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Ukrainian Troops Battle To Keep Control Of Kyiv; Biden Speaks With National Security Team; Russia Deploys Fighting Vehicles Near Kharkiv Front Line; U.S. Announces $350M In New Military Assistance To Ukraine; Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson To Supreme Court; Changes To CDC COVID-19 Metrics; Russian Star Athletes Voice Concern Over War Against Ukraine. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired February 26, 2022 - 11:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:00:39]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me for this special CNN coverage. Welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta.

Right now Russian forces are closing in on Kyiv. The fierce battle for control of Ukraine continues on the ground and in the air.

A security camera catching this moment, a rocket or missile struck an apartment building in the Ukrainian capital just hours ago. The blast just one of many explosions seen throughout the city.

Ukrainian forces remaining defiant despite the onslaught, even as the U.K. defense ministry says the bulk of Russian forces are now within miles of Kyiv's center.

In a posted video, President Volodymyr Zelensky is vowing to stay and defend the capital turning down offers from the U.S. and other countries to evacuate him.

President Biden offering security assistance, antiarmor and antiaircraft systems to aid Ukraine.

But there's also a growing humanitarian crisis. Take a look at these images. Signs of desperation at Kyiv's train station as civilians try to escape the carnage. People pouring into neighboring Poland and Romania by the tens of thousands.

Still there are many Ukrainians choosing to stay and fight. Like former President Petro Poroshenko who I spoke to just last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETRO POROSHENKO, FORMER UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Everybody here, all the young and old people, fully understand that we have this risk. Somebody has a choice to go abroad. Somebody had a choice to be the refugee in some regions of Ukraine.

But many, the biggest part make a decision to take the rifle and to protect the nation. I'm proud for these people. I'm proud for this country. And I'm proud to be Ukrainian.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I want to begin with CNN's senior national security correspondent Alex Marquardt who is live in Kyiv.

Alex, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledging that he is Russia's target number one, but vows to fight. You heard the former President Poroshenko, saying, you know, he is proud for all Ukrainians to be there and continue to fight.

What are you hearing now that the curfew is in place? Is it, you know, remarkably silent or are people in position or is there any sign of Russians nearby?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: well, Fred, this curfew is now an hour in and it's not just an overnight curfew. They're really trying to keep Ukrainians off the streets. It is going for 48 hours until at least Monday evening.

That is a recognition of how significant the danger and threat are to this city from Russian forces. In just the past few moments, we have heard back-to-back thuds, explosions coming from the eastern part of the city, which is directly behind me and just moments ago, gunfire from over there, towards the north. So we are continuing to hear the sounds of this fighting.

There was a lull throughout the course of the day. We were not hearing much. The Kremlin actually claimed that they put a pause on the fighting on Friday in order to try to negotiate with the Ukrainians. They claimed they did not get a response so that they're starting up their operations again today.

So this flare-up that we've heard in just the past few moments may be the beginning of something. Of course, the most that we have heard has come at night.

It is now coming from all directions, all around this city, Fred, evidence that the Russians are trying to encircle the capital, to take down the Zelensky government. We have seen the closest fighting and violence to the city center so far.

That apartment building that you noted was hit by a rocket. We also saw explosions in the early morning hours of today in the eastern -- excuse me -- in the western part of the city, just about 3 miles from where I'm standing now.

We understand from the Ukrainian military that that was them targeting a column of Russian vehicles.

[11:04:59] MARQUARDT: But President Zelensky is not just calling on Ukrainians to take up arms and fight. He says that he's staying here and he says that the Ukrainian forces are making good progress against the Russians in terms of keeping them at bay. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We have survived and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. Fighting goes on in many cities and districts of your country. But we know we're defending our land and the future of our children in Kyiv and in key parts of the country our army is in control.

The enemy tried to seal off the center of our country and install their puppets here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: We now also know that President Zelensky was offered the chance by European and U.S. officials to facilitate an evacuation to get him out of the country, possibly to head up a government in exile.

He has firmly made clear that he has no plans on going anywhere. He has said, according to the Ukrainian embassy in London, "I need ammunition, not a ride."

So Ukrainian officials from Zelensky on down calling for more support from NATO allies in terms of more weaponry to help fend off this Russian threat, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Alex Marquardt, thank you so much. Stay safe. We'll check back with you.

