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Massive Russian Convoy Nears Kyiv As War Enter 6th Day; Kharkiv Mayor: Rocket Attacks Kill At least Nine Civilians; U.N.: At Least Reported Civilian Casualties In Ukraine; CNN Geolocates and Verifies Video Footages from Ukraine; Russian Economy Plummeting. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired March 01, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:23]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: And welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. Appreciate your company. I'm Michael Holmes, coming to you live from Lviv, Ukraine. It is now day six of the Russian invasion and this country is bracing for what could be Russia's biggest offensive yet. There is a massive Russian convoy bearing down on the Ukrainian capital Kiev, where if you can hear there in the last few minutes, air raid sirens have been going off around the city.

Now Satellite images show that that convoy stretches for more than 40 miles or 65 kilometers and includes tanks and artillery. CNN has learned U.S. lawmakers were given a classified briefing saying Ukraine could soon be overwhelmed. One source said the rate at which cities could fall is "alarming." Kiev has been hit by Russian fire before of course, and Ukrainian forces had put up stiff resistance in the suburbs but they are facing a world power of course.

And defense officials warn Russian President Vladimir Putin could be waiting to unleash a second wave and a bombing campaign fed up by a lack of progress in the capital. Now his country already struggling with a slew of sanctions and President Putin looking increasingly isolated on the world stage. Beyond Kiev, Ukraine second largest city Kharkiv came under intense shelling on Monday.

We have been seeing chilling video of a residential area getting blasted. The city's mayor says at least nine civilians lost their lives in all of that. The U.N. says there have been reports now of more than 400 civilian deaths since the war began. That's probably an underestimate. Kharkiv was being shelled the same day and Ukrainian and -- at the same day as Ukrainian delegations were holding talks near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

Ukraine's president says the Russians were actually sinking up those attacks with those negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Today with the Russian sides initiative, we had the first round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. These negotiations took place with the shelling and bombing of our territory on the background. Shelling of our cities, synchronization of the shelling within negotiations was obvious. I think that with this simple-minded method, Russia is trying to pressurize, do not lose time. We do not accept these tactics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Meanwhile, Europe's largest war in decades, fueling an exodus. The U.N. says more than half a million refugees have entered neighboring countries now. The train station here in Lviv, where I am has been packed for days. Many of those fleeing women, children also foreigners, Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60. Those old enough to pick up a weapon are bad from leaving.

CNN's Matthew Chance is on the ground near Kiev reporting from an area where a fierce battle between Ukrainian forces and Russian troops had just taken place. A warning some of the images in his report could be disturbing to some viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Right within the past few hours, there has been a ferocious battle here on the outskirts of Kiev. This is the front line in the battle for the Ukrainian capital.

(on camera): The Russian column that has come down here has been absolutely hammered.

(voice over): Trucks and armored vehicles reduced a twisted metal as Ukrainian forces dig in. Catching the Kremlin and its invasion force off guard.

(on camera): Look at this. I mean, what kind of munitions does it take to do that to a car? To a vehicle? You know, I know that I've just been local Ukrainian commanders here. They've been saying that they were using Western anti-tank missiles to attack these columns. Look, so recent the battle. This vehicle is still smoking. There's still smoke coming out.

(voice over): Commanders like Alexander of the Ukrainian army wouldn't give me his rank or full name.

The Russians thought they could just march into Ukrainian lands in a triumphant parade he tells me. They were mistaken. It will never happen he says.

[02:05:07]

CHANCE (on camera): I mean look, I mean it's a bit of almost a cliche but obviously somebody is brought a memento from home. You know, and now it's scorched and lying with the debris of the -- in this case failed attack.

(voice over): An attack that's left Ukrainian forces who repelled it confidence perhaps overconfident that victory can be repeated across the country, his Russian troops advanced.

Absolutely. Ukraine will win this war, Alexander tells me. Of course will win. And the Russians will rock here he says.

(on camera): This vehicle here is obviously from the Russian military, it's got the letter V. Door on the side, what looks like tape or paint, that I think that stands for Vostok, which is the Russian word for East, which implies that these military equipment, they came from the eastern divisions of the Russian military. What I was saying there, look, there's evidence and I don't want to show you this too much, but there's a body there.

That's a Russian soldier and he is lying there dead on this bridge. You can they're Russian because they've got this black and orange St. George ribbon (INAUDIBLE) across them which is a sign, a symbol of the Russian army.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ammunition.

