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Over 4.1 Million Have Fled Ukraine; Senior Ukrainian Defense Official Says Kyiv Region "Liberated"; Hundreds Reportedly Killed In Bucha; Reuters Photographer Maksym Levin Killed In Ukraine; Hungary's PM and Putin Ally Viktor Orban Faces United Opposition; Putin Aiming To Control Donbas By Early May; Pope Francis Considering Trip To Kyiv; Hundreds Of Ukrainians Waiting In Mexico For U.S. Asylum; Small Businesses Grapple With Inflation, Staff Shortages. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired April 03, 2022 - 03:00   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.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello, welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause, reporting live from Lviv in Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces now rapidly expanding battlefield gains, as more Russian troops withdraw from northern Ukraine. This country's deputy defense minister on Saturday declared the Kyiv region liberated.

An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says another 30 towns and villages once again under Ukrainian control. The president himself says Russian forces are being eliminated wherever they're found.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Our defenders continue to regain control of localities in Kyiv and Chernihiv region. More and more Ukrainian flags are being flown in areas which used to be occupied.

Ukrainian armed forces do not let the enemy withdraw without a fight. They are pounding the enemy, destroying all those we can reach.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: According to U.S. intelligence, Moscow has set a goal of controlling the eastern region of Donbas by early May.

And Ukrainian officials in the port city of Odessa say Russian missiles were fired on the city early this morning, hitting critical infrastructure. A CNN team reports a fuel depot is on fire.

CNN correspondents are covering the conflict from every angle, David McKenzie in London, Salma Abdelaziz in Poland, Matt Rivers in Hungary, Fred Pleitgen in Kyiv, Ben Wedeman in Central Ukraine. But we'll begin with Ed Lavandera live in Odessa, with more on that

missile strike, which we believe set a fuel depot on fire.

Ed, what's the latest from where you are?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. We were jolted awake just before sunrise, with multiple missile strikes on this fuel depot. You can see, that darkness you see in the sky is not clouds; that is the smoke rising from the scene there, as firefighters continue to work.

And they have been at that scene for several hours already this morning. We were at the scene and it is a largely industrial area of the city. But there are a number of apartment buildings just across the street from where this fuel depot hit.

We spoke with several witnesses, who were dangerously close to where the blast detonated this morning. They told us that -- three people told us, in recent days, they had seen drones flying over at night, these fuel depot area, describing them almost as if they were reconnaissance drones flying over this target.

So that was one of the things that had stood out to them in recent days, in the days leading up to this attack. This is the second time since the invasion of Ukraine started that the city of Odessa has been attacked.

The first time it happened was early on. This is the second strike here in the city. It had been relatively quiet for a while, for much of the last week, though, this is definitely quite the departure from what has happened.

But it's also in line with what -- the types of strikes we have seen from Russian forces in many parts of the country, where they have been targeting strategic infrastructure, like this, fuel depots in various parts of the country.

Local officials here this morning are telling us that, so far, they are not reporting any injuries in the apartment buildings just across the street from the fuel depot, that we saw smashed-out windows, the impact blowing out windows in the apartment complex.

Many people there very troubled and kind of shocked by what they witnessed here in the early hours this morning, just before sunrise.

VAUSE: Quickly, while we have you, any suggestion this fuel depot was being used for military purposes or civilian purposes?

LAVANDERA: Hard to say. Officials here aren't saying exactly what -- who counts on that fuel. So I have a hard time kind of just being 100 percent accurate on what exactly that fuel depot was supporting.

But as I mentioned, it's a fuel depot in a highly industrial area of this city.

VAUSE: OK, Ed, thank you. Appreciate that update. Ed Lavandera from Odessa, thank you.

While Russian forces withdraw from the capital, they are leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.

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VAUSE: CNN's Fred Pleitgen has those details. A warning, some of the images in his report are graphic.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly gotten a lot quieter here in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. We have air raid sirens a couple of times during the day.

