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Fire Put Out in Ukraine's Power Plant; Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Now Taken by Russian Forces; Mariupol Completely Cut Off; Russian Media Spreading Fake News; Russia and Ukraine Agree on Humanitarian Corridors;cU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Arrives For Talks; United Nations Says At Least A Million Refugees Have Fled Ukraine Since Invasion; Possible War Crimes In Ukraine; CNN Uses Online Tool To Investigate Possible War Crimes; Oligarch's Status Symbol Targeted By Sanctions; Former Russian Tycoon Slams Putin Over Ukraine. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired March 04, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Hello, and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes coming to you live from Lviv in Ukraine. And fears of the Russian invasion leading to a potential nuclear accident appear to have been averted at least for now.

Ukrainian officials say they have put out a fire at a nuclear power plant that they say was caused by an assault by Russian forces. The nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine is the largest in Europe. Officials stress that radiation levels have not been elevated. Ukraine president offering this condemnation of Russia for the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): We contacted our partners. I talked to Charles Michel, Charles. I talked to Duda. I talked to President Biden. We have contacted President Rafael Grossi, also Prime Minister Johnson. And we warn everyone that no other country other than Russia has ever fired on nuclear power units. This is the first time in our history in the history of mankind. The terrorist state now resorted to nuclear terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (on camera): Now Russian forces advancing throughout the country in the south. Mariupol is being attacked from all sides. Civilians cut off from access to food, water and power. Shelling also increasing in northern cities. And new video shows a horrifying aftermath of a Russian strike north ot capitol Kyiv. Officials say an apartment building, this is in the city of Chernihiv was hit on Thursday leaving at least 33 people dead, 18 wounded.

We are warning you the footage you are about to see is graphic. Now local officials tell us there are no military facilities near that

apartment complex. All right. A closer look now at Russia's campaign in southern Ukraine as port city after port city faces increase attacks from Russian forces.

Nick Paton Walsh with that part of the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: The town of Kherson refuses to give up it seems. Looting, crippling life here. These Russian soldiers beat to get into a cell phone store. The sign of the lawless world they brought with them where food and medicine is lacking. And what life is left made more unbearable by the laying of trip wire mines. Local officials said. This one posted online to warn others.

On the other side of Russian held Crimea, Mariupol under siege. Without water or electricity. The mayor saying the Russian quote, "scum have found no other way to break us." The prize in the south is this. Odessa. Its opera house fortified. Its coastline a heart of task. Where the tide could bring Russians in with it, yet still lapse as if nothing has changed.

An Estonian ship sank Thursday east of here. Its crew rescued with Ukrainian officials accusing Russia of shelling it to act as cover for their landing ships. Any hour now, when the landing force could hold irrevocably into view.

Odessa brims with locals ready though, like so many here, these civilian defenders don't want their whereabouts filmed but are happy to speak.

ZHENA, VOLUNTEER FIGHTER: The war started so I return back home.

WALSH: Zhena is chief marketing officer for an I.T. company who has traveled Europe and Africa but joined up to fight on day one.

[03:05:00]

ZHENA: Unfortunately, I have lost two friends in Kherson two days ago.

WALSH: I'm sorry.

ZHENA: They also have been --

WALSH: Were they fighting in Kherson?

ZHENA: Yes. They were fighting and they were in volunteer troop. So they have no -- know the ground at all, both of them are programmers.

WALSH: We're joined by Llera (Ph), age 19, a nanny who fled Russians in Crimea when she was 11.

"We're ready to the end to defend our land," she said. The occupiers came to my home before my family are still there. Only I could leave. Because I don't want to live in Russia." Across town, mothers knit camouflage netting, while, like Nellia, their daughters fight. Hers staying behind to defend Kyiv.

