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Former Ukrainian President: Putin Underestimated Ukraine, My Country Will Not Give Up; Russian Use Of Less Sophisticated Weapons Could Be Sign Of Weakness Or Just Brutal Tactics; Russia Warns U.S. It Will Fire On Weapons Shipments To Ukraine; Two People Stabbed At New York's Museum Of Modern Art; West Point Cadets Overdose During Spring Break; Andrei Kozyrev, Former Russian Foreign Minister, Discusses Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine; Biden: Russia To Pay "Severe Price" If It Uses Chemical Weapons. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired March 12, 2022 - 20:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:00:24]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world.

Tonight, Russian forces are inching closer to Ukraine's capital city. Explosions can be heard in Kyiv. And fighting nearby is intensifying.

British intelligence says Russian troops are now about 15 miles from the city.

Several Ukrainian cities are facing increased attacks, with airstrikes hitting civilian structures around the country.

Officials are working to set up at least 13 evacuation corridors from different cities in hopes of giving people a chance to flee for safety. Ukraine's government says around 13,000 civilians were evacuated today.

But no one was able to escape the besieged city of Mariupol, which is encircled by Russian troops and Russian-backed fighters.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is pleading for aid and imploring the West to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying today some small towns simply don't exist anymore after two weeks of brutal bombardment from Russian forces.

And the International Atomic Energy Agency says the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant in northern Ukraine is now running on generators, with its staff working under the control of Russian forces.

There are growing fears that exhausted workers could make catastrophic mistakes in a crisis.

Our Anderson Cooper spoke earlier today with former Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, who urged the world not to trust Vladimir Putin and vowed Ukraine would not give up in the face of Russian aggression.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETRO POROSHENKO, FORMER UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: We have less and less ammunition. And we do not allow -- we are not giving up. We are not forgive Putin these types of things.

And I am absolutely confident that we will fight in every single House, every single street, and every single quarter in Kyiv, in Kharkiv, in Chernobyl.

And all of the cities would be the hell for the Russian soldiers and will be the hell for Putin.

He underestimates unity of Ukrainians. He cannot blowup, cannot break our unity. And he underestimate the unity of the full world.

With only five nations support Russia, Syria to North Korea. And this is the basis of their support.

And 141 nations support Ukraine. And Ukraine now provided the beginning, the end of the Russian fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: One of the main areas of fighting right now is around the capital city of Kyiv.

The British minister of defense says intelligence suggests the bulk of Russia ground forces are just 15 miles or so from the center of Kyiv, with fighting northwest of the city.

And 30 miles west of Kyiv, in the village of Markareve (ph), large sections have suffered significant damage from Russian airstrikes.

CNN geolocated and verified the authenticity of photos like this, which were posted to social media today. You can see major damage to apartment complexes, schools, and a medical facility.

Despite all this, the Russia minister for defense repeatedly says they are not targeting civilians.

And in southern Ukraine, we're getting new video of strikes hitting a resolute area of Mykolaiv. You can see the airstrikes hit right by an apartment building and near a kids playground and picnic area.

One thing to mention here, U.S. officials are watching airstrikes like these very closely because Russian forces have been relying more heavily on less-sophisticated so-called "dumb bombs" instead of more precise long-range missiles.

U.S. and other officials don't know why Russia is not using its more- sophisticated weapons more broadly.

Some say it could signal weakness in Russia's military campaign or Russia's willingness to use brutal tactics, like weapons that could cause civilian casualties.

I want to bring in retired Army Brigadier General Steven Anderson.

Hi, general.

First, what do you think about how things are going so far for Russia's military?

BRIG GEN. STEVEN ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY, RETIRED: Thank you for having me tonight, Pam.

And it's clear that Putin is not doing well. That's, I think, a sign of the bombing of the civilians that you've seen over the last several days. Perhaps the surest sign yet that he's losing, and he knows he's losing.

He's losing primarily because he cannot degrade the incredible tenacity and the will of the Ukrainian people.

[20:05:02]

He's losing tactically. He's losing strategically. The entire world is aligned against him. He's losing operationally.

They made the mistake, I think, of attacking Kyiv on four different fronts instead of -- and violated the principle of mass. He could have come down one single corridor from the north and probably been much more successful.

But he's also failed for a number of other reasons, not the least of which is logistics.

Logistics has not been able to provide the type of capability they need in order to conduct what they had hoped at the time would be a blitzkrieg.

