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Large Explosions Rattle Ukrainian City of Kharkiv; Russia Says It's Captured Ukrainian City of Kherson; Interview with Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, How the City of Kyiv is Bracing for All-Out Attack; Russian Military Convoy Moving Near Belgorod; Non- Ukrainians Stuck in Limbo at Ukraine's Border. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired March 02, 2022 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Madam Speaker, the president of the United States.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Putin's latest attack on Ukraine was premeditated and totally unprovoked.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see complete devastation here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you alive?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In Ukraine is like a hell.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Russia stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think we're wasting your time or do you think we're ready?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: We'll see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world, I'm Michael Holmes coming to you live from Lviv in western Ukraine where we are following the breaking news coverage of the Russian invasion of this country.

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Isa Soares in London. We'll also bring you highlights from U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address. Where he pledged to save democracy in Ukraine and pitches domestic agenda. That's just ahead.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

HOLMES: Just hours after the U.S. president used his first State of the Union speech to slam Russia for its, quote, premeditated and totally unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, we are getting word of dramatic developments on the ground. You can see there earlier at least two large explosions rocking Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv near the Russian border. And more have been reported since. The latest targeting a university and a regional police department.

You can see Kharkiv looks like a true war zone now. Wreckage and rubble on both sides of the road. This is just a week into this invasion. Now not long-ago Russia's defense ministry announced troops have taken full control of Kherson. That is a strategic city in southern Ukraine. But Ukraine's defense ministry is denying that. Saying battle still continue there. Recent images show Russian vehicles parked in a main square.

Now President Joe Biden promising Western allies will keep punishing Russia and President Vladimir Putin along with crippling economic sanctions, Russian aircraft are now banned from U.S. air space and the U.S. Justice Department is launching a task force to go after oligarchs and what Mr. Biden calls their ill begotten gains.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Six days ago, Russia's Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundations of the free world. Thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways but he badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined. He met the Ukrainian people.

He thought he could divide us at home in this chamber and this nation. He thought he could divide us in Europe as well, but Putin was wrong. Putin is now isolated from the world more than he has ever been. He has no idea what's coming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now part of that so-called wall of strength, the Ukrainian people. They went after a Russian military vehicle earlier while waving Ukrainian flags. Incredible bravery. Meanwhile, Kyiv is still bracing for a Russian onslaught. A TV tower was hit on Tuesday. The Russian defense ministry acknowledging a short while ago that it is indeed targeting Ukraine's communications infrastructure.

Several apartment blocks outside the capital also hit hard. Ukraine's president not backing down in the face of Russia's threats. Volodymyr Zelensky spoke exclusively to CNN's Matthew Chance from a bunker in Kyiv. Matthew asked the president about his calls for Western nations to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine and whether he thinks the U.S. and its allies should be doing more to help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKY (through translator): I have already turned to some foreign leaders with this request. I believe that leaders must support democratic states of the world who are keen to defend such principles. This powerful issue of closing the air space helps us tremendously.

[04:05:00]

This does not mean dragging NATO into this war. In all honesty everyone anyway is already dragged into this war and this was definitely not done by Ukraine. This was done by Russia in this case. There is a full-scale war happening and everyone thinks it will be over fast. We spoke many times with President Biden and I am thankful to him for these opportunities and support but they also did not hear me. I've been telling them that Ukraine will fight hardest of all, you will see. But us alone against Russia, we would not be able to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Joining me is Vitali Klitschko the mayor of Kyiv. And, Mr. Mayor, appreciate you taking the time. First of all, give us a sense of the situation in your city right now and what you might expect in the days ahead.

VITALI KLITSCHKO, KYIV, UKRAINE MAYOR: Good morning, good afternoon, everybody. It's not secret. It's not secret the target of Russians is capital of Ukraine and right now, we see how many forces, Russian forces go from Belarus, from northern and from eastern a lot of kilometers, miles of tanks moving to capital of Ukraine.

We right now prepare to defend our city and last night was a lot of Russian groups in Kyiv. We make the break from evening to morning. It's nobody allowed to go to the streets and that way it's much easy to control the city.

Situation is not easy. We see how just a couple of seconds ago dramatic pictures from Kharkiv with dead civilians. Destroyed the city. I guess it's symbolic. It's last day in independence, largest. The biggest square in Europe was name of freedom square getting wrecked. Also yesterday getting wrecked in TV tower. Five civilians was killed.