But by and large, it's certainly a lot less than we've seen the past week and even the past couple days. And the Ukrainians are essentially saying the Russians are leaving the districts around Kyiv, are retreating.

The Russians, of course, claim this was always part of their plan and they're just pulling back right now. What we're seeing now, as the Russians are moving out, is that they certainly have taken some serious losses.

You know, I was out in many some of the districts around Kyiv. And we saw a lot of tank carcasses destroyed, armored vehicles and also positions that were abandoned by the Russians as they moved out of here.

The other thing, unfortunately, we're also finding, there are still a lot of dead bodies yet to be recovered. In fact there was video that came out off of a district called Bucha, to the northwest of Kyiv, where the streets seem to be lined with corpses.

The Ukrainians now say they are obviously going to try and bring some of them away and clean that whole area up. The Ukrainians, for their part, are saying that this is definitely not the end.

They say they believe that the Russian forces were beaten as they tried to invade the capital of Kyiv and are now essentially trying to regroup. In fact, Ukrainian officials say they believe that attacks will intensify, especially in the southeast of the country. It's certainly something that they're bracing for.

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VAUSE: Fred Pleitgen with that report.

For more on these human rights abuses, we're joined live from Kyiv with Oleksandra Matvichuk, a Kyiv-based human rights lawyer.

Thank you so much for taking time to speak with us.

First, how are you coping in Kyiv?

What's been happening there overnight?

Are you feeling a little safer now that Russian forces appear to be redeploying?

OLEKSANDRA MATVICHUK, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER: It was the first time when we had a quiet night but I couldn't sleep because for weeks before, we gather testimonies from people from Bucha and in other settlements in the region. But yesterday, we saw horrible photos and videos. And it's a real shock.

VAUSE: There's also reports coming from Ukraine's attorney general, of an investigation, that Russian soldiers have been using children as human shields, placing them on tanks, using busloads of children in front of armored vehicles, holding them hostage so their parents would not give away their location.

What have you heard about that?

What do you know?

MATVICHUK: We tried to check such information but what we can say for the current moment, that the war crimes have so systematic and large- scale character and occurred in each part, where Russian troops are presented, to try to occupy, that we can clearly state that Russia used war crimes as a massive (INAUDIBLE) of fear.

There is -- it can't be any excuse. There is no military necessity in such actions.

VAUSE: It seems war crimes and blatant human rights abuses are being committed in real time across this country. Yet there are no international observers on the ground, trying to monitor what's been happening. And there is a risk if they're here.

But how crucial is it to have some kind of monitors here right now to witness what's happening, rather than starting an investigation long after the fact?

MATVICHUK: It's very essential because it can provide at least a cooling (ph) effort on brutality of human rights violations. It's why in the beginning of the march down even by (INAUDIBLE) open field to international organization and (INAUDIBLE) to ensure international presence and international monitoring on the ground.

Because when the war started, they just drove their stuff to a safe place in Ukraine or even abroad. But we're still waiting for a response for more than a month already.

VAUSE: So clearly there's a need for someone to be here to witness what's happening.

What is the situation as far as you know in Bucha?

Because we have heard from one Ukrainian member of parliament, saying there are mass graves there; civilians, hands tied behind their back, shot in the back of the head, murdered. There are some graphic images we're seeing from Bucha.

What do you understand as to what has happened there during that Russian occupation?

MATVICHUK: It was a terror against civilians. According to the international humanitarian law, military has to provide a clear distinction between militant and civilian people.

But people who were found dead on the street, with their hands tied behind their back, they were civilians. They were unarmed. And there were no purpose, no legitimized purpose to kill them. So Russians did it deliberately.

VAUSE: How do you hold these people accountable?

MATVICHUK: We are working on gathering evidence of war crimes throughout the country, with the efforts of hundreds of volunteers of the (INAUDIBLE).