All right. Let's bring in now CNN military analyst Major General James "Spider" Marks. He's a former commanding general for U.S. Army Intelligence and a CNN military analyst.

General, good to see you. So let me show viewers once again the video of that apartment being hit by what appears to be perhaps a missile.

So Russia is disputing that that is a missile and that it's responsible. Looking at that video, is there any way to tell if that was indeed a Russian missile and not perhaps a Ukraine antiaircraft missile that did that kind of damage?

MAJOR GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Fred, thanks for having me.

You know, it's very, very difficult to determine what we're really looking at. Until there is some form of ballistic forensics. Not that anybody is going to do that in the middle of a combat zone. But until you go start digging through the rubble and the debris and determine what types of markings were on that -- on the metal that encased that explosive, nobody is going to knows.

Also bear in mind, Ukrainians have a lot of military capabilities that they purchased from the Russians over the years. They've got kind of a mixed bag of stuff. So the short answer is, no, we can't tell.

WHITFIELD: Right.

MARKS: And of course you're going to have Russians say, no, we didn't do it, and the Ukrainians are saying, of course you did.

WHITFIELD: Ok. So in terms of that arsenal, yes, there would be a lot of overlap. That's going to make it that much more complicated too.

So we're also getting reports that Russian forces are now less than 20 miles from the city center of Kyiv. We're putting up a map here of Russian forces.

I just spoke to the former Ukrainian President Poroshenko last hour who was among those armed and ready to fight Russians trying to make it and take the city. What do you envision on how Russia is strategizing to take Kyiv? We heard our Alex Marquardt who said they're coming from all angles, encircling the city.

MARKS: You know, Fred, first of all, great interview with Poroshenko. And also bear in mind, it's very easy to get kind of skeptical about this stuff. That was not theater. This is a former president of a country who's got Kevlar on and he's standing fast which is wonderful.

Just like Zelensky saying, no thanks, I'm going to stick around, I'm going to lead from the front. Just phenomenal.

To your question about Kyiv, look, the Russians came out of the blocks and they stumbled. This was not shock and awe. This is a country the size of Texas.

They've invaded with 200,000 forces. Bear in mind when you look at that 200,000, what you have is a ratio of about 1:3, inside baseball. You probably have a (INAUDIBLE) relationship where you've only really got about 70,000 infantry men doing the heavy lifting and everybody else is driving a truck, feeding food, flying an airplane, fueling the helicopter. You see what I'm saying?

So in order for the Russians to control Kyiv, they're not going to surround Kyiv and then try to start marching from the outside in with linked arms. They're going to go to very key points very precisely. That was Putin's plan but he stumbled.

He's having problems at the airport. He's having problems negotiating through Chernobyl. He's got some issue here. The Ukrainians are going to take and are taking advantage of that because when you slow down, when you don't achieve speed, you don't achieve precision, which the Russians have not, in some cases they have, but for the most part they have not, you expose yourself.

[11:09:55]

MARKS: So you have long supply lines. You have people that are trying to get fuel coming forward. So they are vulnerable. So the effort that the Russians are taking on is to go try to hold key points where they can bring in additional forces and then start to move into the center of the city, to go take those elements of power where they can stand up, they can put their new guy in.

Zelensky can still be alive. But they can put their new guy in saying, this is our guy, everybody watch out. That's the intent right now. Everything else in the country, frankly, is a holding action which means it's an economy of force, as we say in military terms. Most of their power is not going there. It's going toward Kyiv now.

WHITFIELD: So then -- I mean I hear you when you are talking in layers then and it doesn't seem as though from what you're describing that Russia really has the firepower, the manpower in order to take a city like Kyiv.

So what do you envision will potentially happen? This is something, it sounds like, the strategy that you're describing, it has to happen quickly and it doesn't sound as though Russia has the capacity to do this on a long-term over days and weeks, but this was a strategy that was supposed to happen in a matter of days. But so far it's not?

MARKS: Correct, Fred. They were trying to achieve this very, very quick. Day two they thought it would be index. You know, into the exercise. We're done, got a new guy here, Zelensky is running away, whatever. That hasn't happened which is phenomenal.