It's what has happened. People yes of course near us, some people try to move from the city but right now do it much more difficult. A lot of the people already moved from Kyiv. Whole infrastructure right now in our city, I mean, electricity, heating, water work. We doing everything for them to deliver service for citizens because if we switch off the electricity or heating, this will be a disaster for capital of Ukraine.

HOLMES: How -- you mentioned that Ukrainian forces are prepared to defend the city. Of course, they are. They have the advantage of knowing the city better than the enemy does. How do you expect if there is a fight for it to develop?

KLITSCHKO: To be honest, it's important. I have a lot of experience. Before a few minutes a man from the world, I traveled around the world, lived in many countries but right now I very proud to say -- I am very proud to be Ukrainian. You know why? Because huge (INAUDIBLE), him they will show every Ukrainian soldier. We stayed the brunt of one of the strongest army of the world. They is much stronger than we are, but the will to be independent is main priority for us and we are defend our families, our city, our country and our future. We are finding for whole democratic war and that's why I want to say thank you very much for everyone who support. We need support from all countries. Without you, this would be difficult to survive.

HOLMES: You mentioned a lot of people have left the city. That is true.

[04:10:00]

Do you expect shortages of food and medicine and other things? What is it your city needs?

KLITSCHKO: Right now, actually logistics is brought but we have directly communications and with humanitarian organization. They already send the food, everything what we need to Kyiv. And I hope -- we actually starting to receive the food, everything what we need we have actually right now. We need more, but the rest in the way to Kyiv.

We definitely make information to all our friends if something what we need. We need right now more hard sanctions against Russia. We have to keep united. All democratic wall because it is a war not just for Ukraine, it is challenge for all modern world, for whole democratic world. The reason why the war is started because our goal, our dream to be part of European family, it doesn't accept on Putin because they want to bring us back to USSR and make part of Russian empire.

HOLMES: If the Russians come into your city, if that happens, what will happen? How will they be met?

KLITSCHKO: We'll be fighting. It's every square, every street. It's a huge political movement right now. There are old people. Can you imagine doctors, actors, the many professions they never have expectation to fight, to keep the weapons but right now they coming to us and ask about weapons. They are ready to fight. It's amazing. It's amazing. Whole city. The whole city. Some part of the people's, women, old people, children moved and men stay in the city. And we expect a huge fight. But we fighting for our families and our power. It's our home.

HOLMES: Well, the world is watching and the world is on Ukraine's side in this conflict. The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, thank you so much for your time. Our thoughts are with you?

KLITSCHKO: Thank you very much for the help. Thank you for support.

HOLMES: All right, well, Russia is pushing further into Ukraine as evidenced by its claim of capturing the southern city of Kherson. I want to show you a map now and you can see Russian forces shaded in red moving towards Ukraine's major cities. Now this comes just a day after a CNN team witnessed Russian military vehicles on the move south of Belgorod of Russia just across the border with Ukraine. CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins me now live from Belgorod in Russia. Fred, bring us up to date on what you been seeing there.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there Michael. Well, exactly what you saw in those pictures. Those were from very late last evening with Russians moving more forces towards the area north of Kharkiv. And I think one of the things that's happening now, which certainly seems quite interesting, if you look at the trucks that we just saw in that video, they don't look like they're very dirty. They actually look like they're coming pretty fresh into the battlefield.

So, it seems to us as though the Russians at least are replenishing some forces, maybe rotating some forces in and out to that battlefield and Kharkiv to further press that offensive.

The other thing that we saw really something we only took note of after the U.S. said last night that the Russians might be having trouble with some of the logistics. Trouble not only getting fuel to their soldiers but also getting food to their soldiers as well. As we have seen in the past couple of days civilians actually bringing food and water to the checkpoint that you see there behind me and at some point, a lot of that being loaded into military vehicles and also being driven to the frontline.

Now whether or not that means there's any shortages here, whether or not those are just donations on top of what the Russian military is bringing anyway is really very difficult for us to see. But certainly, something that we did take note of especially in light of what the U.S. is saying now.

On the battlefield itself, you've eluded to some of it.

