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Ukraine under Russian Attack for Fourth Day; Six-Year-Old Boy Killed in Heavy Gunfire in Western Kyiv; People Flee Ukraine to Other Nations; U.S. and Key G7 Allies Expelling Some Russian Banks from SWIFT; CNN Witnesses Russian Tanks Moving toward Ukraine; Global Protests Condemn Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired February 27, 2022 - 00:00   ET

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

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world, coming to you live from Ukraine. I am Michael Holmes.

And our breaking news this hour, as fighting in Ukraine enters a fourth day, the capital remains a city under siege. Kyiv is now under a strict curfew until at least Monday morning.

The death toll, beginning to mount, though; the U.N. reporting more than 5 dozen civilians have been killed in the fighting. And CNN has now learned a 6-year-old boy is among the dead.

Now this is the scene in Kyiv overnight, CNN cameras capturing the moment an explosion lit the sky above Ukraine's capital, one of two massive explosions on the city's outskirts.

Let's take a closer view now. This area, just southeast of Kyiv, is home to a large military airfield. The town's mayor says is petroleum storage depot was hit, adding, quote, "The enemy wants to destroy everything but we will stand our ground and we will win."

Similar words of defiance from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has, so far, refused U.S. offers to evacuate him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The world has seen that Ukrainians are powerful. Ukrainians are courageous. They are on their native land and they are never going to give up to anyone. They will never betray it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (voice-over): Of course, the dangers of war extend far beyond Ukraine's capital. This was here where I am, in Lviv, not -- not from Ukraine's western -- not far from Ukraine's western border with Poland. Sirens going off repeatedly. Messages blaring out, urging residents to take cover.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and its allies are ramping up sanctions against Russia, unleashing a powerful ban on Russian banks' international activity. More details on that a little later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: While the war wages on in Ukraine, we are seeing the indomitable spirit of many people there, as they endure this conflict. We are also seeing thousands of civilians desperately fleeing their country. CNN's chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward reports on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A man stands on his balcony looking out at a new reality. Just hours after a missile slammed into his apartment building.

It was 8 am when the projectile hit, destroying parts of the 22nd and 23rd floors. According to Ukrainian authorities, two people were killed.

Officials here say it was a Russian strike. Russia's ministry of defense claim it was a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile that went awry, whoever was responsible. This is what happens when war comes to a major city: homes and lives are destroyed.

At the city central train station, a frantic dash as people try to escape to the West of the country.

"Step back," the train conductor says, "step back."

She tells the crowd to leave their bags to make room for more people.

WARD: So she's just said that women and children could get on the train. Now you can see people pushing to get on. They've got their pets. They've got their babies and they're trying to get on this train to get out of here.

WARD (voice-over): Ukraine's railway services say they are evacuating 5,000 people a day. Every single space is precious. We'll stand, this woman pleads. It's full the conductor tells her. Inside the carriage, it's standing room only. A woman, waves goodbye to her family. Who knows when she will be able to return?

Her daughter, Tamara, has made the tough decision to stay behind.

WARD: For many people it'll be hard to understand how brave you are to stay here and not to try to leave and get somewhere safe.

TAMARA BAKOVA, KYIV RESIDENT: It's not a grave, I should just understand. It's my city. It's my hometown. It's my homeland. It's my country. And I'm not the one who should leave, the Russians are the ones who should live. And they would leave. I wouldn't leave the city before there.

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WARD: Do you think many people are like you and they're ready to do everything they can to get Russia out?

BAKOVA: I'm not thinking I know.

WARD: This is the sort of extraordinary resistance Russia is facing here; 100 miles northeast of Kyiv, a man tries to block a Russian tank. He kneels in front of it, determined to stop it in its tracks. And for a brief moment he does before the column pushes on toward the capital -- Clarissa Ward, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Peter Zalmayev is the director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. And Taras Berezovets is a Ukrainian political analyst. They are near Kyiv and they join me now.

And, gentlemen, it is good to see you again.

And just to give people some context, these are two analysts I have been speaking with over the last week or more. They are now trying to get back to Kyiv, to take part in the defense of their city.

