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Mayor: Lviv Reached Capacity to Deal with Displaced People; Top U.S. Diplomat Antony Blinken in Estonia; Pentagon: "All the Combat Power" Putin Amassed for Invasion of Ukraine now Inside the Country; Monitor: Price of Gas in the U.S. Climbs to all-time High. Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired March 08, 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]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: Hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares in London. We are following breaking news coverage of the war in Ukraine and just ahead right here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not clear to us that all of the soldiers that Russia has put into Ukraine realize that they were actually going to invade Ukraine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ukraine is independent, modern young nation and we will fight till the last.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are far more people coming over by foot than we have seen since the beginning of this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to leave in peace and in freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

SOARES: And it is 11 am in Ukraine where we're learning another nine civilians have reportedly been killed by a Russian airstrike that hit an apartment building overnight. Ukraine State Emergency Services say two children are among the dead.

This happened in the north eastern City of Sumi which is one of the five Ukrainian cities covered in an intended ceasefire as you can see it on your map. Russia proposed the ceasefire to really allow refugees to evacuate safely and minutes ago, we have learned Ukraine and Russia have agreed to humanitarian corridor from Sumi.

But under the Kremlin's plan, most of the escape routes lead to Russia itself or to its staunch ally Belarus, where many Ukrainians simply just don't want to go. The ceasefire also covers Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol, which have endured some of the fiercest fighting since the start of the Russian invasion.

Russia meantime is accused of targeting some of the existing evacuation routes. The British Defense Ministry says several civilians were killed while trying to flee the town of Irpin. And civilian infrastructure and residential areas are facing increasing bombardment. That is, according to a U.S. defense official. You can see the smoking rubble of what appears to be an apartment complex.

And as you saw there explosions rang out Monday in the Southern City of Mykolaiv. Its Mayor claims Russian forces attack the airport, but work pushed back. The Pentagon says nearly all the Russian troops once amassed outside Ukraine are now inside.

And here you can see the red strip areas where Russian forces are present mostly in the northeast, as well as the south around Odessa, Kherson and Crimea. Well, Ukraine's President was seen in his own office on Monday for the first time since Russia invaded. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's not leaving, he's not hiding. And he's not afraid. He also said he believes the U.S. President can do more to stop the war in Ukraine have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: American people, they speak about freedom and they know what it is. And now when you're looking at Ukrainians, I think you feel what does it mean for us? So we are not far from you. We are not far from you. And that's why Americans, if you see any of you understand how we feel like how we fight against all the enemies for our freedom, support us support, and not only with words with - direct steps, do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Not just words he says. Well talks between Russia and Ukraine on Monday, once again resulted in no major breakthrough but Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers are scheduled to meet again on Thursday.

The United Nations says the war in Ukraine is driving the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II and that's just counting the people who have fled the country many others are displaced internally. The Mayor of Lviv says the city is struggling to provide food and shelter for about 200,000 people were fled Russians and tax he's calling on the international community for urgent help.

The UN says more than 1.7 million people have crossed into neighboring countries since Russia invaded and that number is expected unfortunately to keep rising. Meanwhile, heavy fighting broke out in a wide area around Kyiv on Monday. CNN's Clarissa Ward went to a train station in Ukrainian capitalist families hurried to escape the assault.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At the Kyiv's Central Train Station today crushes of people trying to escape as Russian forces head closer to the Capital. Many here have just been evacuated from the hardest hit areas. Few know where they are going next.

[04:05:00]

WARD (voice over): Alla (ph) and her family made it out of the Kyiv's suburb of - this morning leaving behind her 81-year-old grandfather. He didn't want to come with us he decided to stay she says. He was old and can't run very fast and we had to leave so quickly.

I don't know what's happening there now. It's so scary. This is what remains of the place she calls home. Burnt out husks of Russian armored vehicles, entire apartment blocks destroyed. I don't understand how you can shell peaceful people. We never wished harm on anyone. We were friends with Russia. We have relatives in Russia she says. They just want to erase Ukraine from the face of the earth. It's that fear that is fueling a sense of desperation here.

WARD (on camera): So the minute they announced the next train going west, you could see everybody just scrambles to try to get on it.

WARD (voice over): Down below the platform is packed but people remain calm. They rushed in to help and exhausted elderly woman who has fallen on the track. Close to departure time confusion sets in another train arrives and people run across the tracks hoping to catch it. Finally the train to Lviv arrives, there is pushing and shoving is picking a jostle for space.