[04:15:00]

We can see some of that unfold here. Obviously, the offensive in Kharkiv seems to be heating up with now those heavy missiles being used inside the city. You had the administrative building that was hit yesterday and then this morning those two buildings that were hit inside the police headquarters and also the university.

And Michael, here on the ground, you know, like in the past couple of days we have seen at varying times weapons being moved towards the front line and then heard that at least weapons of that nature were then employed on the battlefield. We certainly have seen rocket launchers being moved closer towards the battlefield in Kharkiv. We have seen them getting rotated in and out and certainly still soldiers pouring into that battlefield as well.

So, it seems to us as though from our vantage point right here, that the Russians certainly are still pushing and still pressing that offensive in Kharkiv at full strength. And that really does remain one of the sort of main large battle fields. Obviously, a lot of people looking towards Kyiv now. That certainly is a battle that's shaping up. But the one that is really heating up and really in a very dangerous phase right now seems to be the one going on here in Kharkiv. Certainly, we can see it from our vantage point here -- Michael.

HOLMES: All right, good to have the upgrade there. Fred Pleitgen in Belgorod, in Russian, thanks so much.

Well, the fighting in Ukraine has killed at least 136 people according to the U.N. The actual death toll of course though is likely much higher from these attacks as they continue to intensify. Hundreds of thousands of people have already fled Ukraine while thousands more are stuck at the border forced to wait in bitter cold temperatures with no control over when or even if they'll be able to escape. For non- Ukrainians the challenges could be even greater. CNN's Arwa Damon spoke with families trying to leave the country but are in limbo due to their nationality.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For too many here, this is a family's last day together. An endless stretch of broken hearts and shattered realities on the road to Ukraine's border with Poland. At one of the border crossings, it's a parallel story of different forms of pain.

On one side, Ukrainian families. Some have already said good-bye to their husbands, fathers, sons, men age 18 to 60 are not permitted to leave. Some families stay together until the end desperate to postpone that final farewell. They move through within hours. On the other side, non-Ukrainians. Students and professionals from dozens of nationalities all who we spoke to said they had been here for days in below freezing temperatures, angry, delirious, cold, weak. They said they walked here. Told they are not permitted to board the buses. Those are for Ukrainians only.

DAMON: So, this is the fourth time you are trying to cross the border?

YASSER AHMED: Yes. Yes.

DAMON (voice-over): Yasser is from Afghanistan, here with his uncle and family.

AHMED: Two months that I didn't hear my parents voice.

DAMON: Oh.

AHMED: Yes. So, it's so hard.

DAMON: Yes.

DAMON (voice-over): They have all been on the road for four days back and forth from border crossings. His aunt's arms are aching from carrying her newborn. She had just given birth the day before Russia launched its first strikes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They stay at the night in the border.

DAMON (voice-over): They did not think little Samiya (ph) would survive. We lost track of them at the border. They were able to move to the front of the non-Ukrainian side because of the children. But for the men waiting in the line that has not moved, another night in subzero temperatures is not something they think they can survive.

RICHARD ADJEIKUSI: Where, where are you going? Who am I going to tell your problems to? We have no one.

DAMON: How long have you been waiting?

ADJEIKUSI: For me, I've been here two days now. DAMON: And you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four days.

DAMON: Four days, right here?

ADJEIKUSI: Yes. Our parents are home waiting for us. In my mind I feel like crying. Ukraine is a beautiful country but they don't have to treat us like this. We are not the cause of this.

DAMON (voice-over): There is not a single person here who can come to terms with how quickly, how violently all they knew to be real and safe was ripped away. Elina is from Vietnam married to Yuri from Ukraine. They are directed over to the Ukrainian line.

DAMON: You're going to have to stay here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I will stay.

ELINA MOTLY: We have made decision just this morning because I will stay a little longer to wait to see what going on next.

DAMON: How are you explaining this to the children?

MOTLY: My older son, he understands. My little girl, she know that's the war. That is why we are here.

[04:20:00]

But she doesn't really understand what is the war.

DAMON: Hi. Hi. It's the Afghan family. Did you make it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't let us cross. They said that the baby cannot cross. The baby didn't have document.

DAMON (voice-over): We head over to the school turned shelter they are sent to and there we find this German couple. They used a Ukrainian surrogate to carry their twins.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they say on the border, go away, go back on the border. The kids are three weeks old. They must go to Poland. We need help.

