situation on the border between Russia and Ukraine is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Down, down. (END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: You're looking at Ukrainian officials and foreign reporters running away from what appears to be shelling as they visited the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine yesterday. The group was driving to a, quote, "observational outpost" in the Donetsk region when they had to take shelter from apparent incoming fire, as you see here in this video.

And I want to bring in Jill Dougherty. She was CNN's Moscow bureau chief for nearly a decade and is now a contributor.

Jill, the U.S. embassy there in Moscow issued a security advisory warning of threats to public places like shopping centers and metro stations. What do we know about these threats?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, it's kind of an, I would say, unexpected development. We personally have not noticed a lot of this, but the embassy, as you said, a security advisory going out and citing media sources. Now I would presume those are Russian media sources, unnamed -- that there have been some threats of attacks on shopping centers, metro stations, et cetera, and warning Americans to be very cautious, carry I.D. with them.

And I think one of the more interesting parts they say have evacuation plans worked out in advance. Now nobody is talking about evacuating Americans from Moscow at this point. But it is -- what they're saying is that the plans should be made bearing in mind that the U.S. embassy does not have the wherewithal to help Americans at this point. As we know the number of Americans working at the embassy is really minimal at this point. They are very strapped precisely because what is going on diplomatically with Russia during this crisis in Ukraine.

But, Pamela, the other part of this, I think the most significant for Moscow militarily, is what you referred to at the top, the end of those military exercises with Belarus. But the troops not going back to their bases. In fact, staying there on the border there were an estimated about 30,000 of them, so they remain in place. And it's all, they say, because of the problems and the aggravation of the situation in that Russian-speaking Donbas region to the east in Ukraine right on the border with Russia.

People are continuing to be evacuated on buses from Ukraine into Russia saying that they fear attack by the Ukrainians, and the Ukrainians saying we are not attacking. So -- and I guess I should end with a little bit of note about the diplomatic situation. President Macron actually, we understand now, spoke twice with President Putin today and he also spoke with the Ukrainian President Zelensky.

Then tomorrow, Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, will speak with the French foreign minister, so this continues but we haven't heard any, you know, specific ideas about progress -- Pam.

[18:10:08]

BROWN: Jill Dougherty in Moscow, thank you, Jill. And joining us now CNN military analyst, General Wesley Clark. He was

NATO Supreme Allied commander and is a senior fellow at the UCLA Berkeley Center.

Hi, General. So according to a U.S. assessment nearly 75 percent of Russian forces are postured against Ukraine. The Russian-Belarusian forces are still conducting joint military drills on the border. We just heard Jill talk about that. And the Ukrainians claimed Russian- backed separatists are putting heavy artillery in civilian areas.

Which of these threats is most concerning to you?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, I think that what you're seeing is the preparatory actions leading up to a major offensive that comes in from multiple directions. And I'm most concerned about what might happen in Kyiv in the early stages of this with an assassination campaign and subversion by Spetsnaz and other people who have been infiltrated and they're possibly using chemical weapons, or some effort to assassinate President Zelensky that would enable Mr. Putin to then claim that there's chaos, and he has to intervene and for peacekeeping purposes.

I think that's the greatest concern. You know, what Russia is trying to do is build the pretext to invade. It's trying to persuade the world, its own people, and avoid the problems of being labelled as an international criminal state. And one by one the United States has punctured the balloon on that. We've identified numerous false flag plots, as we call them, and the latest information we just heard from -- about Moscow and warnings of strikes in Moscow on theaters and shopping centers is more of the same.

It wouldn't surprise us to see some major explosions in Moscow set by Mr. Putin's own people as a pretext for invasion. That's what we're looking at right now.

BROWN: Well, we know from our sources we've been speaking to that U.S. officials are saying there is this intelligence that orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with an attack on Ukraine. Now I'm told by a source tonight familiar with all of this that this information came in last week to U.S. officials and it was behind those forceful comments from President Biden as well as the secretary of state.

And this intelligence is saying that -- showing that it appears the Russians are in the final stages of invasion that that preparations are essentially under way. What do you make of that, that this intelligence came in last week, and here we are on Sunday. We are seeing these incremental steps, that what we just pointed out. What do you make of what's going on right now?