CHANCE: Yes, ammunition (INAUDIBLE) Alexander. Oh my god, there's another one there. It's terrible to see the grim in humanity of a war. For the Ukrainians and of course for the Russians as well. The sacrifice that is being paid by all sides in this complete waste of life is here for us all to see.

Matthew Chance , CNN, Kiev.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: For more now, I'm joined by Major General Mick Ryan. He's a retired Australian Army officer and author of War Transformed: The Future of 21st Century, Great Power, Competition and Conflict. It's good to have you with us. The Russians a couple of days ago, they announced a corridor for civilians to safely leave Kiev, and now you've got this 40 killer -- 40 mile, 65-kilometer column outside the city.

What do you think? Does this look like clearing the city for perhaps a ferocious assault on the Capitol?

MICK RYAN, RETIRED AUSTRALIAN ARMY: Oh, thank you, Michael. And firstly, can I say thank you to you and all the other journalists who are putting yourselves at risk to bring us these stories from the Ukraine. Yes, I think that the Russians have reassessed their campaign over the last couple of days. Their operations in the north and the east have not been that successful. So they are going to double down in combat power, they're going to double down in firepower.

And it's going to be a much more ferocious and much more destructive, and a much more bloody fight from here.

HOLMES: Yes. I covered the taking of Mosul or the retaking Mosul from ISIS in Iraq a few years ago and other urban campaigns as well. And the fact is, they are almost inevitably hard to coordinate. They are bloody, and there is always a huge threat of civilian casualties. And and in Ukraine, so many civilians are actually taking up arms to defend the country as well. What could that urban combat look like?

RYAN: Well, as a soldier, we prefer not to fight in cities because it is the hardest environment in which we can fight for the reasons you just outlined. They're very different, difficult to command and coordinate. They're very difficult because it's hard to identify friend from foe. And it's the kind of fighting that takes place at very close quarters, many of the fights in Iraq for basic distances of 10 meters or less.

That presence of civilians makes things even more difficult. And in this fight, we are going to see the Russians use more firepower. And they were going to the mass of the casualties if they do go into Kiev.

HOLMES: It's extraordinary to even hear you say that. We're talking about a European capital. It's just mind boggling. What is your assessment? You touched on this but give us more of an assessment of, you know, how Russia has prosecuted this war so far, tactically and so on. Many suggesting overconfidence in how things would go. And, you know, they've messed up everything from, you know, refueling their own vehicles along the way.

RYAN: I think the Russians really hoped that surrounding the Ukraine with 190,000 troops would overhaul them and coerce them into some political initiatives that would be favorable to Russia.

[02:10:03]

RYAN: That hasn't happened. I think that surprised the Russians and quite frankly the stiff resistance, the amazing bravery by Ukrainian soldiers and civilians has really shocked them. But the Russians have proven in the past they can learn from their mistakes. I think they are learning and they are now going to double down with more combat forces, more air power to not just secure Kiev of other bits of ground but to sort out problems with logistics, with firepower, with -- and with securing the airspace over Ukraine.

HOLMES: Talking about this with another analyst a couple of hours ago, I'd like your thoughts. I mean, when you look at the, you know, David and Goliath aspect of this, it's true, is it not that unmotivated army that is the underdog can often really seriously challenge and under motivated army. Do you think that's happening here, given the Ukrainians are fighting for their nation, the performance they've put up?

RYAN: I think you're on the market, Michael. It's been very clear right from the start that Ukrainians have seized the strategic narrative. I mean, the President's words just the other day, I don't need a ride. I need ammunition. I mean, wow, that's electrifying stuff for a nation, for soldiers and its civilians. And from top to bottom, the Ukrainians have been very effective at mobilizing their own people. But also mobilizing very quickly, a massive international coalition to support them. They -- that has given them a sense of purpose. And they know that the Russians cannot offer them the democracy and freedom that they desire. At the same time, it is not clear that the Russian soldiers that have come across the border in this invasion share a sense of purpose that is anywhere equal to that -- the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

HOLMES: Yes, yes. A lot of them. 19-year-old conscripts. We touched on the strategy and the failings of the Russian military so far, that -- if we can call it the first stage of conventional warfare. We're talking also about a transition to the next stage of urban warfare which you -- you've addressed could involve, you know, fighting in the city. Perhaps then if the Ukrainians are overwhelmed, as most analysts think they will be.

Do you envisage a stage later of, you know, resistance or insurgency given the passion of the people?

