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Ukraine: Overnight Shelling Sparks Warehouse Fire N.E. Of Kyiv; French, German Leaders Urge Immediate Ceasefire In Call With Putin; Biden Orders Release Of $200M In Security Assistance To Ukraine; German Interior Minister: Nearly 123K Refugees Have Arrived from Ukraine; Aid Group Connects Ukraine and U.S. Donors Through Curated Amazon List; Skyrocketing Inflation Upends U.S. Consumers, Small Businesses. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired March 12, 2022 - 13:00   ET

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

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[13:00:13]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Hello, everyone. And thank you so much for joining us with a special CNN Breaking News coverage. I'm Bianna Golodryga in New York alongside my colleague Anderson Cooper who is in Lviv, Ukraine.

Right now Russian forces are closing in on Kiev, but intense fighting also is underway in much of the country. New video just into CNN shows Russian airstrikes hitting a residential area in Mykolaiv live in the southern part of Ukraine. Russians unleashing a barrage of deadly attacks. in Kiev airstrikes destroying infrastructure to the north and the south of the city, including a massive fire at a warehouse.

Satellite images show Russian artillery on the outskirts of Kiev. British defense officials saying that the bulk of Russia's forces are now just 15 miles from the city center. This morning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia must begin with a ceasefire. He says all of Ukraine is a frontline and that some small towns now don't even exist anymore.

The leaders of Germany and France also calling for an immediate ceasefire during a phone call this morning with Russian President Vladimir Putin. All of this as at least 13 humanitarian corridors open for supplies and civilian evacuations and buses filled with food, water, necessities arriving in Mariupol as the city is under siege. We go now to CNN's Anderson Cooper covering our -- anchoring our coverage there in Lviv in western Ukraine where nightfall has fallen upon the millions of Ukrainians still fearful for their lives this evening, Anderson.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. And that city Mariupol, so many people are watching that as a a warning sign of what could happen to cities throughout Ukraine as Russian forces tried to encircle these cities and as we have seen Mariupol, there has been extensive shelling or the attack on the maternity ward several days ago. And humanitarian conditions getting very, very difficult inside Mariupol.

Salma Abdelaziz is here with me in Lviv. Let's talk a little bit about nightfall. And this is really one of the most worrying times.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN FIELD PRODUCER: I think this is when you really feel the terror of this Russian offensive set in for families. This is the time when air raid sirens start to go off in Kiev and families have to shelter in basements. This is the time when we know that Russian troops begin to move. And we know that there was a huge convoy, a 40-mile convoy outside Kiev just a couple of days ago on the outskirts of the city that's dispersed.

Western intelligence telling us they're using the cover of darkness to potentially begin to encircle the city. Of course, that would take a great deal of time. But what I'm trying to paint here is a picture that at nighttime families are trying to find safety. You're three weeks into this conflict nearly now, but sleepless family scared, tired, afraid. And also it's a time when the military begins to move.

And we're going to wake up to find out has this expanded, what new cities have been targeted and hit. What other civilians have been impacted.

COOPER: Yes. President Zelenskyy sounded a -- struck a slight note of -- I don't know if optimism is exactly the word but essentially saying that at least the -- in any negotiations at least they are talking about -- they've gotten beyond just kind of giving ultimatums each side one to another.

ABDELAZIZ: That's what President Zelenskyy seem to indicate is that along with his Russian counterparts, they've stopped trading automate -- ultimatums. They're now open in speaking. But this is a war that has escalated so quickly, the fastest growing refugee crisis in decades. More than 2-1/2 million people pushed out of this country already. Every day counts, every day means more civilian lives lost.

COOPER: Yes.

ABDELAZIZ: Everyday means more people homeless. That's why you're hearing European leaders say, ceasefire needs to happen now.

COOPER: Yes. Salma, appreciate it. Thank you very much. Salma Abdelaziz. Moments ago, President Biden ordered the release of an additional $200 million in security assistance to Ukraine. Joining me now with the latest, CNN White House Correspondent Arlette Saenz. Arlette, where is the money coming from and what will it be used for? Because obviously time is of the essence to try to get supplies into Kiev and other places in Ukraine.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anderson. And the administration is trying to show that they are trying to get more assistance into Ukraine as quickly as possible. Today, the president authorizing 200 and -- million dollars in defense, spending articles and services to be drawn down and sent to Ukraine. Now this is all done via the Foreign Assistance Act which gives the President the authority to authorize such a drawdown without having to go through a budgetary or legislative process.