CLARK: Well, there have been high-level plans for some time that Ukrainians say that they've had and I'm sure the U.S. government has those high-level plans. And we've been told about some of them publicly. Now this sounds like they're beginning to pass the operational directives down to implement those plans. So those operational directives have to go through several echelons. They would go from the army commander down to the division commander,

down to the battalion task group commander. And they have to concern things like when do they start moving? How do they get resupplied? What is the route of movement? What's the order of movement? Where do they pick up their artillery? And a number of details that require some planning.

So the fact that the first plans have been distributed and we know about it doesn't necessarily mean that the attacks is going to happen tonight. It could happen 24, 48 hours, it depends on how much planning time they've given. And as the secretary of state and president have said of course until the first tank crosses that line or the first acts of major subversion and cyber go, Mr. Putin could still change his mind.

BROWN: Right. That is sort of the hope. They're leaving that door open until an invasion actually happens. And the sources that I've spoken to tonight, there's also a bit of cautioning and our reporting reflects that as well, that, look, you know, intelligence is not a perfect science and this could be an attempt by the Russians to put out disinformation. What do you think about that likelihood at this point on this new intelligence?

CLARK: Yes, I think that the Russians have -- will always try to put out some fake information. They'll go back and forth. They want to confuse us, they want to lull us down, they want to disguise their actual time of attack and their methods of attack. You know, in today's world you can't get the element of surprise that, let's say, Hitler had against the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941. You've got continuous satellite reconnaissance, you've got radio intercepts, you've got all kinds of social media reporting.

[18:15:01]

So then this leaves the problem for these Russian military planners, well, how do they get any element of surprise? And so the way they do it is disguising the direction of the attack, the exact time of the attack, the nature of the attack, and sending a false message out, so you've got ambassadors speaking one place or another, saying, oh, no, no intent or we wouldn't do anything like this, and other people saying, no, the troops are pulling back. And so this is all to be expected.

BROWN: Yes.

CLARK: We know, the Ukrainians know they might get two to four hours of solid warning, unambiguous warning before the first cyberattacks and subversion starts.

BROWN: Right. And it is interesting, to your point, the Russian ambassador to the U.S. just today said that Russia has no intentions of invading, and yet you're seeing this activity, we see the map right there of the Russian forces. The Finnish president told CNN today that he believes part of this is trying to set up unpredictability, trying to confuse the West on what is going on here.

So great conversation, General Wesley Clark. Thank you for your time tonight.

CLARK: Thank you, Pam.

BROWN: And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. If you're just now joining our breaking news coverage, we have this update for you.

CNN has learned through two U.S. officials and a U.S. intelligence source that intel now indicates orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with the attack on Ukraine. We are covering this fast-moving situation all across the globe.

Congressman John Garamendi from the Armed Services Committee is live with us in just a moment. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:42]

BROWN: We want to show you the scene earlier today at the Stand with Ukraine rally here in Washington, D.C. Several pro-Ukrainian groups gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to show solidarity and to petition the Biden administration to enact sanctions against Russia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: If you could say anything to Putin right now what would it be?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stop the war. Don't invade our country. It's a free country. We pray for freedom, for democracy. And it's a great country, great people, and we are here to ask the U.S. government and all leaders in the world to send support, to support our country, and let's pray for the peace in Ukraine.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And what's on your heart?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In my heart, Ukraine is in my heart. I was born in Ukraine, and Ukraine is in my heart.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Why are you crying?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it's very emotional. You know, it's a real uncertain time for the country.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Now I want to bring in Democratic Congressman John Garamendi. He is on the Armed Services Committee and he joins me live now from Brussels.

Congressman, thanks for joining us tonight. I want to get first your reaction to what sources are telling CNN that the Kremlin has told commanders to prepare for an attack of Ukraine.

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): We've anticipated this for a very, very long time. However, as has been said, the window of diplomacy has not yet shut. So we're going to have to be very, very clear that should Russia invade, there will be serious sanctions, and that's one of the reasons we're here with a bipartisan delegation for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly which is meeting today, tomorrow and through Wednesday.

BROWN: We keep hearing from officials such as yourself and other administration officials that if Russia invades there will be really tough sanctions, the most powerful in history, against Russia but we also heard Ukrainian President Zelensky pushing for the U.S. to at the very least release the list of what those sanctions would be. Why hasn't that happened yet? Do you think it should?

GARAMENDI: Well, what is happening is that it's generally known, there are two pieces of legislation in the Congress finishing up their work in the committees, and as soon as we return those will be moved out of committee if Russia does invade, and the list is well known. There's no secret here that we're talking about sanctions on the military, all of their issues of exported military supplies, all of the imports of things that they need for the military.