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MATVICHUK: And we will plan to work with International Criminal Court, with Moscow (INAUDIBLE), with newly emerged International Commission of U.N. Human Rights Council and we also promote the idea of operation of international hybrid (ph) (INAUDIBLE) now.

VAUSE: Oleksandra Matvichuk, thank you for being with us, I wish you well in everything you're doing. And stay safe, please. Thank you.

MATVICHUK: Thanks.

VAUSE: Coming up on CNN NEWSROOM, a church in a small Ukrainian town has become a temporary home for refugees fleeing Russian attacks. How they made a daring escape, though. That's ahead.

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VAUSE: Another journalist has died covering Vladimir Putin's war of choice. Maksym Levin was killed by Russian forces near Kyiv, according to the office of Ukraine's attorney general.

The photojournalist was found unarmed, two gunshot wounds. He had worked for a number of major Western news outlets, including Reuters and the BBC.

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VAUSE: In a statement, Reuters said it is deeply saddened by his loss and called his death a huge loss to the world of journalism. In his bio he described himself as a documentary photographer, videographer, a father and a human being. Even as Russia pulls back in some parts of the country, aid groups are

struggling to get Ukrainians out of harm's way. The International Committee of the Red Cross has managed to reach Irpin in recent days, treating the injured, delivering food and hoping to return next week with more essential supplies.

The aid group was unable to reach Mariupol on Saturday even after arrangements were made. Conditions made it impossible for the convoy to continue. Some 100,000 residents remain trapped in Mariupol.

According to the U.N. more than 4.1 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the fighting began. Ukraine says more than 4,000 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors on Saturday.

But with Russian attacks making it hard to keep the corridors open, some are finding their way to safety through more unconventional methods. Here's CNN's Ben Wedeman.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Everything will be all right," he sings, "for everyone of us," words of comfort for those desperately in need. Popular singer and former lawmaker Svyatoslav Vakarchuk goes from village to village with a simple message.

SVYATOSLAV VAKARCHUK, MUSICIAN AND POLITICIAN: Just be glad, smile.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): His church in the village of Bashtanka is now home, temporary home, for those who have managed to flee Russian occupied territory. Volunteering in the kitchens, Svetlana Lyashuk finds peace but not peace of mind.

"It's really hard," she says. "People here are very nice but I just want to go home."

Vitaly Butuchel, a mechanic in peacetime, now runs a complex operation feeding and housing the displaced.

VITALY BUTUCHEL, VOLUNTEER: This war, this dilemma (ph), this all make us like a family, very closer.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): The church feels like an oasis of the ordinary far from the madness outside.

Early evening and a bus approaches, marked "deti," Russian for children; alas, no guarantee of safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).

WEDEMAN (voice-over): It's coming from the town of Snihurivka under Russian control. But it didn't pass through a humanitarian corridor negotiated by the Red Cross. WEDEMAN: The arrangement whereby these people are able to get out of the Russian occupied areas to hear is very simple: the men on the bus give Russian soldiers food and cigarettes and the Russian soldiers let them pass.

WEDEMAN (voice-over): Larisa Shevchenko made it out but remains tormented by fear for those who couldn't get away.

"Everything is really bad," she says.

Her parents in Snihurivka are still hiding out in the basement. She hopes they'll get out tomorrow -- Ben Wedeman, CNN, Bashtanka, Southern Ukraine.

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VAUSE: For many people fleeing Ukraine, Poland is their first stop on a journey to safety. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is just across the border in Poland, at a border town there, where many of these Ukrainian refugees have been arriving.

Salma, what's the scene there like today?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, this is the train station here on the border that hundreds of families flee through every day. It's a sleepy, snowy Sunday morning here. But we've just heard another train is about to arrive.

You have to understand these train times are not consistent, given the situation on the ground. Volunteers essentially show up and ask around, when's the next train?

How can we help?

I want to show you around this train station. It's become a halfway point for these refugees.