[13:05:03]

SAENZ: That's normally a given to foreign countries in times of emergency. Now the White House has yet to detail what exactly will be included in this drawdown, aside from military education and training services. But it all comes as President Biden has insisted he will ensure that Ukraine has the defense mechanisms to defend themselves against this aggression from Russia.

But one thing that President Biden has been very adamant about is the fact that American and NATO troops will not be going in on the ground into Ukraine or flying in the skies above Ukraine. Yesterday, President Biden warning that such an action, such a move by the U.S. and NATO would enter the world into World War III. Now also, right now, there had been growing concerns about the possibility that Russia could use chemical weapons in Ukraine or possibly manufacture a false flag operation using them.

White House officials have been warning about that possibility for days. And yesterday, I had the chance to ask the President what evidence he has seen a showing that that might happened, and also whether the U.S. would have a military response. The President insisted, said he would not go talk through the intelligence but he did say that Russia would pay a severe price if they do launch a chemical weapons attack.

Now the president declined to further elaborate whether that would be a military response or whether that might be more sanctions. But he has been very adamant over the course of this entire process that American troops will not be going into Ukraine. And for the moment, it does not seem like that's changing the calculus if Putin were to launch a chemical weapons attack.

COOPER: Yes. Arlette Saenz in Washington. Arlette, thanks so much. I want to bring in Ray Mabus. He is the former Secretary of the Navy and also former ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Security Mavis, appreciate you joining us. Is the U.S. giving Ukraine the right aid now, enough of it? And how long do you think it will continue to flow? Obviously, events on the ground will determine that.

RAY MABUS, FORMER SECRETARY OF THE NAVY: I think that we are making every effort to get Ukraine the right stuff as quickly as possible. You're right. It may be become more difficult, but it -- I don't think will ever become impossible as long as the Ukrainians are fighting the way that they are. And in this new day of things like javelins and stingers, handheld weapons are proving to be really effective against things like tanks and an aircraft.

And the advantage of having those heavy weapons just seems to be canceled out to a pretty large extent.

COOPER: It is interesting that seeing the effect, the power of those handheld weapons as you say the javelins, the Stingers, the effect of it on the ground not just against tanks, artillery that we have seen but also in making Russia not use their air power to the extent that they probably could have used it. Obviously, the idea that there are Stingers on the ground makes pilots and helicopters and planes much more cautious flying at a higher altitude when they do fly.

MABUS: I think that's absolutely right that they're going to be incredibly cautious because of that. But it also may be that the Russian Air Force like the Russian Army didn't quite what it's cracked up to be, that they don't have the ability to evade these sorts of things. And beside the Stingers, things like that, I do think the U.S. should get every weapon that they can, any aircraft weapon into the country.

The handheld ones are by far the most effective because you don't have to have much training. You don't have to have any infrastructure and they're firing forget. So you can take a shot sort of in the general vicinity, and then the person shooting can escape before the return fire comes in.

COOPER: When you see the way Russian forces have thus far acted, we see the encirclement of Mariupol, the shelling in that city. Is that you think a playbook that they may use in Kiev given the, you know, the officials in Kiev, the military, the defense forces in Kiev have now had two weeks or plus two to bolster defenses within the city. It's obviously heavily for now, fortified on just about every block.

Is it likely you think that Russia may just as again try to encircle it as best they can and just shell it -- attempt to shell it into submission?

[13:10:03]

ABDELAZIZ: Well, they've had no success in just a traditional military operation. They've been an abject failure doing that. And so, Putin has turned to terror to doing exactly what you said. Shelling with artillery, with rockets, with aircraft into mainly civilian areas and just trying to break cities, trying to break the Ukrainian will. And I think it certainly seems to be the playbook not just for Kiev but all over -- all over Ukraine.

