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Ukraine: Russian Forces Occupy Nuclear Power Plant; Russia Expands Assault on Ukraine, Targeting Key Cities; Another Russian Media Outlet Shut Down; EU to Give Ukrainian Refugees Temporary Protected Status; Russian, Ukrainian Negotiators Agree on Humanitarian Corridor. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired March 04, 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]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares in London. I want to get straight to our breaking news this hour.
Ukraine's nuclear regulator says Russian forces are now occupying the nuclear power plant where fire broke out after the facility was attacked earlier. The plant's operator says that while Russian forces control the administrative building and checkpoint. Regular staff are still in place to work on power units and keep things really running smoothly. The state regulator says that all six reactors remain intact and are operational.
And this was the scene earlier, as Ukrainians battled Russian forces. The fire the fighting caused was extinguished really a few hours ago. The nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine is the largest in Europe. Officials stress that radiation levels have thankfully not been evaluated. Ukraine's president meanwhile offering his condemnation of Russia for the attack. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We contacted our partners, I talked to Charles Michel, Scholz, I talked to Duda, I talked to President Biden. We have contacted President Raphael Grossi, also Prime Minister Johnson. And we warned everyone that no other country other than Russian has ever fired on nuclear power units. This is the first time in our history, in the history of mankind that a terrorist state now resorted to nuclear terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: President Zelensky there. We'll have much more on the nuclear plant in just a moment. Meantime residents of Mariupol are facing a deteriorating situation as Russian forces besiege the key city from really all sides. Civilians there are trapped without food, electricity, and water. Fighting is also intensifying in other parts of the country such as
Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine. The city's mayor tells CNN it faced a bombardment with residential buildings frequently being hit. Well earlier, my colleague Michael Holmes spoke with a nuclear expert from Harvard University's project on managing the atom. She shared the dangers of something going wrong at a nuclear power plant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIANA BUDJERYN, PROJECT ON MANAGING THE ATOM, HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL: In a worst-case scenario, I think the preview of that is the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Where they released much of it depend on the weather. It depends on the winds. During the -- after the Chernobyl catastrophe, the radiation was carried as far out as Ireland and as England. And with the fallout still to, until rather recently, I think, early 2000s, a number of farms in the U.K. and in Ireland were affected. Where they couldn't sell their produce.
To this day, in southern Germany, wild boar hunted in the woods is tested for radiation, to this day. So, we're not only looking at the geography, we're looking at a time scale of decades that these consequences could last.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: That is pretty chilling. CNN has correspondents positioned across Ukraine, Russia, England, Belgium, and Hungary's border to bring you up to the minute developments in Russia's assault on Ukraine.
First, I want to go live to Michael Holmes in Lviv, Ukraine, our Nic Robertson in Moscow. And Michael to you, really, everyone, no doubt clearly breathing a sigh of relief that this fire is now under control. But chilling, Michael, nevertheless, that Russia sees nuclear plants as high-value targets they want to secure here.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, exactly. As you were saying, this is Europe's biggest nuclear power plant in a place called Zaporizhzhia. Six reactors, fortunately only one was operating at the time. Now the good news, as you reported, the fire was put out without major incident. But the what-if factor, quite rightly, sends chills down the spines of Ukrainians and all of Europe, for that matter. As you were just hearing in that sound that you were just playing. Everybody remembers the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Radiation levels are normal, according to the IAEA, and the plant itself. But of course, as you say, it is beyond disturbing. In fact, it is astounding that, you know, there is fighting around or directed at any nuclear plant.
[04:05:00]
Now, we don't know whether the attack was directed from the top, but of course, there has been concern about Vladimir Putin's state of mind. That does continue. And an hour or so ago, I spoke with the renowned Ukrainian writer, Andrey Kurkov and I asked him about that. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREY KURKOV, UKRAINIAN WRITER: The top Russian officials, including Putin, started using prison slang. I mean, Putin was always in love with prison slang. But Minister of Foreign Affairs Lavrov usually was diplomatic and then stopped being diplomatic and started using abusive and underground words sick. So, I mean, it was obviously that they are gearing up themselves for aggression. They're sort of trying to get more hate for Ukrainians, spread more hate to Ukraine among Russian population.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, Isa, in last hour or two, Ukrainian officials confirmed that those Russian attackers are indeed now in control of that nuclear power plant. They added that there are dead and wounded among the Ukrainian who tried to defend it. And holding it of course as a weapon of sorts. That one plant provides a fifth of this country's electricity needs and Russia now controls the switch -- Isa.