You can see there's a reception point over there that you can sign up as soon as you come in. They're going to offer you a hot cup of coffee, a tea, a warm smile. They're going to want to make you feel welcome.

All these people in high-visibility jackets, these are volunteers, here to answer questions, here to give people a sense of dignity, of comfort. Many of these families don't know what they're doing next.

They come here, the they start ringing the phones, asking about friends. They might find someone with a sign that says destination Munich and hitch a ride with them. It's really touch and go.

Basic medical assistance here. We know there are some paramedics and an ambulance if anybody needs to be checked out. There's specific signs for women who are pregnant or with babies that might need medical attention.

This hallway, you're going to see, this has become a waiting area. [03:20:00]

ABDELAZIZ: People overnight here, they sleep here, they take a few hours here to take a beat, take a breath. Yes, of course, this looks absolutely chaotic and it is, at times, this hallway, completely packed with people sleeping here, laying here. They fled war but they don't know what's next.

I'm going to keep walking down this hallway to give you a sense of the space. I think what's astounding is how many children you see, John. Again, people have come with just what they can carry.

So these kids have small toys that they're keeping distracted with. Oftentimes, that's about it. Just outside, there is a food kitchen, a little tent food kitchen to give people food, a warm meal. They've already started serving breakfast this morning.

Down this way, there's a playroom that kids can play in once it's opened up. Here's a little first aid station.

So yes, this is a beautiful train station, actually, looking at it. It's a 19th century, embroidered with gold and trim. But it's become just this halfway point for refugees coming out of Ukraine, to take a moment here, find these volunteers, get a warm cup of tea, get a meal, try to figure out what's next.

So far, just over 2.4 million of these refugees are here in Poland.

VAUSE: It looks like a tragic scene from World War II in so many ways, Salma. But when the Ukrainians arrive, you say some just don't have a plan, they don't know if they'll stay in Poland, they don't know if they'll move on to other countries.

But how long will Poland continue to accept refugees?

They've already taken in over 2 million. I guess they've given every indication they'll take more.

But there has to be a ceiling at some point, surely?

ABDELAZIZ: For the Polish government, they've been very open that they want to welcome these refugees, that they feel a sense of connection. That doesn't just happen at a governmental level. There are families that we've seen show up at these train station, saying, I can take you in for a week, for a couple of weeks, how can I help?

There's a deep sense of connection to what's happening to the families in Ukraine and that connection reaching back to families here in Poland. They really want to help out.

But you hear over and over again the Polish government saying, we can't carry this alone. We need help, we need the international community to step in. They're asking for support. But they want to keep their doors open.

VAUSE: God bless. Salma Abdelaziz, great reporting, thank you. Putin's war in Ukraine is putting increased pressure on his political

allies, like Hungary's Viktor Orban. Voting is underway right now in the toughest re-election bid he's faced in more than a decade. His opponent argues Orban is simply a Putin wannabe. Here is CNN's Matt Rivers, reporting in from Budapest.

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MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Viktor Orban by most measures is the E.U. leader closest to Vladimir Putin recently. Just three weeks before the war began, Orban took a trip to Moscow, welcomed by Putin across a very long table.

National elections in Hungary on Sunday will test whether Orban's 12- year run as prime minister will go another four years.

And his relationship with Putin is suddenly at the center of Hungarian politics.

What began as a campaign focused on local issues now has opposition leaders determined to link Orban with Putin and his bloody war in Ukraine.

With political attack ads painting Orban as Moscow's puppet, a strongman leader determined to side with authoritarian Russia instead of the democratic West.

This ad saying, quote, "We want Hungary to be a Western country again. If you're voting for Orban, you're voting for Putin."

Or this one saying, quote, "Orban, tell your friend of 12 years, don't kill."

Orban has undeniably supported Putin, vetoing sanctions against Moscow over the years and expanding the Russia-Hungarian partnership.