DAMON (voice-over): They were waiting for their baby's passports when the war started, a war that has already crushed so many lives and ripped away so many dreams.

DAMON: And I have to say we were so worried about coming back out here to this border crossing this morning given just how cold and horrendous the temperatures were overnight and then we got here and the line had disappeared. All of those who we had met who had been waiting for days had somehow finally been able to make it across.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DAMON (on camera): The question is why? What changed that allowed them to be processed this quickly and why was that change not implemented sooner? Why did they have to suffer this much? We're trying to get answers to that but so far on the Ukrainian side they're saying that the problem was on the Polish side and vice versa. But either way, right now finally all of those men who we met out here who were freezing cold have finally been able to get across. But again, at the core of this is why did they have to suffer this much.

HOLMES: That is at the core of it, and it's an important aspect of this story that needed to be told and thanks for doing so. Arwa Damon there at the Ukrainian/Polish border.

All right, Peter Zalmayev is director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. Taras Berezovets is a Ukrainian political analyst. They joining me now from Kyiv again. And it's great to check in with both of you again. What has been happening since we last spoke a few days ago. Where are you? What have you been seeing? How difficult is it to get around? Let's start with you Peter.

PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR, EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: Michael, we're not exactly (INAUDIBLE), we are very close to the town where you can see behind us this is an effort by local citizens to provide food to conscript soldiers who actually have been just called and drafted. And this is what you're saying all over Ukraine. A massive outpouring of support for the troops which is backed up by worldwide sympathy for Ukraine.

You know, there's been a series of actions taken against Russia. We hear from neutral Switzerland all of a sudden decided to (INAUDIBLE) the charge when it comes to Russia and joined the sanctions regime. Germany finally did away with a several decade long policy and decided to provide weaponry to Ukraine. This is like earth shattering in the situation.

The EU is now considering urgent emergency procedure to grant Ukraine membership in the union. I live in America, as you know and Manhattan Borough, I live in New York. Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine called for expanded sanctions against Russia to allow seizure of oligarchs real estate in New York, quote, unquote, from "Daily News." People are comparing what's happening Ukraine to the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Including the fact that policies from all over Europe, from all over the world are set to be making their way to Ukraine to fight for independence of the country.

HOLMES: Right. Taras, I want to ask you this. There is every indication the Russians are planning to attack Kyiv perhaps in the next few days. What are your fears and expectations?

TARAS BEREZOVETS, UKRAINIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: It's all there's been a bomb shelling vehicle for the last four days. The plan of Vladimir Putin (INAUDIBLE) Ukrainian nation. Putin said yesterday they were about to attacking civilian. But (INAUDIBLE) Ukraine objects we saw just some fear of Kyiv, same as (INAUDIBLE) 1,000 years ago.

That last night couldn't stop attacking civilian objects (INAUDIBLE) affecting air fields, affecting residential houses. What we've been doing for the last days we launched him (INAUDIBLE),

[04:25:00]

Is the Russian speaking people channel on YouTube it's called (INAUDIBLE). It's a morning of February and one always darkest. And from this day Peter will be giving his English-speaking local on my own YouTube channel.

ZALMAYEV: Look it up. Let me just say why we are doing this. What the world is now seeing what's happening in Ukraine with, you know, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas. Banned ammunitions being used on civilian targets. The Russians are supposed to be fighting these neo-Nazis in Ukraine if the (INAUDIBLE), which is the site of the largest massacre of Ukrainian jews in 1941. All of a sudden Vladimir Putin, you know, seems like he's killing these victims a second time. And so, the world is seeing all of this but Russians are not. Putin is imposing a virtual, a variable informational blockade on its own people. We're trying to counter that and to get the fighting get through to the Russians so that so they can see the true picture.

HOLMES: Right. Right. Unfortunately, we have to leave it there. Peter Zalmayev, Taras Berezovets safe travels and let's connect again in the next day or so as you continue your journey. Our thoughts are with you. Thank you very much.

OK. I'm Michael Holmes in Lviv, we will have much more ahead on the war in Ukraine. But first let's go to Isa Soares in London -- Isa.

SOARES: Thanks very much, Michael. Coming up, while confronting the crisis in Ukraine and challenges at home, President Biden still strikes an optimistic note.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: The state of the union is strong because you, the American people, are strong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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