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Ukraine's Capital Under Attack; Ukrainians Push Back against Russians; U.S. Hits Russia with Sanctions; Biden To Name Supreme Court Nominee. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired February 25, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:27]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: The fierce battle for Kyiv has begun, with Russian forces moving in as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's the number one target.

Good morning, everybody. I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Jim Sciutto reporting from Lviv, Ukraine.

This morning, U.S. intelligence officials tell me they are concerned Kyiv could fall under Russian control within days. They say Russia's plan is to topple the government in Kyiv, an elected government here, and instead install a Russia-friendly proxy, puppet government. Ukrainian officials are vowing to resist any occupation. Ukrainian defense ministry is urging citizens now to, quote, make Molotov cocktails and take down the occupier, while Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized western allies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, Ukraine (through translator): This morning we are defending our country alone, just like yesterday. The most powerful country in the world looked on from a distance. Russia was hit with sanctions yesterday, but these are not enough to get these foreign troops off our soil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Officials believe Russia has faced stiffer resistance from Ukrainian forces than anticipated.

Overnight, Ukraine claims to have shot down a Russian jet over the outskirts of Kyiv.

And this morning, new video appears to show the aftermath of a long range missile slamming into a Russian military air field near the Ukrainian border. It's still unclear who carried out that attack.

Officials here say Ukrainian forces have killed some 800 Russians. We should note that CNN has not independently verified that information. Of course, we are covering every angle of this breaking story, only as

CNN can. Our reporters and correspondents are on the ground throughout Ukraine, Russia, and back home.

And, Jim, I understand you have new video this morning. Walk us through what you've seen.

SCIUTTO: So my team and I, we were going around the city of Lviv here. And one side of the preparations that Ukraine is making, the Ukrainian military is making for the onslaught, really, of the Russian military, including inside the cities, we saw patrols like this one we're about to show you.

These are soldiers, Ukrainian soldiers, in full combat gear, armed, stopping people on the street, asking questions. Why are they doing that? Because it is believed that part of the plan by Russia is to have undercover agents in effect to disrupt from within.

So, we saw one of those questioning sessions, if you want to call it that, underway there. The soldiers, of course, armed, as you can see.

Here's something else we've been seeing, and that is uniformed Ukrainian troops moving in to places here in the city. This is just across the street from where I'm speaking to you right now, Bianna. These are members of the Ukrainian military, uniformed. They've been moving in to what is a police headquarters there. Again, these are preparations, it appears, to defend the city of Lviv, and we're seeing it elsewhere in this country, from within.

We'll continue to watch that and bring you those scenes as we see them.

Meanwhile, CNN's Fred Pleitgen, he's on the Belgorod region of Russia, just across the border from the northeastern side of Ukraine.

We also have Yaroslav Trofimov. He's a chief foreign affairs correspondent for "The Wall Street Journal."

Yaroslav, if I could begin with you this morning. You've been reporting from Kyiv all day. Tell us what you've seen there as Russian forces get closer to the capital.

YAROSLAV TROFIMOV, CHIEF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL": Right. We were driving around Kyiv and its outskirts for a whole day. Right now we're just a little bit south of Kyiv. We have seen the preparations for Russia (INAUDIBLE) the northwestern edge of Kyiv, where Russian forces have taken an airfield with an air assault yesterday, and then Russian army (ph) on top of them. There were volunteers digging in. And the (INAUDIBLE) were artillery pieces, and the Ukrainian forces were ready to blow up a bridge that was leading into the city.

There were also skirmishes inside Kyiv today. The Ukrainian government says this is where under cover Russian elements that tried to sew panic in the city. And then driving around the city we also saw columns of Ukrainian armor pouring in to help defend it. And, very importantly, we have seen Ukrainian fighter jets in the sky, which means that despite almost two days of massive, massive air strikes, Russia still hasn't been able to eliminate the Ukrainian air force and to obtain (INAUDIBLE) air superiority.

SCIUTTO: That is a great point there because that was an intention of the initial aerial bombardment was to really neutralize, take away any ability the Ukrainians have to fight in the sky.

[09:05:07]

Yaroslav, watching this Russian battle plan play out. And, granted, it is early and they greatly outnumber Ukrainian forces. But are you seeing any signs that the Russian battle plan is not going according to plan?

TROFIMOV: Well, I think, yes. I think the Russians were really expecting the Ukrainian army not to fight. And they said as much. You know, I mean, they will greet us as liberators.

The Ukrainian army has been fighting doggedly on many front and, you know, there are massive casualties, you know, in the hundreds on both sides, as far as we understand, and just judging by all the footage we see of destroyed, you know, armor and tanks and other vehicles on both sides. And the downed jets and the downed helicopters.

