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Russian Brutality Seen in Bucha; President Zelenskyy Accuses Russia of Genocide; World Leaders Condemn War Crimes by Russia; Refugees Hopes to Get into U.S.; Father Documents Their Life During War; Six People Killed in Sacramento Sunday; Imran Khan Remains in His Position. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired April 04, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm John Vause live in Lviv, Ukraine. We'd like to welcome our viewers in the United States and all around the world.

We begin this hour with breaking news here in Ukraine. Officials in the southern port of Odessa have just confirmed an overnight airstrike. Right now, we're still waiting to hear about casualties. It comes amid mounting evidence of possible war crimes near the capital Kyiv.

A warning the video and images you're about to see are disturbing and hard to watch. CNN teams on the ground captured these images on a mass grave in Bucha. The mayor says up to 300 people many of them civilians could be buried there.

The discovery of that mass grave came soon after images which revealed bodies strewn across streets, some with hands tied behind their backs. Others seemingly killed execution style with a shot to the back of their head.

Official death toll in Bucha and other towns near Kyiv remains unclear. Ukrainian officials say they are still searching for bodies. Those efforts though have been slow because the area has been heavily mined by Russian troops. Those in (Inaudible) in Bucha crimes as Russian forces withdraw from parts of Ukraine refocusing their efforts and their offensive on the Donbas region to the east. That's according to a new report from British defense ministry.

It also says mercenaries from the notorious Wagner group are being moved into this region. Now meantime, Ukraine's president accusing Russia of trying to wipeout his entire country and its people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Indeed, this is genocide. The elimination of the whole nation and the people. We are the citizens of Ukraine. We have more than 100 nationalities. This is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities. We are the citizens of the Ukraine, and we don't want to be subdued to the policy of the Russian federation. This is the reason we are being destroyed and exterminated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Russia denies targeting civilians in this conflict. The ministry of defense claims the images out of Bucha are fake. CNN's Fred Pleitgen went there himself. He witnessed these atrocities firsthand, and a warning his report includes disturbing and graphic images.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, as the Russians continue to withdraw from areas here around Kyiv and towards the border with Belarus and the Ukrainians move into these territories, I think two things are becoming increasingly clear. On the one hand a lot more Russian military hardware was taken out than anybody would have thought. And on the other hand, a lot more civilians also came to harm as well. We witnessed some of that first- hand. Here's what we saw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN (voice over): As Russian forces retreat from the area north of Kyiv, in their wake scenes of utter destruction. Whole blocks of houses flattened. Ukrainian authorities saying they believe dead bodies are still lying underneath. But here the dead also lay in the open.

Ukrainian national police showed us this mass grave in Bucha, saying they believe up to 150 civilians might be buried here, but no one knows the exact number. People killed while the Russian army occupied this town. This is what it looks like when the hope is crushed.

Vladimir has been searching for his younger brother, Dmitri. Now he's convinced Dmitri (Ph) lies here even though he can't be 100 percent sure. The neighbor accompanying him with strong words for the Russians.

"Why do you hate us so much," she asks. "Since the 1930s you've been abusing Ukraine. You just want to destroy us. You want us gone, but we will be -- everything will be OK. I believe it."

Video from Bucha shows bodies in the streets after Russian forces left the area. Some images even show bodies with hands tied behind their backs. The Russian defense ministry denies killing civilians and claims images of dead civilians are, quote, "fake." But we met a family just returning to their house in Borodyanka, which they say was occupied by Russian soldiers.

They show us the body of a dead man in civilian clothes they had found in the backyard. His hands and feet tied with severe bruises and a shell casing still laying nearby.

Russia's military appears to have suffered heavy losses before being driven out of the area around Kyiv. This column of armored vehicles in Bucha completely destroyed.

The way the Ukrainians tell us is that the Russians were trying to go towards Kyiv and they were then intercepted by Ukrainian drones, artillery and also the Javelin anti-tank weapons.

[03:05:04]

It's not clear how many Russians were killed here, but they say many were and others fled the scene.

A national police officer says the Russian troops were simply too arrogant. "They thought they could drive on the streets and just go through," he says. That they would be greeted as though it's all right. Maybe they think it's normal to drive around looting, destroy buildings and to mock people, but our people didn't allow it."