NELLIA KONONOVA, VOLUNTEER: We know the danger. We know that it will come but we didn't know when will it come. And I asked them, the children, come here, please, be safe. Come to me. But they didn't want. No, mom. Please stay alive. Stay safe. But we will defend our land. Because everybody loves our -- our motherland. Everybody. Sorry. Sorry. Everybody wants to be independent. To be free. They decided to stay there. And I can't influence their decision. But I pray every day I pray every night for them to stay alive.

WALSH: But the fine words of the Ukrainian soldiers of Snake Island who told a Russian ship where to shove it echo here.

KONONOVA: Russian ship. It's the logo -- it's the now in Ukraine.

WALSH: They'll need more than high spirits in the days ahead.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Odessa, Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (on camera): Now I want to give you a quick update on our top story this hour. Russian forces now we know occupy Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Think about that. That is according to a statement from Ukraine state nuclear regulatory inspectorate. Now it says that Russians control the administrative building and the checkpoint going in but it said that the plant staff continue to work on power units.

Earlier, a fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia plant which Ukrainian officials blamed on Russian shelling. They say that the blaze was later extinguished. Radiation levels have remained normal. The latest statement adding that reactors remain intact although some auxiliary buildings related to one of those reactors have been damaged. Obviously by that fire.

All right. Scott McLean is here with me now in Lviv. We have been hearing about this humanitarian corridors and so on. I know you've been looking into that. And also, the difficulties of getting things in and out of some of the cities.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. If you think about Mariupol, for instance, this is a city where Ukrainian forces are digging in. Things are likely to get worse before they get better there. But this is a place that has no power, no water, no heat at this point.

And the other difficulty in Mariupol is that because of the fighting there, the rail system has also been damaged. So, we, not only do things need to get in but people need to get out. And that is extremely difficult at this point.

Humanitarian aid we know is getting into the country in general. Yesterday a colleague of mine actually went to Poland and back yesterday and said that it actually took longer to get back into Ukraine than to get out just because of the sheer volume of aid convoys and things getting in.

It is one thing though to get aid to a place like Lviv, which is still relatively safe. It is a whole other ball game to get it to the front lines of this war. And that is the difficulty that they're facing right now. And Kherson, for instance, another city under siege by Russians in control by Russians right now.

The mayor is actually calling on people to stop looting and he's put out an appeal to large stores there, to grocery stores, and warehouses. Things like that. To essentially hand over whatever they have left, to have the city distribute it to those who need it most. But that's if they have anything left.

Yesterday Christiane Amanpour spoke to one resident of Kherson who went out looking for food. And here's what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SVETLANA ZORINA, KHERSON RESIDENT: So, today first during last three days I came to check near a store like 400 meters from me, if they have some food. And there was nothing because we are surrounded by Russians. And it's impossible to deliver food or medicine. So, we're basically trying to save what we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:10:02]

HOLMES (on camera): Yes, just so worrying because that is the situation. Shortages that is not going to get better. It's going to get worse unless stuff gets in.

MCLEAN: Exactly. And so, yesterday, a Ukrainian and Russian negotiators obviously met just inside the Belarusian border to discuss how to bring an end to all of this. There were no major breakthroughs obviously because the fighting continues.

But one point that they did seem to find an agreement on was on the need for humanitarian corridors to get people out and also to get aid into those areas. How exactly that will work in practice on the ground, though, we still don't know. They also said that they are open to talking again as soon as they can.

HOLMES: All right. Great to have you here, Scott. Thanks for the report.

MCLEAN: Yes.

HOLMES: Scott McLean there with us here in Lviv. Now in just a few moments NATO foreign ministers are set to meet in Brussels to talk about the crisis in Ukraine. Our Natasha Bertrand is at NATO headquarters and she joins me now. What are you hearing, Natasha? NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, Michael. So,

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to arrive here any moment. And he's going to be meeting with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. After that there will be a NATO ministerial meeting where all of the foreign -- NATO ministers will meet and discuss the situation in Ukraine.