GABOR TOKA, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY: For Russian policies of Viktor Orban, which are a very important building block of his entire political position, are now exposed.

RIVERS (voice-over): And with Putin's popularity plummeting, the opposition calculus is simple: Orban plus Putin equals a winning political strategy.

But not so fast because Orban is fighting back. Call it a flip-flop or a pivot, but Orban is no longer Putin's best buddy. Even though he's not openly criticizing him personally, the Hungarian leader went along with initial E.U. sanctions against Russia, describing the invasion as Russian aggression.

And despite being vehemently anti-immigrant for years now, has let in hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the past few weeks.

VIKTOR ORBAN, HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT: (Speaking foreign language).

RIVERS: He says, "We are a great country, which gives everything to people who are fleeing trouble."

Since the war began, Orban has refused to let weapons pass through Hungary to Ukraine or provide military aide.

But he's deflected criticism of that by claiming he is simply a man of peace.

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RIVERS (voice-over): Counting on the notion that many Hungarians want nothing to do with the war.

TOKA: The gut reaction of most of the public is that, oh, oh, oh, we should not get involved with this thing, yes?

RIVERS: And Orban has taken advantage of that.

TOKA: And that's what are trying.

RIVERS (voice-over): Whether it works remains to be seen. But polling, which isn't always reliable in Hungary, has Orban and his party out in front.

One big name the opposition hopes with will change that:

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): Listen, Viktor, do you know what's on in Mariupol?

You have to decide for yourself who you are with.

RIVERS: That's Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has criticized what he calls Orban's lack of support for Ukraine's fight for its existence.

But it's not clear if that will be enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).

RIVERS (voice-over): At an anti-Orban rally on Saturday, Ukraine flags flew and the crowd pushed the Orban-Putin narrative. But not many people showed up.

Whether that's an ominous sign for the opposition or just the result of cold, rainy weather, we'll find out when the votes come in -- Matt Rivers, CNN, Budapest, Hungary.

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VAUSE: A quick reminder, if you would like to help the people of Ukraine, please go to cnn.com/impact. Last time we checked, CNN viewers like you have helped raise more than $7 million to help people in need in Ukraine and neighboring countries, to help provide shelter, food, water and other essential needs. If you can, please help.

Thank you for watching. I'm John Vause live in Lviv, Ukraine. For our international viewers, "VITAL SIGNS" is up next. For viewers in North America, we will be back with more breaking news after a short break.

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VAUSE: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States. It's gone half past the hour on the East Coast. I'm John Vause live in Lviv. Now the latest developments from Ukraine.

Officials in Odessa say critical infrastructure was hit during Russian strikes this morning. A CNN crew saw a massive fire at a local fuel depot, creating a plume of smoke visible for miles away.

Ukraine's deputy defense minister says the Kyiv region has been liberated, cleared of Russian forces. CNN cannot independently confirm that. Still, Ukrainian troops have been gaining ground around the capital, as the Russian military says it's de-escalating.

Also in the capital, we're hearing from two former Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were part of a prisoner exchange with Russia. They told CNN, Russian troops forced them to shout, "Glory to Russia" while imprisoned and those who refused were beaten.

As Russia pulls back from areas around Kyiv, new video shows some of the horrors that are left behind. A warning now, what you are about to see is graphic.

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VAUSE (voice-over): These images show corpses left on the side of a road, many dressed in civilian clothes. This is the town of Bucha. There are reports people had their hands tied behind their back before being shot. More than 300 residents were killed. I spoke to a Ukrainian lawmaker about the extent of the bloodshed.

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KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN MP: I have seen these bodies with my own eyes. I have seen the destruction. And this is something I have never seen before in my life. I think the international tribunal is possible. This is the point where we as politicians, members of parliament, are working. We are gathering evidence. We are creating the judicial baseline for that.

