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Donbas, Eastern Ukraine Bracing For Russian Onslaught; Ukraine: Russians Kill Two At Donetsk Aid Center; Russia Launches Missiles Strikes On Kharkiv Region; Video: Russian Forces Dug Trenches In Off- Limits Areas Of Highly-Radioactive Forest Near Chernobyl; Pentagon: "Of Course" Ukraine Can Win The War; U.S. Announces New Sanctions On Russia; NATO Foreign Ministers Gathering For High-Stakes Meeting; Europe Reluctant To Give Up Russian Oil And Gas; Red Cross: 500 Civilians Evacuated Via Humanitarian Corridor; Ukraine's Internally Displaced Rely On Aid And Scant Hope; Activists Stage Display Reflecting Ukrainian Deaths; Pope Calls For An End To Atrocities Seen In Bucha; Official: U.S. Believes It Can Identify Russian Units Responsible For The Bucha Atrocities. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired April 07, 2022 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[02:00:20]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, I'm John Vause, live in Lviv, Ukraine. Welcome to our viewers in the United States, and around the world. Thank you for joining us.
As we report on day 43 of Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities are now reporting heavy fighting in the eastern part of the country, especially the Luhansk and Donetsk regions known as the Donbas. Apparently, part of Russia's new strategy withdrawal from the north and focus on taking Russian speaking areas in the East, and the port of Mariupol in the South.
Residents along the road to Donetsk are digging trenches, laying out anti-tank obstacles to try and slow the Russian advance. When local official claims Russian forces attacked a humanitarian aid distribution center, killing two people, wounding five others.
Authorities in Kharkiv report Russian troops carried out 27 strikes on residential areas early Wednesday. Ukraine's president says Moscow now shifting course now that atrocities like those in the town of Bucha have been exposed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): It seems the Russian leadership really got scared of the world drafts (ph) that what we saw in Bucha may repeat because of what we may see in other cities from where we will inevitably kick out the occupiers. We have the information that the Russian military has changed his tactics and is trying to hide and killed people from the streets and basements in occupied territory. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: New drone video released by the Ukrainian government appears to show the location of trenches in the highly-radioactive forest around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Apparently, the work of Russian soldiers who took control of the site of the world's worst nuclear accident in late February, but they have since left with-- now, the defunct plant under the control of the Ukrainian officials.
The Pentagon says fighting in Ukraine likely will intensify in coming weeks, but Ukraine's military still has a chance of mounting a successful counter offensive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, PRESS SECRETARY, PENTAGON: Of course, they can win this. And if you look at what they've been able to do just thus far Mr. Putin has achieved exactly zero of his strategic objectives inside Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: But the atrocities seen on the ground as Russian forces retreat has sparked international outrage and led to new U.S. sanctions. They include freezing all U.S. assets of Russia's largest financial institutions Sberbank its largest private bank Alfa Bank. New sanctions on Russians elite as well, including Russian President Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters.
Now, Russian president-- the U.S. President rather, Joe Biden spoke about the horrific images coming out of Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Civilians executed with cold blood, bodies dumped into mass graves, the sense of brutality in humanity left for all of the world to see unapologetically. There's nothing less happening than major war crimes. Responsible nations have to come together to hold these perpetrators accountable. And together with our allies and our partners, we're going to keep raising economic costs, and ratchet up the pain for Putin, and further increased Russia's economic isolation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: NATO foreign ministers are set to meet in the next hour or so. But first foreign ministers of the G-7 are set to sit down this hour. Just a short time ago, we saw the arrival of Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba he spoke alongside NATO Secretary General making clear the best way to help Ukraine fight the Russians is with weapons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DMYTRO KULEBA, FOREIGN MINISTER OF UKRAINE: The more weapons we get, and the sooner they arrive in Ukraine, the more human lives will be saved. The more cities and villages will not be destructed. And there will be no more butchers. This is my message to the allies, it's very simple. And I call on all allies to put aside their hesitations, their reluctance to provide Ukraine with everything it needs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: CNN correspondents are covering this conflict from a number of angles. We had Fred Pleitgen in Kyiv, Matt Rivers in Berehove in Ukraine, Dianne Gallagher in Rome, Brian Todd standing by in Washington. But first up a special Ukrainian army unit is helping to target and destroy Russian tanks and military vehicles.
Just a few months ago, most of the civilians who flew their drones as a hobby. But a warning out, our report from Fred Pleitgen contain some graphic video.