A blitzkrieg is a fast movement, 25 to 50 miles a day. We've seen in history many examples of it. The Americans did it in the attack of Baghdad. The Germans did it during World War II a couple of time.

But I'd say Putin's blitzkrieg is more like a sits-krieg. They move about one or two miles and then they sit there and wait for the ammunition and food and fuel to catch up with them.

I think that no matter how you slice it and dice it, the Ukrainians are doing an incredible job, and Putin is clearly losing this war.

BROWN: The French president and the German chancellor talked to Putin recently. They said there's no indication he is changing his intent, which is clearly to take control of Ukraine.

In light of that, are you concerned that he could resort to a nuclear bomb, you know, in order to achieve his goal?

ANDERSON: Well, of course, that is the big concern. Everybody, including myself, is concerned that the Ukrainians have been so successful, perhaps too successful, in that they have not allowed any kind of victory at all.

I mean, we talk about the attacks that are ongoing. But it's clear that the Russian army is a third-rate army.

They don't have the leadership of the former -- think, Pam, if you will, of the pictures of all the dead Russian soldiers laying in the street.

That would never happen in an American Army. We never leave a fallen comrade. To me, it's a clear sign that the morale of the troops is very low.

And the leadership and tactics -- there's just a cancer growing within the Russian army that probably will never be overcome.

So, I am very concerned that we do -- that Putin elevates this to a level it should not. Obviously, chemical weapons is a big threat, too.

We've got to come up with a diplomatic solution. Many people have talked about it.

I just know we've got to keep continuing the fight. We've got to logistically enable the Ukrainians to do what they're doing, which has been phenomenal, and hope that Mr. Putin comes to his senses.

BROWN: President Biden has made clear he has no intention of sending U.S. troops to fight for Ukraine.

But the Biden administration is talking with some European allies, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, about sending air defense systems and other weaponry into the war. So far, nothing yet.

But Russia's deputy prime minister has warned the U.S. that any convoys carrying foreign weapons into Ukraine would be, quote, "legitimate targets."

When you hear that, what does that say to you?

ANDERSON: Well, again, I think that they're grasping at straws. I think that's absolutely what we need to do. We need to enable our NATO allies and partners to push troops -- supplies in.

The American Army and the American -- the incredible logistics capability of our nation, which is a great element of our national power, needs to be brought to bear here.

And to the extent we can help our NATO partners to push supplies, ammunition, weaponry, drones, Javelins, Stinger missiles and the like -- I know you talked about earlier in the hour.

We've got to leverage incredible American logistics capability. I mean, think of Amazon, think of Walmart, think of the commercial and the military applications.

We've got to help our partners push advice in there so we can ensure we win this race.

As poor as the logistic performance has been of the Russians, we can't let them get their act together.

We've got to continue to push supplies into Kyiv, particularly in light of the fact they may be trying to execute some kind of encircling maneuver and trying to lay siege to the city of Kyiv.

BROWN: Brigadier General Steven Anderson, thank you so much.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Pam.

BROWN: And we have been getting so many great viewer questions about the situation in Ukraine. Send me yours through Twitter, Instagram. I'm going to try to pose them to the experts joining me this weekend.

And just ahead this hour, more standout journalism from our Clarissa Ward, who is with volunteers recuing Ukrainians on the front lines.

[20:10:03]

And then pain at the pump. President Biden says Putin's invasion proves the U.S. needs to be energy independent. We are going to discuss if that is even possible.

Also tonight, a New York museum evacuated after a stabbing. Someone who was there describes what she saw.

And police in Florida now have a suspect in custody after five West Point cadets overdose on Fentanyl.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: New York police are looking for a man they say stabbed two employees multiple times this afternoon at the city's famous Museum of Moden Art.

Natalie Palacios was on the fifth floor when she heard alarm sounds and then the shot.

This video you see here on your scene when she was rushed out of the museum.

[20:15:08]

Natalie joins me by phone.

Natalie, I imagine this was incredibly frightening for you. How are you doing?

NATALIE PALACIOS, EVACUATED FROM NY MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (via telephone): Oh, hi. Yes, thank you, Pamela. I'm doing better now. I'm at home.

Yes, it was a little confusing at the beginning, but we're very glad we're safe.

BROWN: So MOMA is a popular tourist destination in New York. I know when I lived in New York, I went there. A lot of people do.

What brought you there today? And tell us what exactly what happened when you realized something was wrong.

PALACIOS: Sure. Actually, I was there with one of my friends. And she wanted to -- well, her favorite thing is Kerry Knight. So, she was very excited about seeing the painting in person, right?