I mean, one of the targets that seems to be coming into play now is Odessa, Russia has always wanted a warm water port down there. And they're grinding toward it using those same sorts of terrorist attacks, killing civilians, not being -- not being worried about the -- about just the mass slaughter and the war crimes that they're -- that they're committing.

COOPER: Yes. You wrote an op-ed recently that said our addiction to fossil fuels has empowered Vladimir Putin. Others have said, it's the equivalent of handing him a gun to use. How does the west take that power away from him?

MABUS: Well, for us to become completely energy independent, no matter how much oil and gas we have, no matter where it comes from, we've got to get off fossil fuels. One of the reasons, I think it's pretty clear that Vladimir Putin really underestimated -- grossly underestimated the response by the Europeans was, they are so dependent on Russia, oil and gas. Now they've been moving away. Most countries in Europe now get between a quarter and a third of their energy from alternatives. But they've got to speed that up. And if they're not buying any Russian oil and gas, and they're not using any oil and gas, then that power is taken away. And I really don't think that the world, the U.S., Europe, anywhere in the world needs to leave our citizens, our economies, our pocketbooks at the -- under the power of these dictators all over the world.

Because, you know, Putin and Russia, but you look around at the big producing countries, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, places like that, we should not give that power to them. And the price of oil is not set by how much we drill, but how much we produce. It is worldwide. And it's based on fear and greed. And the thing that makes all prices and gas prices spike and causes so many problems for American families and American businesses and that around the world is chaos and uncertainty of the kind we're seeing right now.

And so, the U.S. ought of speed up getting off. I took the Navy Marine Corps mainly all fossil fuels as a war fighting measure. It is a national security issue.

COOPER: Secretary Mabus, I appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

MABUS: Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Still to come. As Russia's assault on Ukraine continues, a new censorship laws cracking down on independent journalism. You're going to hear from some of the Russian journalists who've had to leave their country after the break.

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[13:17:42]

GOLODRYGA: With the war in Ukraine continuing into its third week, Russia is working to silence any and all dissidents. Russia blocking Facebook, Instagram and opening a criminal case against its parent company Meta, labeling it and extremist organization. This week, Meta suspended its hate speech policy allowing users to published posts calling for violence against Russian invaders.

This as a harsh 1new law is cracking down on independent journalism in Russia threatening prison terms of up to 15 years for spreading what officials deem as fake news about the military. The U.N. says the move amounts to a total information blackout.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA (voice over): Last the war began, one of the last remaining independent news sources in Russia, Dozhd T.V. or T.V. Rain suspended its operations filling the airwaves with Swan Lake as the staff signed off a nod to the 1991 coup attempt of Mikhail Gorbachev.

Well, joining me now is host for Dozhd T.V., Ekaterina Kotrikadze, alongside her husband and editor-in-chief for the station, Tikhon Dzyadko. Both of you, welcome to the program. You are friends. So this is a personal conversation for me. We should note and tell our viewers that you are no longer in Russia. You escaped and fled the country shortly after your network signed off. As you can see, they are in neighboring Georgia.

Tikhon, if you can just start there and talk about that decision to leave the country.

TIKHON DZYADKO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, DOZHD T.V.: Well, this decision was taken because of the situation. We -- both of us and some other our journalists, we started to receive threats and all this atmosphere where we existed. Our T.V. station received the letter from Roskomnadzor, it is their regulator of the media in Russia. And then on Tuesday, March 1st, our Web site was blocked alongside with a Web site of radio station Ekho Moskvy and some other media outlets.

And then we received the information that police was going to start at raving on office, it never happened.

[13:20:04]

DZYADKO: But still with all these information and with plans of Russian and Russian members of Parliament to adopt the new law which we would accuse those who spread so-called fake news information about Russian military and they will would go to jail to up to 15 years, we decided that it was not safe anymore for us to be there in Russia, and we saw that we will be more useful for our viewers when we are safe and when we are free than when we are in jail. So the decision was taken because of all these reasons.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And Katya, listen, I know I was really sort of greedy and wanting to have both of you together on with me, but I know that you have a young child. So, if one of you needs to get up and do your most important job of parenting. Good. Tikhon will go. I understand that. And thank you.