The key thing also is that when you start pouring forces into an urban terrain, fighting in cities, forces just get sucked up. They can't move. They run into buildings, they're trying to turn around corners. People are shooting at them.

I mean it is slow. It is laborious. It is difficult. And the Russians are figuring that out. And so when you take those numbers, if those numbers that I provided are possibly somewhat accurate, you're going to find that those forces going into Kyiv are just going to get completely consumed.

And the analogy is, you look at the NYPD, they have about 45,000 to 50,000 police officers in a very large city. Kyiv is a very large city. And the Russians are not only trying to put forces in there, they're also trying to go to Kharkiv, they also have engagements down in Odessa, down by the Black Sea. So they're being spread thin.

They've got to choose what they're center of gravity is. They've chosen Kyiv but I'm confident they just don't have enough forces to hold it. They may be able to put a puppet in. they may be able to break a bunch of (INAUDIBLE) and that's what happens in cities. And the Russians are not known for discriminate targeting. These folks are just going to break a bunch of things.

The Russians I think will overpower the Ukrainians but in the long term, in the long term, this is -- Putin loses, Ukraine is going to win. It's going to be a very bloody, bloody fight.

WHITFIELD: Now a war of endurance. All right. General Spider Marks --

MARKS: Thanks Fred.

WHITFIELD: -- yes. All right. Thank you so much. Appreciate you. So in the last, you know, hour, President Biden held a phone call with

his national security team. And CNN's Arlette Saenz is in Wilmington, Delaware where the president is spending the weekend.

I imagine that call is over by now. What was discussed?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, President Biden spent part of the morning on the phone with his national security team as they are evaluating and updating him on the latest military advances by Russia in Ukraine. The president was holding this call from his home here in Wilmington, Delaware, via a secure line, as he has all those capabilities to do while he is traveling. But it also comes as the U.S. is trying to show that they're stepping up their support to Ukraine.

Yesterday, President Biden spent about 40 minutes on the phone with Ukrainian president Zelensky where President Biden commended Ukrainians for their efforts in pushing back Russian forces as well as talked about defense support that they're offering to the country.

Last night the White House announced that President Biden had authorized $350 million in security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total of security assistance over the past year to over $1 billion.

You can see there some of the items and supplies that the Defense Department is trying to get into the country. One big question is how and when these supplies will arrive.

We do know before this new authorization of assistance over the course of the past few days, they have been getting other supplies into the country, that's according to a senior defense official. But big questions right now as that air space in Ukraine is contested about how the U.S. is getting these supplies -- much-needed supplies into Ukrainian hands.

And Arlette, we're getting reporting that the White House is seriously weighing whether to remove Russia from SWIFT, an international banking transaction system. What more can you tell us on that?

[11:14:51]

SAENZ: Well, our colleagues on the White House team have new reporting that President Biden is seriously considering whether to remove Russia from SWIFT, that is that high-security networking system that connects so many financial institutions around the world. But so far, he has not made a final decision.

One thing that administration officials have been clear on is that this is something that cannot be done easily or unilaterally by the United States. It needs to be done in conjunction, in sign with the European union.

That is something the administration is talking with them about and it could be a very severe consequence for Russia if they do move forward with removing them from this system. WHITFIELD: I see. All right. Arlette Saenz, thank you so much, in

Delaware.

CNN's breaking news coverage continues next.

We'll take you live to the border where Russian forces are moving military assets into Ukraine.

Stay with us.

[11:19:57]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. We continue our breaking news coverage.

A senior official Defense official says Russian forces are facing the stiffest resistance to their invasion in the northern part of Ukraine.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is live for us near the Belgorod Region and he's joining us now. Fred, what have you seen and been experiencing?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fredricka.

And this is, of course, the region of Russia that is right across from that town of Kharkiv which is where the U.S. says that the Russians are facing the stiffest resistance yet.

Just as I'm talking to you right now, I can actually hear a salvo of Russian multiple rocket launchers going off. That's something that we've seen a lot more of today than we have in the past couple of days that we've sort of been out here.

And you know, it's very difficult to see from our vantage point whether or not the Russians are having any sort of problems or whether or not, you know, their offensive is sort of halting.