SOARES: And that is very worrying, indeed. And we are expecting, Michael, to hear from the Director General of the IAEA Rafael Rossi a bit later. It'll be interesting to see what he has to say following that incident overnight. Do stay with us, Michael. Let me go to Nic Robertson. And Nic, as Michael was pointing out, the very act of attacking a nuclear power plant should really send shivers down the spine, to any country, including neighbor Russia. How is this invasion of Ukraine, including Putin's mental state, as Michael was touching on that, being covered where you are?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, his mental state is never in question on state media here. His control and authority over what's happening in Ukraine is portrayed. Yesterday, he was on state TV, President Putin, letting the nation know that the military -- the special military operation, as they call it, in Russia, is still on track. That it's going according to plan. That, you know, they're there to help the civilians and it's the Ukrainians who are the problems, who are fomenting the war here.
Indeed, it's become something that's repeated time and time again on state media here. That Russia isn't starting this war. It's merely ending the one that Ukraine started with the backing of NATO. That's a narrative that goes out on state media, and on the streets yesterday, when I talked to people, particularly in the older generation, particularly those who go to state TV for their information, of an older generation, they are saying the same thing. People will literally repeat those lines to you.
There is another generation, a younger generation here. They are looking to other places, social media, friends, you know, a lot of young Russians have gone to live in Europe. They're seeing what's happening just the same as, you know, we are through international media. They're talking to their young friends here. The people here are using social media as well to see what's going on in Ukraine. And therefore, make an entirely different view of what Russia is doing. And its culpability, as well. This is what some of them told me yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREY KURKOV, UKRAINIAN WRITER: Almost all of us are understanding this thing. That there is a lot of lie around. So, we do not know what's happening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I think this is a crime. An aggression against a neighboring country. Our government invaded. Now they are killing people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's awful. What can we think about it? Normal people understand everything. But we can't do anything. Because we're afraid, like everyone else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And since I was on-air with Michael in the last hour, another independent media outlet in Russia has been forced to shut down because of restrictions. An outlet in Yekaterinburg, in the east of Moscow, forced to shut down. There were two more that were shut down this week. The Russian government is trying to stifle the voice of independent media, to be able to get out the message to Russians of what's happening.
And already, today, as well, the state duma, the lower house of Parliament is passing through legislation -- it's to go through a couple more steps from now -- is passing through legislation that would criminalize what they're calling fake criticisms of the Russian military actions in Ukraine. With a maximum 15-year jail term. The government here, the Kremlin absolutely trying to put a lid on any criticism and any alternative view to theirs that Russians get to see -- Isa.
SOARES: Very worrying, indeed, silencing free speech and independent media. Michael Holmes and Nic Robertson thank you very much to you both.
[04:10:00]
Still to come right here on the show, more than a million people have crossed international borders because of course of the fighting in Ukraine. Coming up, how European countries like Hungary are opening their borders to the flood of refugees. But despite the help offered by neighboring nations, the humanitarian crisis is growing more desperate by the hour. What the U.N. is doing to help ease the refugees' plight, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: I want to show you these live images coming to us from Brussels in Belgium, where the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken -- as you can see there -- is meeting with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as other NATO allies for this NATO foreign affairs meeting. In the last hour or so, we heard Secretary Blinken alongside Jens Stoltenberg giving very short remarks really ahead of this meeting.
Secretary Blinken talking about the preparations that need to prepare for NATO's future, as well as talking about the unity of the alliance and the importance of protecting every inch of NATO territory. The meeting expected to get underway, of course.
[04:15:00]
This as we expect to hear from NATO officials later, as well as Secretary Blinken, regarding what happened overnight, as Russian forces now occupy Russian -- Ukraine's largest power plant, following that assault, if you remember, by Russian forces, and that very large fire.