OLEKSANDR RADZIHOVSKY, UKRAINE TERRITORIAL DEFENSE FORCES, BUGATTI COMPANY: Be careful, just move, move, move from the board.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's like a scene from the gates of hell. The deadly strewn across this highway west of Kyiv some still next to the wreckage of their vehicles as the dogs roam around looking to scavenge.
[02:05:11]
PLEITGEN: This is what Russian forces left behind when they retreated from here.
RADZIHOVSKY: They organized ambush over there, that's where we're going right now.
PLEITGEN: Oleksandr Radzihovsky tells me these were civilians, gunned down from this position where the Russians had placed a tank.
RADZIHOVSKY: And you can see it's actually a building shooting zone, you see?
PLEITGEN: Yes. Yes.
RADZIHOVSKY: And these cars, look, they sort of in line.
PLEITGEN: Yes.
RADZIHOVSKY: There's no cars here because they will not let them come. They just shoot as soon as they approach.
PLEITGEN: The Russian government denies targeting civilians they call such allegations quote, "Fake and propaganda." But Alexander is part of a drone unit, and they filmed one incident.
It was March 7th, when the Russians were still in full control of this area, and a group of cars was driving down the highway. They turned around after apparently taking fire from the tank position. This car stops and the driver gets out, then this.
RADZIHOVSKY: He raised his head above his head, and in this moment he will shoot by on this place.
PLEITGEN: Two people were killed that day, Maxim Yuvenko (ph) and his wife Senya (ph) who was also sitting in the vehicle. The family has confirmed the identities to CNN. After the incident, the drone filmed Russian troops getting two further people out of the car and taking them away.
It was the couples' 6-year-old son and a family friend traveling with them, the relatives confirmed. Both were later released by the Russians. The soldiers then search Maxim's body and drag him away. This incident both traumatizing and motivating for Oleksandr's drone unit
RADZIHOVSKY: In normal life before the war, we were civilians who liked to fly drones around casually and just like, make a nice video, YouTube videos. But when the war began, we become actually a vital part of the resistance.
PLEITGEN: Oleksandr sent us hours of video showing his team scoping out Russian vehicles, even finding them when they're hidden and almost impossible to spot, and then helping the Ukrainians hit them.
RADZIHOVSKY: We are eyes, we call "eyes" because it was eyes, you can see and you can report. And as soon as you see, you can conduct strikes artillery, airstrikes.
PLEITGEN: How long does it take to get your information to the right places to then be able to act on the intelligence that you provide?
RADZIHOVSKY: In good time, it's about a matter of minutes.
PLEITGEN: And sometimes a little mosquito can take out a whole herd of elephants. This is drone footage of Oleksandr's unit searching for a massive column of Russian tanks and armored vehicles. And this is that column after the drones founded.
Oleksandr tells me units like his played a major role fending off Russian troops despite the Ukrainians being vastly outgunned.
RADZIHOVSKY: We as are-- as territorial defense, we can-- or we don't want to just think it's suicide and then you're ready to go. But the army they have to stay, they ordered to stay, they stay. They're dying, but they stay and they're holding this ground.
PLEITGEN: Nobody knows how many Russians died here. But the group says it was many taken out with the help of a band of amateur drone pilots looking to defend their homeland. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Myla, Ukraine.
VAUSE: Join me now here in Lviv, Michael Bociurkiw, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and former spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Michael, it's good to see you here with us now.
Now, the sanctions which have been proposed that are about to be hit again though, you know, fifth round, I believe on Moscow and Vladimir Putin. MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, SENIOR FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Yes.
VAUSE: What will they do?
BOCIURKIW: Not much. The sanctions that were announced when the war began did nothing to deter Mr. Putin. I think a lot of these sanctions should have been introduced before the Russian aggression started. But-- and I think, you know, I've written a lot for CNN opinion about this. I think Russia has been preparing for this for a long time, partially in coordination with China to inoculate itself against these sanctions.
A full package would have included also a ban on Russian oil and gas, not just coal, but of course, that would have caused pain in European countries. But what's better to, you know, take that pain now or to get it later when the Russians could possibly take over all of Ukraine, then it moves even to Poland and other parts of Europe.
VAUSE: Sets the point right now until the Europeans are willing to bite the bullet if you like.
BOCIURKIW: Yes.
VAUSE: And the natural gas involves, 40 percent of their energy needs. Those sanction aren't doing any good, because look, the situation is the Europeans are paying Putin a billion dollars a day, which is funding his war, which seems to negate the sanctions.
