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Norway Prime Minister: Four U.S. Service Members Killed In NATO Training Crash; United Nations: 3.3 Million Have Fled Ukraine, Another Two Million Internally Displaced; Zelensky Calls For Peace Negotiations "Without Delay"; W.H.O.: At Least 43 Health Centers Attacked By Russian Forces; Schwarzenegger Video Urges Russians To Overcome Disinformation; Refugees Fleeing War Getting Stuck At U.S.- Mexico Border. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired March 19, 2022 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST (on camera): Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

You start this hour with breaking news in Norway. Search and rescue efforts are underway at this hour after U.S. Marines were involved in an aircraft crash. U.S. officials confirmed four Marines were involved in the crash during a NATO exercise. They have not commented on their fate. U.S. officials that is, but the Norwegian prime minister says the servicemen were killed.

For the very latest, let's bring in CNN's Natasha Bertrand. Natasha, what more are you learning?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, Fred. So, the US Marine Corps did confirm that four U.S. service members were in a training accident in Norway, as their Osprey was making its way to a peninsula just north of the Arctic Circle there. And this was part of a NATO training mission that has brought together about 30,000 forces from 27 different countries, including 1000s of U.S. Marines to come together and exercise with NATO forces.

Now, we do have a tweet from the U.S. ambassador to NATO, sending her condolences to the families of those who were involved in this accident. She said she is "Devastated to learn about the four Marines who lost their lives in a training accident in Norway. My deepest condolences to their families and loved ones."

Of course, the U.S. is not officially confirming that those four service members have died. But the Norwegian prime minister did say that they had lost their lives, and Norwegian authorities are in charge right now of the investigation.

Now, very much as unknown still about what caused this crash of this Osprey. But what the Norwegian authorities had indicated in their statements is that the weather was very bad.

That when the rescue crew went to go and search for these service members, it was very bad weather that it was heavy rains, heavy wind, and there was even an avalanche warning. And this is part of the reason why these forces train in Norway, especially this year, right? Is because of those harsh weather conditions, because of the very challenging terrain.

In theory, it would allow the soldiers to train in these very tough conditions and therefore be prepared for anything that might come their way. And this also comes at a very delicate moment for the NATO alliance, right? They are trying to train and show the world that they have these capabilities, especially in the face of this Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This training mission is supposed to go on until April 1st. It started last week. But obviously this is going to be a very kind of grim mark as the training sessions go on. Fred.

WHITFIELD: Natasha Bertrand, thank you so much.

All right, NATO, of course, monitoring the situation in Ukraine closely. U.S. officials now confirming that Russia used hypersonic missiles this week, the first time ever in combat.

The war taking a heavy toll just moments ago. The U.N. confirming nearly 850 civilian casualties in Ukraine since the start of the invasion 24 days ago. 64 of those casualties, those killed, children.

Today, in a video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling on Russia to begin peace talks without delay. But Russia continues its savage onslaught, launching new missile strikes in southern Ukraine, reportedly killing dozens of Ukrainian troops at a military base.

In the city of Mykolaiv, after a Russian missile strike hit barracks housing Ukrainian soldiers, reporters from CNN Swedish affiliate, Expressen were at the scene and report dozens of troops were killed in the shelling.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joining me from Lviv.

Salma, what are you seeing from the refugee crisis there?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Were at a gym at Lviv University. In peacetime, this gym would be where you would see wrestling matches potentially, but now, it's being used to house dozens of displaced people. As you can see, no privacy here, people right beside each other. Some of them have been here for a weeks.

I just want to show you I'm going to kneel down here and show you what their accommodations are like. This is just a basic wood palette here. You can see that's just been laid down on this gym floor, and over here is just very thin mattress, very thin bedding, by no means is this comfortable or ideal for any of the families who are here, many of them fleeing from some of the worst affected areas like Kharkiv, Kherson, and again, they've been sitting here for weeks with nothing but what they could carry on their backs.

I've also noticed a few pets here. People's dogs and cats that they were able to bring with them. I've asked them, you know, what's the plan? Are they going to move further west cross, the Polish border tried to make it into the rest of Europe?

But some of them are just waiting it out. Hoping despite these horrific reports that we're hearing From Eastern Ukraine, hoping that they will be able to return home.