EKATERINA KOTRIKADZE, DOZHD T.V. HOST: I mean, he's coming. I'm so sorry about that.

(CROSSTALK)

GOLODRYGA: No, no, no. Of course, this is -- this is your -- this is your most important priority right now is taking care of your kids. And I can only imagine how difficult that must have been fleeing the country there with your children. Oh. And there's Misha, adorable little baby boy. Katya, for our viewers to really understand what T.V. Rain was, you know, you were my eyes and ears and that of millions, hundreds of thousands of Russians inside the country to get real information on what's playing out -- in the world in general, but in Russia to and obviously in Ukraine.

I mean, a week before the war began, you were interviewing in Munich, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And then within that week's time, you're covering a war which you were getting more and more, you know, pressure from the authorities there to not label it a war, right? There are certain things that you can say. There are certain material you can use, all -- obviously all of it, trying to choke off any coverage that you are bringing to viewers.

Give us a sense of what it's like now for Russians who don't have access to that type of information anymore.

KOTRIKADZE: Well, first of all, thank you so much, Bianna. For us it's very important to be here with you. And, you know, for rush --

GOLODRYGA: Oh, no.

KOTRIKADZE: (INAUDIBLE) are being blocked. And there is still Telegram, there are still some chats that people can use. But obviously, we are witnessing right now the situation when Russia is getting to become an isolated, totally isolated country. People are now getting ready to total internet like block -- blockage, right? Like people are getting ready when they, you know, wake up one day in the morning and there's no -- there is no connection to the real world.

There is no connection to the global world. There's nothing left. And this is why so many people are trying to get out of the country. That's why there's so many independent journalists. And not only journalists, just people who want to leave in the civilized world. They're leaving Russia right now. I can see and understand that, you know, there's so many people left there who are texting me personally and my colleagues saying that they are -- they are dreaming about T.V. Rain and Ekho Moskvy and others to get back on air.

They're asking us, you know, me personally, I'm just -- it's crazy. And it's really important. And we understand that we -- people are in need of information. They're texting us, and they're posting and commenting, asking us. I'm sorry. Misha wants to talk to you, Bianna, as well.

GOLODRYGA: We have a future journalist there.

(CROSSTALK)

KOTRIKADZE: Yes. So, yes. I can see, you know, being serious, I can see that there's a desperate need of information for people who are left there and they are feared and scared to death, that they will lose even, you know, some connections, even bloggers, even some people who can just cover something, you know.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

KOTRIKADZE: Give them a free word. I don't know -- I don't know how we can handle this really.

GOLODRYGA: Tikhon, can you explain to our viewers who are trying to understand when they hear whatever polls they can get access to because it's very difficult to get any sort of independent polling inside of Russia today. But when they hear the headline, that the majority of Russians still support this war, when they hear stories about loved ones in Russia, not believing what they're hearing from family and loved ones in Ukraine, about family splitting apart over this war. Tell our viewers why there is this disconnect and a lot of it coming from the lack of real information about what's happening.

[13:25:13]

DZYADKO: Well, first of all, Russia is an authoritarian state. In authoritarian states, sociology does not exist. That just -- that's how it is. Sociology does not exist. So, all the polls are not trusted. Even the polls of independent organizations such as (INAUDIBLE) because people are frightened. And then -- and when they are encountered by someone in the street who is asking whether they like or not the government, of course, they would say that they like government because it's safer to say that they like our government.

Then if we look at the recent poll, which is saying that 62, I guess, percent of Russians are supporting the war, and 29 percent do not support the war. It means that even in state polls, it is said that every third Russian does not support the war. Now, understanding that sociology in Russia does not exist, and that sociology in Russia is just fake. We understand that when the state poll says that 29 percent does not support the war, it means that it's not 29 percent. It's --

(CROSSTALK)

KOTRIKADZE: Much, much more.

DZYADKO: -- sixty percent or 65 percent.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

DZYADKO: Then, of course, we understand that a lot of people in Russia, unfortunately, are brainwashed by the propaganda. I think even us, I mean, the journalists, we don't understand the scale of the problem. We don't understand how seriously the brains of people are destroyed by the propaganda which have been operating over the last 22 years. I heard a story about a person who was I think in Kharkiv and he was under shellings and under bombings.