So, we were there and that's what brought us to the museum. And, well, we were heading to the museum store when we started hearing these alarms sounding.

And we thought that maybe somebody was touching a painting or somebody was trying to steal it. So, we were like, OK, something's wrong. And we kept walking.

And then the members of the guard rushed us to go toward the exit. And we asked them what was happening. And they said that, well, there was an incident and they needed to make sure that we were safe first.

So, nobody was giving a lot of answers. I think it's maybe a part of they wanted us to be, like, not panicking.

And when I was close to the exit, I looked back, and I saw one of the -- the woman that was being put into the ambulance.

And, yes, everyone was out. It was snowing, so it was a little -- well, people were just wondering, what should we do now?

And I heard a girl said that apparently there was a guy with a knife. So, kind of starting to think that maybe something happened.

BROWN: Yes, and we're very grateful that the two employees that the suspect stabbed are doing OK. You saw one of them, you said.

What was going through your mind as all of this was taking place? You're just trying to enjoy a popular tourist museum on a Saturday, and then this happens.

PALACIOS: Yes, well, I think that, of course, we noted that something was wrong because everyone was -- everyone noted that something was happening with the alarms and the security guards paying attention to everything.

So, I was like, what is happening? And first thing that went through my mind when I saw one of the girls -- I never saw somebody going through this kind of situation.

I thought maybe she just fainted or like a medical problem. So, I was like, oh, I hope she's OK. She was speaking, so, I was like, maybe something medical urgent happened. So, she's OK.

But we find out it was a stabbing. We were worried because they couldn't find him, I think. And we were, like, OK, we need to find a safer place.

BROWN: Right.

PALACIOS: You know?

BROWN: Yes. Can't blame you for having that instinct.

Natalie, thank you for coming on, sharing your experience today.

PALACIOS: Thank you for having me.

BROWN: And turning now to a developing story out of Fort Lauderdale. Police telling us four West Point cadets on spring break in Florida have been hospitalized after overdosing on a substance that was laced with a powerful painkiller, Fentanyl.

I want to get right to CNN's Nadia Romero.

Nadia, what can you tell us about this?

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Pamela, this is spring break gone all the way wrong for these West Point cadets.

Five of them involved, including four who were hospitalized, as you mentioned, after police say they had cocaine that was laced with Fentanyl and they overdosed.

And that Fentanyl is a drug we've been hearing about over the past few years. It has really fueled this country's opioid epidemic.

Listen to one paramedic talk about the emergency moments when they first arrived on scene.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN GOLLAN, BATTALION CHIEF, FORT LAUDERDALE FIRE RESCUE: We're being told four of those individuals had taken a substance that was believed to be cocaine laced with Fentanyl.

We were able to get some of those individuals back so their heart was beating again with the Narcan. However, four of those individuals were still in respiratory arrest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: Yes, so, really a scary situation there in the Fort Lauderdale area.

This morning, the Broward County Sheriff's Office says there was a court hearing, a bond hearing, for a 21-year-old man, Axle Caseas (ph). They say this man sold those West Point cadets that cocaine laced with Fentanyl.

[20:20:10] They said they were able to find his phone number through their investigation over the overdose case. And they were able to get him caught up in an undercover sting operation, where he sold drugs to an undercover detective.

They also told us he admitted to selling those drugs to the West Point cadets. He is right now still in jail on a bond.

And, Pamela, this unfortunately, is the second time in recent years that we're seeing West Point wrapped up in a controversy, controversial headlines that are making national news now.

You remember, back in 2020, West Point was involved in a cheating scandal from some of the cadets that cheated during a calculus exam.

Now we are still waiting, Pamela, to hear on the condition of the cadets as they are recovering in the hospital -- Pamela?

BROWN: Nadia Romero, thank you.

Sanctions are piling up on Russia as its invasion of Ukraine shows no sign of ending.

We want to get a really interesting view of what is going on. Coming up I'm going to talk to the foreign minister, the former foreign minister of Russia and ask how the country will deal with the economic fallout.

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[20:25:32]

BROWN: The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not going as the Kremlin planned. Russian casualties are piling up, economic sanctions are strangling the country, and most of the world has united against Vladimir Putin.

I want to bring in former Russian foreign minister, Andrei Kozyrev. He is also the author of "The Fire Bird: The Elusive Fate of Russian Democracy."

Mr. Kozyrev, thank you so much for coming on.

You have a unique perspective on this war. Earlier this week, in a series of tweets, you explained why Putin is actually acting rationally. Walk us through that, if you would.