[12:05:06]

ABDELAZIZ: In the meanwhile, of course, as they stay here, they're fully reliant on volunteers, we're told by the coordinators here. It's volunteers that are bringing this basic bedding that you see. It's volunteers that are bringing food, water, and basic supplies.

The Lviv City Council has visited recently, we're told, and they're working to bring more aid, more assistance. But you have to wonder how much longer can people live under these conditions in a place like this?

WHITFIELD: Lots of strain that so many are enduring. Salma Abdelaziz, thank you so much.

All right, let's get an update now on how things are happening on the ground -- the very different unique way. Maria Mezentseva is a member of Ukraine's parliament.

As you can see right there, she's in the passenger seat of a vehicle. And I understand Maria, you are riding back into Ukraine from Hungary. So, what have you experienced? What have you been seeing along the way?

MARIA MEZENTSEVA, MEMBER OF UKRAINE'S PARLIAMENT: Yes, hello. Thanks for having me.

We -- me and my colleagues, which is called the small group of women parliamentarians, Women Diplomatic Battalion spend the week, in European countries like France and U.K.

We've been in Strasbourg for a session of the Council of Europe and European Parliament passed very strong resolution on expelling of Russia from the Council of Europe for good, and then, spend a couple of working days in London, meeting prime minister -- ministers, (INAUDIBLE) they asked for volunteers, and everyone whom we could cover within 48 hours.

Now, I'm riding through Western Ukraine, and its very peaceful, beautiful sunset is about to come. And I can't express how happy I am to be back home.

The footages you are getting from Eastern Ukraine are very sad, and that's what, what am I constituency's, it's in the -- it's in the heart of Kharkiv City.

So, the severe bombings are continuing every day. Nevertheless, you -- our city council, our volunteers, and the regional council are working as one team to withstand this severe attack from Russia, as we are located 20 -- only 20-30 minutes from the Russian border.

WHITFIELD: So, Maria, while with your position on parliament, you are helping to promote a change on the geopolitical stage. You also mentioned you are very glad to be going back home there in Ukraine.

But, I mean, just talk to me about what you're seeing along the way. I mean, this must be heartbreaking to hear that there are missile strikes that are so close to the Polish border now.

And you know, close to NATO ally borders. And at the same time, we're also hearing with the devastation in Mykolaiv, and also this theatre in Mariupol, where they are still looking for any potential survivors.

Tell me about what that struggle is like for you as you make your way back to your country, but there's so much heartache and uncertainty.

MEZENTSEVA: We are definitely bring it back home several -- I would say numerous diplomatic achievements, including those I can't speak publicly about, which is -- which is in the way preset -- when what -- weapons sector, which we are in hiding. With something, missile systems, air jets, et cetera.

But what's happening on the ground right now is very important. You've mentioned very strategic cities like Mykolaiv, I would also mention Kherson because it's bordering the occupied -- illegally occupied Crimea. And that's how Russian troops and Russian leadership wants to link their ambitions in the south in the Black Sea, which will withstand with the best, let's say the best army men and women we have.

In the -- in the -- in the Mariupol, we have a -- I would say, it's a humanitarian catastrophe of the next level. People were deprived from food and water for weeks already. You might remember the drama theatre and the missiles which hit it.

Thank God we haven't received any information on that records, but many were wounded, and mainly women and children. This means that international community, International Red Cross, United Nations, UNHCR, all those who have to be present on the ground. That's why we are paying them salaries across the globe. They have to be here in Mariupol, in -- next to Kharkiv, in the city of Izyum, next small towns of Kyiv to deliberately secure humanitarian corridors.

[12:10:03]

MEZENTSEVA: And, of course, international presence. Our colleague from different parliaments from Europe are traveling on daily basis to the Western Ukraine and not only -- and their prey -- and their presence praise -- plays a crucial role on this.

Would that mean the Russians wouldn't be able to show this columns of people live in their devastated cities? Definitely not. Because the peaceful talks which are being conducted between two sides were never a place of fair dialogue.

As President Zelenskyy said, he was always open for fair peace. But that's Russia provided definitely not.