And he was calling his relatives somewhere in Russia, and he was saying we are being bombed. And the answer from Russia was no, this could not be true. You are being influenced by the -- by the Ukrainian propaganda.

KOTRIKADZE: Nazis yes.

DZYADKO: By Nazis propaganda.

(CROSSTALK)

DZYADKO: So it is a huge problem. A lot of people, they just don't understand what is going on there. They just don't understand what is happening there. But still, I don't believe in the idea that the majority of Russians support this war because this war has no grounds. This war has no justification. Even in 2014 that Crimea was annexed. A lot of people supported annexation, because it was about the sea. It was about there (INAUDIBLE) it was about -- KOTRIKADZE: And, you know, a lot of people really wanted to go back -- to go back to Russia and Crimea, really. I mean, honestly.

DZYADKO: Et cetera, et cetera. Et cetera, et cetera, yes. But now --

GOLODRYGA: And it was blood loss, right? Yes.

DZYADKO: Yes. But now, when they -- when we hear from President Putin something about denazification, the militarizaion, the next day, we hear something about NATO and NATO which wants to attack Russia. The next day, we hear something about chemical weapon, and some birds which could spread chemical weapon to all Slavic people. Not to mention that Ukrainians -- that Ukrainians also Slavic people.

GOLODRYGA: Right.

DZYADKO: So this is just stopping really weird.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. These false flag operations that they continue to want to stage and obviously they've used in the past as well. Listen, I think it's fair to say that Vladimir Putin is destroying two countries here, right? By going after people like yourselves, and by the sanctions that are now put upon his citizens. He's destroying Russia. And obviously, we're seeing the carnage take place every single day now in Ukraine.

We're going to have to leave it there. Ekaterina Kotrikadze and Tikhon Dzyadko, I really hope that one day you can return to a free and happy Russia and continue to do your incredible journalist.

DZYADKO: No doubt. No doubt.

(CROSSTALK)

GOLODRYGA: And that Misha can go with you and be a future journalist there as well. Thank you. Thank you so much.

KOTRIKADZE: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: We appreciate it.

DZYADKO: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, millions of Ukrainians have fled Russia's brutal assault. Many with just what they can carry on their own backs. And now groups from around the world are working to send food and supplies. More on those efforts up next.

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[13:34:12]

GOLODRYGA: Germany's interior ministry says at least 123,000 refugees fled to Germany since Putin's brutal invasion 17 days ago.

CNN senior national correspondent, Miguel Marquez, joins me from Romania, which borders Ukraine.

Miguel, what are you hearing from all those families that left Ukraine?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look, it is stunning the speed at which this has happened and the rate at which normal people who had jobs and lives in a European country have been transformed into refugees.

We are in one place south of Bucharest that are housing 31. It's a Romanian family right now housing about 31, maybe 34 --there were three arriving when we were about to leave -- refugees from Ukraine. Over the last two weeks, they've housed about 60 refugees, a little over.

[13:35:02]

But, look, even Romanians are very, very concerned about what is happening on their borders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALINA GREAVU, ROMANIAN UKRAINIAN REFUGEE: About Putin and what's happening right now, I am trying to keep myself busy so I don't get scared because if I think that the next bomb might drop a little lower and in Romania, I don't think how I'm going to handle that. But for the moment, we are doing our best to help the Ukrainian refugee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: The interesting dynamic that's happening, as the Russian forces push farther west, as they bomb and shell indiscriminately, especially neighborhoods and civilian areas, it creates a situation where the refugees at the border need more. They have less and need more.

They have no papers. They have less money. They have less clothing. They have less food. That is all happening. As this goes on, it is expected to get worse.

Here in Romania, they are preparing for as many refugees as they can take -- Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: These countries have been so generous these past few weeks. But as you said, supplies are starting to dwindle. And these refugees are coming with very few things that they can grab as they flee their homes.

Miguel Marquez, thank you so much for your incredible reporting.