Update us, guys.

How are you doing?

What is the situation like for you now?

Let's start with you, Peter.

PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR, EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: Well, it's -- the news we are getting from Kyiv, from around the country is getting more and more ominous. It seems that Vladimir Putin has been pulling out all stops in his attempt to bring Ukraine to its knees.

He's ordered attacks on critical infrastructure sites. And what's most ominous -- he's hit a series of very, very toxic oil sites around the country. He is causing a massive humanitarian catastrophe, ecological catastrophe, right outside of Kyiv, an attack on a oil facility. The fire's been burning out of control for several hours.

There was an attempt to go to hit a toxic waste storage in Kyiv. There was a gas pipeline in Kharkiv that was hit as well. It seem that is Vladimir Putin is desperate. He sees that there is going to be no easy military victory, let alone a "special operation," as he has called it.

So he is going -- I think he is going to call the West's bluff by causing a humongous flow of refugees toward Europe, to where people beg him -- Western leaders beg him to come to some sort of agreement, to stop the war on conditions that would be preferable to him.

HOLMES: Taras, let me ask you this. What are you -- I know you are trying to get back to Kyiv. I understand you are not back in the city yet.

What is holding you up?

What are your challenges at the moment?

TARAS BEREZOVETS, UKRAINIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Michael, the biggest challenges is to watch your country dying, because Vladimir Putin definitely has a target to destroy our country as a whole.

We see him attacking civilian objects. He hit several buildings, not only in Kyiv but around the country as well. And I think the biggest challenges is to know that your relatives, your friends are under attack every night, because they haven't -- well, he's bombarding our country.

Like I said, every single night, just exactly as Nazis did with Kyiv. And you know, what he did actually, we spent first two nights with my family in a bomb shelter, mainly because it was not only insecure but we felt that Vladimir Putin is sort of -- he is greater than me (ph). You see him attacking civilians. You see him killing people.

Just for what?

Why he is doing that?

He is doing that only for one simple reason: he wants Ukraine to surrender to his terms. He thinks Ukraine is an enemy; well, his personal enemy; he is obsessed with it. So that's what happens.

ZALMAYEV: And, Michael, just more concretely, if I understood you correctly, you wanted to know what is preventing us from being in Kyiv right now. The mayor of Kyiv, Klitschko, announced a citywide curfew until tomorrow morning, which means any civilian caught walking on the streets of Kyiv will be shot without an explanation.

So hope -- we are hoping to be able to approach Kyiv tomorrow at some point and join up with the rest of our folks.

HOLMES: I -- I keep coming back to the -- the point that, every time I have spoken to both of you, it is in the role of an analyst. And you sitting there and being very academic in your responses.

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HOLMES: This is an emotional time for you and your fellow Ukrainians, though, isn't it?

This is life and death and freedom for you, all Ukrainians but for you, individually, right?

ZALMAYEV: There is -- that's -- that's -- that's true of us. That's true of all of Ukrainians. When we spoke yesterday, we were overwhelmed with the sort of response, people turning out in hamlets, towns, cities large and small, arming themselves because it is a simple brute fact of life.

They have nowhere to go. OK, maybe 5 million, as it is estimated by the E.U., will flee for the exits. That will take time for -- for -- for that large flow of people to be processed across borders.

But there, still, will be 35 million remaining here, who will not live on terms that Putin will impose, I think, for any -- sort of reason (ph).

So what -- what we are really concerned about here, Michael, is that Putin knows that with this -- with the current force he has got fighting in Ukraine, with the sort of resolve he's been shown, this is no way he will be able to occupy Ukraine and keep this occupation for any definite period of time.

So what is his end game?

Everyone is asking the question. It seems like he's pretty much made a decision to go for broke. It's a scorched earth, you know, tactics that we are seeing right now.

HOLMES: Well, one hopes that a full military move into the city doesn't happen because urban warfare is exceedingly bloody.

Taras, I wanted to ask you, what -- what are other friends and colleagues telling you about their plans to fight, like, literally, fight?

