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Zelenskyy Makes Urgent Plea for NATO Arms; Russian Missiles Striking Ukrainian Fuel Depots; Refugee: All Infrastructure Destroyed, Nowhere to Live; Biden: Vladimir Putin "Cannot Remain in Power"; Ukrainian Troops Push Counteroffensive Near Capital; Ukrainian Rock Star Describes Life in a War Zone; Missiles Striking Lviv Injure Five; Taliban Renege on Allowing Girls back in Schools; 100+ U.S. Fire Departments Send Gear to Ukraine. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired March 27, 2022 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Welcome to our viewers around the world and in the United States this hour. I'm Hala Gorani, reporting live from Lviv, Ukraine.
The American president, Joe Biden, is back in Washington at this hour after a series of quite high-stakes summits in Europe to address the war in Ukraine.
But before leaving Europe, he delivered an unprecedented broadside at Russia's leader. On no uncertain terms, the American president said Vladimir Putin must go. A Kremlin spokesperson ridiculed that comment that was apparently unscripted, saying it was not Mr. Biden's decision to make.
Now the White House quickly clarified that the president was not calling for regime change in Moscow. More on that and what else came out of that trip in a moment.
First, though, even as Mr. Biden was in Poland, Russian missiles struck another fuel facility, this time in Lviv and even closer to our position here. Ukraine's president again pleaded with NATO for a tiny fraction of its arsenal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): One percent of all the planes, 1 percent of all the tanks. That's all we're asking for, just 1 percent. We do not ask for more and we've already been waiting 31 days.
Who runs the U.N. Atlantic committee?
Is it Moscow because of intimidation?
Partners need to step up assistance to Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: Well, Mr. Biden's speech also pushed back against how Russia has tried to frame this war from the get-go, really. The U.S. President described it as part of a larger battle between democracies and autocracies and he urged democratic nations to prepare for a long fight ahead on that front.
During his visit, the U.S. also pledged $100 million in new civilian security assistance to Ukraine. Phil Mattingly has more from Warsaw.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Biden wrapped up his trip to Europe with a very clear idea in mind. He wanted to deliver a message, a forceful message, a message that could be read by any number of people, whether the Ukrainians, Russian president Vladimir Putin or the world.
But one that underscored the stakes of the moment, the urgency of the moment and the fact that, at least in President Biden's view, this is not just a singular moment but something much bigger, making comparisons in his remarks to the Soviet Union and its fall, the Berlin Wall, the Iron Curtain and how the West and, in particular, Eastern Europe, where he was standing in Poland, specifically rose up and were able to fight back with the support of Western democracies.
It's that support, it's the unification of those Western democracies that the president is so keen on keeping together. Certainly, we've seen it over the course of the last month. But White House officials know it's fragile, particularly as domestic pain on the economic front is likely to increase in the weeks and months ahead.
However, it was one line in particular that the president laid out, one line that wasn't scripted at all, that got the most attention from that speech. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A dictator bent on rebuilding an empire will never erase the people's love for liberty. Brutality will never grind down the will to be free. Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia, for free people refuse to live in a world of hopelessness and darkness.
We will have a different future, a brighter future rooted in democracy and principle, hope and light, of decency and dignity, of freedom and possibilities. For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: It was that last line there that was not in the prepared remarks, was not scripted. And White House officials moved very quickly to walk it back, make clear the president was not calling for a regime change. But the president's view on President Putin has grown increasingly
caustic and dark over the course of the last several weeks. He's called him a war criminal, a butcher. It's very clear where the president stands. The White House a little more cautious.
But the overarching message very clear, something the president wanted to hammer home before he left Europe, particularly given the moment where White House officials and European officials alike now, there's no near-term end to the crisis that's torn apart Ukraine over the course of the last month -- Phil Mattingly, CNN, Warsaw.