BOCIURKIW: Exactly. There-- Russia is actually going to make more this year of energy even with sanctions than last year, according to Bloomberg calculations. So-- and that money is going to fund us more. And by the way, John, I mean, the figures of casualties here of deaths here is in a thousand or so mark. But if you include the past eight years, it's about 8,000 deaths on the Ukrainian side in the Donbas.
VAUSE: Right.
BOCIURKIW: So those are high numbers.
VAUSE: But also if you're looking into that fatalities as well, and we're also looking at very high casualty counts on the Russian side as well. The Ukrainians put it up too I think 18,000 Russian troops have been killed. What sort of impact does that have on Russia on Vladimir Putin?
[02:10:10]
BOCIURKIW: It's a very inhumane regime. They don't care about human life. We've seen that what has happened in Bucha. And yes, those body bags will come home to their mothers in Russia, and they will cry and scream. But there's such controls right now in Russia, on any sort of dissent, even a hint of dissent that it's very difficult.
Look, we've even heard stories of mothers disowning their kids for going on the Ukrainian side on social media and saying this war shouldn't be happening. So it's causing some sort of destabilization in Russia, but not on a massive scale, I think.
VAUSE: When-- what happened in Bucha, and Irpin, in Mariupol, these sort of places. Is it a game changer if you like? Is it-- well, at least people thought it might be a game changer--
BOCIURKIW: Yes.
VAUSE: -- when these atrocities were revealed. But what we're seeing now with this NATO meeting and these sanctions, it hasn't really had the effect that many thought it would have.
BOCIURKIW: A lot of rhetoric, a lot of platitudes sad to say, even from my own government, Canada. Yes, one would have thought this would have been again, a game changer, but it isn't. And you know, also what's been happening, where we're finding out is the Russians have been trying to cover their tracks, things like the Kyiv independent has been reporting mobile crematoriums, that sort of thing to get rid of the evidence.
So it's really, really important right now for Ukraine to move quickly to collect their solid evidence and get impartial also third parties here. They've been talking, for example of getting Angela Merkel here, people like that to really witness it and documented. But sadly, I don't think it'd be a game changer.
VAUSE: The fact that they are trying to cover their tracks destroy the evidence--
BOCIURKIW: yes.
VAUSE: -- it indicates obviously they're worried about that, at the very least, right?
BOCIURKIW: They are. And, you know, I got to say one of the oddest images I saw is, you know, the bodies and places like Bucha being thrown into these makeshift graves. But also, there's so many Russians killed, their bodies are also being thrown in there. So what undignified way to have to be, you know, put away for eternity?
But I think there's plenty of evidence out there, and you will see, as people get out of these liberated cities, they will have cell phone, images, things like that, because don't forget, a lot of them were cut off from cell phone service and electricity. I think there's a lot more to come.
VAUSE: And when you say about it is important to start collecting this evidence for future is what I guess.
BOCIURKIW: Yes. Yes.
VAUSE: The Russian president doesn't care. You can take him to the ICC. He's-- you know, they've been found guilty of MA17, you know, for shooting out of Mi-17 (INAUDIBLE) linked directly to Mi-17.
BOCIURKIW: Correct.
VAUSE: Didn't care.
BOCIURKIW: Yes.
VAUSE: Why he didn't care about this?
BOCIURKIW: He won't. And, you know with Mi-17 they haven't given up any suspects or any witnesses. I think at the end of the day, the only leverage that is left for the West is to work on China and India, to isolate Russia to the point that it's like a North Korea, and to cut off those energy payment flows.
But I still think there's some leverage there. At least I like to think so with India and with China.
VAUSE: Very quickly, India did condemn Bucha?
BOCIURKIW: Yes.
VAUSE: Which is a significant movement on their part.
BOCIURKIW: It is. But they have to stop buying Russian energy to cut them off completely.
VAUSE: All right. A good point to finish on. Thanks so much for being with us.
BOCIURKIW: Thank you.
VAUSE: Well, we'll take a short break. When we come back a small town in Western Ukraine has become a bunker for refugees fleeing the violence, but also at a crossroads for those struggling to decide whether to leave the country.
Also, Pope Francis displays a flag from the Ukrainian City of Bucha to condemn killings, the horrified much of the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:17:35]
VAUSE: The mayor of Mariupol says Russian attacks have decimated at least 40 percent of the city destroyed most of its infrastructure. He also estimated that some 5,000 residents have died during the Russian blockade. CNN cannot verify that figure which is significantly higher than the U.N.'s nationwide death toll of nearly 1,600.