SCIUTTO: Yes.

TROFIMOV: So, Russia has now said that it's interested in having talks with the government of President Zelensky. So that's probably also a sign that it's not going completely to plan for Russia.

SCIUTTO: Yes. The conditions, we should note, for those talks are conditions that at least to this point are considered nonstarters by the Ukrainian side, including demilitarizing in effect, taking away its military.

Our Fred Pleitgen, as I noted, is just across the border from Ukraine in the Belgorod section.

And, Fred, we saw you there yesterday as columns of Russian armor waltzed in, you might say, on the road into Ukraine. What are you seeing there right now?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, they -- I think waltzed in was probably exactly the right words to use there. One of the things that's changed overnight, however, you can probably see this in our live shot, is that there's extreme snowfall right now and the weather has really turned worse, has taken a turn for the worse.

And that's one of the things that could make it more difficult for the Russians, not necessarily to move in their ground troops, but certainly for their air operations. It could be something that could affect them.

Now, one of the things that we do have to say, though, is we did have someone driving around here in the area a little earlier and he saw two fighter jets of the Russian Federation take off from an airfield and also we did hear a pretty solid stream of rockets taking off this morning as well here. It's something that we've been hearing throughout.

And, you know, I was at that last checkpoint before reaching Ukraine, before the city of Kharkiv, still on Russian territory though, until about 3:00 a.m. last night and you did see those columns continue to move in the entire time. So, the Russian Federation certainly continuously moving more troops into Ukraine. Some of them apparently also being switched out already. We did some convoys also apparently going the other direction as well.

But there is also, Jim, and I think this is really important for our viewers to understand, there is still a lot of military gear stationed on this side, on the Russian side of the border, waiting to go in. If you go in or around the areas around that last checkpoint that we were at yesterday, you see a lot of convoys there, you see very heavy equipment.

There was a little village that we were at where all of a sudden they drove a bunch of howitzers through that village that barely fit on to the street. So, certainly the Russians are able to escalate if, in fact, it becomes more difficult for them to take the territory that they want to take.

And, finally, I don't know if this necessarily means anything in the greater scheme of things or could indicate that the Russians are having a difficult -- a more difficult time than people thought. We did see a few ambulances also drive towards Kharkiv from Russia with their lights flashing throughout the night as well.

Jim.

SCIUTTO: Notable because one of the signs of preparation had been Russia building field hospitals, et cetera. To see those ambulances might be a sign of losses.

Fred Pleitgen there in Russia, Yaroslav Trofimov in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, thanks so much to both of you. I know we'll speak to you again.

Right now I do want to take you to Kherson, Ukraine. That's where Ukrainian forces seem to have been able to push back Russian forces, attempting to cross what is a key bridge.

CNN international security editor Nick Paton Walsh, he is there.

And, Nick, I've been told by U.S. officials that the Ukrainian military is putting up some -- in some places surprising resistance. Tell us what you saw there.

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Yes, I mean you can see it here. It's -- it was clear when we moved into the city yesterday evening that the Russians have got on this side of the Dnieper River, Jim, cuts the country in half to the Russian bordering side and the European bordering side. This town, Kherson, has an important bridge, not one -- there are not that many that crosses that river down in the south that would enable their forces to move up from Crimea, which we saw them do yesterday.

This town had Russian forces, it seems, on its outskirts yesterday evening. We went down to the bridge area after hearing air strikes, small arms fire, jets flying low during the night over this quiet, residential town, and saw that the Ukrainian forces had lost, obviously sustaining quite a lot of losses in their armor. And we saw buildings pancaked by air strikes. They pushed the Russians back across the river it seemed.

Now, there were civilians driving back and forth at that point, saying that, in fact, the Russians were letting them go about their business, but hiding in different places. Things have significantly changed, though, in the last hour here because (INAUDIBLE) in the afternoon we heard volleys of ground rockets launching, I think, and landing in the direction of where that bridge is, suggesting the Russians are launching pretty substantial bid with indirect fire to get the Ukrainians out of that area.

[09:10:11]

We've been hearing air raid sirens just before we came on air, pretty loud, pretty omnipresent, constant tone, to suggest an imminent threat. Before that we heard jets in the skies. So, I think fear rising in this residential town. The Ukrainian flag flying all over it, that they may somehow be part of Russia's plan here.

So far the fighting has been limited to that bridge out on the eastern flank. But it is an awfully vital bridge because it is the way up toward Kyiv, the way to bring forces increasingly from Crimea further north.