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GORANI: Well, here in Lviv, fire crews were battling a huge blaze after Russian missiles struck a fuel storage facility. CNN's Don Lemon was on the scene moments after that attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: You could hear the flames roaring in and what they're concerned about is another one of these tanks exploding, so they're pushing people back until they can get control of this blaze.
You were mentioning how close it is to a neighborhood, it's really close to a neighborhood. It's on the other side, there's a little valley in here and another side of a retention wall.
And, Pete, if you can just go around just a little bit and show them how close this is to a neighborhood quickly and then we'll get back in the frame.
So it's really, really close.
This is a neighborhood where everyone has gathered, all of the rescue people and they have done this on a number of different streets. So if you'll come back here, so we are, you know, just within a 10th of a mile or so from where this is happening.
But again, look at those flames. They are just roaring, black smoke coming out of there.
And you can see them putting the fire retardant, spraying the fire retardant on this.
And -- but again, as you said, it is a chaotic scene. They're running fire hoses through this residential neighborhood, the -- this retention wall, and into the other side of that valley and tanks.
Think of it, as you will, you know, for those of you who live near a chemical plant and you see these large, round storage facilities that carry either fuel or grain or what have you, that is what is happening here.
This is a fuel storage facility, northeast of the city. Again, we're told it's not anywhere near where that those -- that blast went off just a couple of weeks ago when they hit that airplane repair facility.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: The mayor also saying, after that attack, another missile struck another part of the city.
Ukrainian officials are criticizing Russia's attacks on Holocaust memorials. On Saturday, a monument near the city of Kharkiv became the latest Holocaust site destroyed by Russia.
The president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says Russia, quote, "committed another crime against history," saying the Russian troops denazified the memorial.
The foreign minister tweeted about the destruction, questioning why Russia keeps attacking these Holocaust sites.
Now Russia claims one of its cruise missiles destroyed a fuel depot in Mykolaiv in Ukraine on Saturday. The city near the Black Sea has been devastated by fighting, with homes reduced to rubble and Russian air raids.
Despite the violence and the danger, some families in Mykolaiv are trying to hold onto some semblance of normalcy. CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.
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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once more, the people of Mykolaiv can have their daily bread.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
WEDEMAN: "I see a change," says Maxim.
"Now it's getting back to normal. I really hope it will last."
The Ukrainian army and volunteer fighters have pushed Russian forces east, sparing this port city, blocking Russia's push to seize the country's entire western Black Sea coast. The supermarkets are fully open, even if some shelves are empty. Fresh milk still missing.
Alexander and his family seem to savor the mundane task of grocery shopping.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
WEDEMAN (voice-over): He begins to tell us the Russians stopped, when his wife interrupts him to say, "We're still afraid."
WEDEMAN: On the surface, life seems to be resuming most of its regular rhythms. But that's just the surface.
All over the city, there are piles of these old tires, intended to be set alight to obscure the vision of invading Russian forces. And there's also, among the tires, Molotov cocktails.
WEDEMAN (voice-over): Around the city, signs of destruction. This empty hotel struck several days ago in the early afternoon.
Natasha wasn't home nearby when it happened. In this predominantly ethnic Russian city, she scoffs at the idea Russia is waging war on her behalf.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not for our home. And not for Russian people.
WEDEMAN: The Red Cross has turned this wedding hall into a center providing medicine, diapers and other supplies. What they can't provide, however, is a sense this nightmare is coming to an end -- Ben Wedeman, CNN, Mykolaiv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Well, Ukrainian officials say more than 5,200 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors on Saturday. The vast majority were from Mariupol. More than 4,300 from that besieged eastern city reached Zaporizhzhya. Hundreds more were evacuated from the Kyiv and Luhansk regions, now safe in Poland.
Refugees are describing horrific conditions.
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OLHA MOLIBOHA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE (through translator): People have nowhere to live.
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MOLIBOHA (through translator): All infrastructure is destroyed. There is no water, no electricity, nothing. But our people are like this. They will simply start defending themselves. We will defend ourselves to the last as long as we are alive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: This older lady fled Chernihiv with her pet.