RYAN: Well, you know, I'd caution against too much doom and gloom about what might happen. I mean, we've heard this before. The Ukrainians will fold quickly, that still might happen. But we can't discount that they continue to buy time for a negotiated solution at some point. But if that indeed does happen, and the Russians are able to secure a large part of Ukraine, I can't see how the Ukrainians would not continue to resist.

They've got formed in this, you know, during the second world war against the Nazis, and even against the Soviets after the war, they have had resistance movements before. And I expect that there would be large international support for any kind of insurgency that manifests after any kind of Russian success. I would add, though, Michael, that even if the Russians win tactically, politically, it's hard to see how they can be successful here.

They can only win at the cost of massive destruction and massive bloodshed. They'll have 44 million Ukrainians that will hate them.

HOLMES: Yes, exactly. And yes, quite apart from previous resistance efforts. This is the country where people power has thrown out a couple of pro-Moscow presidents in the past. So, you're right. They have form. Major General Mick Ryan, out of time. Thank you so much for your analysis.

RYAN: Thank you, Michael. It's great to talk to you.

HOLMES: All right.

RYAN: Stay safe.

HOLMES: OK. Appreciate it. Thanks so much. Now the U.N. estimates more than half a million people have already fled this country. Border control says many of them heading west, hundreds of thousands from the first wave of refugees have arrived in parts of Poland, others going to neighboring Hungary, Moldova, and Romania. Some making it as far east as Berlin. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says the number of people leaving Ukraine is rising exponentially by the hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FILIPPO GRANDI, U.N. HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES: I regret to say that unless there is -- as American said an immediate halt to conflict, Ukrainians will simply continue to flee. We're currently planning, I repeat, planning, for up to four million refugees in the coming days and weeks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, earlier, CNN Sara Sidner described some of the desperate situations and stories she's been hearing near Ukraine's border with Poland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:15:06]

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're talking about 500,000 refugees. And these are people from all over Ukraine. Many, many, many, many people of different backgrounds, but mostly people who were born and raised in Ukraine. And it is a tragedy to see just how many of them, for example, have very young children, we met a woman who had a nine- month-old baby, who was able to make it across.

And she just said, I'm so thankful that I was able to make it across. We met a woman who had a six-year-old who was sleeping, and she said that they had been traveling for five days for something that usually just takes a day. And they were exhausted and she had tears in her eyes, because she said the only reason why she left Ukraine was because the Russians had come in, that they were shooting at them.

And the only reason why she left the country that she loves is to try and save her six-year-old. She had to leave her mother behind. So these are the kinds of stories that we are hearing over and over and over again, it is heart wrenching.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Certainly is. And now these are live pictures coming to us from the north east and Romanian border checkpoint with Ukraine. A lot of refugees streaming in there right now. And they're doing that many of them because of the holdups at the Polish border. Some enormously long waits for families at that border point in -- border points with Poland. And so a lot of people are turning now to places like Romania, Moldova as well, Hungary too.

So, the stream of people leaving this country just gets bigger and bigger. Those images, ominous in many ways.

All right. Ukrainian officials say the need for help is urgent. The message to U.S. lawmakers coming up after the break.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALEXANDRA USTINOVA, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: We need to -- we need

the support (INAUDIBLE) we need to protect our babies in Ukraine (INAUDIBLE) I'm sorry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[02:21:15]

HOLMES: Now after a classified briefing on Monday, U.S. lawmakers emerged saying more sanctions on Russia are needed, along with funds for weapons for Ukraine. One representative calling for an immediate embargo on Russian coal. And said oil and gas should be banned in consultation with OPEC and European allies. That would make a huge disruption around the globe.

Another lawmaker pushed for Saudi Arabia to increase its oil supply to minimize dependence on Russian energy. Now, the message to lawmakers from Ukrainian officials is clear. More weapons and expanded sanctions are needed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OKSANA MARKAROVA, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: They have to pay the price, they have to be isolated. They have to understand that it's not OK in the 21st century to start war and kill people in the neighboring sovereign countries.

USTINOVA: When you need to -- we need to support (INAUDIBLE) we need to protect our babies in Ukraine (INAUDIBLE) I'm sorry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: President Biden is hours away now from delivering a pivotal State of the Union address. Typically, the address focuses on domestic policy but the crisis in Ukraine clearly will feature prominently in this one. For more details, CNN White House Reporter Jasmine Wright joins me now from Washington. Let's talk about all of this. It is early in this conflict, of course, but only 42 percent of Americans in a new CNN poll, say they trust President Biden at least moderately to make the right decisions regarding the situation here in Ukraine. What is his message then going to be tonight?