Every sanctions on Putin and the oligarchs and the military leaders. Those are personal sanctions, tying up their money wherever it may be around the world. Also looking at the issue of Russian energy exports -- oil and gas -- all of that. One of the things that's really important is for the United States and NATO and the European Union to understand how those sanctions will be imposed, and what the implementation of those sanctions will mean to the economies here in the West.

And that's one of the things that we want to be very, very clear about as we talk to our colleagues from all of the parliaments in the NATO countries, that, yes, we must do this and there will be some blowback into our own economies, but we have to endure that. We simply cannot allow Russia to get away with these invasions without any serious sanctions and any serious repercussions to their economy and to the individuals.

BROWN: And it is worth noting that the blowback could affect the U.S. but also more so Europe. Right? Because I believe it's more than a third of Europe's energy comes from Russia and so any sanctions could have a direct impact on them and have a ripple effect to the U.S.

You are in Brussels for this NATO conference, leading meetings and taking part in discussions on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. What are you hearing from America's allies?

GARAMENDI: We're hearing that they are in solidarity. Just keep in mind that it was less than 15 months ago that NATO was in disarray. Trump had spent four years basically trashing NATO and making it questionable whether the United States wanted NATO or would stand with NATO, would Russia do anything.

[18:25:09]

That's not the case now. Biden has put together a very powerful and very cohesive alliance. Putin did something that nobody thought could be done, and that is to rebuild the solidarity of NATO. It is in place. We've already heard that from those parliamentarians that we've talked to in the very short day that we've been here and we'll certainly hear more of that tomorrow.

But we also understand that there are going to be consequences and therefore the Biden administration not only pulling NATO and European Union together but also putting in place actions to back fill, to supplement the lost Russian gas should those sanctions be put in place.

We are preparing to turn around liquefied national gas ships, LNG ships, that are at sea and more that will be at sea from American ports and other ports around the world, and move those ships into Europe to help supplement or back fill the loss of Russian gas. We're aware of that and certainly our colleagues from NATO parliaments are also. That's why we're here to work together, to stand together in solidarity.

BROWN: And such as diverting some of the gas that may ship to Japan and bringing that to Europe if it does come to that.

GARAMENDI: Exactly.

BROWN: As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, privy to the intelligence, privy to the briefings, the latest information, do you really think Vladimir Putin will at this point settle for diplomacy if he has in fact made up his mind as the intelligence suggests? Because at the beginning of this conversation you left hope for that diplomacy. But do you really think that will happen?

GARAMENDI: Well, there's something that goes back to previous wars and that is keep hope alive. And indeed we must always keep hope alive. Putin is going to be in a very serious judgment for his future, for the future of Russia and really for the stability of the world if he chooses to invade and try to assert his authority over Ukraine militarily. That sets off repercussions that will have profound effect.

The sanctions being but one. It will also set off what may well be a new Cold War. We do know that Russia just these last few days has exercised its nuclear arsenal. What does that mean? Well, it's something for all of us to be aware of because we are really in the midst of a new nuclear arms race. No one, Russia, the United States or China has really exercised that nuclear armament as Russia did just this week.

So what is that? We've got a very, very dangerous, perhaps a very long-lasting situation on hand. Putin is not a dumb, ignorant person. Now he may be very stupid in what he's about to do but he surely has the ability to understand the consequences. He's going to have to make a calculation and that calculation may be momentarily or it may be in the very few days ahead. Does he risk putting his country at the opposite end of all of Europe, on the opposite side?

And that has to do with everything from diplomacy to all of the interactions of the economies, of the countries here, and, also, he must surely realize by now that he has strengthened NATO, that he has brought to the borders of his country in a defensive posture the NATO armaments. Also, he has put in place more armaments and defensive armaments in Ukraine than were there six months ago.

Ukraine has been very heavily armed. All of that because of Putin's actions in trying to leverage Ukraine to stay out of NATO and, also, for NATO to pull back out of the eastern countries of the Baltics, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. That's not happening. In fact, the exact opposite is happening. So this is an opportunity for Putin to say, wait a minute, I've got a terrific military. See what they've done?

I'd tell you, we're going to go home because we're going to stand ready. It'd be time for him to beat his chest and say, yes, we're really tough. Look at what we've just done. You've seen all of our propaganda but we're going to go home. That would be the wise thing for him to do and to continue with the diplomacy.