Meantime, the Red Cross which has been trying to reach Mariupol for days says the humanitarian crisis is only getting worse. On Tuesday around 500 residents were evacuated to Zaporizhia, which is in Ukrainian control.
A Ukrainian deputy prime minister says the number of evacuees now is around 1,200. But many in Mariupol are still trapped. A Red Cross spokesperson described the situation there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LUCILE MARBEAU, SPOKESPERSON, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: We were hearing really tragic stories. People who had fled walking leaving also part of the family behind in Mariupol right now. There's nothing, no water, no electricity, barely any connection. So, no way to be able to say also to the family that they are safe. No medication, and the humanitarian situation is really growing worse and worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Millions have fled Ukraine since the fighting began, but more internally displaced people waiting now in towns along the border, hoping and waiting for better days. Then are faced with a difficult decision to either build a new life abroad, or clutch of what's left to their country. CNN's Matt Rivers has our report.
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The convoy gets loaded up several times a week. Workers with Hungarian Baptist Aid making the several hour drive from Budapest, destination Western Ukraine.
Today they're headed to Berehove, a quaint town just across the border that's become a magnet (ph) for Ukrainians fleeing the war. Upon arrivals, supplies unloaded by some of the kids staying at this shelter what used to be a school. Inside classrooms, bunk beds replaced desks, and photos of former students hanging on the wall above the tiny shoes of the kids staying in the room today.
Like little Ava (ph) and her mom, Deanna (ph). They fled Kyiv a few weeks ago, leaving behind her husband to fight the Russians.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): She says, "We stood there and cried at the train station. My daughter was so mad at him. She thought he was leaving us. He said Ava, come give me a kiss. But she wouldn't."
[02:20:01]
RIVERS: Ava, just too young to understand the sacrifice her dad is making like so many other children here scarred by the war even in this safe place, air raid sirens still go off.
So, down here in the school's basement, they're using this as a bomb shelter and the schools director says that they're coming down here on average, a couple dozen times every week, even though no bombs have fallen in this area. But when the children come down here, the director says so many of them are still traumatized. So for instance, the other day it was raining outside there was a clap of thunder, and a lot of the children's screamed, the director said, because they thought it was a bomb.
Aid continues to flow into Berehove. In the beginning of the war, it was largely just a stop for refugees fleeing to other countries. Now, they're staying in put (ph).
BELA SZILAGYI, PRESIDENT, HUNGARIAN BAPTIST AID: Those who are arriving, they want to stay for the long-term, and it certainly requires different kind of hosting.
RIVERS: For Hungarian Baptist Aid, more refugees means more need for everything else, including helping hands. I
DANIEL NAGRUNDY, PHARMACIST/VOLUNTEER, HUNGARIAN BAPTIST AID: It's not really like a war, for me. I feel like it's a genocide of Ukrainians.
RIVERS: Pharmacists, Daniel Nagrundy came to help from Philadelphia, the son of Ukrainian immigrants.
NAGRUNDY: The people come together and come to the country and try to help out, then something actually gets done.
RIVERS: It's definitely the spirit at a nearby church where a tiny volunteer operation has ramped up to hundreds of meals served every day as refugees decide to stay long term. The reasons can vary everything from hope that the Ukrainian army will prevail to simply not wanting to live in a foreign country.
For Deanna back at the school, the reason to not flee to neighboring Hungary was simple. She says, "We feel like we're closer somehow closer to my husband. I will go back the moment it's safe for my children." Matt Rivers, CNN, Berehove, Ukraine.
VAUSE: Well, around the world activists and supporters of Ukraine tried to raise awareness of the war. There'll be public displays that are very hard to miss. Crowds in Tbilisi, Georgia gathered in the parliament, some tying their hands behind their backs, while others lay on the ground. They chose poses bearing (ph)the carnage in the city of Bucha, which was a scene of some horrendous war crimes at least alleged war crimes.
In Berlin, thousands came together to stage a dying outside parliament. They were to force others to visualize the war. They're also pushing for lawmakers to put sanctions on Russian oil imports.
Pope Francis has issued a strong condemnation of what he called atrocities in the town of Bucha. Dianne Gallagher has more now on the Pope's reaction.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis once again showing solidarity with the people of Ukraine from the Vatican on Wednesday morning when he unfurled a flag, which he said had been brought to him from Bucha, a martyred city he said the images of the massacre there were horrifying.
The Pope called up Ukrainian refugee children onto the stage with him and said this is also one of the fruits of war displaced children. Francis said that the war in Ukraine was showing the impotence of international organizations like the United Nations, that's less a criticism than a statement of fact from Pope Francis who was a big supporter of the United Nations.