Now this is really an opportunity for them to get together and assess what is going on the ground in Ukraine. Obviously, things have been changing very, very quickly. And it's only been just about over a week since Russia first invaded. So, this will be an opportunity for them to get together to speak about reinforcing those forces on NATO's eastern flank of course.

Those NATO eastern flank countries are feeling very, very vulnerable at this moment. Want that reinforcement from NATO allies. And it will an opportunity as well, we're told, for them to project that unity. That is something that they have been very, very concerned about. Showing Russia that they are a united front against this war in Ukraine.

And so, this will be yet another moment where they can show that they are totally coordinated. They're all on the same page. And they hope that they can come to an agreement as well about this individual member states of NATO kind of sending military equipment into Ukraine, humanitarian assistance, and how will that be coordinated and to what extent do they believe that that actually is going to help the Ukrainians kind of maintain this momentum over the Russians throughout this war.

HOLMES: Yes, yes. I want to ask you this too. You know, how is NATO responding to President Zelenskyy's pleas for a no-fly zone which a lot of people think just isn't going to happen.

BERTRAND: That's right, Michael. They say that that is just not on the table right now. That that is akin to essentially getting into war with Russia. And that is not something that NATO member states are particularly eager to do right now. They do not want to get involved, because especially given that Russia is a nuclear power, they say that this could actually spark World War III.

The European Union does not want to see a no-fly zone established. And that is of course despite Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine pleading with the west to do something. Either establish that no-fly zone or give them additional fighter jets so that they can fight the Russians in the air. The Russians have a superior air force at this moment. They have war planes. They are outnumbering the Ukrainians in that respect.

So, despite the pleas, however, it just does not seem likely that NATO is actually going to take that step and implement that no-fly zone that would basically put them directly in conflict with the Russians, Michael.

HOLMES: Yes. If you can have a no-fly zone you better be ready to shoot down Russian planes. And that's not likely to happen. Natasha, thanks for the reporting. Natasha Bertrand there in Brussels. I appreciate it.

Well, the Soviet Union's propaganda newspaper was called Pravda, ironically the Russian word for truth. Well, that history echoes today in Russian media coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. A lack of truth. As the air raid sirens continue here in Lviv, we'll take a break. And we'll be right back.

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES (on camera): Welcome back. As you can imagine, Russian media coverage of the invasion quite different from what you'll see on CNN and other western news outlets. Pro-Kremlin propaganda filling the airwaves and far too little real reporting getting through to the Russian people.

Our Nic Robertson has been monitoring all of this from Moscow. He joins me now live. Yes, it's a chronic problem for the average Russian, isn't it, to get real information about the truth?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And it's an advantage for the Kremlin as well, particularly the older generation here used to getting their information on state television. It's a historic artifact, if you will. And it's of President Putin generation. And it's his go-to place for getting his information across.

This is why we see all the sort of big decisions whether it's bidding that his national security council to decide to go to war. Or yesterday announcing funds for fallen soldiers, $65,000 to be paid to the families of soldiers who were killed in the fighting so far. It's his go-to place. And still, despite everything, despite all the images that we see, that still resonates here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON (voice over): On Russia's state TV, audiences are only being told what the Kremlin wants them to know about the war in Ukraine. This new Russian army video shows troops handing out humanitarian aid. They claim Russian forces are giving civilians safe passage from the fighting. A message reenforced in President Putin's latest state TV speech.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Our military have provided corridors in all areas of combat action.

ROBERTSON: The terrible reality the rest of the world sees. Shelling of civilians. Suffering. Death. And destruction. Never gets aired on Russian state TV.

[03:20:01]

And many Russians believe their government that the war was forced on them by Ukraine backed by NATO. UNKNOWN (through translator): I know the truth. This was a forced

measure on our side. After what Russia went through in World War II, it's madness to believe we want war. I see what's on TV when I'm getting ready for work. We try not to get too involved in it because we've got enough of our own problems.