So at some point, not only Putin but everybody who gave the word, who executed on the orders, will be able to come to trial and be prosecuted and then executed. We want a Nuremburg process, not less.

This is something that would need to happen. Because what we have seen, it's not war crimes, it's just crimes against humanity. It's a devastation.

How is it possible that people would do something like that?

And here in the peaceful outskirts of the capital. You know, like more than a month ago, these people were alive. They were living their normal lives. They were, like, creating world-known patents (ph). They were living like Europeans. Everything was just normal.

And now it is -- it is like in the movies from the Second World War but it is worse because you can see it in your own eyes.

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VAUSE: With Vladimir Putin redeploying his forces away from the northern part of Ukraine to the east, U.S. intelligence believes he's working on a fairly tight timeframe. According to U.S. officials, Vladimir Putin wants that area under control by early May.

The Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says Ukrainians will keep fighting no matter what, here he is.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We are aware that the enemy has desired to increase pressure in the east.

What is the goal of Russian troops?

They want to capture both Donbas and the south of Ukraine.

What is our goal?

Protect us, our freedom, our land and our people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Let's get more on this May deadline. CNN's David McKenzie live in London.

This is coming from new intelligence that basically says, the Russian president wants some kind of significant progress to be seen by early May.

What are we looking at here?

What date is this, why is it significant?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The significance is early May, May 9th, the victory day, that is traditionally a day in Russia to celebrate the victory over the Nazi invasion at the end of World War II.

U.S. officials are saying that, according to intelligence coming out from the U.S. on the Russians' thinking, is that they were hoping -- or Putin is hoping to have some significant victory or show some significant victory in the eastern part of Ukraine and in the south by that date, where there is usually a large-scale military parade.

I have to say that other officials, particularly in the European Union, are skeptical about that aggressive date, given the grinding conflict we've seen over the last few weeks.

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MCKENZIE: And the withdrawal of forces from Russia from the Kyiv region. But there is some sense that they wish to have some kind of symbolic victory at least or something to show by that date, May 9th.

VAUSE: Something to show, OK. You know, there are also these peace talks which are ongoing. There's two schools here. There's one school which says, keep talking because at least while there's a chance for peace, you have to engage.

But there are others who believe the Russians are engaged in these diplomatic talks for purely duplicitous reasons, they think to buy them time to refocus their forces in the east.

Against that backdrop, what are the chances of having some kind of negotiated settlement to this conflict?

MCKENZIE: Most experts say it's pretty low. Also, again, on that so- called May 9th deadline, the Russians control the media to a large extent inside Russia. So no matter what is happening in the grinding conflict, they will be able to show whatever they want, which again leads to skepticism of these ongoing talks.

There has been some statements in recent hours from Ukrainian negotiators, saying that they believe there is some progress being made from their point of view. But any kind of solid deal seems far off.

VAUSE: Yes, so far, verbal agreements and nothing more from the Russians. I guess take what you get. David McKenzie live in London, thank you.

CNN has a closer look at some of the destruction left behind by Russian forces. That includes the remains of the world's largest cargo airplane.

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VAUSE: (voice-over) Ukraine says the Antonov AN-225 Mriya was destroyed by a Russian attack on an airport in Kyiv in late February when all this began. One of the pilots of the plane says there's no hope it can be restored.

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DMYTRO ANTONOV, AN-225 MRIYA PILOT (through translator): The cockpit here, it was here, it was right here. Nothing left. Only three engines left. The sadness is so indescribable. I just realized that, exactly two months ago, I went on my last business trip. I flew one Mriya (ph) and I could never have imagined such things happening. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The cargo plane could carry up to 250 tons and was used for a variety of purposes, including the delivery of humanitarian aid. It will not be doing that anymore. Thank you, Russia.

Back to Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta with more of the day's news -- Kim.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Thanks so much, John. Great coverage out there, really appreciate it.