WHITFIELD: in fact that -- well, that has been a criticism, I mean, globally of Vladimir Putin that he was never genuinely intentional about promoting peace in any kind of negotiations with his counterparts and meeting with Zelenskyy's counterparts.

But now you've got President Zelenskyy, who is saying, it is time for immediate negotiations between he and Putin directly.

And clearly, this hopefulness, this bravery, this determination has been exhibited among Ukrainians, beginning with President Zelenskyy from the very start.

Do you continue to be hopeful that anything could come from a real mano-a-mano discussion between the Zelenskyy and Putin?

MEZENTSEVA: We definitely rely on Ukrainian army and our government Parliament, and our president, and our volunteers, and international support. If you ask me, I was still courageous about no-fly zone. Yes, we are.

We can talk about the part geography on covering 15 power plants reactors, nuclear power plant reactors, which might multiply by 15 the Chernobyl of 1986.

We can be talking about the corridors which might -- which might be also covered but the no-fly zone. If that doesn't work, let's discussed further supplies of weapons.

And our guys, our army is perfect on the ground. In the sky, we do need some extra assistance, because Russian army severely is bombarding our citizen villages at nighttime.

And you possibly know this very specific technical equipment has to be used in this manner.

Furthermore, President -- peaceful talks or direct dialogue. This is -- that was the very first intention of him when he took over the office of the president back in 2019. But we've learned from the --

WHITFIELD: While we've been very encouraged that we have been able to have an amazing signal all this time while she was driving, I'm sorry to say that, at this point, we're unable to hear, and I know you are too at home. So, we have to end it there.

But Maria, we really appreciate. Mezentseva, thank you so much for being with us as long as you were able to in that car ride.

All right. Well, it is time to meet. Those are the words today from President Zelenskyy to President Putin.

WHITFIELD (voice-over): As the Ukrainian president urging calls for peace negotiations to begin, can that really be a reality?

A retired Army general, joining me live next as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD (on camera): All right, it was indeed a strange moment when Russian President Vladimir Putin had a huge rally to mark the eighth anniversary of annexing Crimea.

WHITFIELD: (voice-over): And then, his speech, portions of it were suddenly cut off midway through. The Kremlin claims it was a glitch.

Meantime, Defense Secretary -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sat down exclusively with CNN Don Lemon, and said that Putin seems to have significant problems on the ground with his military.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. LLOYD AUSTIN (RET), UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We're here because of the -- of his decision to launch this attack. He can make a decision today to end this, and seek a diplomatic solution. He's had a number of opportunities along the way. He has opportunities today to decide to do something different. This is not going well for him on the battlefield.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD (on camera): Joining me right now, retired Army General Spider -- James Spider Marks, CNN military analyst. So, good to see you.

Sir, what's your point of view on what Secretary Lloyd is saying? Lloyd Austin is saying?

MAJ. GEN. JAMES MARKS (RET), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, I -- yes, I think Secretary Austin is absolutely spot on. The observation that we've been making over the course of the last three weeks is that the Russian offensive is not going to according to any plan.

I mean, they came out of the blocks, they stumbled immediately. They had some key objectives, they wanted to take the city of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Mariupol, the area in the vicinity of the Donbas, and all of that has been stalled, except for the devastation that's really taking place. I mean, distinct devastation in Mariupol.

But he's -- he is been exposed. His military has been exposed, we thought their military was far more capable than it's demonstrated. If they thought they could come into Ukraine with a little bit of presence and soft power, everybody put their hands up and say weapons to the bad man to go away. (INAUDIBLE) Didn't hit at all, right?

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, while the -- I'm sorry about that. While the brevity may not be there, the damage has still been significant, a lot of loss of life and to the infrastructure as well.

And now, the U.S. -- officials are confirming to CNN that Russia launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine last week. The first known use of such missiles in combat. What's the significance in your view of that?

MARKS: Yes, Fred, what you're seeing is that look, this is an army -- this Russian army that's been trying to modernize over the course of the last couple of decades, and it's done a fairly good job of getting the right equipment and getting the right capabilities, but they are poorly led.

[12:20:13]

MARKS: There's nothing worse in any organization, the crappy leadership, and that's exactly what the Russians are displaying. Their soldiers are not motivated, they haven't been able to get out of there, out of their vehicles, and really kind of exercise and manoeuver at a patient with a momentum demonstrated that they've learned anything from their training.