ROBERTSON: Some do care enough to reach beyond state TV, but even then, they're not convinced by what they see.

UNKNOWN (through translator): Yes, I have heard that some civilians even children have died. but I'm not sure I can believe it because there is fake news. They are making money.

ROBERTSON: Obedient anchors on state TV never question the Kremlin's version of facts and reinforce its tropes about de-Nazification. No mention that President Zelenskyy is Jewish or Russian missiles killed civilians near a Holocaust Memorial in Kyiv. Even so, some, mostly younger Russians see through their government lies. Get their news from friends. Independent and social media.

UNKNOWN: Almost all of us are understanding this thing. That there is a lot of lie around. So, we do not know what's happening.

UNKNOWN (through translator): I think this is a crime. And aggression against a neighboring country. Our government invaded, now they are killing people.

UNKNOWN: It's awful. But what can we think about it? Normal people understand everything. But we can't do anything. Because they're afraid. Like everyone else.

ROBERTSON: The government is so worried independent media could challenge their narrative. In the past few days, it shut down two outlets. And it's right now preparing a law that would criminalize what it calls fake media. It could carry a maximum 15-year jail sentence.

Despite the Kremlin's best efforts of controlling the narrative many Russians have taken to the streets angered by Putin's war. More than 7,500 people arrested so far including this elderly lady at a protest in St. Petersburg Wednesday. No surprise, this video has yet to be shown on state media.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: And it really does seem at the moment as if perhaps the biggest danger for President Putin is the truth and the White House seems to understands that. They're worried that the crack down on independent media here is allowing the Kremlin to sort of dominate the message spectrum.

And for that reason, CNN has learned that Biden's officials have done at least seven interviews with Russian speaking outlets on the independent media spectrum here. Echo Moscow radio being one of them. That was closed down. Another station has been closed down here TV Rain closed down this week. I've interviewed one of the anchors there just a few weeks ago. And

that time she was telling me just how worried they were. And that they were living under the spectrum of being shut down at any minute. of course, that has happened now. But what these independent stations are trying to do is to taken off the official airwaves, if you will, and are now hoping to pop up on the internet and places.

And young people I spoke to here said they are going to look for those independent outlets on other internet spaces where the government has given them, previously given them permission to be. So, the voices are not silenced and people are not deaf to the -- deaf to the message they're getting across. It's just going to much harder to get to, Michael.

HOLMES: Yes. And the percentage of people who actually hear it probably tiny. Great reporting there. Fascinating story. Nic Robertson in Moscow. Good to see you, my friend.

All right. Well, NATO foreign ministers are gathered in Brussels right now as we said a little earlier, for an emergency meeting over Ukraine. I think we have some live pictures of the set up there in Brussels. We're keeping an eye on it. We're expecting perhaps the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to speak. If that happens, we'll bring it to you.

Meanwhile, a quick break. After that on CNN Newsroom, we'll be talking to families from Ukraine arriving in Poland. How they are keeping their spirits up.

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES (on camera): Welcome back. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are occupying that nuclear power plant. They say the administrative building and the check point at the station are now under as they describe it, the occupiers control. But the plant staff continue to work on the power unit. The plant's six reactors remain intact. Although an auxiliary building that was related to one of the reactors was damaged.

Now this development follows a fire that broke out a few hours ago after locals said Russian forces attacked the plant. Authorities feared that that could have caused a leak. But plant officials say radiation levels do remain normal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blaming Russia for the dangerous situation there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENSKYY (through translator): I appeal to all Ukrainians, to all Europeans, to all people who know the word Chernobyl, who know much grief and casualties the explosion that the nuclear power plant brought. It was a global catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands of people struggle with its consequences. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated. Russia wants to repeat this and he's already repeating it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES (on camera): Meanwhile, smoke pouring out of residential buildings. This is in the town of Hatne just outside the capital of Kyiv, where Russian troops continue to advance. And Russia appears to be ganging more ground in the south and the east as fighting is now in its second week.