BROWN: Right. And even as of today their top Russian official saying we don't want to invade. That's not our plan.

[18:30:03]

Now, of course, you have to take that with a grain of salt if that, but he could say, look, I've been saying, we've been saying, we didn't want to invade, to your point. So we'll continue to watch how the situation unfolds.

Congressman John Garamendi, thank you for your time tonight.

GARAMENDI: Thank you.

BROWN: Breaking news, new satellite images show Russian ground forces heading for positions close to Ukraine's border. Stand by for more on that. We're going to show you those pictures coming up. Former director of National Intelligence James Clapper is live next.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:35:03]

BROWN: This just in. We're getting new satellite images of Russian troops on the move. They were taken earlier today by the imaging company MAXAR and it showed intensified activity among Russian units close to Ukraine's northeastern border. We're going to have those images for you in just a moment.

Joining us now to talk about this is CNN national security analyst and former director of National Intelligence, James Clapper.

Good to see you. So how much impact might these images have in adding to U.S. confidence that an invasion is truly now eminent?

JAMES CLAPPER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Pam, I think it's kind of over but the shouting. I mean, there are not many more indications and warnings that we're going to get, and if the latest imagery shows a move towards the borders, well, that's about it. I am really struck as an old intel guy by the use, public use of intelligence which I think is a great thing.

BROWN: Yes, it is -- it has been a noticeable difference from 2014 when we saw what happened with Crimea to now in the way that U.S. officials are putting out this intelligence including the latest intelligence that we have according to multiple sources that Russians -- the Kremlin has given orders to commanders to proceed with an invasion but, also, our sources cautioning that that order could be withdrawn or that this could all be misinformation meant to confuse and mislead the U.S. and its allies. What do you think is going on right now?

CLAPPER: I kind of have a tendency to take this at face value. It's hard for me to believe that they have 190,000 troops, which is three- quarters of the Russian conventional military, wait around Ukraine and now for Russia to say, oh, April fool, we're not going to do it I think we're past that. I think Putin has personally painted himself into a corner and he almost has to do something. Now just what shape and magnitude this attack might take that, of course, remains to be seen. It could be very limited or it could be a much bigger thing.

BROWN: I want to ask you given what you just laid out there, just big picture moving forward looking at the scenario that could play out. Both Boris Johnson and Vice President Kamala Harris are issuing warnings about the potential for war in Europe. Do you think this could morph into a large-scale conflict? I mean, what do you think this could actually look like?

CLAPPER: Well, it certainly could from just the physical standpoint, one hopes it wouldn't. Here we are in the year 2022 and, you know, this is potentially the largest conflict in Europe since 1945, at the end of World War II. So hopefully cooler heads will prevail or hopefully Putin has some -- a much more limited military objective than he does than is evident right now. So I think there's more here to play out. I think there is a chance for diplomacy but, you know, kind of down for the count right now as far as I can tell.

BROWN: Yes, I mean, and we keep hearing chants for diplomacy but as you pointed out it seems like we're there. I mean now these new satellite images are coming with soldiers leaving the garrison, going there closer to the border. Given where we are now, do you think the U.S. should be imposing sanctions or at least reveal the list instead of waiting for Russia to physically attack, to cross that border?

CLAPPER: Well, this is somewhat of a religious order than I think about. When is the exact moment to impose sanctions? I certainly understand the Ukrainian position if all we say is true then why aren't we imposing sanctions now, but I'm also struck by Secretary Blinken's argument that once you do that you're sort of sacrificing or compromising your ability to deter. So there's positive arguments for both sides on this.

Pam, there's one aspect to this I would like to mention briefly, and that is, if the Russians do go in in a big way into Ukraine, I'll just remind folks there are about 15 nuclear reactors, I believe, still active in Ukraine concentrated in four different areas. And I hope we've considered then, and the Russians have considered the implications of striking either intentionally or unintentionally one of these nuclear facilities because you could have Chernobyl times two potentially. And I think that just illustrates the gravity of what's afoot here.

[18:40:04]

BROWN: Well, that is truly frightening. I want to show our viewers, we now have that satellite image from MAXAR. This is new satellite imagery showing intensified activity among Russian units close to Ukraine's northeastern border with units that were garrisons appears to take up field positions. We're getting this image on the heels of this new intelligence coming into the U.S. according to officials we've been speaking with, saying that the Kremlin has given the orders to proceed with an attack.

Of course, as you well know, James, that doesn't just happen in the flash of a second. Right? Certain things need to happen. Do you see what is being shown in this picture as a step toward that goal?