There were questions thrown at Secretary Blinken, as well NATO's Jens Stoltenberg about the fire, but those questions were dismissed. So, we shall wait until a bit later to see what their remarks on that. We are also waiting to hear from the IAEA, Director General, Raphael Grossi following that fire at that nuclear power plant.
Now, the war in Ukraine is creating a flood of refugees, pouring across European borders, as the fighting enters its second week. More than a million people have fled. But on Thursday, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed to provide humanitarian corridors for people trying to escape the fighting. Administrators in the European Union unanimously agreed to give territory protection to all refugees fleeing Ukraine. And that gives them protected status and rights to residency.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERALD DARMANIN, FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): Eligible persons will thus be able to benefit from a protected status, similar to that of a refugee in any country in the European Union for a renewable period of one year. This unanimous decision reflects, I believe, the full commitment of the European Union to the solidarity that we owe to the Ukrainian people, in the face of this unjustifiable war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: More than 133,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to Hungary alone. The Ukrainian refugees crossing international borders are dependent on the goodwill of volunteers waiting to help. And once they arrive to safety, they are grateful for every kindness. CNN's Ivan Watson talks to refugees newly arrived on the Ukraine/Hungarian border who are just happy to finally be safe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Forced to flee their homes and their country, Ukrainians on the run. Their children, making the best of it, oblivious to the fact that a week-old war just turned them into refugees.
WATSON: This is one of Hungary's border crossings with Ukraine. There is a steady stream of people arriving here in vehicles and on foot. All of the Ukrainian new arrivals are women and children.
WATSON (voice-over): Hungarian aid workers welcome the refugees and bring them free of charge to the nearest village where the community center is now a place of refuge. Some people staying here. Others pause for food and warmth before moving on.
Among those here, Anna Teperchuk, her mother, Svetlana and 16-month- old son.
ANNA TEPERCHUK, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: This is my son, Mark.
WATSON (voice-over): They crossed the border this morning after spending a week on the road.
TEPERCHUK: We are very thankful to the Hungarian people. It's very hard work that they are doing.
WATSON (voice-over): The Hungarian village of Barabas has a population of 1,060 people. The deputy mayor tells me that village has taken in more than 100 Ukrainians, including housing families in at least 20 village homes. As we speak, another family arrives from Ukraine.
WATSON: There's a little baby.
WATSON (voice-over): Yesterday, we took care of a five-day old baby who came across the border, the deputy mayor tells me. A five-day old baby.
Victoria Kurinna says when the Russians invaded, she fled her home near Kyiv for what she thought would be one night. A week later, she and her son just arrived in a foreign country.
WATSON: What belongs do you have?
VICTORIA KURINNA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: I have just one jacket. I think Ukraine is very strong. It's a country with very strong people, strong nation. And amazing power and that's why I don't worry -- but, of course, my heart is broken.
WATSON (voice-over): She said she tried to convince her friends in Russia via social media about the deadly attack their military is carrying out on her homeland.
WATSON: What do your Russian friends say to you?
KURINNA: It's not sure. No, it's not possible.
WATSON: They don't believe you?
KURINNA: No.
WATSON (voice-over): Ten-year-old Temur (ph) chimes in saying Vladimir Putin is like Adolf Hitler. He's attacking the world just like Hitler did.
There are almost no men here aside from the elderly because all Ukrainian men of fighting age have been ordered to stay behind to defend their country from the Russian invasion.
TEPERCHUK: I'm very angry for Russia people.
[04:20:00]
WATSON (voice-over): I want to tell Russians that it is time to do something, it's time to change something, says Anna Teperchuk. My son doesn't deserve to be forced to run across Ukraine and across borders, she adds. He doesn't deserve to grow up like this.
Ivan Watson, CNN, on the Ukraine/Hungarian border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, for more on all of this, let's turn to Antonio Vitorino. He's the Director General of the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration and joins me now live from Geneva. Mr. Vitorino, thank you very much for joining us this morning. And we continue -- as you just saw on that piece, sir, to see really heartbreaking and desperate scenes as people flee what is clearly an escalating war. Give us a sense of the magnitude in your eyes of what is unfolding here?