And now it appears all the Russians have withdrawn from here. Ukraine says it is now in full control of the entire region around Kyiv. But it is only now that the full extent of the civilian suffering is truly coming to light.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: What we saw there in Bucha was obviously awful, but unfortunately, it's not something that is necessarily unique just to that one small town around the capital of Kyiv. In fact, just today we were in various other places, various other small towns and satellite towns around the Ukrainian capital. And every single one of them we saw the same scene, we saw utter destruction, destroyed buildings where the local authorities said there's still dead people underneath, you know, dead bodies in the street, dead bodies in backyards.

And as the time progresses, as the Ukrainians make more and more inroads and access a lot of these areas, unfortunately, they're probably going to find more of the same.

VAUSE: Fred Pleitgen there with that report. Thank you, Fred. Now, as word gets out about these mass killings in Bucha there's been condemnation around the world.

Let's go live to London with CNN's Nada Bashir standing with all this. So, yes, people are outraged. Yes, world leaders have said they must do something, so now what talking about increase sanctions and more military aid for Ukraine. Who's saying what?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Although we've heard a unified response from European leaders, from NATO officials against these horrific attacks that we've seen in Bucha and across Ukraine now learning that there may be further war crimes committed in that Bucha region as we heard in Fred Pleitgen's report just there. Really devastating images that we've seen.

And that's gotten a really strong response from European leaders. We've heard from Boris Johnson describing this as despicable. Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor calling for an urgent independent investigation into these attacks. We've also heard from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He issued a stark warning, too. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: It is a brutality against civilians we haven't seen in Europe for decades. And it's horrific and it's absolutely unacceptable that civilians are targeted and killed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now we've heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He has called for an investigation for this to be taken up by the International Criminal Court. That echoed by his foreign ministry Dmytro Kuleba speaking over the weekend calling for independent investigative teams to travel to these regions in Ukraine to gather evidence.

We've heard from European leaders they say that they will support these efforts. They want to help facilitate these investigations and are calling for Russia to be held to account for these allegations of war crimes.

But as you can imagine Russia has repeatedly denied these allegations sticking to its narrative that the images, the footage that we're seeing coming out of Bucha and other regions in Ukraine are falsified, that they have been fabricated and part of a concerted media campaign to distort the real story of what's happening in Ukraine.

That of course has been the narrative Russia has pushed throughout its invasion. And as we've seen in Fred's reporting it's simply not true, and that will be held up according to the International Criminal Court and according to European leaders if an investigation is carried out. John?

VAUSE: They now -- if we -- we've heard from NATO, we've heard from the U.S. it's pretty much expected the reaction there, but what about China or India, the two countries which are trying to play it both ways here with this invasion and not condemning Russia so far at least?

BASHIR: Well, we haven't had any really strong response from China or India at this stage with regards to the attacks we've seen in Bucha. As you mentioned that they have taken a more neutral line that is just mildly with regards to Russia's attacks against Ukraine.

We saw late last week the Russian foreign Minister Dmitry Lavrov speaking -- Sergey Lavrov, rather, speaking with his Indian counterpart. They have really issued a more neutral line. They want to stick to that neutral line. Of course, they're not putting forward sanctions. They're not putting forward any tough measures that we've seen similar to what we've seen from the European Union. But we've also heard from the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other European officials they have called on China and on India not to interfere with European Union sanctions. Ursula von der Leyen actually saying that she would welcome positive steps if they were to look at perhaps paving a way to peace, at least for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. [03:10:07]

But it is to say we haven't heard that firm response as we have done with European and NATO leaders. John?

VAUSE: Yes, the silence on this issue speaks volumes. Nada Bashir in London, thank you.

A similar story for a little bit longer. Joining me now is Natalyia Gumenyuk, she is an independent journalist in Kyiv. Her recent book, "The Lost Island: Tales from Occupied Crimea" features her six-year reporting from Russian annexed Crimea. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

I'm wondering is there any way to explain why Russian soldiers appeared to have carried out mass murder in these towns and villages that they occupied for weeks?

NATALYIA GUMENYUK, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST: Yes, to -- it's something we're trying to grasp on our own, just to understand that the areas we're speaking about it's quite nice suburbs of the Ukrainian capital where 100,000 people live, the people were largely well-off or a nice neighborhood. And it has not any political significance.

I'm covering the war in Ukraine for eight years and all those times we're still trying to grasp some logic, you know, what would be the military target and object in Ukraine. OK, they want to secure, for instance, the eastern part of the country. But now I think that what happened really changed the course of the war a lot.