CLAPPER: It would appear to me from what I can see, and, you know, not being a professional imagery interpreter, but it certainly looks that way to me and, of course, there would need to be other looks, if you will, other parts of the jumping off point along the border of Ukraine to actually confirm this, but this is one indicator, one column that seems to be under way.

BROWN: And as you well know, you know, with intelligence you put it all together to see what the picture shows and you have this combined with everything else going on and it does show a pretty concerning picture to say the least.

James Clapper, thank you so much.

CLAPPER: Thanks, Pam.

BROWN: Tonight, we're also following concern with Queen Elizabeth's health after she tested positive for COVID. We're going to go to the U.K. for an update on her condition, and new info on the people she was recently in contact with. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:46:22]

BROWN: Not long after marking her 70th anniversary on the British throne, Queen Elizabeth has tested positive for COVID.

CNN's Max Foster has more details from Windsor Castle.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Pam, the Queen is receiving medical attention in the castle behind me. There appears to have been some sort of outbreak according to my sources within the castle and the Queen caught COVID. She was tested on Sunday morning and they released the results pretty quickly. We are told, though, they are really emphasizing the fact that she has mild cold-like symptoms and that she is at her desk carrying out light duties.

She sent a letter of congratulations, for example, on Sunday afternoon to the British Olympic team. So they're emphasizing that and they're really trying to calm nerves, I guess. But she is nearly 96 years old. And we're told that she is meeting all the current regulations which would mean she'd have to be self-isolating. She's be on her own at a time that she feels pretty unwell anyway.

She had a meeting the other day in the week and she was unable to move. I was told by sources that she felt sick as opposed to injured. Nevertheless, not a particularly comfortable position for a 95-year- old to be in. So they'll be watching very closely and they'll be monitoring her -- Pam.

BROWN: All right. Thanks so much for the latest there.

Up next, we are getting new satellite images of Russian troops on the move. Meantime, the toll fears of war are taking on families in Ukraine as they flee their homes in the capital ahead of a possible invasion.

CNN is in one western city where many are headed. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:52:22]

BROWN: Fears of an imminent Russian invasion are mounting in Kyiv. Families are leaving Ukraine's capital city in droves to get to a safer location.

CNN's Michael Holmes is in one western city where many are headed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an apartment in Lviv in western Ukraine, Natalia and Dymtro Kolesnyk play with their three young children. This is where they live but it's not their home. That's because until just a few days ago home was the capital Kyiv, 600 kilometers to the east. Now a potential Russian target.

DYMTRO KOLESNYK, FATHER: Kyiv is also could be attacked by missiles or maybe some key factory or key of energy base.

HOLMES: According to American intelligence, Kyiv would be a primary target if Russia invades. And that is why the Kolesnyk family decided they couldn't risk staying.

NATALIA, KOLESNYK, MOTHER: It was never in my head that this could happen but having this experience right now talking about the east part of Ukraine, I can think that this basically could be the situation. That's why I'm considering the fact that we are not sure and safe anywhere. HOLMES (on-camera): Lviv is a vibrant historic city. It's close to

Poland, Slovakia. It feels very European. It's also, thanks to Russia, become a refuge for Ukrainians fleeing their homes. And not just from this crisis.

(Voice-over): They have come, too, from the Donbas in the east where Russian-backed separatists for eight years waged war on the Ukrainian government. And from Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.

Oxana Nobokiva and her family know well how the Kolesnyk feel. In 2014 when the Russians came to Crimea, she knew she had to leave and now runs this bakery in Lviv.

Many people went missing or were in prison when Russia occupied Crimea, she says, I didn't want to end up like them, so I left.

The notion that the massive and powerful Russian military might actually cross the border again is almost surreal for Ukrainians. But while they might be concerned, they are defiant, too.

Oxana says, right now I feel calm because we Ukrainians have more confidence in ourselves. We are a united country.

For the Kolesnyk family they'll stay here in Lviv until the standoff, the threat of war recedes. Then they say they'll head home to Kyiv.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.

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[18:55:04]

BROWN: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. If you're just now joining our breaking news coverage we have this update for you.

Take a look. New satellite images showing intensified activity among Russian units close to Ukraine's northeastern border. CNN is also learning from two U.S. officials and a U.S. intelligence source that intel now indicates orders have been sent to Russian commanders to proceed with an attack on Ukraine. We'll be right back with more.

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