According to the U.N., more than 3.7 million people have fled to safety in other countries since the war began. While in Poland, the American President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian refugees at the national stadium, at one point carrying a Ukrainian girl in his arms and trying to offer comfort to those who were displaced.
Now despite the millions who have already fled, there are countless others still trying to escape Ukraine. One Norwegian volunteer paramedic is bravely making daily trips to the country, to help as many people as he can, to flee Poland. CNN's Ed Lavandera has his story.
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ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At any given moment across Ukraine, there are countless people on the streets, doing whatever they can to help in the war effort. So when missile strikes happen near a populated area, like we saw on Saturday in Lviv, that sends shivers down the spines of all those people trying to help.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): The air raid sirens no longer startle Didrik Gunnestad.
DIDRIK GUNNESTAD, VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE DRIVER: The sirens are telling us it's no danger anymore.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): With that, he eases the nerves of a mother and her two children he's just picked up at the train station. Tonight, he will drive them to Poland.
Didrik Gunnestad struggles to explain how a 27-year-old from Norway has found himself dragging an ambulance through the streets of Lviv.
GUNNESTAD: That's the most difficult question actually.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): He's part of a volunteer team evacuating critically ill hospital patients and refugees from Ukraine.
GUNNESTAD: I just wanted to help, do something. Not sit at home and just look at everything on the TV.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Most days, Didrik drives into Lviv from Poland with an ambulance full of medical supplies and distributes the loads to hospitals facing grave shortages.
Zoryana Ivanyuk is the medical director of the Saint Nicholas Hospital in Lviv. She says, since the start of the war, her hospital has been overwhelmed, treating every day seriously ill patients.
DR. ZORYANA IVANYUK, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, SAINT NICHOLAS HOSPITAL, LVIV: He brings us some medicines, some equipment, which we need so much. That's why we are thankful for him and his team. It's really a dream team.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Hospitals are struggling to handle all the patients needing critical lifesaving care.
That's where Didrik's team comes in.
GUNNESTAD: We have just delivered a lot of equipment to that hospital and to another hospital. We went to the train station and picked up a few refugees as well.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): He's lost count of how many patients and refugees he's driven out of Ukraine.
GUNNESTAD: I have helped a lot of kids, women and children who needs to go out of the country. And in the places we are getting the people, they don't have anyone else. For right now, they only have us.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Didrik and his team of paramedics and nurses have spent almost three weeks crisscrossing the city, answering any call for help that comes in.
LAVANDERA: How stressful is it to drive around Ukraine right now?
GUNNESTAD: Oh, my God. It's horrific. And it's not possible to explain.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): This area of Western Ukraine has seen just a few Russian airstrikes since the war started nearly a month ago. But Russian forces have targeted hospitals and civilians in Eastern Ukraine.
Didrik knows he's driving into potential targets. It's a risk he's willing to take.
LAVANDERA: Is doing this worth dying for, for you?
GUNNESTAD: Yes, it is. Because it's so meaningful what I'm doing. When I see this crying children who are really sick and needs to get out, I feel a responsibility.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): For Didrik Gunnestad, it feels like the road to saving Ukrainians goes on forever.
LAVANDERA: I spoke with Didrik just moments after that explosion happened in Lviv on Saturday. And he told me that he happened to have three patients in the back of his ambulance at that very moment, that they weren't too far away from where the explosion detonated.
He said it took him a little while to figure out exactly what the sound was and where it was coming from. But as soon as they put it all together, they stopped everything and started driving straight to the Polish-Ukrainian border.
And he tells me that they all made it across safely late Saturday afternoon. And, in his eyes, it's three more people that he's been able to evacuate safely out of this war-torn country.
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GORANI: Ed Lavandera reporting.
If you'd like to help people in Ukraine, who may be in need of shelter, food, water, what have you, please go to cnn.com/impact. You'll find several ways you can help there.