And they're now transitioning to a defensive posture, which means they've culminated. They're kind of at wit's end, they're at the end of their logistics tail, they now have to transition to defense, which means they're incredibly vulnerable. And Ukrainians know that.

They'll take advantage, Fred, as the Russians tried to resupply and evacuate all that kind of stuff, the Ukrainians need to really kind of get after those logistics lines and those units, and they are doing it quite well.

WHITFIELD: And do you think that the arsenal that has been making its way across the border, whether it's reportedly in a clandestine way, across the Polish border, getting to Ukrainian military defenses has been successful?

Do you think more is coming? Is that enough to take out the -- these Russian forces that are, you know, as you put it kind of in a standstill?

MARKS: Right, yes. The short answer is Fred are yes to your first question, yes to your second question. It's -- it making a difference. They're getting into the right units. That transition, that handoff is working.

The answer to your last question is no, it's not sufficient by itself. It needs to continue, and it will.

Look, these NATO partners are stepping up. And the United States is doing a masterful job to make sure that the right place to facilitate that transition and that handle, without getting involved. There's a lot of art, there's a lot of science --

WHITFIELD: And if indeed, Russia is to use chemical weapons, you say NATO will get involved. And thus far, while Putin hasn't necessarily promised he's going to use it, he is projecting that he may have a plan and is ready to execute it.

So, in your view, why should NATO even wait? If the danger is there, why should NATO delay its involvement? Is it time now? MARKS: Well, the challenge truly is who takes the first blow in this particular arena of weapons of mass destruction. Clearly, the NATO powers are not going to use that stuff.

I mean, if Putin was to use it, I would suspect that the United States and NATO will get directly involved because WMD is illegal. It's an area denial weapon, which means you use it, and then you don't touch that area. Either, you don't use it as a Russian or you don't use it as Ukrainian because it's contaminated. You stay away from that, which means you put your forces elsewhere, you can direct them elsewhere, maybe with greater effect.

If that were to occur, there would be some very, very serious discussions about getting NATO directly involved. But you don't want to do that pre-emptive in anticipation of what Putin is going to do.

You have to be able to do is make it crystal clear that here -- this is where the (INAUDIBLE) earns its pay, and they do it (INAUDIBLE). This is where the bombings (INAUDIBLE) that says don't put down that (INAUDIBLE).

Let me -- let me guarantee you, these will be -- these will be the consequences of actions that would include nukes -- I mean, all that category of weapons of mass destruction.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Lviv, Ukraine. That was supposed to be a safe place. I spoke with the mayor earlier, who said they've had an influx of something like 200,000 refugees who have found safe haven there. But then now, we're looking at images right here of the smoke, whether it be a mistake, or whether it would be an intentional target, likely from the Black Sea and Russian forces. Is there more on the way?

MARKS: Of course, there will be. And look, these are not mistakes. What the Russians are doing because they've lost momentum, they're now resorting to these kind of annihilation-type picks, where they're going to step back and they're just going to launch rockets and artillery, which are dumb weapon systems. I mean, they're like flying telephone poles. They go in a general direction, they land where they land. It's horrific.

They do have smart weapon systems. And like the Sonics. They also have missiles which are guided.

But again, they're going after fixed targets. They can't (INAUDIBLE) the Russians have not demonstrated an ability to go after Ukrainian forces that are maneuverable, that are trying to take advantage. And really (INAUDIBLE) combat synchronize combat operations.

Russians are not doing it. Ukrainians are doing it. So, you're going to see the Russians continue to go after, like barracks and hospitals and schools. I mean, it's horrific. It's brutality, It's not warfare. It's terror.

WHITFIELD: Yes, brutality.

MARKS: No continue help --

[12:25:02]

WHITFIELD: You're right. All right, Major General Spider Marks, always good to see you. Thank you so much.

MARKS: Thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. And thanks at home too for hanging with all kinds of challenging technical issues here. But this is what it is, at this point in trying to reach people in faraway places and bring them to you as best we can.