It could be explained also by the 20 years of the Russian propaganda which somehow built into the, you know, image of Ukrainians and dehumanize them in the eyes of the Russians. When I was reading the testimonies of one of the soldiers who committed rape it was a report by human rights watch. He's 20 years old. He don't remember -- he doesn't remember Soviet Union. He was too old. He was born after Putin was in power.

So, the reason is really human logic. And that apart from this idea what largely Ukrainians agree and President Zelenskyy expressed that today the task of Russia is really to punish all the Ukrainians. And by the Ukrainians they mean the people who do not agree with him.

So my concern, first of all, and you know, I don't -- I think that a lot should be done in terms of investigation not just about Vladimir Putin but the people who were actually in those towns. There are their names. We understand the brigades. It happened recently, there are so many witnesses, there are so many, you know, so it's possible to bring it to any international accord.

But what is more important that we see the same pattern in other towns in Sumy region, in Kharkiv in the villages which had bene liberated. Some other towns are under Russian occupation so we need to take care about them. And first and foremost, I'm going to go back from the Ukrainian region of the Donbas. Just to go on shortly, where we're expecting the most severe fierce fighting within the next weeks. And we expect also -- and this is also the reason to say why those towns should be defended.

VAUSE: We heard from Ukraine's foreign minister he's been tweeting a lot. This was one of them. Putin massacre proves that Russian hatred towards Ukrainians is beyond anything Europe has seen since World War II. The only way to stop this help Ukraine kick Russians out as soon as possible. Partners know our needs. Tanks, combat aircraft, heavy air defense systems. Provide them now.

Is this only way to stop Putin is with force? And can Ukraine defeat the Russians with just military aid from the west?

GUMENYUK: There is no other way, I should say. I, myself a journalist who is focused on human rights for all those years. And especially within these 40 days of the war there is no signal that anything else work apart from the Ukrainian military stopping the Russian military from occupying the towns. Nothing had been else so far successful.

And just recently talking to the civilians, talking to the governors in the Donbas, for instance, where we really expect the major assault within probably next days it's exactly the only thing they ask. Of course, the humanitarian help is good, but the humanitarian aid isn't really helping to prevent the atrocities from taking place.

VAUSE: I'm sorry, we just dropped out for a moment there. Very quickly, there were some level of support for Russia in the eastern part of the countries but has Vladimir Putin successfully wiped that out? Is there any support at all for the Russians in what they're doing here?

[03:14:55]

GUMENYUK: Look, I think things really changed eight years ago. But the part of the Donbas region had been occupied. It's under the Russian control for eight years. And what is also tragic that the young conscripts they are mobilize to the Russian army and while talking to the military just being back from the Area, I should say that they are, you know, sent as of course cannon fodder to the -- to the fights, and then the professional Russian military do the like the most sophisticated job.

But of course, we see this anti-Ukrainian sentiment was also fueled through the Russian media. However, the cities which are hurt the most, for instance, the town of Mariupol, it's a Russian speaking town of the Donbas. It's exactly the area where the foreign reporters for years referring like the place where possibly there's some resistance to Russia.

But what really happens changes the course. Because the people apolitical or the people who probably preferred to stay away especially in that region, they definitely changed their minds. And they are of course concerned that if the kind of people in Kyiv who have nothing to do with this war for many year -- for last years were treated in this way, what would happen to the half of the Ukrainian and Donbas which kind of demonstrated its loyal position to Ukrainian state for the last eight years? VAUSE: Natalyia, thank you so much for being with us. Natalyia

Gumenyuk there speaking with us about the situation in Donbas which she is just from and some good analysis of what the Russian military is capable of doing. Thank you so much.

Well, millions have fled Ukraine but not all staying away. Coming up next here on CNN Newsroom, find out why thousands of Ukrainians are now returning home despite the threat of the ongoing war.

[03:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Welcome back. Humanitarian aid groups are still doing their best to reach vulnerable Ukrainians and get them out of harm 's way. But continued Russian air strikes are making those efforts difficult. Take a look at this drone footage that shows the havoc wreak on the city of Mariupol by Russian forces.