We'll be right back. Stay with us.
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GORANI: President Biden just arrived back in the United States a couple hours ago after traveling to Europe to rally support for Ukraine.
On ,Saturday Mr. Biden capped off his visit with a powerful and apparently unscripted condemnation of the Russian President Putin, saying that he, quote, "must go."
Mr. Biden also reiterated the United States' commitment to its NATO allies but did not offer Ukraine help, like a no-fly zone, that many in this country want and have asked for. Now those comments coming just hours after Russian missiles struck here in Lviv. And during the day flames and thick smoke could be seen rising from one of the attack sites.
Ukrainian officials say at least five people were hurt. And to the east of where I am right now, we are seeing Ukrainian troops make some gains around the capital, Kyiv, though intense fighting continues near the city. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Massive battles continue here around the Kyiv area while it seems, though, the Russians might be somewhat on the back foot.
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PLEITGEN: And Ukrainians are certainly saying they are pressing what they call a counteroffensive, especially toward the northwest of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and also toward the northeast of the capital as well.
The Ukrainians claiming that they took some area back. For instance, if we look at the suburb of Irpin, Ukrainians say that they have about 80 percent of that area right now. However, they also say that they are still being shelled by Russian forces.
Now, needless to say, despite these gains, this city is still very much on a war footing because, of course, the Ukrainians understand that the gains they've made so far are very fragile.
There are still a lot of checkpoints here inside the city; cars being checked, especially by the territorial defense forces. But what we do see is that there are more people who are out and about. There is some shops that are opening.
And also, there seems to be a lot more traffic than there has been in the past couple of weeks. While we also see the territorial defense forces -- they are still preparing for if the Russians might come back and might enter the city -- in fact, we saw some were practicing throwing Molotov cocktails in the most effective way.
Still, they say, right now, the mood here in the city is improving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Old businesses are returning to work, where more and more shops open every day. And you can see even, you know, even traffic is becoming much, much more dense than even two or three days ago. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a strong city with strong citizens. And
we defend it a lot because this is the capital. And this is, like, logical, that they would try to attack us more, once again and again.
PLEITGEN: But you will win?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. No doubt.
PLEITGEN: While the folks from those territorial defense forces certainly seem to be very confident, I think it's still pretty clear to the leadership here that the gains that they have made so far, especially around Kyiv, are things that can be reversed.
There still is a massive army standing essentially at the gates to this city. And, certainly, going to be some pretty tough battles still ahead -- Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: All right, well, I want to bring you a unique perspective now on this situation in Eastern Ukraine, from one of the country's best known entertainers. Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is the lead singer of Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy. He's also an activist who used to serve in Ukraine's parliament.
Thank you for joining us. You're in Kharkiv. I just want you to tell us what's going on around you.
Can you tell us what you can show us, about what's happened to Kharkiv in the east?
SVYATOSLAV VAKARCHUK, ROCK SINGER AND ACTIVIST: You can very, very distinctly see one of the main streets of Kharkiv behind me. I think I don't need to tell anything about this background, right?
On the back of me is the building of one of the -- of the buildings of Kharkiv State University, one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. So I don't know if it was a military object but it was -- I'm sure not -- but it was ruined by Russian bombs.
While I'm speaking to you, you see the sky above me is clear and good and seems like nothing happens. But next to us, maybe couple of miles from here, there are distinctive blows right now.
And it's -- it's scary. I mean, it's blowing up somewhere. I think missiles or bombs are being used by Russians. And this is Kharkiv today, 21st century. And this is what Russians do with our cities.
GORANI: And just about a month ago, six weeks ago, I mean, you're one of the best known singers in this country, Ukraine. You're on the Ukrainian version of "The Voice." And now you're in a bombed-out city in Kharkiv.
What's life been like for you?
How are you helping in the defense of your homeland? VAKARCHUK: Nobody's staying behind in this country anymore. Everybody is trying to defend our land. I enlisted to the army as a lieutenant, because I had a military training in the university.