All right, some of the most horrific images out of Ukraine have been attacks on medical facilities. Next, I'll talk to a doctor working at a hospital in the capital of Kyiv. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:29:55]

WHITFIELD: Some of the most jarring cites from Russia's invasion of Ukraine are attacks on hospitals, including this one in Mariupol at the start of the war, the World Health Organization estimates at least 43 medical facilities in Ukraine have come under attack.

Joining me right now is Dr. Valery Zukin of the maternity hospital where he works in Kyiv has been converted into a care center for the wounded now. Dr. Zukin, so glad you could be with me. So describe now what your hospital is like, what are the patients like, the injuries that you're treating?

DR. VALERY ZUKIN, EO, LELEKA MATERNITY HOSPITAL: Yes, but I was the happiness that when our hospital has been destroyed, partly, is that we have not the patient inside the hospital. But our maternity makes a victim of the some measles, explosion of measles. And it is some dimension of the building. And I know that the same situation in maternity, in Mariupol in maternity in (INAUDIBLE), I'm spoken -- I'm spoke with chief doctors of this hospital. And I know that a lot of medical facilities has been destroyed by the Russian aggression.

And I would like to explain is that even the road grass and knowing that it is a medical facilities though the defense that especially attention of the Russian aggression for the medical facilities. And they make it like the target of the explosion of their missiles.

WHITFIELD: So it sounds like your hospital is now a trauma hospital whereas before --

ZUKIN: For this moment is that we stop all activity because I think that during 20 days, the first 10, 12 days, we have even the deliveries in our hospital after the explosion. But after this, we take our toll, the pregnant women, we take out all the post-delivery women and babies. And we work a few days and certain point for the soldiers and mostly for the civilian people because it's a lost of during (ph) and also bound in between the civilian peoples. And I saw my own eyes the best of civilian peoples after the some injuries in our hospital.

You understand that for this moment, I feel was the smell of the death and the smell of the blood because for this moment, it is terrible. And for this reason, the Ukrainian people ask United States and ask all society to help us to close sky non-flying so on and to help. In fact, it is (INAUDIBLE) it is beginning already, we must open the eyes. And always one question it will stop in Ukraine or it will move further West, in the (INAUDIBLE) Poland and shows all the air. It is true. And (INAUDIBLE) must understand the truth as soon as possible.

WHITFIELD: And Dr. Zukin while you describe what your experience is now like you are, you know, feeling and seeing and experiencing the smell of death and blood. And the international community is now trying to assess and investigate whether war crimes are being committed. How would you see it? How do you describe it with so many civilians dying?

ZUKIN: You understand it all of this is true and we are very thankful to world society for the support. But for another point of view that -- from my point of view, Americans and your Western Europeans measure the mentality of the Russian people by their measurements, that Russian people understand all the power.

And for this reason, I think that it must be first of all political, military support. And after this humanitarian support, because we have a lot of requests, which medication do you need, which food we need, every scene we have for this moment it's enough for us at least for this moment.

In some places, we have a momentary and catastrophe and for example, when I stay here with you descend from our stroke in our hospital, some children's food in some pampers in Mariupol because for this moment, it is a humanitarian catastrophe. The problem, it's not this. The problem it's the same like for example if somebody has the loop in his neck and you ask him, do you need more oxygen? Do you need more food? You understand that, first of all, we must take out the loop from our own neck.

[12:35:18]

WHITFIELD: Understood, take off the news from your neck, so that you can go back to being living freely in your country of Ukraine. Dr. Valery Zukin, thank you so much. And we are of course hoping for the best and most peaceful outcome.

ZUKIN: Yes. We hope the international will support. And for this moment, Ukrainian people, I saw the faces in the eyes of these people defend not only the Ukraine, and defend all the human civilization, all this human values, all the both (ph) from this aggression.

WHITFIELD: Understand. Thank you so much, Dr. Zukin all the best to you.

ZUKIN: OK, thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Well, as Dr. Zukin described, I mean, this is about humanity. They are teachers. They are dancers. They're business people, everyday citizens in Ukraine now in the middle of a war zone. CNN Scott McLean has more on the American veterans helping Ukrainians be ready for the realities of war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is the kind of lesson that few people want to have to teach and fewer want to have to use in real life. It's basic first aid for a community coming to grips with the reality of war.