Nearly 500 residents there escape that devastation in their own vehicles on Sunday. And an evacuation convoy by the International Committee for the Red Cross was again denied access. Ukrainians in the eastern city of Kramatorsk are also fleeing in search of safety. Some though are sticking it out hoping to help those who are caught in the fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICTORIA VINNYK, TRAIN STATION VOLUNTEER & DOCTOR (through translator): The latest rumors we hear from official sources are that Russia is moving its forces to the east and we will be surrounded, it could turn into a second Mariupol here. We hope the Ukrainian military forces will manage to hold their positions and that the west helps us a lot. We still hope that we can fight back and keep the defense long enough to win.

I'm a doctor. I can't leave. Of course, it's a little scary but I don't want to leave my city. I'm needed here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Well, since this war began more than two million Ukrainians have fled across the border and have stayed in Poland. But now tens of thousands have started to return home despite the threat of war.

CNN's Kyung Lah spoke with refugees in Warsaw to find out why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In some ways we've almost become a accustomed to these images because they are now so common almost six weeks into the war. Ukrainians carrying everything they own and bags that they can roll, their babies in tow except they are not fleeing to safety.

We are on a platform, a bus platform in Warsaw, Poland. And what you are looking at are Ukrainian refugees here in Poland. But they are not running from the war. They are returning to Ukraine.

At the bus station in Warsaw, Poland, the platform is packed. But not with people arriving from Ukraine. They're heading back. Reality of life as a refugee more unbearable than war. Katarina Vok (Ph) says after two weeks she's returning to Kyiv.

What is it like trying to live away from home all this time?

UNKNOWN: So bad because you don't know what's wrong with your relatives, with your family.

LAH: It's not a permanent way to live.

UNKNOWN: Yes.

LAH: The Polish government says 2.5 million Ukrainians have come in since the war began. As of this weekend 442,000 have gone from Poland back to Ukraine. Housing is a problem as Poland struggles to absorb the influx of women, children and the elderly. Poland's residents have welcomed Ukrainian families into hair homes. But living on strange floors and out of bags can only go on for so long.

Poland allows Ukrainians to work and collect government assistance, but there's the red tape, standing in long lines with fellow war refugees to file the proper papers. And then there's child care and schooling, trying to raise kids with new language and cultural barriers. Poland wants to help, but nearly six weeks into this war the signs of strain are getting harder to ignore.

RAFAL TRZASKOWSKI, MAYOR, WARSAW, POLAND: The Polish people will welcome Ukrainians whatever happens because they're fighting for our freedom and we do understand that. Of course, there's a certain limit, human limit what we can -- what we can do.

LAH: When you say you're at capacity, what do you mean?

TRZASKOWSKI: The population of my city has grown by almost a 20 percent in a month so of course it puts an enormous strain on the city on its services. And we're doing our best, we are welcoming everyone who needs help but, you know, improvisation has to end.

LAH: Some of the stories that we're hearing from these passengers who are heading back into Ukraine a pregnant woman who says that she does not want to give birth in Poland alone, that her husband has remained in Ukraine to fight in the war. She wants to be with him.

[03:24:55]

Another woman who owns a business who says her heart has shattered into a million pieces being in Poland. She plans to pick up her life in Ukraine. This bus to Lviv has just pulled up. It's going to be leaving in minutes.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Warsaw, Poland.

(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Well, the U.S. says much needed help is on the way for Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries as it copes with an influx of Ukrainian refugees. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says the U.S. is pledging $40 million. Funding will help support training and equipment for border management as well as efforts to counter human trafficking. Nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to Moldova.

Well, Russia is continuing with devastating attacks on cities such as Mykolaiv. Ukrainian officials said there on Sunday at least one person was killed, more than a dozen injured and taken to hospital.

CNN's Ben Wedemen has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The city of Mykolaiv came under multiple missile strikes Sunday. The first one just after noon local time when what appears to be cluster munitions slammed into a residential neighborhood in the center of the city. Shortly afterwards Mykolaiv regional governor Vitaliy Kim put out a video of himself walking down the street saying the Russians were trying and failing to panic residents at a time when many people are beginning to return to their homes after having fled the city.

The Russian strikes killed one person and wounded more than a dozen according to a statement put out later by the governor's office. Meanwhile, Ukrainian deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk has accused Russian forces of detaining 11 mayors and killing one in areas under Russian control, although CNN cannot independently verify those claims. She said the Ukrainian government would alert the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations and other international organizations to their captivity.