But mostly what I'm doing is going back and forth in the country, meeting people, meeting the troops, meeting people in hospitals, wounded and also the personnel, trying to raise the morale.
Actually, I don't need to raise the morale because the morale of Ukraine is very high. What actually everybody is -- what everybody needs is just generally like mutual support, to see each other, to say good words, to stand behind, to stand by others and just to make sure the whole country is united in fighting against Russians. And united we are and we will win this war, no doubt for me.
[02:25:00]
VAKARCHUK: Just the only question is what will be -- what will be the price for that.
GORANI: Exactly. Well, the -- I was reading that you do have quite a few fans in Russia, Russian fans.
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Have you heard from them?
Do you try to -- in Russian as well -- do you -- how are -- do you think you're reaching some of these fans in Russia?
And if so, how are they reacting to your posts on social media, to what you've been doing in the last month?
VAKARCHUK: I'm not sure that I can be heard anymore in this country because this country -- now I mean Russia, sorry, Russia, I mean by this country. And I think that Russia reminds me now of Orwellian "1984" society, because they're so much afraid of just going out to the streets. They've been so brutally suppressed.
So all those who are against war are very silent, because either they emigrated or they just shut up their mouths. But the majority of Russians, as we've been -- we don't know but the statistics say they still stay behind Putin's crime and they still believe that Putin's doing some good things, which is very overwhelming and probably even more scaring than the fact that what they're doing now.
Because if they believe what Putin and his generals do is right, then it's even bigger problem, because then it means, after we win the war and after we hold the Russians' leaders and generals accountable, it still should be a long time since the society will come back to normal.
So I don't know what to say to Russians anymore. I've been trying so many times. So the only things that can work now -- and I understand it very vividly, that the only thing that can work now is these harsh sanctions. Because if they feel that something's going wrong, not with their
hearts -- because their hearts now are closed -- but probably with their stomachs, I mean when there will be really problems with economics to the extent that they will have some shortages of some food or something like that.
So maybe, maybe -- I'm not sure, it will change the situation. I remember being in a kid when, in 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. Two or three years before nobody could predict it. But then economic situation in the country worked much more than geopolitical situation, believe me.
When you have lines of people, who want to buy like milk and can't do that, it works very hard and it works very, I would say, effectively. So maybe, maybe Russians will go out to the streets and flood the streets by millions when their life becomes miserable.
Ukrainians don't want anybody live miserable. But we also didn't invite these people, didn't invite their soldiers to come and destroy our homes and kill our children and women. And that's what they've been doing right now. So this is the biggest crime against humanity probably since World War II, at least in Europe, exactly. In Europe, exactly. So that's why we all --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: And so can I ask you -- can I ask you because -- I can already hear viewers saying, he's in the middle of Kharkiv on his phone.
Are you -- I mean is this a safe -- is it safe for you to be out in the open like that, with your phone?
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Because I just want to make sure.
VAKARCHUK: There's no safe place in this country anymore. In my native city of Lviv, which is 150 miles from the Polish border, which people thought to be more safe, yesterday, they bombed two objects right at the moment when the President Biden was delivering his speech in Poland.
So I think it was -- it was, let's say, a message, probably to him. So there's no place anymore in this country which can be 100 percent safe.
But I'm trying to see, to show you this. And maybe there's some risk. But nobody in this country, at least me and my friends, we're not thinking about ourselves. We want the world to know what's happening and the world to help us, because we need your help.
We need your military aid as much as possible, as many as possible. We need economic aid. We need these sanctions. And, by the way, I don't know what the audience now -- because we are -- it's morning in Europe. I don't know how many Americans are watching us now. [02:30:00]
VAKARCHUK: But maybe -- maybe they are and maybe some other Europeans. So I want to -- the message for you is, just tell your big companies to get out of Russia, because they still are there.