The Ukrainian president pleading for more help from western nations. And in fact, foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels at the moment. Just a little while ago, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken he arrived for that meeting. We are hoping to hear from him, but instead he ignored questions shouted by reporters. Those questions focusing on that fire at the nuclear power plant. And the apparent Russian control of it now. That power plant is the biggest in all of Europe. It's in the top 10 in the world in fact. So, a significant development there.

[03:30:00]

Fortunately, that attack on a power plant did not result in any damage to the reactors.

Now Russia says it has agreed to humanitarian corridors in Ukraine during the latest round of talks. Refugees, of course, had been flooding to Ukraine's neighbors. But the corridors would be used by civilians fleeing and for aid arriving. The U.N. says more than a million refugees have fled Ukraine in just one week. They have never seen anything like it.

CNN's Sara Sidner talk to some of the families who escaped into Poland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A Ukrainian family's mad rush to safety. Parent's desperate attempt to shield their two children from the terror only war can bring.

The family lived just outside of Kyiv. The explosions rattle their bones. We fell to the ground. We were shielding our children with our bodies. We got so scared. This is beyond words. We ran. We just ran.

But the adults will shed no tears here. They have made a pact. Smile and pretend everything is OK. Even when they had to take the children to a shelter as bombs exploded.

How are you still smiling?

Why am I still smiling? Because it helps us stay alive. My youngest daughter was crying all night long and she asked me, why are you laughing, mom? Why are you joking? And I told her it keeps us alive and keeps us mentally strong.

We saw that strength on display. By hundreds of mothers traveling alone with their children across the border into Poland. Their husbands left behind to fight. But not everyone at the (inaudible) border crossing is coming in to Poland. We witness men going the other way to join the fight in Ukraine.

UNKNOWN (through translator): I'm Ukrainian. I'm going to fight against Russian. They shall not pass.

SIDNER: But for a million other Ukrainians, fleeing is the best option to save themselves and their children. For this family, the husband though remains with them even though Ukraine's government has demanded men of his age must stay put. He has been allowed out. His duty is to his family he says. He is the only breadwinner. Because his wife's duty is to the children. Who struggle with disabilities?

At the train station, their youngest smiles and clutches her most prized possession. Her old fuzzy tiger. And a new keepsake. A hand full of gravel from her homeland.

Sara Sidner, CNN, Przemysl, Poland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: All right. Let's talk more about all of this and turn to Janez Lenarcic, he is the European commissioner for crisis management. He joins me now from Brussels. And thanks for doing so.

Let's start with that news of the European Union is going to be granting this temporary protection to refugees fleeing the conflict here. How important is that?

JANEZ LENARCIC, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT (on camera): This is very important because it facilitates the entry of Ukrainian refugees, refugees from Ukraine. To the European Union and gives them legal status. The right to residence, right to access social services and labor market.

HOLMES: You have been in Poland. You have seen the staggering refugee numbers. How severe is this situation? How much worse could it get? Have you ever seen anything on this scale in this time frame?

LENARCIC: I have been to Poland on Wednesday and to Moldova on Thursday. And these are two neighboring countries to Ukraine that are most affected. Poland, because of the sheer numbers of people. More than half the refugees from Ukraine are going there and Moldova because of its modest size and capacity. They are under most of the pressure. And what I have seen is tragic. We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of the magnitude that we haven't --

HOLMES: Sir, I hate to do this. I have got to interrupt you -- I got to interrupt you just for a second. Please stay with us. We are going to go to NATO secretary general Jen Stoltenberg. Let's listen.

(BEGIN LIVE VIDEO)

JENS STOLTENBERG, SECRETARY GENERAL OF NATO: -- in NATO. So, once again, Tony, welcome. It's good to see you.