But we do see the Russians move in a lot more heavy equipment than they have in the past couple of days. And actually as I'm speaking to you right now. I don't know how well we're going to be able see this in the dark. But there's actually a massive column of Russian armored vehicles that are sort of going past us right now as we speak.

I'm going to pan to them for a second. We've also seen some really heavy rocket launchers, Fredricka, as well, pass here. What you're seeing right now, I have to speak really loudly, that's a main battle tank of the Russians. That's a T-72 battle tank. This one as well.

So we're sort of seeing a column of tanks and those right now are taking a turn and they're actually heading towards the front line near Kharkiv, where you just said where the heaviest fighting is going on right now.

So as we speak here, you can see the invasion that Russia is conducting of Ukrainian territory going on and obviously, moving forward as the Russians moving more heavy equipment towards Ukraine.

This is something, Fredricka, that we've seen throughout the entire course of the day. More of this heavy equipment has been moving towards the front line, towards Ukrainian territory. And again, it's not clear whether or not this means that the Russians need more of this because it's becoming more difficult for them, but it's certainly a fact that we're definitely seeing a lot more of this stuff going towards Ukrainian territory.

Also again, as I said, a lot of big multiple rocket launchers coming past, rockets being fired. This is definitely sort of a very common occurrence right now.

One of the other interesting things also is that a lot of these troops are actually parked in small villages around here. And it also shows, Fredricka, that the Russians -- if they are having trouble with their military campaign, they certainly still do seem to have the capacity to escalate all of this.

We're seeing a lot of these kind of vehicles parked around here, at the ready to go any time. And as you can see, the Russians moving more forces now towards the Kharkiv region.

You can see, I don't know how well you're going to be able to see this -- but if we go back in the distance over there, you can see the tanks turning a corner over there. And what you're seeing right now is them going straight towards Ukrainian territory.

This is the last check point that the Russians have before you reach Ukrainian territory and before you get to that region of Kharkiv. Those Russian forces now taking that last turn past the last check point.

And a couple miles down the road you're already in Ukrainian territory. And then later you get to the frontline in Kharkiv. So again, whether or not they're having any sort of difficulties, whether or not this campaign is stalling, very difficult to say from our vantage point. But what I can tell you is that the Russians definitely moving a lot more equipment right now towards that frontline and it really is something, Fredricka, that we have been seeing throughout the course of this entire day.

As we are in the town of Belgorod, which is really one of their main places where they've set up these garrisons and have a large troop concentration from which they keep treating that front line down in Kharkiv which as you've noted, the U.S. says is right now one of the sort of main battlefields, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so Fred, for now, it appears just as we were watching with you, these armored vehicles here at nightfall, we've been watching you for days now in that general region. In daylight, I recall one of your live shots where a number of Russian vehicles were making its way, you know, across or -- you know, across the border toward Ukraine.

Is it your estimation that perhaps there's an increase of that kind of activity now that it's nightfall in comparison to what you've seen over the course of a few days?

PLEITGEN: Yes. It's interesting to see because it really is since the sun has set here that we've seen a lot more of that motion. I don't know whether or not they move at night or in the day, or whether it's something that they do, you know, throughout the course of the day. But I would say that certainly that kind of a large tank column that we've seen just now there, I really haven't seen much of that over the past couple of days.

So it certainly does appear to us here that there is a lot more motion going on towards that frontline. And if you saw those vehicles, I mean a lot of the vehicles just passed us. They were T-72 type, I don't know if they were T-72 or T-80, main battle tanks. Those are -- those are really powerful vehicles.

[11:25:01]

PLEITGEN: And to see the Russians move that many of those in one column towards the front line is certainly something that at least for us right now is remarkable. We've seen sort of motion back and forth, a lot of infantry fighting vehicles that are sort of lighter armored vehicles, but main battle tanks that column that large move past is certainly not something that we've seen a lot of so far.

So again, it's very difficult to tell whether or not that means that they're encountering more resistance as they thought, or whether or not this is a troop rotation that they've been planning to do. But it's certainly not something that we've seen regularly and quite remarkable to have that just as we're live on TV.