And they still pay taxes. And these taxes are used for buying and building tanks and missiles, which destroy our homes and kill our children and our women. So please -- please tell your big bosses just to do that. It's absolutely irresponsible, I think, for the whole world to continue doing business in Russia.
GORANI: So some big companies, I mean Apple, among others, have withdrawn. But as you say, others have not and they've been facing a lot of pressure to do so.
Let me ask you, I've seen, behind you, cars drive by.
I mean, is there anybody still living there where you are?
VAKARCHUK: Yes, yes.
GORANI: Is there any civilian life?
VAKARCHUK: Look, if
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: Could you describe that?
VAKARCHUK: Yes. If you remember history, so you can imagine London 1941. So London 1941 or '42 or 1940 was brutally bombed. But they were still alive there. People were living. People were hiding in the subway. It's exactly what's going on in Kharkiv now.
There are some relatively safe neighborhoods. But when I say relatively safe it means they are not destroyed. But any moment, something can happen, any moment. While we're talking with you, there are some blows. I don't know where. I cannot -- I'm not a military person. I cannot differ one from others.
It's exactly -- I just know that it's some military stuff going on. Probably this is artillery. And probably, thank God, it's not missiles coming here.
I've been told that recently Russian tactics changed. So they are -- sometimes they just shell living (ph) neighborhoods, sometimes they just completely destroy them. Yesterday, I've been to the city of Sumy, it's 100 miles from here.
And I'm sure you can see on my Twitter, there is one living neighborhood, residential neighborhood, which is completely destroyed, I mean 100 percent. So there were like 20-plus homes. None of them exist; 24 people have been killed, including four children.
And I found there -- yesterday I had tears in my eyes, because I found there a small, like a book for kids. And it was -- there were some words there, something like, "Granny cleaned up your house and you need to help her to clean up her house."
And when I saw it -- and you know, and you see it and you understand that Russians cleaned this house up to the extent that it doesn't exist anymore. So this allegory, you know, made me chilled, you know. And it's happening everywhere.
So the message for all Western audience is very simple: the more you help us now, the sooner this nightmare in U.K. and Europe will end, because it's very easy. Some people say opposite is the true.
But I argue them. Some say that the more you provoke Russia, the more you resist, the more angrier they become and the more they will give us -- give you problems to Europe and other parts of the world.
But I think the more strong Ukraine now is, the shorter the -- the smaller the outcome and the shorter the war will be. So let all of us stop this together. It will be much more effective.
GORANI: Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, thank you so much for joining us.
He's live in Kharkiv, Ukraine, showing us some of the devastation there.
For several weeks now, one of Ukraine's best known entertainers there, helping in the defense of his country against the Russian invasion.
Thank you very much for that. Just quite a unique perspective there from someone who, just about five weeks ago, as I was saying, was basically living the life of a celebrity on the Ukrainian version of "The Voice."
And now in a bombed-out city center in Eastern Ukraine, really essentially begging the world for more assistance, more military assistance and more sanctions against Russia, hoping that this war ends as quickly as possible.
Still ahead, the mood in Kyiv appears to be improving, as Ukrainian troops press forward with counteroffensives around the capital city. We'll have that special report from Kyiv coming up.
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[02:35:00]
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GORANI: Welcome to our viewers all around the world. I'm Hala Gorani, live in Lviv, Ukraine.
As I mentioned, we're in the western part of the country and the U.S. President, Joe Biden, is back at the White House now, after traveling to Europe to rally support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion. Mr. Biden ended his trip in Poland where he delivered a forceful
rebuke of Russia's president, saying Vladimir Putin, quote, "cannot remain in power."