BEREZOVETS: Well, many of my friends already either with Ukrainian army or with defense forces. they took light arms and they are fighting Russians on the street of our city. And I would say that every -- well, nearly every man now in Kyiv is -- is ready to fight, because people, of course, are going to die. That's absolutely clear.

But everybody understands, if Putin wins in this war -- if he takes over -- control over Kyiv, there will be more victims. We saw it in Chechnya twice in 1990s. Then Russians brought really this country to the ground.

And after all his words, what he said about Kyiv was a holy capital of (INAUDIBLE) for him, he says nothing, holding his cards (ph). And from his perspective, people -- people are ready to fight, like I said. Many of my close friends, they are fighting.

ZALMAYEV: And, Michael, let me just mention, there is like a -- a -- a whole, you know, bunch of Ukrainian celebrities, people, rock stars, you know, artists, painters, actors, who have announced that they are joining the territorial defense. They have posted photos of carrying guns on social media. So it is a truly nationwide effort.

HOLMES: Right. I -- I -- we are nearly out of time. I did want to ask you one more question, though. I -- I know that your thoughts and caring is about the Ukrainian people in your country. I have interviewed you a lot over the last week or two. You both look utterly exhausted.

How are you doing personally?

ZALMAYEV: Well, I mean, the exhaustion so far is -- yes -- it's physical. But mostly, the mental. We will see, you know, once we reach Kyiv, it will be a whole different game. I am not even sure we will be able to continue these talks for -- once -- once that happens.

So far, communications are functioning in Kyiv. But I would not rule out Putin's attempt to take them all down. That's what he is doing right now. He is taking -- he is laying siege to Kyiv.

And already there is fears that hunger and water deprivation are looming. So it is a surreal world we are live in. So it's -- it's, you know, uncharted territory for the world. It is uncharted territory individually for us, for Taras, for the Ukrainians.

What about you?

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: Yes. Real quick, Taras.

BEREZOVETS: (INAUDIBLE).

HOLMES: Yes. All right. If you don't mind, we are going to keep checking in on -- on both of you as your journey continues. Peter Zalmayev and Taras Berezovets, really appreciate the time. Thank you so much. And we will check in again. Take care.

ZALMAYEV: Thanks.

HOLMES: All right. Moving money abroad is going to become a tall order for some Russian banks. Next up, the top global financial system becomes off limits for some banks, which is poised to hurt Russia's economy.

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HOLMES: Also, Russian tanks on the move. CNN is at the last Russian checkpoint before heading into Ukraine to witness tanks heading toward the front line. We will be right back.

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HOLMES: Welcome back. The U.S. and its allies are moving to banish some Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial system. Now SWIFT is the backbone used for moving money among big institutions around the world. The decision could send shock waves through Russia's banking and its entire economy.

But Western countries are, also, considering taking a step further and targeting Russia's central bank directly. For more, CNN's Jasmine Wright joins me now from Washington.

And bring us up to date on these moves. These -- these are the serious moves that, certainly, Ukraine has been asking for.

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Michael. Look, something of this scale has not been done before, so it makes it significant in Western countries, really, attempt to isolate Russia financially.

So in a joint statement with European leaders, the U.S. and Canada -- they announced a couple different measures. First, on -- they expelled certain Russian banks from the international community. And then, even more importantly, we are talking about the Russian central bank.

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WRIGHT: It announced new restrictive measures really trying to target the money that the Russian central bank has in reserve -- about $600 billion -- trying to prevent it from basically propping up the Russian economy, keeping it afloat, as it gets these wave of sanctions and really trying to send that ruble into freefall.

And then as you said, when we were talking about SWIFT, that financial backing system that connects global banks to about 11,000 financial systems, it's going to remove some Russian banks from that system.

Basically, the goal here, as you can see on the screen, is to make it impossible for some of these transactions to go through, that would have likely gone through Russian banks and the SWIFT system.

Again, trying really hard to isolate Russia financially. And I just want to point to one thing before we get into everything else here is that just how quickly this happened, because on Thursday, we heard from the president, who was asked by our reporter, why not include SWIFT into this round of sanctions that you were announcing?