He said after World War II, this was setup as a forum for peace for countries to come together to dialogue and work out their conflicts. So it was a call for countries to use that forum once again, and try to put an end to this war. Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Rome.
VAUSE: And if you'd like to safely and securely help people in Ukraine, that are in need of shelter, food, water, medical supplies, please go to cnn.com/impact. Now, you'll find ways to ensure that your donation will get to the people who need it.
Still to come. New sanctions from the U.S. targeting the Russian president's daughters. Officials say Vladimir Putin may be hiding his wealth with other family members.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:29:01]
VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. I'm John Vause, live in Lviv, Ukraine. New drone footage from the town of Bucha shows Russian forces deliberately shooting Ukrainian civilians. The images are graphic and they are disturbing to watch.
But the images were recorded about a month ago showing a man on a bicycle turning onto a street when a Russian armored vehicle opened fire with a high caliber weapon. The man's body and his bicycle were found weeks later in that exact same spot after Ukrainian troops retook the town.
The U.S. official tells CNN the U.S. now believes it will be also to identify the Russian troops responsible for atrocities in places like Bucha.
A new drone video released by Ukrainian government shows Russian forces were digging trenches in the highly radioactive areas of-- in a forest around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Russian troops took over the site of the world's worst nuclear accident when the invasion began. But last week, they withdrew Ukrainian authorities and now in control of the defunct plant.
The U.S. has announced new sanctions targeting Vladimir Putin's family in particular to his two daughters. And any secret stashes they may have hidden outside of Russia.
[02:30:00]
Not much is known about the Russian president's family, especially those two daughters. But CNN's Brian Todd has this investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): They are among the most closely guarded of the Kremlin's secrets, Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters from his first wife, both believed to be in their mid-30s, now the subject of U.S. sanctions. A senior Biden Administration official confirms their names are Mariya Putina, who's believe to be the older daughter, and also goes by the name Maria Vorontsova. And Katerina Tikhonova, shown here, once speaking at the St. Petersburg International forum. Putin spoke about his daughters in 2017. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): My daughters work in science and education. They're not involved anywhere in politics or somewhere else. They have ordinary lives.
TODD (voiceover): Putin is so secretive about his daughters, that analysts have been left to fill in the gaps of the mystery.
HOWARD STOFFER, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN: Maria is now in health care in Moscow. The old -- the younger daughter, Katerina, is now working in an AI Institute at the Moscow State University.
CASEY MICHEL, ADJUST FELLOW, HUDSON INSTITUTE: We know they've traveled widely, especially in the West. We know one of them, Katerina, was married to Russia's youngest billionaire. And we know that she also tried to pursue a career in acrobatic rock and roll. The other one, Maria, we don't know quite as much about. We know she has pursued or at least purportedly pursued a career in medical sciences.
TODD (voiceover): The younger of the two adult daughters, Katerina Tikhonova, was married to Russian billionaire Kirill Shamalov, who is also under sanction, but they're now divorced. Putin's discomfort with speaking about his children was exposed in a series of interviews he did with American Director Oliver Stone, where he acknowledged he has grandchildren.
OLIVER STONE, AMERICAN DIRECTOR: Are you a grandfather yet?
PUTIN (through translator): Yes.
STONE: How do you -- do you like your grandchildren?
PUTIN (through translator): Yes.
STONE: So, you -- are you good grandfather? Do you play with him in the garden?
PUTIN (through translator): Very seldom, unfortunately.
STONE: Very seldom? You're a very lucky man. Two good children.
PUTIN (through translator): Yes, I am proud of them.
RONALD MARKS, FORMER CIA OFFICIAL: Would've looked happier if you're under deposition. You acknowledge you're a good family man. But he's more interested in appearing with the Russian orthodox church, or in military situations, or riding shirtless on the back of a horse to project his power. That's power. Family in a way -- in many ways, is weakness.
TODD (voiceover): But one analyst says that Putin has a darker reason for keeping his family's detail secret.
STOFFER: He doesn't want to be vulnerable to anybody else doing something to him if a lot is known about his family.
TODD (voiceover): A senior administration official says, the U.S. is targeting Putin's adult daughters for sanctions, because officials believe many of Putin's assets, his money, his luxury possessions are hidden with family members.
MICHEL: He's keeping bank accounts. He's keeping shell companies. He's keeping large-scale purchases in the names of, not himself, but those around him.