I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Mykolaiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, some Ukrainians are trying to travel far away from all the (Inaudible) possible it seems they're heading to the U.S.-Mexico border in hopes of asylum. Priscilla Alvarez has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN REPORTER: Hundreds of Ukrainians fleeing the war in Ukraine are arriving to the Mexican border city of Tijuana which sits right along the California-Mexico border and there their names are being put on lists and volunteers are providing them numbers for them to go to the port of entry and seek asylum in the United States.

Now volunteers on the ground say that in the last few days the number of Ukrainians arriving has quadrupled and the wait can take more than 24 hours with some Ukrainians deciding to stay at local hotels until their numbers are called. Now this is happening against the backdrop of the U.S. committing to

accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. While the administration has not yet revealed all of the details, they've said that it will include a full range of legal pathways that can come to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Program, through parole or through visas with a focus on family reunification.

That is reuniting Ukrainians with family here in the United States. But until those details are revealed many Ukrainians are opting to go to the U.S.-Mexico border seeing that as the fastest way to get into the United States.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: A quick note here. If you would like to help the people of Ukraine who are in need of shelter, they need food, they need water, medical supplies, everything pretty much, please go to cnn.com/impact. And there you'll find ways to make sure that your donation reaches to people who really truly are in need the most.

We'll take a short break, but when we come back world reaction at the shock and horror at the killings in Bucha. We will hear from human rights watch who have been investigating this and we'll have their findings in a moment.

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Welcome back to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Thirty-two minutes past the hour. I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN Newsroom live from Lviv in Ukraine.

And after a mass grave was discovered in Bucha, Ukrainian authorities say they're now searching for more bodies in the Kyiv region. A warning the images we're about to show you are graphic, and this is that mass grave. Up to 300 people could be buried there according to the town's mayor.

The president of Ukraine accusing Russia of genocide. The Russians would like you to believe this is all staged and has denied any involvement. But a CNN crew witnessed this with their own eyes, also a dozen bodies piled high on church grounds.

We're also getting a closer look at some of the vast destruction left behind by Russia in the city of Irpin. And the residents who are still there lashed out at Russia's invasion of their city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN (through translator): They're just destroying people and houses. I want to know why they are targeting this residential area. People are being torn to pieces. They are shelling and shelling. Those are Russian shells, Putin's shells. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Again, Russia denies any involvement in Bucha and continues to insist despite evidence to the contrary that it does not target civilians.

Well, the world has been shocked from the images from Bucha. A Ukrainian governor advisor says they already know about 400 people dead in at least three towns. Many areas have not been reached yet because of the danger posed by land mines.

Joining me now Yulia Gorbunova. She is a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch where she does investigations focusing on Ukraine. Yulia, thank you for being with us.

I just wonder at this point is there enough evidence to say Russian troops have committed war crimes? Because it seems to most people that would be the case.

YULIA GORBUNOVA, SENIOR RESEARCHER, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: Thank you. We at Human Rights Watch have documented several cases of apparent war crimes in Ukraine commit by Russian forces. We've documented summary executions, seven cases to be precise. One of them took place in Bucha in early March and another one involving the execution of six civilians took place in the village of Staryi Bykiv in Chernihiv region in late February.

So, all these events that we documented and describe now in a report which was published yesterday took place while the areas were under Russian control.

[03:35:01]

We have eyewitness testimony of summary execution in Bucha and accounts of local residents describing, particularly the events that took place on that day on March 4th when residents were being brought to the square where they were -- where they had their documents and phones checked and Russians were looking for territorial defense fighters among them.

And at one point they brought in five men who were made to kneel on the side of the road, and one of them was executed with a gunshot to his head. In another case we documented Russian soldiers took control of villages in Chernihiv region, two villages and they rounded up six local men from one village and they executed them.

And we spoke to families of these people, and family of one of them described in particular how they saw the bodies the next day the six men with their hands tied behind their back lying in the outskirts of the village, and they were not able to bury these bodies for nine days.

So those were the cases that we documented, of summary executions and we also documented the case of sexual violence. It does seem like it only a tip -- it is only a tip of the iceberg. And as more areas are -- well, as Russians pull back and Ukrainian forces come in and retake these areas that were under Russian occupation for a while and I think there will be more reports coming out to -- most --

(CROSSTALK)

VAUSE: Yes, absolutely.

GORBUNOVA: -- will be coming out.