It has the makings of a huge crisis at the U.S. border. A restriction that kept migrants out is ending, just as thousands of asylum seekers are expected at the border. We'll take a look at what happens next. Stay with us.

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"MOONFISH", UKRAINIAN AIR FORCE PILOT: This evil man with the red button and his regime will not stop in Ukraine. His regime and army will not be defeated here right now in Ukraine.

And only the pressure of sanctions, only their military defeat on Ukrainian soil is the only way to do that because, if not, they will continue to -- they will be a threat to the entire world.

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BRUNHUBER: That was a Ukrainian air force pilot, speaking to our Jim Acosta.

He added, "The U.S. and NATO countries should arm Ukraine to the teeth and take back its territories."

He says sanctions will force Russia to collapse but, until that happens, Russia remains a threat to peace.

Pope Francis says he's considering a trip to Ukraine, despite the obvious danger of the war. The pope said a possible visit to Kyiv was, quote, "on the table" after a reporter asked about it, while they were flying to Malta for a papal visit. Pope Francis also explicitly criticized Russian president Vladimir Putin over the invasion.

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POPE FRANCIS, PONTIFF, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (through translator): Once again, some potentate sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interest is provoking and fomenting conflicts, whereas ordinary people sense the need to build a future will either be shared or not be at all.

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BRUNHUBER: Pope Francis also received a photo and a letter from the family of a FOX News cameraman, who was killed in Ukraine, along with his producer.

The pope responded and he told the family, quote, "He is up there."

The Ukrainian refugee crisis is reaching across the Atlantic to America's southern border. Mexican officials say hundreds of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian violence have arrived in the Mexican border city of Tijuana. Some 1,500 refugees are seeking asylum in the U.S. and more are expected to come.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is allowing Ukrainians to be exempted from Trump-era border restrictions on case-by-case basis. Mexican officials expect all migrants to enter the U.S. But authorities there have been slow to process them. According to volunteers on the ground, most are just happy to be there.

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ROMAN DUBCHAK, U.S. VOLUNTEER: Most of them are tired, most of them just want to get across. Some of them haven't slept for days. So they're tired, some of them are upset. But I think most of them are happy to be here and have a chance to cross over and be in a safe place.

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BRUNHUBER: On Tuesday, the U.S. government could end a Trump-era restriction that kept thousands of migrants out of the country. It's called Title 42 and it's a pandemic restriction that effectively blocked migrants from crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

Polo Sandoval explains why some officials say this is the worst possible time to make the change.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: With the predicted surge in migrant families expected in the coming weeks, the Department of Homeland Security in the United States saying it is preparing for a worst-case scenario.

And that could mean, according to the federal government, up to 18,000 asylum seeking people showing up at the nation's doorstep.

That's certainly concerning, since some critics of the Biden administration and the announcement made on Friday have expressed concern that the infrastructure in many border communities is not ready to handle an expected uptick in these migrant families.

And the key issue here are these temporary communities of migrants that have basically popped up in Mexican border towns, including this one you can see, in brand new CNN drone video in Hermosa (ph), Mexico, just across the Rio Grande, just a few blocks from where I'm standing at this hour.

And these are migrants that, according to sources, many of them have been expelled back. There are others who have made that journey to the doorstep of the U.S. But due to that Title 42, public health authority have decided to wait out that policy until it's no longer an issue.

And then that announcement made by the Biden administration on Friday, that it will essentially allow that to expire come May 23rd.

[03:45:00]

SANDOVAL: There's some concern from some of these Biden administration critics that many of those people still waiting there, potentially up to 10,000 in this border town alone, will seize that opportunity to finally show up at ports of entry and declare asylum.

And that is what is dividing many people in border towns across the country -- Polo Sandoval, CNN, Hidalgo, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: They made it through pandemic shutdowns but some small American business owners say the soaring cost of goods and gas is threatening their survival. Ahead on CNN, how they're fighting to keep their doors open.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back.