TODD (on camera): Experts say, there's also Putin's ex-wife Lyudmila, the mother of Maria and Katerina, who also may have accounts in other places where Putin is hiding his assets. One expert who tracks Putin's finances says he doesn't believe Lyudmila has been placed under any sanctions yet. But he says that could be coming as the U.S. tries to wretch it up the personal pressure on Vladimir Putin. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And then there's a high price that Ukrainians are paying for this war. Last hour I spoke with Ukrainian member of parliament, the youngest member of parliament, just 26 years old, Sviatoslav Yurash. His longtime girlfriend, a girlfriend of a decade, a journalist killed by Russian shelling. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SVIATOSLAV YURASH, UKRAINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: She was far more than a girlfriend. 10 years that we knew each other and 10 years that we lived through everything together. From the teenagehood to now. And yes, she was killed by the Russian shelling. And it's just one of the examples of how senseless the Russians were trying to destroy anybody who was here in Kyiv. Trying to cover the madness of that invasion again. And she was telling the story to the world, together with some of the best American TV. And she was -- she's paid the highest price for that. But she will live on in all the projects of the work that she has done for Ukraine and for the world. And we will make justice come for her death.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Well, customs officials in Finland have confiscated three shipments of Russian art worth $46 million, under European Union sanctions. Shipping crates full of the paintings and sculptures were seized or they're being returned to Russia last weekend after being exhibited abroad. Finland says they qualify as luxury goods under you EU sanctions. And this ceasure is normal operations. But a Russian politician was quoted on state media is saying, "It was a theft." Those customs officials in Finland have said the artwork will be stored safely. And they will be stored for sometimes, it seems.
[02:35:00]
Let's go back to Lynda Kinkade at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. And, just go back to the interview which we did with Sviatoslav Yurash, that the young 26-year-old. That is a young man, who was the youngest elected member of the Ukrainian parliament. Who is now, basically, taking up a riffle to defend his country. And never thought he would be put in that situation. And if you look at his face, and his words, this is a young man who has aged incredibly in just a month.
KINKADE: Yes, he really has. Heartbreaking hearing him speak about the loss of his girlfriend of 10 years. Good to have you with us, John Vause, from Lviv. We will see you at the top the next hour. Thanks so much. Most Ukrainians fleeing the violence, remain in Europe, but some have made it as far as Mexico.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): She tells me she traveled through four countries to get here. Mexico is allowing Ukrainians in with a simple travel visa. They just ran, she says. Taking only a small suitcase and a blanket for her son.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Ahead there, remarkable journeys and their hopes of entering the United States. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
DAVE TERPSTRA, CO-FOUNDER, FREE THE GIRLS: Free the Girls as an antitrafficking organization that was started to help survivors reenter the workplace through the sale of secondhand bras and used clothing markets around the world market. My name Dave Terpstra and I'm co-founder of Free the Girls.
One of the things that we discovered that survivors struggle with is getting back into society after they've been rescued. After they've been rehabilitated. How do they reengage real life? And so, we created a program that's designed to help them start their own microenterprise and grow their own business for themselves. We have women donate bras, and as we say, bras are something women wear close to their hearts. And this is an issue that touches the hearts of many women and they want to play a part. They hear about these women who are traumatized, who have been trafficked around the world, in terrible situations. And this is such a tangible way for them to reach out.
When CNN first came 10 years ago to tell our story, we hadn't yet shipped our first container of bras. And CNN was there to record the entire process when that container of arrived. That first container had 30,000 bras. We've since shipped nine 40-foot containers, over a million bras have come here to Mozambique for our women to sell. That has transformed some lives.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[02:40:00]
KINKADE: Hello and welcome. I'm Lynda Kinkade at the CNN's center. Good to have you with us. Well, most of more than 40 million people who have fled Ukraine have been seeking refuge ini neighboring countries and other parts of Europe. But some have made it as far as the Mexico-U.S. border. CNN's Randi Kaye has their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KAYE (voiceover): This woman, and two and a half-year-old son are
living in a tent in Tijuana, Mexico. Along with her husband, they escaped the war in Ukraine, and are hoping to enter the United States.
KAYE: This is your son?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes.
KAYE: One child?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One.
KAYE (voiceover): She shows me on the map, where she said she once lived in Western Ukraine, before the Russian bombs started to fall.
KAYE: How long did it take you to get to Mexico? Your travel?
KAYE (voiceover): She tells me, she traveled through four countries to get here. Mexico was allowing Ukrainians in with a simple travel visa. They just ran, she says. Taking only a small suitcase and a blanket for her son. She worries about him with the cold temperatures and night.