JASMINE WRIGHT, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Michael, the President's message is going to be critically important. And you're right. I think just a few months ago, officials viewed this speech happening in just a few hours as the perfect place for the President to launch a domestic reset. But of course, what has all happened in the last month, Ukraine in the situation there, the crisis really is going to really be a major, major focus.

So, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in a Monday briefing, she laid out some of the things that the President is going to talk about with regards to Ukraine. First, she said that he's going to highlight the global coalition that he helps build among Western allies. Of course, NATO over the last week. We have seen them be really unified in their response to Russia, they're punishing sanctions for Russia that have intensified.

Really trying to respond proportionally there to the continued aggression. And she says, for a second thing that he will highlight all of the military assistance that the U.S. and joining allies have sinned to Ukraine, especially as you hear from lawmakers just a few moments ago talking about the need for more assistance. For more sanctions, the President will talk about how the U.S. has helped in trying to bolster Ukrainians resistance in phase again of Russian aggression.

And the third thing that the President is going to talk about Psaki said is he's going to bring it back to the homeland. And talk about all the things that this administration is trying to do to mitigate the impact that Americans will feel in their pockets because of this crisis. One of the things that this administration highlighted early on in the Ukrainian crisis is gas prices and how restrictions abroad on gas prices could lead to Americans pay or high -- paying a higher price at the pump.

So President Biden is going to talk about all the ways that he is trying to bring those prices down. Now, of course, Michael, we will hear from the President as he talks about domestic issues. From inflation to the ongoing pandemic, really, he's going to be trying to instill some hope in the American people for the future. But listen, this Ukrainian situation is something that has really commanded the attention of the White House, not only just intensely for the last week but for the last month trying to figure a diplomatic situation resolution out of this, but also trying to make it known that they are not okay with what's happening.

[02:25:17]

WRIGHT: So, that is going to be a huge part of the President's speech, his first State of the Union that he gives in just a few hours from now, Michael?

HOLMES: All right, Jasmine. Appreciate the update. Jasmine Wright there in Washington for us. Quick break here on the program. But when we come back, as Ukraine second largest city is shelled, the country's president accusing Russia of war crimes. Our breaking news coverage continues after this.

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[02:30:00]

HOLMES: Hello everyone, I'm Michael Holmes, coming to you live, from Lviv in Western Ukraine. Bitter fighting still underway across the country as Ukrainians try to holdoff a Russian invasion. New satellite imagery showing a massive Russian convoy rolling towards the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. The convoy, reportedly, stretching more than 40 miles, that's around 65 kilometers.

We're also seeing escalating rocket attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city. Officials in the U.S. say, a second wave of Russian troops is likely on the way and they could overwhelm Ukraine's forces. And yet Ukraine's army and its people are fighting on. Here's Kyiv's mayor talking to our Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VITALI KLITSCHKO, KYIV, UKRAINE MAYOR: We never were so patriotic. I am proud of our army. The -- our Ukrainian army stood in front of one of the strongest armies in the world. But our soldiers is heroes. They show great performance. As right now, so many thousands of civilians come in and build civilian defense. People take the weapons, receive the weapons, and ready to defend our homes. Defend their families. Defend our future and our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Meanwhile, a different crisis is developing on the edges of this conflict. The U.N. now says more than 500,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded and that number is rising exponentially by the hour.

Meanwhile, shells continue to rain down on Kharkiv, the city's mayor, saying Russian rocket fire killed nine people, including three children. New video shows the siege of -- on Kharkiv as it unfolded. CNN's Alex Marquardt with the details. But first, a warning, Alex's report does contain graphic content.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): The fighting in Kharkiv getting a little bit closer to home on Monday. This is video from one of five residential neighborhoods in Ukraine's second largest city. Two people can be seen here running and then crawling as a hail of rockets remains down.

Across the city to the East, more video shows a chaotic scene after a still smoking missile falls and is launched in the street. Further north, buildings come under fire from rocket strikes, exploding over the apartment complex.

From those apartments, a man says, the Russian world, you say? It's already right on my doorstep.