But the fighting here, I think, as the sun sets, is going to pick up again. It was described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as the most serious fighting in Ukraine yesterday, seems to have lagged slightly this morning once Ukraine had pushed back, but pushback back they certainly did. Whether they can hold it, with this onslaught and airpower we've been hearing in the air, unclear.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And we should always note, we're just 36 hours in. A long way to go.

Nick Paton Walsh, thanks so much.

President Biden has hit Russia with a new round of harsh economic sanctions to attempt to punish the country for its invasion of Ukraine. But he acknowledged it would take time for these new measures to have a real impact. And, we should note, Biden stopped short of targeting Vladimir Putin himself with sanctions.

CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond, he's going to walk us through these additional measures.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim, some significant sanctions coming from President Biden and his administration yesterday in response to this Russian invasion of Ukraine. The president hitting Russia's two largest banks, one of them with full blocking sanctions, the other one with still some very significant sanctions, limiting and essentially restricting their access to the western financial system.

There's also these major export, technology sanctions that are going to prevent Russia from accessing many sensitive technologies, semiconductors, computer chips, et cetera, that can help them for military defense and aerospace purposes. There are additional sanctions against Russian oligarchs and elites close to Vladimir Putin and also restrictions on 13 state run companies, cutting off their access to western capital.

So, some very significant sanctions, but nonetheless some were not triggered, including, for example, cutting off Russia's -- Russian banks access to the SWIFT financial system. That apparently because of some disunity between the U.S. and some of these European countries. Some of those European countries not wanting to take that step because of the pain that might be incurred for those European countries themselves.

But the bottom line here is that President Biden took some very significant action here, more far reaching than what we saw in 2014, as he had promised. The question is, will it change Vladimir Putin's behavior?

And President Biden, yesterday, saying that he did not expect the threat of sanctions to impact Vladimir Putin's behavior, although U.S. officials had been saying they hoped that they would be a deterrent. But now President Biden is saying that he believes that the effect of the sanctions could potentially change Putin's behavior. But he said it will take time. Some of this pain will be felt immediately, but President Putin has already baked a lot of that into his calculus. We'll see if it changes his behavior in the longer term and whether it matters given this assessment that Kyiv could fall in days.

SCIUTTO: Well, there's zero evidence it's changing his behavior here in Ukraine where the war continues, the onslaught continues. Must be the category of punitive.

Jeremy Diamond, thanks very much.

Bianna, it will be interesting to see what the administration's next moves are here.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and it's also interesting to see how the Ukrainians are responding to the announcement of more sanctions, because Volodymyr Zelensky is suggesting that this is not enough and there's concern that this aide is not being communicated to Ukrainians themselves. As you know, they do feel isolated. They know that boots to the ground are not coming, but they would like more support and they need that support as soon as it can come.

Thank you, Jim. Well, still ahead, fighting underway in Kyiv, and U.S. intelligence

fears it could fall within days. We'll break down the key locations where Russian forces are advancing.

Plus, more breaking news, President Biden will announce his Supreme Court pick today, and CNN has learned he'll nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first black woman on the high court.

Live team coverage up next.

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[09:18:53]

GOLODRYGA: We are following more breaking news this morning. CNN has learned that President Biden has selected Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the Supreme Court. He's expected to make that announcement soon.

Now, this selection sets in motion an historic confirmation process to put the first black woman on the Supreme Court.

Here to discuss is CNN senior political correspondent and anchor of "INSIDE POLITICS SUNDAY," Abby Phillip, along with CNN chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny and CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

Jeffrey, to you first.

An historic moment no doubt. The president really had an embarrassment of riches in terms of qualified women that he could pick. You said you weren't surprised by this selection though.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST: You know, Judge Jackson has had Supreme Court stardust sprinkled on her for a long time. When Justice Scalia died and President Obama was in office, even though Judge Jackson was only on the district court, she was interviewed for that vacancy, which ultimately went to Merrick Garland, who did not get a vote in the SENATE.

But, you know, she is at once both very different from previous nominees, but very similar. She is, of course, the first black woman, which, of course, we are talking about.

[09:20:01]

It's extremely significant. She's the -- she would be the only justice in a very long time with experience as a criminal defense lawyer. It hasn't been since Thurgood Marshall that anyone with criminal defense experience has been on the court.

However, she is also conventionally very qualified. She's a judge on the D.C. Circuit, just like John Roberts, just like Brett Kavanaugh, just like Antonin Scalia and Ruth Ginsburg. It is a traditional stopping point on the way to the Supreme Court. Impeccable credentials. Harvard Law School. Clerked for Stephen Breyer, the justice she will -- she will replace, if confirmed. So she presents a combination of traditional qualifications, and something new on the court.