And he said, very clearly, that European leaders were not ready to take that next step. But here we are, on Saturday, with this joint announcement.

And now, another thing I want to point to is exactly what you said, of what else could likely be coming down the -- the -- the pipeline here?

And we know that U.S. officials and European officials are considering taking sanctions on the Russian central bank, really crippling it. But that is something that has not been done before. And officials say that is something under consideration but we don't have a final answer on that, just yet -- Michael.

HOLMES: I wanted to ask you this, too. President Biden did an interview. It was released today about -- he spoke about his main goals as Russia invades.

What did he say?

WRIGHT: Well, he said very clearly that that is maintaining unity. That is what it has been all about for him, as the U.S. has responded to Russian aggression over the past few weeks and months.

And we know that, of course, he sent the vice president over to Munich. He sent Antony Blinken all over globally, trying to commit those lines. And we know that, of course, just this week, he had a NATO call, G7 call, really trying to shore up those -- that -- those relationships.

And in an interview today, he said -- and I want to read you a quote from it because it's really substantial, because he said, "One thing I think Putin thought he could do was split NATO, create a great aperture for him to be able to walk through. And that hasn't happened."

That is the main calculus for President Biden and the U.S. officials, is trying to make sure that there is no daylight between NATO and its allies in the U.S., in terms of how to respond to Russian aggression, in terms of the way forward as they really try to seek unity in trying to respond to this crisis -- Michael.

HOLMES: All right. Appreciate the reporting, Jasmine Wright there in Washington for us.

All right. For Ukrainian civilians, the conflict growing increasingly desperate, of course. According to the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 160,000 people are reported to have been internally displaced so far.

And more than 116,000 have been forced to flee across international borders, becoming refugees from their own country. The government estimates a worst-case scenario could involve as many as 5 million refugees. CNN spoke with several Ukrainians fleeing the conflict and doing whatever it took just to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband is still there. We'll fight, even if Europe doesn't help us.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It can be dangerous and our husbands were telling us maybe we shouldn't travel. They suggested we stay here for a bit until everything calms down. But we are mothers and our hearts are telling us to go home.

SERGEI ZALANKOV, UKRAINIAN EVACUEE: Most people -- they just didn't have the tickets, so they just stormed the train. I mean, it was almost like a stampede. People were, like, trying to get inside no matter what. Nobody was actually checking tickets because I mean, obviously, most people didn't have any tickets.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was chaos?

ZALANKOV: It was chaos. It was chaos. It was a lot of people, like, pushing around. But I mean, people run to escape, to run for their lives. So I don't blame them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My wife is already here. We're going to get some rest now because we haven't slept in almost two days. We are tired. My daughter is tired. Now we will rest and think about what to do next.

Now it is necessary for my family to leave Ukraine. I will stay here but the main thing is for my family to leave Ukraine and not feel the threat of attack.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have been here for a long time, maybe six or seven hours, maybe. But it is crazy. It is crazy traffic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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HOLMES: Now the Polish border guard says more than 100,000 people have crossed into the country from Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. CNN's Arwa Damon is there and show us some disturbing scenes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This bus has just arrived. Oh and we can see some sort of a reunion happening here.

This bus just arrived from the Ukrainian border. And there's been a steady stream of buses like this coming into this parking lot that has now turned into something of a makeshift reception center.

These people, the vast majority of them, would have walked for hours trying to just get across.

And you'll notice that most of them are women and children. And that is because men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not being permitted to leave.

All of these people here that you see holding up these signs, they're all volunteers. And on these cardboard pieces of paper are written the names of various different cities that people who are disembarking from these buses can get rides to, places where they can find free accommodation.

One thing that is quite eerie when it comes to being here is just how quiet it is. People, you can see them as they're coming off the bus, are completely and totally shell-shocked.

And we have been talking to a number of people here and also at the train station.

Many of them still struggling to comprehend exactly what it is that has happened, how it is that less than a week ago they were able to wake up in their own homes and now parents are having to figure out how to describe this to their children.