Two bodies lying motionless on the floor. U.S. officials say the Russians have hit civilian target in Monday's attacks in Kharkiv have all the hallmarks of Russian weaponry. Russia, meanwhile, has insisted throughout its invasion that it will avoid civilian areas. The people of Kharkiv, probably seeing things very differently. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, the International Criminal Court is going to be opening an investigation into Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The ICC prosecutor says, there is reason to believe, "Both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed." Here's what Ukraine's President had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Today, Russian forces brutally fired on Kharkiv from jet artillery. It was clearly a war crime. Kharkiv is a peaceful city. There are peaceful residential areas, no military facilities. Dozens of eyewitness accounts prove that this was not a single false volley but deliberate destruction of people. The Russians knew where they were shooting. There will definitely be an international tribunal for this crime. It's a violation of all conventions. No one, in the world, will forgive you for killing peaceful Ukrainian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, as we mentioned earlier, it is not just trained soldiers taking up arms to fight the Russians. Ukrainians from all walks of life are also preparing to fight. Earlier, CNN spoke with one Ukrainian lawmaker who explained why they're expecting Russia to escalate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[02:35:00]

KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Let me give you tips and tricks on talking to Putin. When he says, I want peace, this means, I am gathering my troops to kill you. If he says, it's not my troops, it means, it's my troops and I'm gathering them. And if he says, OK, I'm retreating, this means, I am regrouping and gathering more troops to kill you.

So, it's not news for us when he went on a peaceful negotiation, and I'm repeated, peaceful negotiation, that it will end up bringing more troops destroying more buildings and trying to kill more Ukrainians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And we also spoke with another woman preparing to fight Russian troops. She got married the day that Russia invaded. They brought the wedding forward because of the invasion, and she says, she and her husband have since taken up arms to defend their city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YARYNA ARIEVA, DEPUTY, KYIV, UKRAINE CITY COUNCIL: Everyone here believes that we will win. That's just only a question of time. And I'm really happy to see such a great amount of people really being ready to fight, being ready to kill for their land and having no doubt about our win in this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: I'll have much more from Ukraine coming up. But first, let's head back to Atlanta and Rosemary Church. Rosemary?

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks so much, Michael. We'll get back to very soon.

Coming up next, severe sanctions from the West slamming Russia's economy. The latest and a live report, that's ahead.

Plus, we'll show you how CNN verifies the accuracy of social media videos coming from the war in Ukraine. Back in just a moment.

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JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: When you're feeling frazzled, you may crave something sweet. But foods high in sugar could stress your body even more by raising your blood glucose levels. So, instead of a candy bar, try snacking on cashews or roasted almonds.

[02:40:00]

Cashews are rich and zinc which is linked to lowered anxiety. And almonds are a source of B vitamins which play a role in maintaining your mood.

If stress leaves you feeling tired, pass on coffee, soda, and energy drinks. Caffeine can actually increase levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. So, consider a calming caffeine free herbal tea like chamomile, passion flower or mint. One study found tea could help lower cortisol levels. But your best defense against stress eating may not even be at mealtime but bedtime.

Some studies suggest getting enough sleep makes you less likely to make unhealthy food choices when you're stressed out.

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Russia's economy is reeling from crushing Western sanctions imposed after the country's invasion of Ukraine. The Moscow stock exchange is closed for a second straight day after the central bank announced a major interest rate hike. And the ruble plunged to a record low against the dollar. All this impacting Russians who have been waited in long lines outside banks to try and withdraw money.

CNN's Anna Stewart is tracking these developments. She joins us now live from London. Good to see you, Anna. So, what impacted these severe coordinated economic sanctions actually having on Russia? And is that economic pain being felt by the likes of President Putin and his oligarchs?

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: I think the pain is going to be felt by absolutely everyone. Look at the Russian Ruble which crashed more than 30 percent yesterday at one point. And is essentially, its value is halved just since the beginning of the year. So, imagine how much more expensive just everyday items and imports will be.

And speaking of imports, well, there are export controls from multiple countries on Russia now which means they will be lacking so many components that are reliant -- relied upon for various sections, like, car makers and so on. And then as the isolation they're feeling because airlines across Europe and further beyond have cancelled flights to Moscow. And in retaliation, Russia is closing their airspace to many nations at this stage.