ANDREI KOZYREV, FORMER RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER & AUTHOR: Russia, from the outside, it looks like it's a lunatic acting. And the problem is that he's isolated, and he starts to trust his own propaganda. Tragedy for Russia it is in that situation.

I believe that there's no people, no nation like Ukraine is, like Ukraine. So, he expected it to be very, very easy, which it is not.

He thought that the United States and the West are completely unable to do anything. And, he believed that he has an over-potent army, which is not.

In a corruptive state, in a state of corruption that he created in Russia and with declining economy even before sanctions, there could not be a first side.

Unfortunately, it's a third-class economy and a third-class army, as the general said before in the segment.

BROWN: You mentioned that he thought this would be easier than it is.

Ukraine is now claiming to have intelligence that Putin ordered troops to prepare a terror attack at Chernobyl and then blame Ukrainians for it.

This, of course, isn't the first time Ukrainians have made claims about the risks to their nuclear power plants.

But if Putin is actually a rational actor, should we be concerned about the potential use of nuclear weapons amid these reports?

KOZYREV: Well, so far, he threatens the nuclear weapons. You know, a mad man, he does not threaten a weapon. He just uses them.

He jumps on people or she jumps on people indiscriminately. They do not understand what they are doing.

And this guy is very aware of what he's doing. So, he brandishes the nuclear weapons and chemical weapons to scare. So, his strategy is intimidation.

And that's what nuclear weapons are for. The nuclear weapons are for deterrence, so to speak, which means to scare the enemy from using those threats.

And he knows very well that if he actually starts nuclear threat on the United States or NATO countries, he'll receive the response, which will be completely devastating and nobody can survive, himself included.

So, he's rational enough not to be suicidal. But he certainly threatens. And shows fear, shows his hesitancy.

[20:30:00]

We'd all be tempted probably to use a little bit of that arsenal like so called meaning nukes. Because you see that as much he feels impunity, he thinks that he is known from direct response from NATO. I'm not a military expert enough to be command, necessarily the air zone or the flight freeze.

But something should be done and I believe could be done. If there is a will, there is a way, but if he sees that NATO is so scared, that they roll out any kind of combat with Russian troops, he might go further even use a mini nuke in Ukraine to steer mental nuclear weapons.

But all there is rational behavior, but rational behavior by, you know, of course --

BROWN: Yes, I mean, he's most certainly -- I want to -- he is most certainly a villain. Just if you would, quickly, we are running out of time, but the current Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, my understanding is he was your deputy. And he, as you well know, has been pushing out these lies justifying the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has said that Russia will see this till the end. I'm just curious what you think about that. He was your deputy. And now he is working hand in hand with Putin on this war that has killed so many innocent people.

KOZYREV: I don't know. It makes me sick -- to see my friend, a former friend, and a reasonable person, not probably a rational, but he is. And, you know, it's a disgrace. And it's been painful for me because he was my friend.

BROWN: Do you think he actually believes what he's saying? Or do you think he just has to go along with it, because the alternative would be too dangerous?

KOZYREV: Well, because it's dangerous or probably allying his (INAUDIBLE) for him, I don't know. But probably both or maybe the latter. But, of course, he is too smart. Otherwise, he would not be my deputy. He's too smart not to understand that he's lying and -- or the disgrace of what he's doing. But even if -- he do it -- does it for money or for -- worrisome to say whatever it is. I don't know.

BROWN: OK. Well, thank you for offering this perspective. It's really fascinating to hear from you, the foreign Russian foreign minister, thank you so much, Andrei.

KOZYREV: Thank you, Pam.

BROWN: American drivers use very little Russian oil, but the situation in Ukraine has us all hurting when we fill up our tanks. What can the U.S. do to ease the situation? That's next.

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[20:35:08]

BROWN: Whether you are behind the wheel or not, gas prices are hurting our wallets. We have seen prices surged nearly 49 cents, just in the past week or so. So, let's put all of this into perspective to better understand it. Today, AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.33 a gallon. So let's say that your car's fuel tank holds 15 gallons, that 65 bucks for a full tank of gas, pay those prices over the course of a year and it will cost more than $3,300 if you fill up just once a week. So we would pay $1,170 more this year compared to what we paid just one year ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very expensive. It's like an extra $200 a month just for my car. UNIDENTIFIEDEMALE: They're ridiculous and I've been across the country. So I know that the gas prices, you know, in other states are a lot lower.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had to take the metro because -- I mean, it's really high, $6 is really impacting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Every time gas prices go up just 10 cents a gallon, you would pay $70 more over the course of a year. Now, if the average price of gas hits five bucks, it will cost you 75 bucks each time you fill up that tank and you'll spend an extra $500 in a year compared to what the national averages right now.