ANTONY BLINKEN, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: Jens, thank you so much and I really couldn't say it any better. But simply put, in the wake of Russia's unprovoked premeditated aggression against Ukraine. This alliance came together with speed, with unity, with determination.

Immediately launching the rapid response task force. Putting in place the graduated plans to continue to bolster NATO's security. Every ally in one way or another is coming to Ukraine assistance. Every ally. In one way or another is helping to strengthen NATO itself.

And as the Secretary General said, ours is a defensible alliance. We seek no conflict. But if conflict comes to us, we're ready for it and we will defend every inch of NATO territory.

[03:35:02]

At the same time, as the Secretary General said, we're preparing for NATO's future. And the events of the last few weeks as they continue will further inform that future. Particularly going into the NATO summit in a few months, and the writing of a new strategic concept.

All of these things are coming together at a critical time. But the single common denominator that we found and that is the strength of everything that we do is the unity of this alliance. It's been on full display. In these weeks it will remain on full display going forward. And I look forward to consult with (inaudible) about the steps we are going to take next. Thank you.

(END VIDEO LIVE FEED)

HOLMES: All right. There the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken there in Brussels. Just speaking about the unity of those aligned against Russia over this invasion and said the strength of everything we do comes from that unity.

I'd like to head back now to Janez Lenarcic, who is the European commissioner for crisis management and is in Brussels. I'm sorry for interrupting. Let's pick up where we were. I wanted to ask you about how neighboring countries are really stepping up and countries outside the E.U. too, their contribution.

LENARCIC: It is remarkable display of solidarity of what I have seen. How people are receiving the refugees from Ukraine. How they are providing for them. It is really remarkable. Especially because the numbers are unprecedented.

We, of course, the European Commission are trying to assist as much as we can. Both Ukraine itself as well as the neighboring countries with the provision of technical equipment, supplies and humanitarian aid.

HOLMES: What is the -- you doing in terms of coordination with nations taking refugees. Because there are so many and one imagines that the details are pretty, pretty heavy.

LENARCIC: There are regular meetings with the member states. There are regular meetings also with the donors of humanitarian aid. The coordination is going on full speed. Not only by us but also by the United Nations system. HOLMES: The concern, of course, is this will not be a brief crisis.

That there will be long term needs. Is that your feeling and how do you address that possibility?

LENARCIC: We are being prepared for all the scenarios including the one that is unfolding now. And this is pretty bad already but it may also get worse. The fact is that the whole invasion by Russian Federation of Ukraine is against the international law.

In addition to that to what is happening on the ground with the attacks on civilians, on civilian infrastructure and so on. This is all violation of international humanitarian law. The norms that guard -- that guide the conduct of the activities in a military conflict.

This has been violated and that increases the pressure on civilians. It increases the number of lives lost. It increases the number of people displaced. It causes large damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure. And this should stop.

HOLMES: You know, yeah, I think everyone would agree with that sentiment. You know, these numbers are enormous. Over a million people. Half of them children. They are numbers though try to humanize for people what is happening. Try to give us a sense of what this upheaval for families, the pain, the emotional turmoil of leaving home, country and many cases, husbands and fathers behind. Try to give us a sense of just how hard this is for individuals?

LENARCIC: For individuals concern, for civilians in Ukraine, their lives have been up staged. Their lives had been turned upside down. They have to leave everything. They have to look for the safety far away from their homes. They don't know what will happen to their husbands, sons, fathers, who are staying behind to fight. It's a tragedy. And it is a tragedy that is a consequence of completely senseless unprovoked and illegal invasion by Russian army on Ukraine.

HOLMES: Yeah, as I always say to people who are watching, put yourself in their shoes. Janez Lenarcic, I really appreciate you coming on. Thanks so much.