Let the woman and children go first one man shouts another weeps as he hugs his wife goodbye. Sonia I love you he calls out. He waits for the train to leave eyes locked on the window for what may be his last look.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Heartbreak report there from Clarissa Ward reporting earlier from Kyiv. Well, CNN's Scott McLean joins me now live from Lviv, one of the main cities refugees are traveling through to escape the war. And Scott we have had in the last few hours Russia says it has opened humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to get out is that promise being met from what you understand because they failed disastrously over the weekend here?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, things are not looking good right now Isa. As you mentioned the Russians are offering these quarters out of a handful of cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol. But they're all going to Russia or to Belarus something that Ukrainian President says is really just a cynical attempt to get Ukrainians fleeing into Russia, where they'll surely be greeted by Russian TV cameras to aid in Putin's propaganda war.

The Red Cross, which is sort of facilitating the implementation of these humanitarian corridors on the ground, said that look, both parties need to agree not just on the need for these corridors, but also on the finer details about who can leave exactly when the route they will take? And in the absence of that, well, it's simply just not going to work. So yesterday, you had another round of these negotiations a third round between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators. The Ukrainian said that small progress was made on these corridors the Russian said that they were discussed extensively but they continue to blame the Ukrainians for what they describe the holding up their own people from leaving, obviously, the Ukrainians see things much differently.

They say that you can't allow people to leave when there's heavy shelling going on from the Russians. Whatever happens though, with these corridors, Isa they cannot come soon enough conditions, obviously are deteriorating. And many of these cities there are places without running out of food running out of water where there is no power and no heat in a week that is forecast to be the coldest week that Ukraine has had in several weeks Isa.

SOARES: Yes, and as we've seen in that report from Clarissa Ward that train people packed into that train they were leaving to the Lviv. We've seen so many in the last few days. How is the City of Lviv where you are coping with the surge of displaced Ukrainian Scott?

MCLEAN: Yes, each one of those stories that Clarissa told in that piece, that really heartbreaking piece, none of those stories are unique. They're stories that we've heard over and over again repeated literally hundreds of thousands of times with all of the people trying to get out of this country.

And so obviously, as Clarissa reported, many of the people, especially by train end up in the Lviv, that sort of Western train hubs still a relatively safe part of the country and from here they either try to board trains out or they try to get on a bus where the border and cross on foot as we saw yesterday, where there's long lineups, you can go by car, but you may wait for 24 hours or longer at all of the checkpoints in the waiting to actually get across.

And so a lot of people have resigned themselves to staying in the Lviv or they're in the Lviv, only because they have to be because they've maybe made several attempts to get out - to get toward Poland already and it's failed because, you know, it's difficult, especially if you're traveling with elderly people if you're traveling with small children. You can only wait outside in the cold reasonably for so long.

[04:10:00]

MCLEAN: And so the Mayor of Lviv says that his city has essentially reached its capacity to help and you can understand why he says that? He says 440 schools and other cultural buildings are being used to house and to feed people on top of 85 churches and other religious buildings.

So he now says that he needs help from international aid organizations. They need food they need water. They need bulletproof vests and helmets and they also need foreign volunteers to come and help administer all of the aid Isa. SOARES: Scott McLean there for us in Lviv. Thank you very much Scott. Well, the Pentagon says that large Russian military convoy outside of Kyiv is still stalled, but it's not clear for how long? Satellite images from Max are show the scene outside the capitals you can see there. The Pentagon says it appears much of the convoy is made up of supply trucks, which some with some combat vehicles mixed in.

Meanwhile, European leaders say avoiding catastrophe and nuclear Ukraine's nuclear power plants remains a top priority. The country has four active plants, as well as the Chernobyl facility which was shut down after the 1986 disaster. Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby says the Russians appear to be trying to capture the southern Ukrainian Port City of Mariupol have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: What we assess is as they continue to get frustrated, they continue to rely now more on what we would call long range fires. So this is bombardment missile strikes, long range artillery into city centers that they aren't in yet at least not on the ground in any significant number.

So we're seeing that and of course that has been leading to and as you would expect, it would when you're relying more on long range fires, you're gonna cause more damage, and you're gonna kill more people and injure more people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Let's get more on this, joining me now from here is Orysia Lutsevych the Director of Ukraine Forum at Chatham House. Good morning Orysia great to have you back on the show. In the last few days, we have seen some severe actually shelling off from Russia of major cities, even of course, as they have promised to announce a ceasefire in the last few days. And they are advancing closer to Kyiv to Odessa. What is your assessment of what you're seeing?

ORYSIA LUTSEVYCH, DIRECTOR OF THE UKRAINE FORUM, CHATHAM HOUSE: What we are seeing is basically a consistent strategy of Vladimir Putin to take over the south of Ukraine to create that land bridge and also to prepare a battle for Kyiv.