Up ahead, how a grassroots group of Americans from former Soviet republics are stepping up to help frontline workers in Ukraine. I've always focused on my career.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:41:05]

GOLODRYGA: In the midst of violence and chaos, a grassroots group of Americans from former Soviet republics are stepping up to help, connecting frontline workers in Ukraine and U.S.-based donors through a curated Amazon list.

Critical supplies like Kevlar pants, thermal blankets, carabiner clips, duct tape. The list goes on and on, all for immediate distribution.

With me now are Direct Help for Ukraine organizer, Gene Sakirski, and volunteer, Leo Davelman.

Welcome both of you.

(CROSSTALK)

GOLODRYGA Gene, tell me start with you.

Tell me about yourself and how your group came together.

GENE SAKIRSKI, ORGANIZER, DIRECT HELP FOR UKRAINE: So it's interesting. You know, as we learned about the war in the first moments, the sadness and depression kind of set in on the Russian side and Ukrainian side.

A friend asked for help with the refugee problem. I helped her out. I ended up posting some things on my wall and a lot of people turned back to me and asked for more help. So I posted more links.

People started asking, can we support with the humanitarian need, donating stuff? I quickly started looking for a local community group that's doing the right thing.

And I found these wonderful ladies who are, you know, starting their operation, you know, starting to get donations.

Danielle, the daughter, had this idea of using an Amazon wish list. I thought it was a great idea.

I said, ladies, we'll try to help you and get the community behind it. We have been a social presence because of (AUDIO PROBLEM)

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

SAKIRSKI: -- and so, then it literally -- we saw boxes delivered with people trying to help them all over the country.

We start from the volunteers there and became a sorting and packaging operation that gets sent directly to Ukraine. There's a plane leaving every day with freight from our group and other groups like this.

GOLODRYGA: We see these boxes, these images written with "Glory to Ukraine" on them.

Leo, if you can talk about, you know, some of these supplies that you've added to the list. They seem to be out of the typical supplies that you would imagine refugees looking for and needing.

One would imagine socks and supplies for children, what have you, duct tape, carabiner clips, thermal blankets.

What does that tell you about what these refugees are going through?

LEO DAVELMAN, VOLUNTEER, DIRECT HELP FOR UKRAINE: So, very important, what we are doing is demand driven. We're collecting demand from folks who are not refugees but staying behind in these besieged cities. That's one big difference.

But they're telling us what they need and what they need right now, what the most urgent need is. That is the difference.

A lot of phenomenal charities are doing great work and will keep doing great work. But it might not be as timely in arriving to the people who need it.

They're telling us what they need this week and next week, and we are not only getting it for them.

But we are packaging in such a way as to avoid the logistics bottlenecks that are pretty severe, as you can imagine, on the Ukrainian side right now, trying to get these things in.

So that's really the crux of why the women are so unique.

GOLODRYGA: Gene, so you talk about, you know, supplying those that have stayed behind for a multitude of reasons, whether it's because they're ill or old or what have you and can't find a way out.

And some that I know I've spoken to are there intentionally because they want to help those that need them.

How are these supplies getting to them, especially when you see scenes, you know, in Mariupol and other cities that they're just besieged with Russian troops?

SAKIRSKI: Right. And the truth of the matter is we don't know which of our aid is going to Mariupol versus Kyiv.

[13:45:05]

So once it gets to Lviv, which is on the western side of Ukraine, which is quieter, no fighting going on there, an army coordinator decides what is needed the most right now.

So if there's troops, you know, freezing in Kyiv or, you know, people bedridden in Kharkiv and need medical supplies.

Then the troops will get the thermals in Kyiv while the folks in bed in a hospital in Kharkiv, they'll get them medical supplies.

It's being coordinated and decided by the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, together with the army because they need them to distribute this stuff. GOLODRYGA: Gene Sakirski and Leo Davelman, thank you so much for all

of the important work that you're doing.

We're focusing so much, and rightly so, on the refugees that are leaving Ukraine and to neighboring countries. But it's also important to help those that have stayed behind.

Thank you.

If you'd like to help, please visit directhelpforUkraine.info.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:50:44]

GOLODRYGA: Skyrocketing gas prices, escalating rents, expensive consumer goods, down to the basics like food, they are all leading to a 40-year high inflation rates in the United States.