All right. As the Russian incursion into Ukraine grinds into its second week, there is evidence of possible Russian war crimes in this country. We will show you what CNN is doing to help compile that evidence? After the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:40:00]

HOLMES: Welcome back. Targeting civilian areas during armed conflict is a war crime. And there are growing calls from Ukraine and the global community for an investigation by the International Criminal Court. CNN is using technical tools to verify and map attacks that might be considered war crimes including attacks on residential areas and schools.

Katie Polglase with that. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATIE POLGLASE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER (voice over): As the shells started raining down on the civilians of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city. We began building an evidence base to investigate potential war crimes.

On Monday, Russian shelling hit a supermarket. Next it was a (inaudible), people running across the road as the missile launches itself in the tarmac.

With each new incident of civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv being hit. We mapped them out across Google Earth on locations like this. To show the spread and scale of the destruction. The street was hit on Tuesday. The building is gone. The man filming says.

Identifying this white building and this red brick work. We geo- located the videos to this scene in Western Kharkiv. Just meters from a hospital. By Wednesday we found evidence a school had been hit.

So when we established the location of the school, we realize just how many other schools were in that vicinity. So whatever the target of this strike, it was going to hit a densely populated residential area.

Minutes later, a more footage emerges. Another school. And then another. As more and more footage continues to roll in of the civilian destruction in Kharkiv, we continue to locate and verify each one.

[03:45:02]

And while the Russian government continues to deny that they are targeting civilian infrastructure, this mapping of the evidence is suggesting otherwise.

Katie Polglase, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: That will do it for me here in Lviv. In Western Ukraine. Let's send it back to Isa Soares in London. Isa?

ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Thanks very much, Michael. The U.S. and Britain take aim at the status symbols of Russian president wealthy friends. Why their alleged luxury yachts are not easy to seize. Even when officials manage to track them down. We will have that story for you after a very short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOARES: The White House is piling on the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin by going after his inner circle. On Thursday President Joe Biden slapped new sanctions on a group of oligarchs close to the Russian leader. They will be cut off from the U.S. financial system while their assets and property will be frozen or blocked. And that could include this private yacht seized in France, reportedly

belonging to a wealthy oil executive. But the vessels managers deny he's the owner. Britain also slapping its own sanctions on two oligarchs worth $19 billion combined.

[03:50:04]

But private yachts really are just the start. The U.S. and its allies will also go after things like private jets and luxury homes. But some oligarchs maintain right around the world.

Anna Stewart joins us now for more on that.

And Anna, when we heard President Biden at the State Of The Union this week, he said we're going to go after the ill begotten gains. And this is what we're seeing right around the world.

ANNA STEWART, CNN PRODUCER (on camera): This is what we're seeing and we are seeing task forces being created, both in the U.S. and France. Literally just to look at the assets of Russian oligarchs. And go after them. There was the French (Inaudible), we just saw. Under 90 meters or something. So it doesn't seem that big to me. I think, I can do a bigger one.

But apparently this is owned by Igor Sechin, he is the CEO of Rosneft biggest Russian oil giant. One of the confidants of President Putin. Of course now as he said, the company that managed the ship denies that he is the owner. And this is where they'll run into difficulties.

It's not just the yachts and the cars, and the houses. It's also all their wealth. And how do you find out where it is and who actually owns it. Because a lot of this is hidden under layer after layer of sort of big shell companies, (inaudible) away in offshore countries.

So this is a problem. This is going to be tricky. It's not just putting pressure on the oligarchs. It's also I think at this stage sending a message. This is what Western allies can do within their own country to send a message to Russia and also to show solidarity with Ukraine.

SOARES: And you know, for so long we have been hearing calls for the West to really sanction oil and gas. That hasn't happened, Anna. I was reading a note from JPMorgan saying that almost 70 percent of Russian oil has been struggling to find any sort of buyers. That tells you that there is an impact. There is so much volatility there already.

STEWART: There is an impact. Russian oil is trading at a big discount to Brent. But volatility across the market for fears that oil and gas could be sanctioned. President Biden this week saying that that could be on the table.