WHITFIELD: Right. remarkable indeed, particularly the size of those powerful vehicles as you just described. And when we were just talking to General Spider Marks moments ago, when you talk about movement toward Kyiv, an urban setting, vehicles like that, it would be rather difficult to navigate in an urban setting. So unclear, you know, what the path will be, what the strategy will be to use those larger vehicles versus the more lighter weight, you know, vehicles that you have been seeing earlier in the week.

Fred Pleitgen, we're going to check back with you. Thank you so much for that perspective, to see those larger armored vehicles -- Russian vehicles crossing the border on its way into Ukraine. Thanks so much.

All right. Just moments ago, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Antony Blinken, authorized $350 million in new U.S. military assistance to Ukraine following a request from President Biden.

I'll talk about that with two co-chairs of the bipartisan congressional Ukraine caucus, coming up next.

[11:26:35]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Today U.S. Secretary of state Tony Blinken authorized $350 million in new U.S. Military assistance to Ukraine following instructions from the U.S. President. Is it enough or perhaps too little?

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is a Democrat from Ohio and the co-founder and co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Pennsylvania and co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus. Good to see both of you.

REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (R-PA): Fredricka.

REP. MARCY KAPTUR (D-OH): Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Congresswoman Kaptur, you first. That new round of military funding for Ukraine now bringing the total for U.S. aid to Ukraine for the last year to around $1 billion. Is that enough or do you see more coming?

KAPTUR: I'm a member of the defense subcommittee of appropriations. We have been very faithful at supporting the independent free nation of Ukraine. And now we see why.

The American people should be so proud that they've really been the key force in helping the people of that nation maintain their liberty.

We have been supplying arms. We continue to do that. We know Ukraine needs javelins, (INAUDIBLE), she needs drones with ammunition, she needs air defense, she needs seaport access in order to win.

Your coverage has been astounding. The American people -- the world can see the force she is against. And so tough sanctions are necessary, yes, as well as humanitarian aid. But right now Ukraine needs fighters and she needs arms.

WHITFIELD: So the money and the arsenal is there, soon to be allocated. One of the big challenges is going to be in the midst of now conflict, how do you get all of that arsenal to Ukraine, especially to Kyiv which is now, you know, maybe just miles away or at least Russian forces are miles away from encroaching on city center, congresswoman?

KAPTUR: Yes. And arms are flowing to Ukraine. Many of our allies are helping in this extremely difficult task and the people of Ukraine are arming themselves. It seems so horrifying for free nations like ours and Ukraine's to watch a regime like Vladimir Putin's invade an innocent country where 90 percent of the people have voted for their own independence going back to the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

I so want fighters of the world to help the people of Ukraine. We are doing what we can. Obviously, Russia is a nuclear power and so they're up against the worst, but we must find a way to help them maintain their freedom and America is doing everything possible.

And I think Joe Biden and the Biden administration, I think Congressman Fitzpatrick and the six-member Ukraine caucus in the House has led the fight for the armaments for Ukraine.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Fitzpatrick, I see you nodding there, but what is your reaction? What have been your thoughts as you see Ukrainians who are talking about -- they're putting everything on the line. They are being as industrious as they can with the arsenal that they have or creating weapons to protect themselves, to protect their country.

FITZPATRICK Yes, it's heartbreaking to watch, Fredricka. My last FBI assignment before serving in Congress, I served in Kyiv, I lived there. And it doesn't take long to really ascertain the fighting spirit and the immense amount of passion and love they have for Ukraine and for their independence and you're seeing that now and you're going to continue to see it.

You're seeing it from President Zelensky, you're seeing it from the 3 million people in Kyiv who are arming themselves to fight a goliath type of opponent in Vladimir Putin and they're going to continue to do so.

But as Marcy said -- and by the way, Marcy, it's such an honor to serve with her in a bipartisan manner, her love for Ukraine is immense, as is mine.

There's a lot more we can be doing, Fredricka. We've got to push to get Russia kicked out of SWIFT. We have to sanction their energy industry, we have not yet done that. And NATO needs to step up with more artillery support for Ukraine.

I'm hearing from my colleagues in the Ukrainian Rada, the parliament, multiple times a day every day and they're begging us to do more. They appreciate what we've done -- we appreciate what's been done so far by America and by our allies but we need to step it up.