Right now, many U.S. businesses are trying to weather soaring inflation and fuel costs and an environment, where there seem to be more available jobs than available workers. CNN's Nadia Romero visited a bakery near Atlanta, Georgia, where difficult financial decisions have to be made every day.

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NADIA ROMERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every step of the baking process now costs more.

KASCHA ADELEYE, CO-OWNER, KUPCAKERIE: When you look at your cost of goods sold and you're like, whoa.

[03:50:00]

ROMERO (voice-over): Almost eight years ago, Kascha and Henry Adeleye started Kupcakerie in East Point, Georgia, their baking business almost a bust during pandemic shutdowns.

K. ADELEYE: So that first two weeks was probably the scariest time of my life, period, because we just did not know.

ROMERO (voice-over): But Kupcakerie has kept backing and surviving. The president touting booming job growth nationwide, wages up, unemployment down. Georgia Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler says the state is an example of record-breaking bounceback.

MARK BUTLER, GEORGIA COMMISSIONER OF LABOR: Right now look at Georgia, we have been breaking records in a lot of different sectors, like we were talking about professional services, health care, warehouse and transportation. So we're doing really good all the way around.

ROMERO (voice-over): But inflation plagues the economy. Deliveries carried Kupcakerie through COVID. But now skyrocketing gas prices sour the sweet treats.

K. ADELEYE: Gas prices are ridiculous. So we had to increase our delivery costs for the first time ever.

ROMERO (voice-over): And baking staples ...

K. ADELEYE: Doubled, the costs for each cupcake at this point.

ROMERO (voice-over): In 2019, Kupcakerie would pay about $18 for 15 dozen eggs. Now --

HENRY ADELEYE, CO-OWNER, KUPCAKERIE: They are $55 for 15 dozen.

ROMERO (voice-over): Cream cheese, about $6 per three-pound loaf; now --

H. ADELEYE: $11 for a loaf, so almost double the price of that.

ROMERO (voice-over): Their bottom line just didn't add up.

H. ADELEYE: Last year we actually had our busiest year ever and our lowest profit margin ever as well.

ROMERO: How does that happen?

H. ADELEYE: Just everything is going up, like tenfold.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That will be $39.81.

ROMERO (voice-over): So the first time, Kupcakerie's cupcakes now cost 5 percent to 10 percent more.

K. ADELEYE: You want a cupcake, we have to -- we've got to charge the cost to make them.

Banana pudding, red velvet.

ROMERO (voice-over): Customers take note.

TONIE BUDGET-PRICE, KUPCAKERIE CUSTOMER: I did frequent another bakery, where their cakes are -- they're nice. But their prices are excessive. So, again, another reason for me to come and have the opportunity to try something different at a cost that I feel is inviting.

ROMERO (voice-over): A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey shows most small business owners have raised their prices due to inflation while also making big changes to attract a strong workforce.

BUTLER: I still think we're a ways off to figuring out what the landscape will look like because there's been so many resets when it comes to the cost of goods, the cost of doing business and wages.

ROMERO (voice-over): With baby number two on the way, the Adeleyes fight to open a second Kupcakerie location, despite their challenges.

H. ADELEYE: Sometimes you can't sleep at night when you see the numbers. But we're a business and we know we have to stay in business.

ROMERO: Georgia Commissioner of Labor Mark butler says, when inflation is driven by increases in wages, that's not something you can easily roll back. But he says answering the question of how do you stop inflation is harder now than it's ever been -- Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: America's most populous state is already experiencing its driest year in nearly a century. New evidence shows the devastating dry spell may be worsening. In California's last snowpack survey, just 2.5 inches of snow were measured. The total should be around 5 feet.

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[03:55:00]

BRUNHUBER: Monday night's March Madness men's title game is now set. Kansas easily defeated Villanova 81-65 in the first semifinal game.

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BRUNHUBER: I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with the latest developments in Russia's war on Ukraine after the break. Please do stay with us.