So, there are plenty of drivers who are already feeling that pain. Gas stations on both coasts are seeing prices well above $5 a gallon. And if gas jumps to six bucks a gallon across the country, watch out that is $90 a fill-up, which works out to an extra 1,300 bucks more a year from what we are paying now.

So this week, oil prices eased slightly dropping five and a half percent. It's the biggest drop since late November, but the prices are still elevated.

Bob McNally joins me now, he's a president of Rapidan Energy Group to learn more about this. Hi, Bob, Good to see you. So the United States is already the world's top producer of crude oil, but the U.S. is also the world's biggest consumer of it.

[20:40:09]

So the question on so many people's minds right now, why can't the U.S. just drill for more oil?

BOB MCNALLY, PRESIDENT, RAPIDAN ENERGY GROUP: Pamela, good to be with. You know, we're learning the hard way, this very difficult winter, that being a big producer, and able to drill more in the future, which we can if we get things right, it doesn't really affect the price of crude oil. And the price of crude oil is what drives the gasoline price in your local station and my local station, because the price of crude oil depends on demand and supply all over the world.

So when President Putin decides to attack Ukraine, and suddenly we have to look at the prospect of sanctioning the Russian exports of oil to the world, and Russia is the biggest oil exporter in the world, that's a problem that's bigger than the U.S. production capability can solve unfortunately, in the short term.

So, as long as we have this risk, that Russia's oil may be sanctioned, we've got a problem that's bigger than even the valiant U.S. oil producers can solve.

BROWN: So then, in your opinion, how high could gas prices go? I mean, are we talking six bucks a gallon? $7? What do you expect? MCNALLY: Well, we expect gasoline prices will continue rising until one of two things happens, either there's going to be some sort of resolution to this war in Ukraine, President Putin's attack on Ukraine, and the risk to that oil supply being cut off from Russia goes away. And if that happens, prices will drop immediately.

But if that doesn't happen, I'm afraid pump prices could easily rise towards $5 a gallon or even more, until we get to the point where folks have to just stop driving as much or even economic activity around the world weakens. That's just the hard reality of the global oil market. When you have this kind of a supply shock, it either goes away or it drives prices higher until demand falls.

BROWN: All right. I want to get to this viewer question that we have for you. This viewer is asking, "If Russia only accounts for roughly three percent of our oil imports, then why is the price of gas affected so much? We still have roughly 97 percent of our imports available."

And I know you sort of touched on this, but if you would expand on what you were saying about that, Bob.

MCNALLY: You bet. And it's important to understand whether or not we import oil or export oil. And the United States is pretty much self- sufficient. We're actually a net exporter. That doesn't matter for the price of gasoline. It doesn't matter. Why?

Because oil is traded globally and is fungible. It's priced globally as well. So everybody pays the same price. Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States, everybody, whether you're a small producer or a big producer, because it is a traded global commodity that's priced in world markets. So it's a good thing to produce more like we do. It gets our trade deficit down. It improves our national security, but it doesn't mean we can sort of wall ourselves off or insulate ourselves from the global price of crude oil, everybody faces the same thing.

So in a 100 million barrel a day global crude oil market, when you suddenly have a risk to eight million barrels a day, which is how much Russia exports, everybody in the world is going to see a higher price as we are now because that amount of oil cannot be replaced from anywhere else and it will affect the price in this global market.

BROWN: OK. Bob McNally, thank you for breaking it down for us.

MCNALLY: You bet. Thank you.

BROWN: Well, if you're in the market for a big boat, there could be a bargain on the block soon. Italian police just seized this $580 million super yacht. Its owner is among a number of Russian elites recently sanctioned by the E.U. over their ties to the Kremlin.

It was supposedly part of a group of business leaders who met with Vladimir Putin after the invasion into Ukraine began where they discuss the potential economic impact of E.U. and American sanctions. CNN correspondence in Ukraine are bringing you the latest on the Russian invasion. They're also doing what they can to help people. Our Clarissa Ward shows you, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATALIA RUSSELL, ASKING FOR HELP TO LOOK FOR HER MOTHER IN UKRAINE: My mama doesn't have connection. I cannot go. I didn't hear from her a few days. Please, I beg you, Clarissa. You are my last hope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:45:15]

BROWN: Evacuation efforts grow more urgent as the sound of Russian military strikes grows closer to Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. This is brand-new video of a village just 30 miles west of Kyiv leveled by airstrikes and town after Ukrainian town. It is the same level of devastation.