One mother we met as we were speaking to her she was smiling and she said, "I have to smile because it's the only way that I can control my hysteria." And it's really quite jarring when you think about the reality that all of these children who are here, these mothers, wives, they all said goodbye to husbands, to fathers, to sons who have had to remain behind in Ukraine. So many families torn apart.

We've also met so many people here on this side of the border in Poland who say that their loved ones, their elderly are still inside, that they are unable to make the journey this far.

No one knows what's going to happen at this stage. No one knows what's going to be happening next.

And you really see just how sobering that reality is when you look at people's faces as they're coming off these buses, as they're trying to figure out exactly where they're going to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Arwa Damon there. Heartbreaking scenes.

As you can see behind me, daylight has broken here in Ukraine. For the first morning in many days, we have not heard the air raid sirens. When we come back, we will bring you a lot more, as Russian military might continues to enter this country, including a very ominous weapon. Stay with us. We'll be right back.

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HOLMES: Welcome back, everyone. I am Michael Holmes coming to you live from Lviv in Western Ukraine. Now this is a country that has gone through another night of air raid sirens, explosions and, of course, fear as well. Let's bring you up to date on latest developments.

Massive explosions in a town about 20 kilometers southwest of Kyiv earlier, lighting up the night sky as you can see. The town's mayor saying a military airfield and a petroleum storage depot were hit.

Clashes also reported in Kyiv on Saturday night. Several people apparently wounded and we hear a 6-year-old boy was killed.

Now in Kharkiv, Ukraine's state emergency service says a nine-story residential building was hit by what they are calling enemy artillery; a female civilian killed there.

Now this comes as British and American defense officials say Russian troops are facing stiff resistance and not making the progress that they had planned by now. Russian forces, though, pushing into Ukraine through several staging areas across the border.

One of those is the Belgorod region of Russia. On Saturday, CNN's senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen was reporting live on air when he and his team witnessed Russian tanks and heavy equipment heading toward the frontline in Ukraine. Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 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, there have -- their offensive is sort of halting. But we do see the Russians moving 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 to 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 past here. What you're seeing right now I have to speak really loudly.

That's a main battle tank, the Russians. That's a T72 battle tank, this one as well. So we're sort of seeing a couple of things. And those right now are taking a turn. And they're actually heading toward the frontline 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 toward Ukraine.

This is something, Fredricka, that we've seen throughout the entire course of the day that more of this heavy equipment has been moving toward the frontline, toward Ukrainian territory.

[00:35:00]

PLEITGEN: And again, it's not clear whether or not this means that the Russians need more of this, because it's really coming more difficult for them. But it's certainly a fact that we are definitely seeing a lot more of this stuff going toward 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 is also is that a lot of these troops are actually parked in small villages around here.

And it also shows, Fredericka, 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 kinds of vehicles parked around here at the ready to go anytime.

And as you can see, the Russians moving more forces now toward 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 then going straight toward Ukrainian territory. This is the last checkpoint that the Russians have before you reach Ukrainian territory. And before you get to that region of Kharkiv.

Those Russian forces route, taking that last turn past the last checkpoint and a couple of 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 losing -- moving a lot more equipment right now toward that front line.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Leana Fix is a historian and political scientist, focusing on Russia and Eastern Europe. She is currently a resident fellow with the German Marshall Fund.

It is great to have you on. You know, you wrote a fascinating or co- wrote a fascinating article in "Foreign Affairs," recently asking the question, "What if Putin wins?"

An incredibly interesting article.

What would be an acceptable victory?

What would it look like for him?

Is there an option short of bringing down the government, taking over the country?

LIANA FIX, RESIDENT FELLOW, GERMAN MARSHALL FUND: Well, I mean, at the moment, it does seem that Russia underestimated Ukrainian resistance. So there is a chance that Ukraine could become Putin's Afghanistan or Iraq War.

But if it does not become -- and my colleague and I try to think this through, if Ukraine gets under Russian control, then the consequences for Europe and the United States would be significant, because we could see a Ukraine, which is led by a Russian regime in Kyiv, by a pro-Russian regime, which would let Russia install military equipment in Ukraine, would let Russian troops in Ukraine.