VAUSE: yes, absolutely. Just the tip of the iceberg. I want you to listen to one resident from Mala Rohan that's a town not far from Kharkiv.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLENA, RESIDENT, MALA ROHAN, UKRAINE (through translator): This is what the Russian army left behind. They probably didn't want to leave. The Russians stayed here for 20 days. You live here and realize that their canons in the field are shelling Kharkiv. They shelled it 60 to 70 times a day. My head hurt. Our house was shaking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So, who is held responsible for this? If it gets to a trial, if it gets to the ICC, who stands trial? Is it the commander of the unit, is it the general of the Russian army, is it Vladimir Putin himself?

GORBUNOVA: Look, I think what's important to focus on right now is to make sure, you know, even if we're talking about recent findings in Bucha, horrendous images and video and reporting that is coming out of Bucha, it is very important to conduct a proper investigation first.

So we don't know how these people died. We don't know how they ended up on the street. We don't know they, you know, the cause of death. And what we've documented as I mentioned are apparent war crimes, and they should be investigated as such.

But what's happening in Bucha and in many other places going to be looked at now, there should be a proper investigation. You know, when we're talking about mass graves, there should be very specific procedure with -- a proper exhumation should be organized to make sure that vital evidence is preserved and, you know, the bodies are identified and it's clear how they died and circumstances of their death.

VAUSE: Yes.

GORBUNOVA: And in terms of accountability and justice, that's a great question. And in fact, there already there's several avenues to achieve accountability. And one of them, of course, is the ICC, the International Criminal Court which cited an investigation in Ukraine.

Another one is the independent inquiry commission setup by the U.N. Human Rights Council. Another option for justice is universal jurisdiction where countries, for instance, like Germany can initiate their own criminal proceedings without the crime in question having necessarily been committed on their territory or by their citizen. That only concerns grave crimes such as war crimes and crimes against humanity. But there are several avenues --

VAUSE: Yulia --

GORBUNOVA: -- and I'm sure there'll be more.

VAUSE: Yes. Yulia, we're out of time unfortunately so we have to leave it there. But Yulia Gorbunova from Huma Rights Watch, we appreciate you being with us today. Thank you.

GORBUNOVA: Thank you very much.

VAUSE: Let's get back now to the CNN world headquarters. Rosemary Church is there waiting for us. Hey, Rosie.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, there, John. Thank you so much. Do stay safe.

And coming up after the break a touching story of a Ukrainian father who feels compelled to document life in a war zone as he raises his newborn son.

[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A very relevant song at this time. And this new Ukrainian father is documenting life, raising a baby inside a war zone. Alex Dayrabekov and his newborn managed to escape their apartment in Irpin just before Russian strikes reduced it to ruins.

He joined CNN's Jim Acosta earlier to talk about why that song is so relevant now and why that song is so relevant now and why he documents his daily life for the world to see.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX DAYRABEKOV, DOCUMENTING LIFE IN WAR ZONE: Yesterday is the right song for this situation. You know, I've been singing it to my first son who's 25 years old now, and I sing it to this kid as well. While I'm singing it now, I really, you know, reflect on it and I -- I was really shocked and I started crying, that, you know, some of the words really are about this situation.

I'm not the man I used to be, you know. There's a shadow hanging over me. This is all about the situation now. We -- the com -- the life changed completely within this time, completely.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. And it makes you think about your parents, it makes you think about your own kids and how you'd be able to handle things going through what you're going through, Alex.

You know, we just reported about these horrific images coming out of Bucha where Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says people including children were tortured and killed. Your own city of Irpin lies in ruins, we've seen that. That video time and again is just awful. What is it like for you to see these reports day after day knowing that you're one of the lucky ones?

[03:44:56]

DAYRABEKOV: Well, these are places, Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, that's where the war actually started from the north and, you know, my heart is tearing into pieces. While this is, we were lucky to escape in the first place, but I -- I actually evacuated one family, but three days later it was already impossible to evacuate, and the people who I know, my neighbors tried to escape in caravans of cars, and they were killed.

Civilians with kids, with signs children on the cars were killed. You know, there's eyewitnesses. I am now -- I feel like this is my mission to collect those evidences, testimonies. And I help team to talk to international lawyers and to give their testimonies, and you know, I'm present at those talks and I really sometimes I can't stop not crying.

ACOSTA: Of course. And what do you have to say to, you know, the Russians who are claiming that -- you know, the images that we're seeing of atrocities are staged and fake and so on? I mean, obviously what they're saying is ludicrous, but from your perspective what is your response when you hear that sort of thing?