Now the understanding is that this was unscripted and the comments sent shock waves around the world, even as the White House then later denied that Mr. Biden was calling for a regime change. However, the U.S. President did deliver a stark warning to Mr. Putin, should Russia's attacks extend beyond Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory. We have sacred obligation. We have a sacred obligation under Article 5 to defend each and every inch of NATO territory with the full force of our collective power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:40:00]
GORANI: And yet just hours before he spoke, Russian missiles landed here in Lviv, not even 75 kilometers or 45 miles from the border with Poland, which is a NATO member. Ukrainian officials say at least five people were hurt in this attack.
Now hundreds of ordinary Ukrainian citizens protested Saturday after Russian forces took the city of Slavutych, north of Kyiv. Residents gathered in the town square. After that, city's mayor asked them to, quote, "show their position."
Watch as they refused to back down or run in panic even when shots are fired.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI (voice-over): The mayor was detained by Russia's military but released later that day. In a video address, Ukraine's president called on Slavutych to stay strong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Today we are all with you, on your streets, in your protests. And all together, we tell the occupiers one thing: go home while you can still walk.
The Russian invaders faced the same reaction there as in the south of our state, as in the east of our country. Ukraine is united in its desire to live freely, independently and for the sake of its own dreams.
(END VIDEO CLIP) GORANI: Well, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is not far from the city and the International Atomic Energy Agency says it's monitoring the situation closely. Some of the staffers of Chernobyl live in that town.
The agency's director general says staff have not been allowed to rotate for nearly a week and that no data is being transmitted by the plant's remote monitoring systems. So that's not all great news on that front.
I'll see you at the top of the hour with more. But Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta picks up our coverage.
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, Hala.
Coming up, protesters in Kabul are objecting to a new Taliban decision, stopping girls from getting an education after a certain age. We'll have details ahead. Stick with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Girls and women protesters hit the streets of Kabul on Saturday, just days after the Taliban in Afghanistan reneged on a promise and made education for many young women difficult, if not impossible.
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BRUNHUBER (voice-over): The demonstrators chanted against the Taliban's decision to keep girls above sixth grade out of school. It's supposedly until appropriate school uniforms are designed. But demonstrators weren't buying that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Unfortunately, by the advent of the Taliban, all our schools were closed. We, girls, are allowed to study same like boys. Islam has given us this right. But the Taliban has taken this right from us.
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BRUNHUBER: The move quickly drew international condemnation. Paula Newton has more on the growing outrage.
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PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Taliban decision to bar Afghan girls above 6th grade from returning to school has triggered a concrete backlash.
American officials say Wednesday's decision could be a potential turning point in engagement, as they cancelled planned meetings with the Taliban in Doha.
JALINA PORTER, DEPUTY STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: The decision by the Taliban, if it is not swiftly reversed, will profoundly harm the Afghan people, the country's prospects for economic growth and the Taliban's ambition to improve their relations with the international community.
NEWTON (voice-over): For the first time in more than seven months, Afghan schools reopened Wednesday for a much anticipated return. But it was a day that ended in heartbreak, tears and anger for many after the Taliban announced girls above sixth great must stay home.
That decision came just hours after schools have reopened. Many eager female students arriving back only to find they wouldn't be let inside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are they playing with our future?
We have rights. We are humans from this country. We want to be free. We just want to continue our education. Is it a sin that we are girls?
NEWTON (voice-over): A Taliban news agency said the delay is so uniforms can be designed according to Sharia and Afghan customs. But the decision is viewed by many as an excuse as condemnation rings out across the globe.
NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: This is a betrayal of public commitments that the Taliban leadership made to the Afghan people and to the international community.
NEWTON: In a tweet, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai says, "I had one hope for today, that Afghan girls walking to school would not be sent back home. But the Taliban did not keep their promise. They will keep finding excuses to stop girls from learning, because they are afraid of educated girls and empowered women."
Others also expressing dismay.
RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SPOKESPERSON, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: This is of grave concern at a time when the country desperately needs to overcome multiple intersecting crises.