And this could lead to a new border on the European continent, a new fortified border basically running from the Baltic States in the north, back down to Turkey between a Russian-Ukraine and U.N. NATO states on the other side.

HOLMES: OK. That's important. Let's talk more about what could be the broader implications, as you touched on there, on the continent. I am talking about in terms -- in terms of things like regional destabilization and threats to former Soviet states, as well.

FIX: Absolutely. I mean, if we think this through, NATO will be very much focused on defending its member states in this new era. So everyone who is not member of the E.U. and NATO at this point will be very much left alone outside of these clubs (ph) because Russia will de facto have a veto right with the military power that they would have installed in the region.

I mean, this is not to say that this is something which is going to happen. There is obviously hope that Russia will not manage to turn Ukraine into a Russian client state. But I think it is necessary and we thought it is necessary to prepare for such scenarios.

HOLMES: Hmm. And -- and as you wrote in that "Foreign Affairs" piece, when -- when Russia went into Syria, the U.S. and others said that would be a quagmire. Now it wasn't and it actually benefited Putin's regional influence and -- and his footprint there.

What do you think was Putin's calculus on embarking on this invasion?

He obviously didn't think it would be a quagmire.

FIX: Oh, this shows that Putin's cost/benefit calculus has changed and is very different to our own cost/benefit calculus. And taking the example of Syria but also of what happened in Ukraine in 2014 -- the annexation of Crimea, the destabilization of Eastern Ukraine -- is something which is already outdated --

[00:40:00]

FIX: -- in terms of understanding Russia's actions because those actions were very much limited to small-scale conflicts, where Russia had not to invest too many costs. Now Moscow is willing to invest much more costs, much more resources and also much more political backlash (ph) from the West.

We have seen what kind of sanctions have been approved today. And still thinks that, in the long-term, on this strategic historic mission that the Russian president finds itself, it will be in Moscow's -- or, let's say, in the president's -- that the Russian president's interests to conduct this war against Ukraine.

HOLMES: One thing that was particularly chilling -- and I want your thoughts on it -- Vladimir Putin, a few days ago, threatening the West, essentially, saying, you know, anyone who interfered in what he is doing would face consequences they could never have imagined.

What did you make of that? I mean, this coming from a nuclear power, is obviously very threatening to U.N. NATO member states and it will lead to exactly the development that Moscow wanted to prevent.

Moscow wanted to roll back NATO in Europe. Moscow wanted to roll back U.S. influence and U.S. nuclear weapons station in Europe. What we will see is much more U.S. troops in Europe -- European countries raising their defense expenditure; a lot more military in Central Eastern European countries, probably the end of the NATO-Russia Founding Act, which limited this presence.

So on -- in the -- in the strategic perspective, Moscow might counter all the goals that it had at the beginning, with unleashing a war on Ukraine, which is -- goes far beyond the patterns of military involvement that it has used in the past.

HOLMES: Fascinating analysis and a fascinating piece in "Foreign Affairs," something well worth contemplating. Liana Fix, thanks so much.

FIX: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: All right. I am Michael Holmes in Lviv, Ukraine. I will be back at the top of the hour with the latest on Russia's invasion of this country. But first, let's take it back to Anna Coren in Hong Kong, with a look at the day's other stories.

Over to you, Anna.

ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Michael, appreciate it. Many thanks.

Still to come on CNN, how some antiwar protesters in Russia are facing resistance and arrests from police.

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[00:45:00]

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COREN: Welcome back. Antiwar protests are popping up across Russia. More than 2,700 people have been arrested to this point. But their support for Ukraine doesn't seem to be waning. CNN's Nic Robertson shows us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: For a third day now, protests, anti-war protests going on in the heart of Moscow. That's the Ukrainian embassy over there, a police are lined up on the streets. And over here, people have been leaving their floral tributes --

sorry. Police officers just telling us there to leave space for people to walk along the streets. That's what the protesters are facing here.