[11:34:58]

FITZPATRICK All they're asking for is a little bit of air assistance and military assistance as far as equipment goes. If we give them what they need, they can accomplish this. They can pull off a miracle.

And it would send such a beautiful message around the world for freedom-loving democracies. And it would put an end to the Vladimir Putin regime.

WHITFIELD: So what is the timeline? How quickly could the U.S. get air assistance, those items that you just ticked off to Ukraine?

FITZPATRICK The sooner we act, the better. And we can -- you know, as far as --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Hours? Days?

FITZPATRICK Yes. I mean if we work with Poland and Romania, two countries that border Ukraine, Poland is just miles from Lviv, where a lot of the Ukrainians are fleeing to right now, at least the women and children.

The men, by the way, Fredricka, are staying and fighting. Many of them that I've talked to, they're bringing their spouses and their children and their elderly parents to the west and they're going back to Kyiv to fight. It's just an amazing story of heroism.

WHITFIELD: It really is amazing and just hearing the details from all of the individuals who have been able to convey what is driving them during these times of desperation, it's been extraordinary.

And given that you lived there in Kyiv then, and you are seeing what people are willing and able to do, does it even surprise you? Did you know that there was the fortitude in these individuals to take these kinds of risks and put their lives on the line the way they are right now in these last few days?

FITZPATRICK: I do, Fredricka. Anybody that was observing the Maidan revolution when the Ukrainian citizens single-handedly exiled Viktor Yanukovych, who was a Vladimir Putin puppet, kicked him out of the country and they took their country back. And they installed -- they had a democratic election and elected Petro Poroshenko and then subsequently Volodymyr Zelensky.

These are strong people. They are strong. They desperately want to be part of the E.U. They desperately want to be part of the west. They desperately want to be a part of NATO.

But they need our help. We were a young democracy at one point too. Ukraine is only 30 years old. And it's important to note, Fredricka, over half of the country was born after 1991 after Ukraine won their independence. They want no part of Russian rule. And Russia may be able to steam roll the country, but they will never be able to hold Kyiv or Ukraine, the people will not allow it.

WHITFIELD: Congresswoman Kaptur, you too, you have visited Ukraine in the past. Your district has a substantial Ukrainian population. What are you hearing from your constituents? What are they saying to you?

KAPTUR: I think for the younger generation, they have never experienced a tyrant's horrifying invasion of an adjacent country. They have never seen liberty quashed. The attempt to quash liberty. And so I think our country and our young people are waking up to it, that there are real enemies in this world.

Those -- my first trip to Ukraine was in 1973, and it was Soviet- occupied. And to compare that region today to what it was then, the people are open, they are -- they are western in outlook. They want to meet the world. They want to improve their country. They don't want to go back to the 19th and 18th centuries.

And so what I'm hearing from the American people, first is shock, and then they're glued to the televisions watching this. And they want to help. My phone is full of messages, I can't even handle all of them.

And I think that we have to move toward humanitarian aid and we will with our NATO allies and with other countries in the world. But right now, we have to supply Ukraine with the arms she needs to win, and frankly, fighters.

When our country was first founded, two of our top generals Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski were from Poland. They came on their own to help General Washington make sure that the battle plans were developed properly and implemented.

So I hope that freedom-loving people around the world will help Ukraine and we can help provide arms and advice.

WHITFIELD: Thanks to both of you. Congresswoman March Kaptur and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, really appreciate you. Thank you.

KAPTUR: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And in the midst of all of our discussions, some extraordinary images that continue to pour in. Just take a look at this video right here showing Ukrainian citizens standing in front of a Russian tank trying to stop its forward movement.

You can hear a voice in the video saying people are begging the tanks to stop, throwing their bicycles underneath the tank to try to get it to stop. This was taken in a town about 100 miles north of the capital of Kyiv. You see that individual trying to use his bodily force to stop the tank and it looks like it was successful at that moment.

[11:39:52]

WHITFIELD: CNN has not confirmed the authenticity -- I'm sorry -- has confirmed the authenticity and the location of this video. And now I want you to watch and listen more of this.

(VIDEO OF UKRAINIAN CITIZENS BLOCKING A RUSSIAN TANK)

WHITFIELD: Extraordinary. Ordinary citizens, Ukrainians, doing all that they can to stop this invasion of Russia whether it's taking up arms with no training, no wherewithal on how to even use a gun, but a willingness to use it to protect a country or in that case right there, using their own personal body to stop a moving tank.