STEPHANE DUJARRIC, SPOKESPERSON, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: No country can grow by excluding women and girls from education. I mean the fact that we still had to say this in the 21st century --
NEWTON (voice-over): In recent months, the Taliban have repeatedly insisted they would not go back to how things were in the late 90s and early 2000s when women and girls were banned from working or going to school.
It has been seven months since this now iconic scene of thousands stranded at the airport in Kabul, desperately trying to leave after the Taliban's takeover.
Now those left behind, seeing human rights withering away, among them the tearful schoolgirls whose hopes of an education are now shattered -- Paula Newton, CNN.
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BRUNHUBER: Firefighters in the U.S. want to help their beleaguered counterparts in Ukraine, so the Americans are collecting all sorts of equipment, from helmets to tools that the Ukrainians might need. We'll have that ahead. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Firefighters in New Jersey are joining aid efforts for Ukraine. They're collecting everything from helmets to boots and tools to send to their Ukrainian counterparts. As CNN's Alexandra Field reports, dozens of fire departments across the U.S. are also helping.
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OLEG SKACHKO, CLIFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: Everything that you see in here in this trailer, it's going to be get shipped out to Ukraine.
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Where emergency responders on the front line badly need it.
SKACHKO: I need more.
FIELD (voice-over): Ten tons of firefighting gear and supplies have already been boxed up here in Clifton, New Jersey. They're en route now to the war zone. The plan is to send it all to the Polish Fire Service, which will pass it over to Ukrainian firefighters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How's it going?
FIELD (voice-over): The collection effort, nothing short of monumental, was the idea of Oleg Skachko, who was born in central Ukraine and moved to the U.S. when he was 14. Three years ago, he joined Clifton, New Jersey's, Fire Department.
SKACHKO: Seeing how the brotherhood winds through the departments, that was one of the reasons.
FIELD (voice-over): When Russia invaded his home country, Skachko says he knew his Ukrainian brothers needed him, too.
SKACHKO: You see the brotherhood, not just in United States but all over the country and including our cities. Everybody comes in at once in the time of need.
FIELD (voice-over): What started as an effort to collect a few sets of turnout gear to send over quickly turned into 1,100 sets and so much more.
LT. MARK DREW, CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY, FIRE DEPARTMENT: We wanted to focus on firefighter personal protective equipment, which would be your coat, your pants, hood, helmet and gloves and boots.
And then we branched out just a little bit further and told people that we would need hand tools.
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DREW: And then we branched out a little bit further onto the medical side with backboards.
FIELD (voice-over): Today the donations, mostly retired gear but perfectly usable, have come from more than 100 fire departments across the country.
DREW: We were getting contacted by departments in Colorado and Minnesota and Wisconsin and Ohio. That's what firemen do.
FIELD: The deliveries haven't stopped. On this morning a load comes in from Parsippany, New Jersey.
JIM LUKASHUK, PARSIPPANY, NEW JERSEY, FIRE DEPARTMENT: I am Ukrainian, so when I heard about this through Facebook I brought it up in our meeting. We had some gear that we were going to get rid of anyway.
It's like, why don't you donate it?
Put it to a good cause.
FIELD (voice-over): Another truck full from Haledon, New Jersey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We brought bunker gear, jacket, helmet, gloves, some boots. You got to help out one another.
FIELD: The money to send the gear is being raised by a nonprofit, New Ukrainian Wave, Passaic, which is relying on a GoFundMe page. Getting it there quickly is now the biggest concern. The shipments will include Ukrainian flags, with the insignia of the departments that donated stitched on them.
SKACHKO: Hopefully, someday, eventually, I'll find the pictures of the flag and the gear making it to the front lines where they need it right now.
FIELD: What do you want to say to the people who will wear this gear?
SKACHKO: The people who wore the gear before you, just know that they stand behind you.
FIELD (voice-over): Alexandra Field, CNN, Clifton, New Jersey.
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BRUNHUBER: I'm Kim Brunhuber. Hala Gorani is back live from Lviv, Ukraine, with more news after the break. Please do stay with us.
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