And actually, you know, President Putin perhaps worrying about this. Because in the call yesterday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, he warned against the politicization of energy which will raise many eyebrows. Of course, Putin and Russia have been accused of doing just that many times over. Really interesting to note that the second biggest oil company in

Russia, Lukoil has now called for an end to the Ukrainian conflict. It's extraordinary to see some of these big oil companies and a few oligarchs now come out against the conflict. So perhaps it's working.

SOARES: Signs that it's hobbling the economy. Whether it's hobbling Putin, that is yet -- we still have yet to find out. Anna Stewart, thank you very much.

But one former Russian oil tycoon has concerns about Mr. Putin's state of mind. Mikhail Khodorkovsky was Russia's richest man before he spent a decade in prison for alleged fraud, as well as tax evasion. But he says those charges were Trumped up. Partly because of his support for the Russian opposition. He recently spoke with CNN's Nina Dos Santos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY PUTIN CRITIC (through translator): I have been fighting him for almost 20 years. And 10 of those years in prison. I don't want to imagine what he is thinking about. I'm absolutely convinced though that he is the enemy of human kind. So this is a man who took the decision that he can kill people and bomb towns for some interest of his own. He's my personal enemy. And I think he's the enemy of any normal human being.

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What frame of mind do you think he's in?

KHODORKOVSKY: Of course. We can see that in the clinical features of paranoia. We can see a man who is afraid of his own entourage. But that doesn't mean to say that he's not dangerous anymore.

DOS SANTOS: Has Vladimir Putin bitten off politically a lot more than he can chew at point?

KHODORKOVSKY: I think Putin thought he would be met with flowers in Ukraine. And that he would convince people that he was there to liberate them from the so called Nazis he keeps going on about. Putin's family convinced that people themselves can't fight for freedom themselves. It must be some Americans forcing him to do it. And so today he's shocked.

DOS SANTOS: Do you think that we'll see Vladimir Putin and members of his entourage in The Hague facing war crimes?

KHODORKOVSKY: To me, by invading Ukraine, Putin became a criminal.

DOS SANTOS: Do you think that there is a sense this is the end of Putin's time in office?

KHODORKOVSKY: I'm convinced that Putin hasn't got much time left. Maybe a year. Maybe three. But what he's done in Ukraine has significantly reduced his chances of remaining in power much longer. Today we are no longer thinking in terms of his being around another decade. As we thought a week ago. DOS SANTOS: So these sanctions seizing yachts, bank accounts,

potentially expensive houses here in London, is this going to be enough?

KHODORKOVSKY: At the moment, I don't want to even think about the effect that the sanctions will have on Putin's inner circle. In a year or two from now. That is totally irrelevant at the moment.

[03:55:05]

What is important now is the next couple of days or even hours. And stopping the war. We have to deprive Putin's regime and any financial oxygen.

I never (inaudible) sanctions against Russia. But now we have to stop the war. There's no price too high to pay to stop this war. Why these sanctions only capping 70 percent of Russian banks. Any payment in favor of Russia or in the interest of Putin's regime must be stopped.

For that, all Russian bank accounts, all accounts that belong to oligarchs. All of whom act as Putin's wallet. It must be really painful for all until the war stops.

DOS SANTOS: Do you think Vladimir Putin would press the nuclear button? Do you think he would use nuclear weapons?

KHODORKOVSKY: I see he can do anything. Today he can chance to stop him. We must do it. I think he can cross any lines. If we will try to talk with him, we look like weak. We, you, we, Ukrainians must stop Putin now, 24 hours, 48 hours. At that time I must say, we stop Putin now or we stop Putin later in the war between our countries.

DOS SANTOS: What's your message to Vladimir Putin right now?

KHODORKOVSKY: Stop.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Chilling words there from Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

And that does it here on "CNN Newsroom." I'm Isa Soares in London. Our breaking news coverage continues after this short break.

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