ANTONIO VITORINO, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION: This is the most dramatic humanitarian crisis in Europe, since World War II. And if there is no cease-fire right away, we will be plunged into a real humanitarian catastrophe. Your figures are right. More than 1.1 million have fled the country. This is above the figures of 2015 for the Syrian arrivals, this is well above the figures of the Balkan wars in the '90s of last century, and I'm not counting. Because we do not know exactly now, how many internally displaced people are inside Ukraine, because of the conflict. So, all in all, this is a humanitarian catastrophe.
SOARES: And of course, if there is no see cease-fire, sir, how -- what more can be done? What do you expect to see in the coming months, if not years if this continues?
VITORINO: Well, there is the very -- the urgent and the very urgent. The very urgent is to build on the humanitarian corridors that there has been a sign from the Ukrainian/Russian conversations. But these humanitarian corridors need to be a two-way corridors. First, to allow people to leave the country. Those who are willing to leave. But secondly, these humanitarian corridors need to guarantee safety for the transportation of the goods that are absolutely indispensable to assist the thousands of internally displaced Ukrainians, particularly in hospitals.
We are very concerned that the hospitals in Ukraine are being hit by the war. There is no oxygen. There is scarcity of blood, equipment, and medicines. So humanitarian corridors is right now and we need to jump immediately there. And the urgent, of course, as you mentioned also before is to guarantee the protection of those who leave the country and who are in the neighboring countries, where have generally accepted their entrance. More than 1.1 million people.
SOARES: Let's talk about those leaving the country, sir. Unfortunately, our teams on the ground, I've heard some very disturbing stories of, I think it's fair to say, of discrimination, of xenophobia against non-Europeans. Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our parents are home waiting for us. All the time it comes into my mind, I feel like crying.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ukraine is a beautiful country, but they don't have to treat us like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: They don't have to treat us like this, sir. Why is this happening?
VITORINO: Yes, unfortunately, it is happening. There are different reasons. But of course, we have already approached the authorities both in Ukraine and in the neighboring countries to make sure that everybody who is fleeing the country, irrespective of their nationality, of their territory of origin, of the color of their skin are allowed to cross. And when they come to the countries, the neighboring countries, IOM is there to support them. And for those who want to return to their countries of origin, to facilitate their return. But there is no excuse for any kind of discrimination according to the nationality. All are human beings. All need to be treated on equal foot. All are fleeing from war.
SOARES: But you acknowledge, sir, that this is happening.
VITORINO: Yes, absolutely. We have reports, credible reports, very fine reports, and we are acting with the authorities, because on both side, in spite of the war, there is a responsibility of the authorities to guarantee the safety and the security of all human beings. And the missiles do not discriminate according to the nationality. They hit equally everybody.
[04:25:00]
SOARES: Mr. Vitorino, let me ask you about the EU and its decision, as we mentioned, to step up, to grant really temporary residence to Ukrainians. How urgent, how important is this right now?
VITORINO: I praise very much the decision of the European Union. I must confess that this directive, the temporary protection directive, was my proposal when I was 20 years ago commissioner for justice of affairs. So, I know very well what we are talking about. It was precisely for this kind of situations that the directive was drafted. It's to provide immediate protection and assistance, irrespective of the nationality for those who are fleeing conflicts and come to rescue -- to search rescue here in the European Union and member states.
So, I praise very much this decision. Now it's necessary to guarantee the necessary support from the international community, to provide the assistance to those who can benefit for temporary protection. Antonio Vitorino, please stay in touch with us. Let us know how your
team on the ground is doing, and really what they're facing. Appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Thank you very much.
VITORINO: Thank you.
SOARES: Now, after fierce fighting in a fire, Russian forces now appear to hold Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The latest on the situation. The plant in Ukraine, next.
Heavy weapons cause carnage with a strike on an apartment building north of Kyiv. We'll take you there, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Fears of a potential nuclear plant incident in Ukraine appears to have now been averted, at least for now. The country's nuclear operator says Russian troops have operated the Zaporizhzhia plant, administration building and checkpoint.