Then, you get a look at the oligarchs. And yes, the pain is being felt there as well. More oligarchs added to the EU's sanctions list yesterday. We had President's Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, we had Igor Sechin who's the seer of the big oil giant at Rosneft. We had Mikhail Fridman, the founder of Alfa Group. And also, the chairman of one of the biggest private banks there that was sanctioned. And he, yesterday, publicly said that he would like the bloodshed to end. His family are Ukrainian. He grew up in Ukraine. Incredible to see comments like that coming from oligarchs.

It's not just that their overseas assets are frozen, Romary -- Rosemary, you got to think about their assets within Russia given the rubble has thanked. Given equities, if they ever open on the Moscow stock exchange closed once again today, we'll also see their prices tumble. We saw on secondary listings yesterday, Sberbank for instance, in London fell over 70 percent at one stage.

So, this is the real impact we're seeing. And there is pressure here on President Putin, from the everyday people, seeing their lives getting more expensive, more isolated, but also critically, I think, from some of those oligarchs.

CHURCH: Well, let's hope there's enough pressure to end this invasion of course. And Anna, while Russia has built up considerable reserves to protect against severe economic sanctions like these, President Putin has, of course, been surprised by the severity and unity of action against him. And now corporations are stepping up, aren't they, in doing their part. So, what are the most significant moves being taken by some companies right now?

STEWART: Yes. We've had a slew of announcements, actually, from sort of big corporations. Some of them forced to, as a result of sanctions, some of them choosing to whether that's ethically or because they fear further sanctions to come.

So, overnight, Visa or Mastercard both saying they will, of course, comply with sanctions. Mastercard, says it's already blocked multiple banks from using its network. So, that means -- also, it's people in Russia if you have Visa or Mastercard, they might not be able to access their money using it. They won't be able to do transactions. Their Apple Pay, their Google Pay will stop working.

And then, there was the big backlash against Russian State TV, which is of course a huge -- playing a huge role in how Russia is misinformation spreading what's going on in Ukraine. So, we had Facebook owner, Meta and TikTok, both blocking access to State TV outlets like Russia Today. Netflix and Europe's Roku channel, also, refusing to air Russia TV. Twitter, YouTube, taking a tougher stance.

And then, all sorts of energy companies over the last two days, BP, Shell, Equinor, all shedding assets and ending joint ventures.

[02:45:00]

That is important because, of course, Russia relies heavily on oil and gas. So that is really reducing all the investment in that sector.

Interestingly, oil and gas, still being sold from Russia to all over the world. And that is a key revenue driver. It's the one thing that right now isn't really targeted by sanctions.

CHURCH: Yes. Of course, President Putin relying on that right now. Anna Stewart joining us live from London, many thanks. We'll watch to see what comes of that pressure.

Well, tech companies are doing their part to cut down on the spread of misinformation from Russia. Facebook says, it shut down a covert Russian influence operation using deepfakes to pose as people in Ukraine. Twitter will warn users when they're about to read a link from Russian state media, while working to reduce its visibility. Both TikTok and Roku have blocked a Russian government owned media sites RT and Sputnik in some European countries. And YouTube says it has blocked Russian state media within Ukraine.

And CNN has used social media footage in some of their reporting of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And it worked goes to great lengths to ensure these images are real and accurate before we present them to our audience. And CNN's Katie Polglase explains how the investigative team vets that material.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE RESEARCHER: Social media footage has played a key role in our coverage of Ukraine making us able to identify military movements and also possible attacks. But it's also really important that we understand the footage is real, and accurate, and current. And so, one of the ways that we've been doing this is by geolocating that footage. And here is an example of our own investigative team has been doing that.

POLGLASE (voiceover): It was an alarming scene. Russian helicopters flying suspiciously low over an area just a few kilometers outside of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. With large dark plumes of smoke rising. The man filming says about 20 of them flew by. And at the time this video first started circulating on social media, February 24th, it was not yet confirmed the Russians were anywhere near Kyiv. So, our investigative team began looking to verify it.

POLGLASE (on camera): So, the most important thing is to establish that this footage is recent.

POLGLASE (voiceover): We used reverse image search engines to check the video had not been circulating before February 24th. It had not. With that confirmed, we needed to established the location. Social media post mentioned Hostomel Airport, 25 kilometers outside of Kyiv. So, we started there. Using Google Earth and Yandex Maps, a Russian search engine equivalent, we zoomed in on the airport and began looking for possible locations. POLGLASE (on camera): What we then wanted to do was to geolocate it. And to geolocate it, we did what's called a panorama. So, we created various screen graphs from the footage that looks significant, and we pulled up various different shots from the footage that showed us key identifiable structures. The main, most notable one, was this yellow building here and there's a small rooftop structure as well. You can also tell that there are some white houses and a gray structure here to the right.