With this in mind, consider the plight of a Ukrainian woman living in the U.S. who had not been able to reach her own mother who lives in Irpin, a heavily bombarded suburb of Kyiv.

And an impassioned tweet, the distressed woman reached out to our Clarissa Ward, Clarissa responded. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

RUSSELL: My name is Natalia Raso I'm from Ukraine. But last five years I live in the United States. My mom (INAUDIBLE) she is still in Irpin.

[20:50:05]

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An impassioned pleas sent to us on Twitter by a daughter desperately trying to track down her mother.

RUSSELL: My mama doesn't have connection. I cannot call her. I didn't hear from her a few days. She is by herself in her apartment. Please, I beg you, Clarissa, you are my last hope.

WARD: That message brought us back to this spot, the destroyed bridge, where brave volunteers continue to ferry out civilians who have been trapped in Irpin for more than 10 days. We've been told they may be able to help find Natalia's mother.

On our way to meet them, we hear a familiar accent. Dwight Crow has flown here from San Francisco to help in any way he can.

Less than a week after arriving, he is embedded with Ukrainian volunteers, and now spends his days helping Europeans most vulnerable escaped.

DWIGHT CROW, VOLUNTEER: When I saw the invasion, I honestly bought a plane ticket got here as quick as I could. This feels like the biggest fight for freedom I've seen in my lifetime. WARD: Have you ever been in a war zone before?

CROW: Not like this.

WARD: For most Americans, this would be a little out of their comfort zone.

CROW: This is a little out of my comfort zone. It's scary when you hear the bombs going off. But at the same time, you just -- there's people a lot closer to it than us and they're really the ones in harm's way and we're just doing our part to get them out of here.

WARD: Lawyer Daria and her team risked their lives every day to do just that. She speeds through the deserted streets, looking for those who are stranded and need help. She's agreed to add Natalia's mother to the list.

So, Daria, are you not afraid to do this?

DARIA PISARENKO, VOLUNTEER: I'm afraid, of course. I don't have a child yet. And I understand that I can help people.

WARD: They reach the first stop. Shelling can be heard in the distance, and they need to move quickly. You can feel how this place is completely deserted. It's like a ghost town.

Is the owner here? They shout. The team consults their lists to check the address. But no one answers, it's time to move on. In less than two weeks, Daria has seen the pleasant suburb of Kyiv where she lives turned into a warzone.

Does it make you angry?

PISARENKO: Yes, I'm angry. And I think it's OK. I'm angry to all Russian people -- to all Russian people. Because silence, it's also violence now, you're with Ukraine or with Russia.

WARD: We recognize the next stop. It's the address we've been searching for. But the first glance is troubling.

So this is the apartment complex where Natalia has told us that her mother lives. I'm just a little bit concerned because I can see there's some damage up there, presumably from artillery.

Team member Anton (PH) enters one of the buildings, who is waiting for evacuation, he shouts. But there is no reply. And Natalia's mother is nowhere to be seen. There is just a handful of people still living here. Who'd Mila (PH) and her husband tell us they chop wood in the forest and burn it to stay warm.

So she's saying that there's no water, there's no gas, there's no electricity. They cook their meals out here on an open fire. Yet they refuse to leave.

Where would we go? We don't have anywhere to go, she says. Whether they kill us here or there doesn't matter. When will these monsters leave?

Across the road, Daria urges another couple to evacuate, but it's another no. They've made it this far and are willing to see it through.

The team has found one man Olek (PH) who wants to get out. He bundles into the improvised rescue vehicle and sets off. Beyond the smashed windscreen lies the relative safety of Kyiv's center.

Back at the bridge, he tells us about his ordeal. It was an awful frightening situation there, he says, they shelled us 24 hours a day. The rest of his family is in a city now held by Russian forces in the South.

[20:55:01]

I don't know where I live anymore, he says, before bidding us goodbye.

It's time to head back, our mission unfulfilled. We haven't found Natalia's mother. But as we get closer to the city center, our cell phone signal returns.

So we've just had some great news from Natalia. She tells me that a few hours ago, her mother was successfully evacuated from Irpin by one of the volunteers.

Yet, another family saved by ordinary citizens doing extraordinary work.

Clarissa Ward, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

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