And, above all, she just was confirmed with a bipartisan vote for the D.C. Circuit last year. So at least on paper it looks like this should not be a terrifically controversial confirmation process.

GOLODRYGA: On paper.

TOOBIN: On paper.

GOLODRYGA: But we shall see.

TOOBIN: Yes, we shall see.

GOLODRYGA: This is a different Washington today.

Abby Phillip, if I can just get your analysis on the significance of this moment. Obviously, we knew that history would be made, the president would be announcing the first black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Nonetheless, once it is clear who that is, and that it is official, give us your take on what this means for the country.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I think it's hugely significant and, frankly, it's about time. I think that's going to be the reaction that you hear from a lot of African Americans in this country, and people of color in this country. It is time for the court to represent more of what this country looks like. And -- but I think also to Jeffrey's point, it isn't just that she is a black woman. It is also that her background is more diverse as well.

I think there might be some people tempted to describe her as an elitist, but she is someone whose parents were educators. She is someone who worked as a public defender, worked on the sentencing commission. And those things actually might be for Republicans disqualifying. You've seen a lot of Republicans on Capitol Hill actually attacking a lot of Biden's nominees for working in the criminal justice space. But for advocates, her background is a -- is a myriad of things that give her a different perspective on the court. And that is also why it is significant. It is not just because of the color of her skin, but because of the perspective that she brings to the court as well.

GOLODRYGA: And this was personal for her as well. She had a family member who went through the criminal justice system and many would look back in retrospect say treated unfairly perhaps.

PHILLIP: Yes. I mean, look, this is a person -- this is an issue that I think many black Americans think is underappreciated, that the court system doesn't perhaps properly take into consideration the way in which the system is skewed against people of color. And having someone who just understands that on the court is really, really important. Even though the ideological balance of the court is not going to shift, she is taking the seat of a liberal. It's not going to shift the 6-3 dynamic. But I do think that the added perspective, especially with the court taking up a lot of cases later this year that relate to race, and, frankly, relate to gender, it's going to be critically important that she brings that perspective as well.

GOLODRYGA: Jeff Zeleny, just give us the analysis here as to how this is going to be received in Washington among Republicans.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, that is an open question, but the reality is, as both Jeffrey and Abby were saying, she's immensely qualified and she's been confirmed on a bipartisan basis three times by the Senate before. So it is unclear if the three Republicans who voted for her in the last confirmation round, Senator Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Linsey Graham will vote for her again. But that is a good place to start.

And the next phase of this confirmation process, I'm told, is going to begin in earnest this afternoon, after she is announced at the White House around 1:45 or 2:00. That could change depending on events happening in the world, of course. But after that, the confirmation process is going to begin. She's going to be sitting down with senators, Democrats and Republicans. And the White House is hoping for at least somewhat of a bipartisan vote here.

But I'm also getting a bit of a sense of what led the president to this decision. He met with her, I'm told, more than a week ago. In fact, earlier in February, for a face-to-face interview that went under the radar at the time, given everything else going on. He also met with other contenders. But he was reading her writings and really struck by her life story, that Abby and Jeffrey have been talking about, struck by her experience and her just credentials of excellence.

But also this comes two years to the day of Joe Biden, then a candidate, pledged to put the first black woman on the Supreme Court if he reached the White House.

[09:25:08]

Of course, he could not have known at the time that the timing was going to work out like this, but this was in the throes of the South Carolina primary. So this was part of the White House wanting to sort of have some urgency on this as well.

So, again, we're told that we will see a ceremony later today at the White House when this confirmation process begins. But the White House believes and hopes she could be confirmed by late April or May.

GOLODRYGA: And one would assume, as has been reported, that the other two candidates, Justice Leondra Kruger and J. Michelle Childs, who were also on the president's short list, probably received phone calls telling them that they, in fact, were not his ultimate selection.

Jeff, also --

ZELENY: Right. The president called them this morning, I can tell you, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. ZELENY: The president called her last evening, and she accepted the job, Judge Jackson did. And he called the other two finalists earlier today, earlier this morning, I'm told, and gave them the news as well.

GOLODRYGA: Well, we will be covering this developing story throughout the morning and through the president's announcement later this afternoon.

Jeff Zeleny, Abby Phillip, Jeffrey Toobin, thank you, as always.

And more on our breaking news coverage out of Ukraine. Russian forces are inching closer to the capital of Kyiv, and the west is closely watching where those troops might go next.

We'll discuss it all straight ahead.

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