Using this screen graphs, we then went back to our Google Earth to find any situation, any location near the airport that match that description. And luckily, we found this, here's a yellow structure and there's multiple white houses, and there's also a gray structure nearby as well. And because of that arrangement, because of the way they're situated, that had to be the location near the airport where this footage was filmed.

So, we know the date and we also know the location of that footage. Now, with that verified, we were able to put that footage to use. And so, we sent this footage to CNN 's Matthew Chance, and shortly after he traveled to where we geolocated on our map and he was then up live for CNN creating an iconic moment where he was at the airport with Russian soldiers interacting with him and identifying that they were already so close to the capital.

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CHURCH: And still to come, our breaking news coverage continues as we follow the latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We're live in Lviv after the break.

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[02:50:00]

DAVE TERPSTRA, CO-FOUNDER FREE THE GIRLS: Free the Girls as an antitrafficking organizational that was started to help survivors reenter the workplace through the sale of secondhand bras and used clothing markets around the world.

My name is Dave Terpstra and I'm co-founder of Free the Girls. One of the things that we discovered that survivors struggle with is getting back into society after they've been rescued, after they've been rehabilitated. How do they reengage real life? And so, we created a program that's designed to help them start their own microenterprise and grow their own business for themselves.

We have women donate bras, and as we say, bras are something women wear close to their hearts. And this is an issue that touches the hearts of many women and they want to play a part. They hear about these women who are traumatized, who have been trafficked around the world in terrible situations. And this is such a tangible way for them to reach out.

When CNN first came 10 years ago to tell our story, we hadn't yet shipped our first container across. And, CNN was there to record the entire process when that container arrived. That first container had 30,000 bras. We've sent -- shipped nine 40-foot containers over a million bras have come here to Mozambique for a woman to sell. That has transformed some lives.

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HOLMES: Welcome back. Let's take another quick look at our top story this hour for you. A new satellite images showing a massive Russian convoy closing in on Ukraine's capital Kyiv. The line of military gear and vehicles reportedly stretching more than 40 miles or 65 kilometers. So far, though Russian forces have not taken control of any major Russian -- Ukrainian cities despite bitter fighting that has stretched into a sixth day.

The Russian forces seem to be escalating their attacks. This video out of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city, appeared to show rockets raining down outside some apartment homes as people try to run for safety. Officials say it was one of several attacks on that city on Monday. In all, Kharkiv's mayor says nine civilians, including three children, were killed in these attacks.

Meanwhile, a different crisis developing on the edges of this conflict. The U.N. now says, more than 500,000 refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded. That number rising exponentially every hour.

And for the Ukrainian people pouring in from around the world, it's not -- aid, rather, for Ukrainian people is pouring in from around the world. And not just from governments and big organizations.

[02:55:00]

A small charity shop in Scotland, making a plea on social media over the weekend for donations to help refugees who have crossed the Polish border. The store soon flooded with supplies from the town's residents. So much so, the Lorries and their vans that will be transporting the goods are packed full.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just exploded. The whole committee has just gone mental and threw all their stuff here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's brand-new bed and brand-new clothing. There's a multitude of food, be it animal food as well as children food. There's -- everything you can imagine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very stressing because I've got three children with young families. I just imagine it could be them. So, I put myself in that situation and felt we really have to do something to help.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And for more on how you can help, if you so wish, just go to cnn.com/impact for information and resources. Thanks for watching, spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes live in Lviv in Ukraine. Our breaking news coverage continues after our break. I'll see you then.

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JB STRAUBEL, CO-FOUNDER &CEO, REDWOOD MATERIALS: Redwood Materials is a sustainable battery materials company. So, you know, we focus on building a closed loop ecosystem for lithium-ion batteries. We recycle old lithium-ion batteries, of all different types, both automotive but also consumer electronics. We take the materials out of those batteries, refine them, extract them, and then remanufacture them into new components that can go directly back into battery manufacture.

So, I see this eventually, you know, going to be the vast majority of the materials. They're going into batteries that will be recycled on the future. Batteries are amazing because they are so recyclable. More than 90 percent of the materials, those critical materials in the battery can be reused many, many times without degradation. I think people are really realizing the benefits of having a high recycled material content, both in terms of the environmental footprint of the batteries, but also the cost of those materials.

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