We're continuing to take in these extraordinary images and stories of Ukrainians trying to protect their country, their families, their culture. We'll have much more straight ahead from Ukraine.

But first, President Biden making history in this country. What's next in the confirmation process of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson?

[11:41:42]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back.

President Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court setting in motion a historic confirmation process for what would be the first black woman to sit on the highest court.

Well, today the White House released a clip of the moment Biden notified the judge that she was his nominee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE KETANJI BROWN-JACKSON, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: Hello?

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Judge Jackson?

JACKSON: Yes.

BIDEN: This is Joe Biden. How are you?

JACKSON: I am wonderful. How are you, Mr. President?

BIDEN: Well, you're going to be more wonderful. I would like you to go to the Supreme Court? How about that?

JACKSON: Sir, I would be so honored.

BIDEN: Well, I'm honored to nominate you.

JACKSON: I am just so overwhelmed. Thank you.

BIDEN: Well, you deserve it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: What a moment? Judge Jackson currently sits on D.C.'s federal appellate court and had been considered the front-runner for the vacancy since Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: A historic selection shrouded in secrecy for the last several weeks. We are learning that President Biden met with three candidates on Valentine's Day, February 14th, for individual interviews at the White House that went under the radar of everyone at the time.

But he finally offered the position on Thursday evening to Judge Jackson and she was at the White House on Friday.

BIDEN: For too long our government, our courts haven't looked like America.

ZELENY: President Biden making history nominating the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson who accepted the president's offer during a call now beginning the confirmation process to become a justice on the nation's highest court.

JACKSON: I am truly humbled by the extraordinary honor of this nomination.

ZELENY: If approved, Jackson would succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, a mentor for whom she worked as a law clerk in 1999.

JACKSON: Justice Breyer, the members of the senate will decide if I fill your seat, but please know that I could never fill your shoes.

ZELENY: Her liberal ideology would not change the balance of the court. Her presence on the bench would mark a major milestone for the court and the country.

The White House ceremony comes two years to the day since Biden first made the pledge to nominate a black woman on the court, as he sought to revive his candidacy before the South Carolina primary.

BIDEN: I'm looking forward to making sure there's a black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure. I'd push very hard for that.

ZELENY: Reporter: Jackson has been a federal judge for nearly a decade. Elevated last year to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

BIDEN: Judge Jackson has already been confirmed by the United States Senate three times. She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice. That's something all of us should remember.

ZELENY: Born in Washington and raised in Miami, she spelled out her dreams early, saying in her high school yearbook she aimed to go into law and eventual have a judicial appointment. She did just that, graduating from Harvard both undergraduate and law school before serving as a federal public defender -- rare experience for a Supreme Court justice.

JACKSON: Justice Breyer exemplified every day, in every way that a Supreme Court justice can perform at the highest level of skill and integrity while also being guided by civility, grace, pragmatism and generosity of spirit.

ZELENY: Now 51 with a prospect of being only the third black justice in the court's 233-year history, Jackson has responded to questions about race during previous confirmation hearings, carefully addressing the role at place in her thinking.

JACKSON: I don't think that race plays a role in the kind of judge that I have been and that I would be.

ZELENY: But not discounting it.

JACKSON: I've experienced life in perhaps a different way than some of my colleagues because of who I am.

[11:49:52]

ZELENY: For the last year, Biden has been studying the opinions and writings of Jackson and other finalists. The former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Biden is well accustomed to bruising confirmation fights. This, he said, should not be one.

BIDEN: My hope is that they will move promptly and I know they'll move fairly.

ZELENY: Now, we are learning a team of White House lawyers and advisers will begin meeting today with Judge Jackson at the White House, preparing her for confirmation hearings. Now of course, those are several weeks down the road but meetings with senators are set to start next week.

Former Alabama Senator Doug Jones has been brought on by the White House as a guide, if you will, a sherpa to take judge Jackson around to Capitol Hill. He said we'll meet with any senator who opens their office doors to us.

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WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Jeff Zeleny.