MARIAN PAKHOLOK, CIVIL ENGINEER: I'm afraid because we are not prepared. I am not a professional soldier. But I understand it is better to mean --the enemy been prepared and with the right skills.

MCLEAN (voice over): Dr. Robert Lim is an American war veteran working with the global surgical and medical support group its bringing medics, doctors and surgeons to Ukraine to train civilians. It seems fun now, but these scenarios may soon become reality. The civilian training held in a local gym attracts engineers, teachers, dancers, all kinds of professions and age groups, including high school students suddenly forced by the war to put their own plans on hold.

VIKTORIA HLADKA, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I don't understand and know when I will in future study, because now its part time and I don't know what can be tomorrow.

MCLEAN (voice over): Lim is teaching people battlefield survival skills, like how to apply a tourniquet or how to keep an injured person breathing. With 23 years of experience as an army surgeon, he is also training doctors to prepare for the type of wounds rarely seen in civilians during peacetime.

DR. ROBERT LIM, VETERAN ARMY SURGEON: If you're in New York City or London or another big city, most of the injuries are blunt. So it's a car accident or a fall or something like that. Or as most of the injuries on a battlefield are going to are penetrating wounds that might injure an artery or major vessel.

MCLEAN (voice over): All with a small fraction of the resources there used to.

LIM: Do what you can with what you've got.

MCLEAN (voice over): In many parts of Ukraine, medical supplies and facilities are getting harder to come by. And then the worst hit areas many hospitals are now operating in basements with only flashlights to avoid attracting Russian bomb. Dr. Tania Boychuk is a dermatologist from Western Ukraine, one of dozens of medical professionals sharpening their skills for battle.

TANIA BOYCHUK, DERMATOLOGIST (through translator): In normal life, dermatologists do not provide first aid. Do not stop bleeding. Do not do tourniquets and punctures.

MCLEAN (voice over): With her day job on hold, she's planning to join the military and she won't wait for the fighting to come to her.

BOYCHUK (through translator): I plan to go to the war front, my close friends were now and I want to be there too.

MCLEAN (voice over): Scott McLean, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[12:38:54]

WHITFIELD: All right, the information campaign to get the truth about the war in Ukraine to Russian citizens, well that's in full swing. Next, submission to pierce who runs digital Iron Curtain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The information campaign is intensifying to get facts past Russian censors. And that includes a wide cast from the U.S. State Department to Ukrainian hackers and even Hollywood star and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, FORMER GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA: I urge the Russian people and the Russian soldiers in Ukraine to understand the propaganda and disinformation that you're being told. I ask you to help me spread the truth. Let the fellow Russians know the human catastrophe that is happening in Ukraine. And to President Putin I say you started this war, you are leading this war, you can stop this war. This is an illegal war. Your lives, your limps, your futures are being sacrificed for senseless war contempt of the entire world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN tech reporter Brian Fung joining me right now, Brian, explain how the digital front lines are working to break through Vladimir Putin's modern Iron Curtain.

BRIAN FUNG, CNN TECH REPORTER: Well, Fred, we're seeing a huge cast of characters joining this effort to try and get accurate information to people in Russia and past, you know, the digital iron curtain that, as you said, has fallen across Europe here. You know you have actors and governmental actors like the State Department setting up telegram accounts on the -- on an encrypted app, known as telegram.

I'm trying to get information to Russians, you have volunteer hackers who have banded together at the behest of the Ukrainian government to, you know, hack Russian news websites and try and put accurate news on those websites.

[12:45:30]

And then you also have, you know, celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, who are, you know, doing their own videos and trying to get, you know, information about what's happening in Ukraine to Russians. And, you know, by the way, you're also seeing individual Russians

trying to break out of some of the restrictions that Vladimir Putin has put on the internet in Russia, you know, turning to technologies like encrypted messaging, apps, VPNs, Tor, and signal to try and get out from behind the firewall that Vladimir Putin has put in front of Russians to try and prevent them from getting access to accurate information and to control the narrative within Russia to build support for the invasion in Ukraine.

WHITFIELD: I mean, Brian, you paint a really fascinating picture, you know, because it's not really just the big names that are helping. I mean, you actually spoke with a nurse in Florida and a plumber in Indiana, right? And tell us more about how they are helping in this cause.