Every time they come here, the police move them off. And that's what we've been watching. But look at this here, somebody has left a child's toy with a note on it. And it says, against the war. Earlier on we've been talking to people about why they've been coming here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I want to tell the Ukrainian people that they are not alone. That people in Moscow are also scared of the war. I wanted to show that we are like them, that we are also afraid of war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We love this country. We've always lived here. We're proud to be Russian. But this step, it's a disgrace, simply disgrace to the world to all those people who are now dying there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Even now I can't believe it, I woke up in the morning in horror. I realized it was real. It's impossible to believe I think. It's painful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: So people being arrested and taken away so far in protests over the past three days. More than 2,700 people arrested across Russia protests on Saturday in more than 2 dozen cities in this country. And it's not just the crackdown on the streets. Look at this, emptied out again.

The police have forced everyone away, not just the crackdown out here on the streets but independent media have been told by the government to stop their false reporting, stop reporting about civilian casualties. They can't use the words invasion and attack and war. They warned that if they do, then access to their publications will be restricted. The government here absolutely kind of shut down any, any anti-war narrative -- Nic Robertson, CNN, Moscow.

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COREN: New developments in a story we brought you on Friday. Ukraine says all the soldiers defending a tiny island from Russia may still be alive. Ukraine's state border guard service says they have strong reason to believe their troops are being held by Russia as prisoners of war.

Now you may remember the service members had refused to surrender what is known at Snake Island to a Russian warship. Their recorded exchange helped inspire Ukrainian defiance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language). UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Ukraine, initially, said all the soldiers had been killed. Russia's military claims the Ukrainians voluntarily surrendered. We will certainly keep an eye on this story and bring you any developments. We will be back in a moment.

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COREN: Large crowds around the world joining together to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was the scene outside the White House on Saturday. Many attendees hoisted Ukrainian flags, chanting, "Stop Putin now." A couple of miles away at the Ukrainian embassy, flowers were left on the steps.

This was the scene in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday. Dozens gathered to show their support for the people of Ukraine, holding signs saying, "Stand with Ukraine" and "Pray for Ukraine." Some of those at the rally called for the U.S. government to take more action against Russia.

And Protesters overtook Times Square in New York on Saturday, calling for peace in Ukraine. As CNN's Polo Sandoval reports, Ukrainian Americans are in despair, angry and are demanding the world act against Vladimir Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here in the United States, it's been another day for so many Ukrainian Americans as they anxiously watch the events that are taking place half a world away.

Here in New York City, we saw one of the many demonstrations, peaceful rallies we've seen throughout the country, as a sea of blue and yellow flags, this pro-Ukrainian demonstration that took place in the heart of New York City in Times Square.

Their message loud and clear, not only standing in solidarity with the people in Ukraine that are caught in this crisis but also calling on the United States and other Western nations to do more to try to restore peace. I want you to hear from a young Ukrainian mother who initially fled Ukraine's capital city --

[00:55:00]

SANDOVAL: -- in 2014 after that initial invasion that took place.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OLGA YARIGAL, PROTESTER: It's very painful to see how my friends and relatives stayed this night, making homemade bombs to stop the tanks. And the whole world is silent right now.

I think -- I would like to finish. I think that the whole world right now needs to unite because this is -- the history, all this repeats. And now the time to stop. It was the same thing when the Second World War started. But now is the time to say no and to stop one person, who keeps in fear the whole world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Among the many voices we heard from Saturday also included some Russian Americans, including one 31-year-old New Yorker, who was born in St. Petersburg and now lives here in New York City, participated in this demonstration today.

And certainly not lost on him that there are many of his fellow Russians, who have been arrested and detained in Moscow for taking part in the demonstrations that he participated in over the weekend -- Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: Protests have been erupting around the world, condemning Russia's invasion in Ukraine.

Demonstrators in Switzerland marched through the streets of Geneva and Bern, holding signs reading "Justice for Ukraine" and "Stop the war."

In Milan, Italy, thousands of Italians joined global protests. They flew a rainbow peace flag along with the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine in front of the iconic Duomo Cathedral in Milan.

And in Seoul, South Korea, about 50 Ukrainian and South Korean Orthodox Christians attended a prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Seoul to pray for peace.

I'm Anna Coren. Michael Holmes returns in just a moment live from Ukraine, as our breaking news coverage continues, stay with CNN.