They are just one of hundreds of Ukrainian families camped out here at the U.S border with Mexico. The tents are set up at the San Ysidro border crossing just south of San Diego. At the top of our visit, about 2,400 people were waiting to enter the U.S., which has promised to enter 100,000 Ukrainians in on humanitarian grounds. They can stay for one year.
KAYE: How quickly are these refugees able to get into the U.S.?
INNA LEVIEN, VOLUNTEER: Oh, my gosh. Not quickly enough. We -- we can get across maybe 300 people a day, on a good day. Some days are 200, and some days are 150. So, it's -- it all depends.
KAYE (voiceover): Inna Levien is from Orange County, California, and helping coordinate the volunteer effort here. Every family here has a number, and when it gets called, it's their turn to cross.
LEVIEN: Do you have a number?
KAYE (voiceover): This woman, and her three children, have number 1594. They're are sleeping here, she says. Until it's their turn.
LEVIEN: Toys. Can I see?
KAYE (voiceover): Another woman, Yrina Dashgol (ph) tells me she's been sleeping in this tent with her five children.
KAYE: Do you know when you might be called to go to the U.S.?
YRINA DASHGOL, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE TRYING TO REACH U.S.: I think soon.
KAYE (voiceover): There is food. And games for children. We found this boy playing with blue and gold Playdoh, the same colors as the Ukrainian flag. Eugene Saluk and his family escaped Mariupol for Mexico.
EUGENE SALUK, UKRAINIAN TRYING TO REACH U.S.: Our house is destroyed. We lost everything. You know, we don't know anything about our friends. And more over we don't know anything about the parents of my wife.
KAYE (voiceover): If he and his family make it to the U.S., they will stay with family in California until it's safe to return to Ukraine.
SALUK: I have a cousin in the U.S.
KAYE: Where?
SALUK: Sacramento.
KAYE (voiceover): As the day wore on, Oksana Dovgan refused to give up hope. She and her mother would make it to the U.S.
KAYE: What is it like waiting here for your number to be called?
OKSANA DOVGAN, HELPING UKRAINIAN MOTHER CROSS INTO U.S.: I don't know. I mean, we came -- hoping that it was going to be fast, maybe another hour. But they're saying two or three hours, at least, until the number will be called. And then from there, I have no idea how long will us -- take us, you know, to cross the border --
KAYE (voiceover): Oksana lives in Colorado and flew to Warsaw hoping to bring her mom to the U.S. Before coming here, her 66-year-old mother had been sheltering in a basement in Ukraine for 10 days.
KAYE: Will she come live with you in Colorado?
DOVGAN Yes, I have a good place to accommodate her. My kids can't wait to see her, the grandma, and spend time with her. And we want to -- we want her, you know, happy and safe and relaxed in the family circle.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (on camera): There is some good news, the woman you saw at the end of our story, Oksana and her mother, did make it across the border. They caught the last flight from San Diego to Denver. So, her mother was able to sleep in a warm bed and wake up to her granddaughters Colorado, which is very good news. But as you know, she's one of the lucky ones. There are hundreds of thousands of people who have been seeking asylum here in the United States, from countries in areas of the world that they say are dangerously Haiti, Mexico, Central America. But back in March 2020, the Trump Administration put something in place called Title 42. And the Biden Administration has upheld it.
[02:45:00]
It is supposed to expire next month. But that has kept many of these migrants out of the United States because this isn't so much an immigration policy. It is -- as it is a health policy. The administrations have said that it was all done to prevent the spread of COVID.
So, of course, a lot of frustration and a lot anger, on behalf of these people from these other countries who say it's dangerous for them, and they want to enter the United States as they watch these Ukrainians get cleared to enter the United States. Randi Kaye, CNN, at the U.S. border with Mexico.
KINKADE: Yemen's President has announced the establishment of a presidential leadership council. He dismissed the vice president and transferred both his and the VP's powers to the council on Thursday. The leadership council will be responsible for political, military and security affairs during a transitional period. It comes after the Saudi led coalition and the Iran aligned Houthi movement announced a two-month truce last week. The first since 2016.
While most of the world has reported a decline in COVID cases, the City of Shanghai is going the opposite direction. Coming up, we'll look at what health officials are doing to stop it.
JEFF MAGGIONCALDA, CEO, COURSERA: Fundamentally, the world is changing very rapidly because of technology and globalization. And people need to learn new skills. And if they do, there's a wide range of new opportunities for new jobs if people get skilled up. So, we think this is going to persist far beyond the pandemic. There's a lot of interest for individuals coming directly to Coursera online to take professional certificates, to learn the skills, to get new digital careers.