I mean, we are watching you know these heartbreaking images of Kharkiv being bombarded second largest city - Mariupol has already under the siege. And what we will see in the coming days will be attack on Odessa and they are gearing up for an attack on the Capital.

We see this bizarre statement by the former President Yanukovych, calling Zelenskyy to capitulate. So they are preparing political and military ground or kind of regime change the way Russia sees it in Kyiv.

SOARES: Let me break that down slightly more efficient, if you don't mind Orysia. So let's start with Southern Ukraine because we have seen them taking hold of Crimea. Pentagon now warning they have their eyes on Mariupol. What is their strategy here from this southern point of Ukraine as we look at the map right here?

LUTSEVYCH: So obviously, the strategy is to take as much Ukrainian territory as they can. And the south Mariupol is a strategic port. Ukraine's trading cereals and steel is almost entirely going through Mariupol. So controlling Mariupol is key. They want to landlocked Ukraine by basically taking over that thousands trip that would connect Crimea through Ukraine all the way to the occupied bit in Moldova.

SOARES: Before hold on for just a second Orysia we're hearing that the Secretary of State Antony Blinken is about to speak in CNN, let's listen in.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We worked together just a few weeks ago in Washington, on the eve of this terrible aggression by Russia against Ukraine. I think we both recognize that this was more than possible. It was probable.

We of course, were hoping for the best which was not to have a war of aggression by Russia, but prepare for the worst. And what's been so important is that over many months working closely together with Estonia working with NATO allies working with European partners, working with other countries around the world.

[04:15:00]

BLINKEN: We were prepared and prepared to make sure that we were doing everything possible to support Ukraine prepared to make sure that we would do everything necessary to strengthen NATO, and on its eastern flank, are prepared to carry forward our commitment to impose massive consequences on Russia if it committed aggression against Ukraine.

And we've done, we've done all three things. Now, as we were discussing today, it's very important to sustain all of those efforts, and not only to sustain them, but to build up. And that's, that's what we're working on together. That's what we're working on with NATO allies and partners. That's what we're working on with the European Union, and countries around the world.

The fact that it's 100 years of partnership, through many ups and downs but always that consistent partnership between our countries, I think that for is very meaningful, because we were reminded today, especially of how important it is that we have that partnership that we have the alliance that joins us, and that we have the extraordinary coordination and cooperation that we've experienced over the last months especially.

And I think we're both determined to see that continues. So it's wonderful to be here. I wish it was under a different circumstance. But the circumstances really required. And finally, I just want to reiterate one thing, because it's so important.

President Biden is absolutely committed to our NATO alliance, committed to Article Five the proposition that an attack on one is an attack on all, and he's made very clear, repeatedly, including to the American people, during his recent State of Union address, that we will defend every square inch of NATO territory if it comes under attack, if it's on the receiving end of aggression, and it's important that I reiterate that message from the president here. Thank you.

SOARES: You have been listening to the U.S. Secretary of State there Antony Blinken in Tallinn, Estonia, really meeting with Foreign Minister there. Yesterday he was in Lithuania, once again, trying to show really a show of unity with NATO allies and really giving the same message that he's given them the past few days that they're committed to the NATO alliance and the President Biden is committed the NATO alliance.

And it's an Article Five saying the attack on one is an attack on all. Yesterday, we had similar message from Antony Blinken he said we will defend every inch of NATO territory, no one should doubt our readiness and our resolve.

I want to go back if I could to our guests just before we heard from U.S. Secretary of State there, and Orysia I hope you're still with me. Thank you. I'm sorry, to have interrupted. I was going to ask you, you were talking about the importance of Mariupol and taking the southern part of Ukraine. Finish your point there. Why is this so important taking the southern part of Ukraine here for Putin?

LUTSEVYCH: So the southern and eastern Ukraine will basically connect annexed Crimea to much needed water resources, energy resources, but also it will land lock Ukraine and cut it off from the Black Sea. And as I was saying, the seaports of Mariupol and - that are there a key for Ukrainian export for the world, actually export of cereals.

And this will have a cascading effect on the global economy, on markets in Middle Eastern Africa, China; we should remember the effect of that occupation on the global economy.

SOARES: We heard in the last 24 hours Orysia from the Pentagon, really that Russia have been relying more on long range fires, including missile strikes. I mean, that can no doubt only increase the number of civilian casualties that we've seen on the ground. How do you see the next few weeks playing out? I mean, do you think they'll take Kyiv? Or do you think the Ukrainians can hold the city here?