All right. The majority of Americans no longer need to wear masks indoors. That's the latest recommendation made by the CDC Friday as the agency announced new changes to its COVID-19 metrics. It now considers hospitalizations and bed capacity in addition to COVID case loads to determine if areas of the country are high, medium, or low risk.

Nadia Romero is live for us now with more on the CDC guidance. So do people have a clear handle of what's allowable now?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that would be something that we have to see, Fred because these guidelines just came out just yesterday. You mentioned it, three levels -- high, medium, and low.

And so if you're still in the high-risk category, the CDC said it's about 28 percent of Americans, they say you should still wear your masks indoors. If you go to that medium category, that medium level of risk of getting COVID-19, it's something that you might want to think about your personal interactions with people. Are you immunocompromised? What does your doctor advise.

And then you have that low level. So you can go on the CDC's Web site, put in your state, your county, and it will tell you your risk level depending on where you live. But of course, you still have those regulations that are going to come from schools and hospitals and private businesses that may differ from the CDC's new guidelines.

Take a listen to CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky talk about why they made the change and the impact it will have on everyday Americans.

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ROCHELLE WALENSKY, CDC DIRECTOR: None of us know what the future may hold for us and for this virus. And we need to be prepared and we need to be ready for whatever comes next.

We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when our levels are low, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things get worse in the future.

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ROMERO: And Fred, for some people who at first say the CDC, they say this comes a little too late. They wanted the CDC to dive deeper into their guidelines long ago. One thing that hasn't changed, Fred, is that the CDC says that people should still get vaccinated and boosted if eligible, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nadia Romero, thanks so much.

All right. Coming up, there's been widespread condemnation of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that extends into sports as well. And now some of Russia's most well-known athletes are speaking out against Vladimir Putin's war.

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WHITFIELD: All right. One of the world's biggest sports stars, Russia's Alex Ovechkin of the NHL's Washington Capitals is adding his voice to the growing chorus of athletes and organizations publicly expressing concern and opposition to Russia's war on Ukraine.

Let's bring in now CNN International sports anchor Patrick Snell. Patrick good to see you.

Who are some of the people and organizations, athletes that we're hearing from?

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi, Fred. You said it, spot on. One of the biggest names in the world of sports with a huge global platform too. You know, there aren't many Russian athletes who match his star power. Ovechkin is a Stanley Cup champ. He's a 12-time all- star and has scored the fourth most goals in NHL history.

But I really do feel what makes this really significant, Fred, is the way in which the 36-year-old has supported the Russian president in the past.

Now, in 2017, Ovechkin announcing his decision to announce and organize a movement, this in support of Putin ahead of his most recent re-election. The year before that, Putin sending Ovechkin a personal letter and gift for his wedding as well.

The hockey star's Instagram profile -- even featuring a photo of the two of them. In his first public comments since Russia invaded Ukraine, Ovechkin stopping short of condemning Putin but did call for peace. Take a listen.

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ALEX OVECHKIN, NHL STAR Player: Please, no more war, you know? It doesn't matter who's in the war -- Russia, Ukraine, different countries, I think we live in a world where we have to live in peace. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: Now, another high-profile Russian sportsman, the tennis star Andre Rublev making global headlines using his post-match position to express his concern over the Russian invasion. Instead of scribbling his signature, as what players normally do on the camera lens after a match in Dubai, the world number 7 writing, "No war, please".

The 24-year-old saying he feels compelled to use his platform to speak out.

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ANDRE DUBLEV, RUSSIAN TENNIS PLAYER: In these moments you realize that my match is not important. So it's not about my match, how it affects me, because what's happening is much more terrible.

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SNELL: Really important developments from the world of football this Saturday, Fred. Poland and Sweden's men's national teams now refusing to play Russia in playoff matches ahead of this year's World Cup in Qatar in protest of the invasion. Poland due to travel to Moscow to face Russia March the 24th. Ukraine, by the way, scheduled to travel to face Scotland on the same day too. The winner of the Poland-Russia game would then now potentially host either the Swedes or the Czech Republic on the 29th of March for a place at the FIFA World Cup.

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SNELL: Fred, these are fast-moving developments. We will of course, stay right across the very latest.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That's extraordinary. The world is watching and contesting.

All right. Patrick Snell, thank you so much.