But the other thing that we're seeing is that businesses are realizing that embracing technology, going digital, moving to the Cloud, using AI makes them more competitive. And so, businesses are upscaling. Their employees using Coursera. And now, post-pandemic, universities and colleges all around the world, even as students come back to campus, they're realizing that integrating online learning into the way the students learn is a great way to provide flexibility and also access to emerging skills.
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[02:50:00]
Welcome back. The World Health Organization reports significant drops in global COVID cases and deaths in the past week, compared with the previous week. Global deaths were down sharply by 43 percent. While global cases fell 16 percent. However, some of the decline is due to changes in how some countries are counting COVID deaths. Well, Globally, nearly half a billion people have been infected with the virus since the pandemic began. Nearly six million people have lost their lives to it.
Well, there may be a decline, at the moment, but the top U.S. infectious disease expert says, it might not last. Doctor Anthony Fauci says to expect a surge later this year but there is hope.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTHONY FAUCI, DIR., NATL. INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: I would not be surprised if we see an uptick in cases. Whether that uptick becomes a surge. Whether a lot more cases is difficult to predict. But the one thing that I hope, and I believe this reason, that this will not happen is that we get a very large increase proportionately in hospitalizations because of the background immunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Well, one way to keep those hospitalizations down is vaccines and boosters. However, the Food and Drug Administration has become concerned about people growing tired of getting booster shots and not getting them. One official, Dr. Peter Marks says, what really keeps me up at night is the knowledge that we can't keep boosting and that we're going to have vaccine exhaustion.
Shanghai is still trying to get a handle on the stubborn COVID outbreak there. Nearly all of China's new infections are being recorded in the city. On Wednesday, it reported 20,000 new COVID cases. The entire city of 25 million people remains under lockdown. City officials have turned large conventions and expo centers into makeshift hospitals. We've also learned that Shanghai will also ease a COVID policy that it's separated parents from their children. Kristie Lu Stout is following the developments and joins us from Hong Kong.
Good to have you with us, Kristie. So how are people in Shanghai reacting to this extended lockdown?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lynda, there is frustration. There is mounting anger in Shanghai, as you have all residents, 25 million residents, under extended lockdown with no end in sight, as cases continue to rise there. Earlier today, Shanghai reporting nearly 20,000 new cases of COVID-19. And there is anger and frustration over the conditions, the terrible conditions, in some quarantine facilities. Over the disruption and medical care. Over the disruption of the food supply.
I want to share this video with you. And it will show you just how difficult it is to order food and groceries online. It's completely sold out, which is remarkable for a modern techs savvy city like Shanghai. Next, I want to share a tweet with you. It's from a Shanghai-based analyst and mother, a resident of Shanghai. And She is sharing just what she has left in her kitchen. She says this, I'm staring down the end of our fresh food supply this morning while trying to frantically buy groceries on multiple platforms. Wondering whether all we really need is love. Then our neighborhood committee said, it would start bulk buying. So grateful and hoping for eggs.
And then you have this video clip that caught our attention. It's been circulating. Going viral in social media in China. And it shows a confrontation between residents in a compound and the police. The residents in this clip, they're shouting, "We are starving," as they try to break out of the compound. People are getting angry and fed up.
You know, just a few weeks ago, authorities in Shanghai said that, no, there was not going to be a citywide lockdown. But there is a citywide lockdown underway and it is open-ended as cases continue to rise. This is a test for zero-COVID, the policy in China. It's also testing the patience of the 25 million people who live in Shanghai. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTIE BEKINK, CHINA DIRECTOR, ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT: We're using, you know, 2020 tools for 2022 virus. I think that the government is really committed to this and that we will be living with varying levels of lockdown until we're back to zero. Which, frankly, feels daunting. I do think there are some high levels of anger and frustration because people are hungry or they can't get medicine that they need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[02:55:00]
STOUT: But China won't quit zero-COVID. Chinese officials, they have dispatched the people's liberation army, militaries, tens of thousands of medics from other provinces to Shanghai to help control this growing outbreak in the city. Back to you.
KINKADE: All right. Kristie Lu Stout for us in Hong Kong. Thanks so much. And thanks everyone for watching. I'm Lynda Kinkade. I'll be back later next hour. CNN's breaking news coverage continues next with John Vause live in Lviv, Ukraine. Stay with us. You're watching CNN.
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[03:00:00]
raine reporting heavy fighting in the eastern part of the country especially the Luhansk and Donetsk regions known as the Donbas>