CNN's Ed Lavandera talked to residents and small business owners about how this financial crisis is affecting their bottom line.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a cold, hard lesson on inflation, step into the refrigerator where Karina Gudino Wollangk stores the food supplies she just bought for her pop- up food stand business in Phoenix, Arizona.

KARINA GUDINO-WOLLANGK, OWNER, DOWN TO GET TACOS: So usually, it would be the boneless would be about a dollar a pound. Right now, it's $1.84 a pound. This cheese used to be $9. Right now, it's like $14.56.

LAVANDERA: Two years ago, Karina opened up "Down to Get Tacos," catering special events. Inflation has upended her business.

(On camera): Have there been events where you just lost money?

GUDINO-WOLLANGK: Oh, 100 percent. (INAUDIBLE) from today.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): As we look over some of the week's receipts, Karina explains the hardest impact of inflation on a small businessowner is how unpredictable her world has become.

The demand for her business is there. Everything else is a nightmare.

LAVANDERA (on camera): And that makes it hard for someone like you to run your business?

GUDINO-WOLLANGK: Correct. It makes it unbelievably difficult for us to predict any pricing.

I can't even say I'm going to charge you a certain price right now because, in three days, it's probably bound to change. You know? And it's never for the better.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Phoenix, Arizona, has one of the highest inflation rates in the country. The latest statistics show it's three percentage points higher than the national average for cities.

And that makes life harder for people living on fixed incomes, like Jerreldine Spencer.

JERRELDINE SPENCER, ARIZONA RESIDENT: This was the first one I ever did.

LAVANDERA: As she shows us her painting skills, Jerreldine tells us she lives on $1,700 a month in Social Security.

She says she pays $600 in rent. And at least $300 a month pays for needed kidney and blood pressure medications.

The rest of her bills, like home utilities, car fuel, and groceries, she finds depressing.

(on camera): How hard is it living on a fixed income?

SPENCER: It is hard. And I feel so sorry for my friends that just don't have this kind of money as much as I do because they're much worse off than me.

KATIA SCHVARTZ, PHOENIX RESIDENT: So, my commute is about a block and a half. Real nice.

LAVANDERA: So, you can walk to work?

SCHVARTZ: I walk to work. It's the best.

LAVANDERA: That is a cheap gas bill.

SCHVARTZ: Oh, I love it.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The walk home from the ceramic shot where Katia Schvartz works might save her money on gas.

SCHVARTZ: This is my humble abode.

LAVANDERA: But the nights after work are filled with dread searching for a new place to live. In four months, Katya's rent for this 300- square-foot apartment is going to jump from $670 a month to just over $1,000.

She says her paycheck won't cover it.

SCHVARTZ: I would consider living in my car, yes. I would. Though my sister would never allow it.

LAVANDERA: Phoenix home prices have skyrocketed in the last year. Apartments Katia can afford are so far away that paying to gas up her car would then be too much.

(on camera): I would imagine that battling this at this stage in your life is --

SCHVARTZ: It's really hard. It's really hard. It's -- it makes me feel useless. Like I'm not good enough.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Are you worried that --

Katia says she's at stage one panic levels, and the thought of what happens next makes her quiver.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Phoenix, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Thank you, Ed, for that important report.

We want to end the show for an incredible story of survival. It was an image seen around this week. A pregnant woman who survived the Mariupol hospital bombing, seen here right after the blast, bloodied and injured as she fled the destruction.

Her name is Marianna Vashiska (ph). And she was one of at least a dozen people injured in the attack. Three people died in the attack.

On Thursday, she welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world in the dark of night. You can see the picture here.

[13:54:59]

Her aunt tells us that Marianna is doing well though they do not have electricity. And they the parents have named the baby Veronika.

Here is wishing Veronika is a life of wealth and health and happiness in a peaceful Ukraine soon.

And for information on how you can help humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, go to CNN.com/impact.

Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Bianna Golodryga, alongside of my colleague, Anderson Cooper.

CNN NEWSROOM continues with Jim Acosta after the break.

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