FUNG: That's right, average Americans are signing on to websites that have been built by programmers around the world. You know, this, Stacey McHugh, who I spoke to as a Florida nurse, logged on to a website built by a group known as Squad 303. And that website allows anyone on the internet to send text messages, WhatsApp messages, and even e-mails, to a random Russian cell phone number or e-mail address from a list of millions.

And, you know, Stacey told me that she actually managed to get in touch with three Russians who responded. Now the responses were not, you know, very friendly, they were kind of hostile. But nevertheless, that hasn't deterred her. She says, you know, she just wants to make a difference. And it's, you know, just exciting to be able to make a human connection with someone, you know, on the other side of this iron curtain.

WHITFIELD: I mean, what about, um, in Ukraine, I mean, well, you know, they might be outgunned by Russia, they are using a different kind of digital tactic, right, to try to maintain truth telling.

FUNG: That's right. And, you know, just as the Ukrainian military has had to rely on, you know, asymmetric tactics on the battlefield, you're also seeing Ukrainian officials, you know, using their strengths in IT talent, and their prowess on social media to get their message out. You know, you see, President Zelenskyy, you know, doing speeches on Zoom. You have the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, you know, publishing the letters that he's sending to Western Tech companies asking for help on Twitter.

And then, you know, getting those responses back and then also posting those on Twitter. It's been a really effective strategy, kind of utilizing, you know, soft power in social media to kind of get around the disadvantage that they have in military power.

WHITFIELD: Fascinating. All right, Brian Fung, thank you so much for bringing all that to us. Appreciate it.

[12:48:32]

All right still ahead, why the U.S.-Mexico border is becoming a new avenue for Ukrainians looking to escape the war and gain sanctuary in the U.S.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Refugees caught in limbo. Both Ukrainians and Russians fleeing the war are having a difficult time entering the U.S. Here now with CNN Lucy Kafanov.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In America's southern border anguish and uncertainty for the war weary. Kristina was in Kyiv when Russia unleashed terror from the skies.

KRISTINA, UKRAINIAN ASYLUM SEEKER: I just wake up from bomb.

KAFANOV: She fled first to Poland and France and Mexico, unable to bring her parents or brother along.

KRISTINA: I'm just crying so much, just hugging so much and goodbye. And we don't know maybe they don't look each other anymore in this life.

KAFANOV: Traumatized, shaken waiting for a chance to apply for asylum in the U.S. Two weeks at the border --

KRISTINA: Two weeks, yes.

KAFANOV: -- and you have not been able to cross despite the fact that you're fleeing or --

KRISTINA: And here we are third time.

KAFANOV: Third time at the border.

KRISTINA: Yes. And we just tried to go there.

KAFANOV: Sergey Finik (ph), his wife Yana (ph) and their two little ones fled Kharkiv as soon as the invasion began before the Russians turned their home to rubble.

(on camera): They said they're really hoping to be able to cross. He says he wants to go to America.

(voice-over): An unreachable dream for many, with the U.S. southern border largely closed off to asylum seekers for the past two years thanks to a controversial Trump era COVID Health order known as Title 42. Shortly after we spoke, Kristina and other Ukrainians were allowed to cross but they weren't the only one seeking refuge from Vladimir Putin's wrath.

(on camera): There is confusion at the border here in Tijuana. We saw some Ukrainians allowed to enter including those that have been turned away several time. This group consists of mostly Russians. They have been here for days. Their fate remains uncertain.

(voice-over): Katya Yaten (ph) and then her two children came from St. Petersburg. Her husband was arrested for protesting the invasion hours after it was announced. He feared prison or forced conscription into the war.

[12:55:07]

(on camera): She caught the last Aeroflot flight to Mexico hoping to gain refuge and safe haven in the U.S. It will be (INAUDIBLE) you try to cross (INAUDIBLE) what do they tell you?

(voice-over): She says they were promised entry then told to wait. Six days later, they remain in limbo no access to funds because of sanctions. A Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by CNN instructs Customs and Border Protection officers to consider exempting Ukrainians from Title 42. An agency spokesman said other vulnerable individuals could be accepted on a case by case basis, but no other nationality was singled out in the new guidance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Lucy Kafanov, thanks so much for that report. And we'll be right back.

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