LUTSEVYCH: Look, I think there will definitely try because we see all those preparations underway. The military preparations they're trying to take over of airports around Kyiv to supply that takeover by Russian troops did alleged deployment of the special Chechen National Guard units, the X-Wagner Fighters.

[04:20:00]

LUTSEVYCH: So they're now putting more of their elite fighters on the ground to take the capital. And obviously that political preparation of Former President Yanukovych sending a letter to the Zelenskyy asking him to concede is the plan of installing some kind of a puppet regime that would later on wage the war on the rest of Ukraine.

Let's remember, Russians were not planning to fight a long term occupation of Ukraine. They want to undermine Ukraine with Ukrainians hands, and they are failing massively to do it.

SOARES: You mentioned about the fighters but there are reports circulating out there the Russia may be trying to supplement its force by enlisting Syrian fighters. I mean, how troubling is this?

LUTSEVYCH: Obviously, this is very troubling, because we do know the kind of Syrian cities the way they look Aleppo and others after the urban warfare. What is also troubling is that the Russians are stationing their artillery points in the civilian quarters so that this would prevent Ukrainian armed forces to destroy them.

So we will see in the coming days, a huge tool that civilians will take in this war because Russia is using civilian shield to protect their military positions, very cynical, very close to war crimes in violation of Geneva Conventions. And I do know that Ukraine and international human rights lawyers are already reporting these incidents for the future special tribunal on aggression against these that Russia wages.

SOARES: Orysia Lutsevych, thank you very much for your time and your perspective. I appreciate it. And still to come right here on the show more pain at the gas pump as the price climbs for an all-time high in the U.S. Ahead, we'll have the numbers and a debate of a banning Russian oil imports. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:25:00]

SOARES: Now global markets continue to be rattled by Russia's assault on Ukraine. There is so much volatility that you can see really seen the seesaw from stock markets well, a little over an hour into a new trading day across Europe.

We did begin in the red we're seeing things turn around slightly, but it is incredibly volatile, as you can imagine, so we'll keep an eye on those numbers. We're also watching U.S. stock futures with just hours until the opening bell on Wall Street as you can see there as well a very different picture from what we've been seeing in the last few days.

Stock market's DOW Jones closing you can see worst day of the year for the DOW and the S&P 500. The NASDAQ closed down more than 3.5 percent and it's now in a bear market. While stocks slip oil prices are surging Brent crude alone has climbed to levels not seen in nearly 14 years. And now the price of gasoline in the U.S. has reached an all- time high.

According to the oil price information service, the average price per gallon of regular gas has climbed to $4.14 breaking a record set in 2008. The White House Press Secretary talked about the President's message as prices spiked.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president's message is that he's going to do everything we can everything he can to reduce the impact on the American people including the price of gas at the tank. What is also true is that because of the actions of President Putin because he invaded a sovereign country that created instability in the markets that is something the president talked about even before Russia and President Putin move forward with their actions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: And those actions have come with consequences the list of businesses suspending operations with Russia continues to grow. Automaker, Nissan and fashion group pride are among the latest companies to join the long list. Nissan's CEOs said the company is donating 1 million euros to relief organizations and is ready to donate vehicles should they be needed.

World leaders are also working to put further pressure on Vladimir Putin as Russia ramps up its attacks in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says U.S. and its allies are looking into the possibility of banning Russian oil imports.

Crushing Western sanctions have already hit the Russian Ruble, which dropped even further against the dollar. And now more sanctions are coming. Australia and Japan are the latest countries to announce further sanctions against Russia.

CNN's Nina Dos Santos joins me in London with more. And Nina those sanctions that seem to be piling up on Russia are they having the desire the fact I mean, are they hobbling Putin and the team around him here?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're certainly having an effect on obviously the very rich Russians. We've seen these trophy assets like yachts being seized in places like the south of France, and also Italy. That doesn't look good for the elite in Russia.

But the real emphasis that people are trying to have here is on the average way of life of your average Russian citizen as well to pile on the pressure there so that your average person understands how economically isolated Russia has becoming as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.

And that's where you're seeing many different countries around the world here tighten the screws on these sanctions. There can be no place for Russian money to hide these countries are saying. The only outlier in all of this, of course, is China because a lot of people are assuming that economically speaking, the big one to win from all of this will eventually potentially be China that can mop up various businesses and assets if indeed a lot of these assets are frozen.

But in the meantime, we have the Russian Central Bank, frozen out of the currency markets, U.S. dollar markets, that's worth about $630 billion. We've got numerous individuals and entities unable to do business or travel outside of Russia.

And now we've also got this really heated debate heating up about whether or not to stop buying Russian oil and gas now this is very keenly felt here in Europe because the EU relies on Russia for about 40 percent of its gas needs.