DAYRABEKOV: Nothing. I will tell them nothing. I tried for the first week to talk to my relatives, to the ones who I know in Russia, and they are completely silent. They are completely brainwashed, and I don't want to spend my nerves and energy on them.

I'm going to collect the evidences. I'm going to help the victims and the eyewitnesses, and I'm going to be everything possible that the international trials will happen, and those who did it will pay. This is what I'm going to do, but I will not talk to them.

ACOSTA: And you shared another video how your son has gotten so used to hearing the air sirens going off that he barely reacts anymore. We want to show our viewers that and we'll talk about it after we play it.

Alex, what do you think you're going to tell your son about all this in the future when he, you know, when he can I guess possibly understand what was going on during this terrible, awful time?

DAYRABEKOV: I will tell him that he started his life in the time, in the historic time when the entire country got together against this evil, against this devil because this is not even a war. It's a massacre. It's a genocide. That they came to erase our nation and everyone is fighting in this country. For our country, for our land, and for human values and for freedom. And I'm sure that what is happening now will change the entire history of the country, of Europe and of the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Documenting life in a war zone, a father and his son there.

Well, Pakistan's embattled prime minister is clinging to his political career. Coming up, Imran Khan survived a campaign to remove him from office, now the country's Supreme Court is set to weigh in. We will go live to Islamabad for more on that.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to act on gun control after another mass shooting. Six people were killed, 12 others injured when gunfire erupted in Sacramento, California early Sunday morning.

Our Josh Campbell has the latest now from Los Angeles.

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JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: A manhunt is under way after a deadly night in the California capital. Authorities say shots rang out in downtown Sacramento just around 2 a.m. on Sunday. This was two blocks from the state capital building in an area with several restaurants and bars. Six people have been confirmed dead, at least 12 injure. The city's police chief spoke about the incident Sunday morning.

KATHERINE LESTER, POLICE CHIEF, SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT: We had officers in the area that heard shots fired and responded to the area of 10th and K. They found a very large crowd here, and they also found that we have a number of people that were shot in the area. Those officers we know rendered aid to our victims and called for additional assistance.

Right now, we do not have a suspect in custody on this, and we're asking for the public's help. So, if anyone saw anything, has video or can provide any information to the police department, we are asking for their assistance.

CAMPBELL: Now, at this point authorities don't know whether they're dealing with one or multiple shooters and they have not yet released a suspected motive. There is video circulating on social media that shows a physical altercation involving a group of people just as shots rang out. That video has not been confirmed by CNN. However, the Sacramento police spoke about that video saying they're aware of it, they're asking for anyone who has additional video to contact authorities.

Sacramento police have assigned numerous officers to help with this investigation, actually calling in resources from neighboring agencies to help respond to new police calls as their investigation and this manhunt continues. Again, a deadly night. Yet another mass shooting in the United States. Six dead, 12 injured, the shooter still at large.

Josh Campbell, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Pakistan's prime minister will stay on the job despite his country's own economic problems and efforts to oust him. Pakistan's president says Imran Khan will continue as prime minister until the appointment of a caretaker government citing the country's Constitution.

[03:55:01]

Now, this after parliament's deputy speaker blocked a vote of no confidence in the prime minister on Sunday. Mr. Khan dissolved the national assembly and called for fresh elections sparking protesters from opposition members who accuse him of mismanaging the country's economy and foreign policy.

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban celebrated his re-election on Sunday with a jab at European leaders. The right-wing prime minister and Putin ally secured a fourth consecutive term after his party won a super majority in parliament. He said European bureaucrats and Ukraine's president were some of the many opponents he overcame at the polls. He has drawn heavy criticism particularly from Europe and the west over the erosion of Democratic rights during his time in office.

The Grammy Awards on Sunday featured a special guest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who appeared in a pre-taped message. The president appealed to the international community for help sharing the truth of what is happening in Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals. Even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway. We defend our freedom. To live. To love. To sound. On our land, we are fighting Russia which brings horrible silence with its bombs. The dead, silence. Fill the silence with your music. Fill it today to tell our story.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Later joined Ukrainian performers and musicians performing his new song titled "Free" celebrating the power of music in dark times especially war.

And that wraps up this hour of CNN Newsroom. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I'm Rosemary Church. Max Foster continues next with more of our coverage on Russia's war in Ukraine after a short break. Do stay with us.

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