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Ukrainian Forces Claim to Hit the Moskva Ship; Russian Media Shows Video of Ukrainian Forces in Captivity; Munition Bombs Used Against Civilians; Foreign Aid Poured into Ukraine; President Biden Accused Vladimir Putin of Genocide; Subway Shooter Will Have His Day in Court. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired April 14, 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]
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause live in Lviv, Ukraine.
Coming up this hour, global reaction to the U.S. president describing Russian atrocities here as genocide. It has caused a break with one loyal U.S. ally. We'll talk about genocide, what it is and is not in this hour.
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rosemary Church here in Atlanta.
The New York subway shooting subject in court in the coming hours. The trail of evidence police are sorting through and the surprising tip that led to his arrest.
VAUSE: Moscow has warned of renewed attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, saying so-called decision-making centers will be targeted if Ukrainian forces continue to plan acts of sabotage and carry out military strikes on Russian territory. There were a few other details from the Russian ministry of defense, but it's been almost two weeks now since Russian forces retreated from the north after failing to take the capital.
The French military now saying a large-scale Russian offensive in the Donbas region could happen within days, possibly 10 days. But a spokesperson also added Russian forces are yet to make any significant territorial gains, at least so far.
Meantime, Ukrainian fighters claimed to have used Neptune anti-ship missiles to cause serious damage to the Moskva, flagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. Russian state media disputing that account, saying a fire detonated ammunition on board this guided missile cruiser and it was evacuated. CNN cannot verify either claim.
To the south, Russia says more than a thousand Ukrainian marines have surrendered in the besieged port city of Mariupol. Video aired on Russian state television showed what appeared to be soldiers giving up. CNN though, is not in Mariupol, we cannot confirm this report. Ukrainian officials say the remaining defenders in Mariupol have now managed to link up and will fight, quote, "until the end."
In the city of Kharkiv, images on social media appears to show explosions in civilian areas from cluster munitions. The U.N. says such attacks may amount to war crime.
Well, for weeks now, Ukraine's president has been pleading for heavier firepower from the U.S. And NATO. And now Washington appears to be coming through, announcing a new $800 million security package.
Notably, it includes almost a dozen Soviet era MI-17 helicopters which can also be used as gunships. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has specifically asked for those helicopters in a call with President Biden on Wednesday. Also included, more Howitzer cannons, switchblade drones, anti-tank missiles, armored personnel carriers, and protective equipment, as well as equipment for chemical attacks.
The European Union also announced a $544 million package of military equipment, fuel and first aid. All of this comes following a direct appeal from President Zelenskyy in a video message he released, which contains some graphic images.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: Russians intentions to the whole world, it could only be stopped by force of arms. It must be done now. Ukraine needs weapons and supplies. We need heavy artillery, armed vehicles, air defense systems, and combat aircraft. Anything to repel Russian forces and stop their war crimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Meantime, in a significant show of support, the presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia traveled to the Ukrainian capital to meet with Zelenskyy. They discussed aid for Ukraine. They also offered to help investigate war crimes committed by the Russian troops.
CNN correspondents are covering the region here. They had this conflict covered from every angle. Nima Elbagir is in Kharkiv. Clare Sebastian in London. But we begin with Matt Rivers here in Lviv with the dire situation in Mariupol.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Weeks after Russia began an offensive bombardment to take the city and still Ukraine's government says Mariupol has not yet fallen. The key port on the southeast coast of Ukraine increasingly a symbol of both Ukrainian resistance and Russian military goals. Ukrainian officials are holding up the city as a symbol of a heroic
fight with an aide to President Zelenskyy saying on Facebook the two different units defending Mariupol have managed to link up and are continuing the fight. One of those units releasing a message saying they, quote, "did not give up their positions." And now there are accusations from the Ukrainians that Russia has used chemical weapons here.
[03:05:00]
VADYM BOYCHENKO, MAYOR, MARIUPOL, UKRAINE (through translator): The day before yesterday, the Russian troops attempted to strike our city with a so-called chemical attack. They tried to drop a chemical agent on our defenders. The agent did affect our defenders, and there is evidence a number of people living in settlements on the outskirts of Mariupol were also affected.
RIVERS: President Zelenskyy accusing Russia of using, quote, "phosphorous bombs and other munitions prohibited by international law."
The U.S. as well as CNN teams on the ground have not yet verified that such an attack did indeed occur. No conclusive imagery has surfaced. And Russia denies even having chemical weapons, but chemical weapons are not the destruction in Mariupol has been devastating.
The mayor says more than 90 percent of the city's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, and officials say Russian forces have cut off crucial supplies, including water and food.
PAVLO KYRYLENKO, MILITARY GOVERNOR, DONETSK REGION (through translator): We are currently discussing 20 to 22,000 people dead in Mariupol.
RIVERS: Meanwhile, Russia is engaged in an intense propaganda campaign, saying it is close to capturing what would be its first major Ukrainian city since the war began.
IGOR KONASHENKOV, RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (through translator): As a result of successful offensive actions of the Russian armed forces and the police units of the DPR, 1,026 Ukrainian military personnel of the 36th marine brigade will entirely lay down their arms and surrendered.
RIVERS: The Russian military also taking some reporters on a tour of a now destroyed theater where hundreds of people had been sheltering when it was hit by a Russian air strike last month, according to Ukrainian officials.
UNKNOWN (through translator): You can see for yourself what the situation in the city is. There are a lot of dead people.
RIVERS: And for those still alive, a hellish landscape persists. Ukraine's government says about 180,000 people in and around the city still need to be evacuated. So far many have not been able to do so.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Joining us now is Dapo Akande, he is a professor of public international law at Oxford University. Professor, thank you for being with us. The U.S. and the French presidents appear at odds now over whether or not Russia is carrying out genocide in Ukraine. By way of context, Joe Biden did say that's what it looks like to him. He'll leave the lawyers to work out the rest.
But I want you to listen to Emmanuel Macron's reasons for not calling this a genocide. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMANUEL MACRON PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Genocide, it carries a meaning. The Ukrainian people and the Russian people are brother nations. What's happening now is madness. It is of an extraordinary brutality. It's the return of war to Europe. But at the same time, I look at the facts. I want to try my best to continue to be able to stop this war and rebuild peace. So, I'm not sure that escalation of words serves the cause.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Would you suspect politics could be influencing both leaders here and how they use this word genocide?
DAPO AKANDE, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW, OXFORD UNIVERSITY: What I think very often leaders use the word genocide in order to evoke a particular response. In other words, what they're really trying to do, at least what President Biden appears to be trying to do is to galvanize international action and to galvanize a response in relation to what is going on in Ukraine.
Of course, in terms of whether or not genocide is actually being committed, as a matter of law, you have to look at what the definition is under international law and to look at whether the criteria for genocide have been fulfilled.
VAUSE: Well, this is from the U.N. when it comes to actual definition of genocide. To constitute genocide, there must be proven intent on the part of the perpetrators to physically destroy a national, ethical, racial or religious group. It is a special intent that makes a crime of genocide that makes the crime of genocide so unique.
So, from what is known publicly at this point, is there at least enough evidence to begin an investigation of the possibility that genocide is taking place?
AKANDE: Well, the International Criminal Court is already investigating the situation in Ukraine, and I'm sure that the prosecutors of the ICC will be looking at the condition of all international crimes in Ukraine. So that could be both war crimes and genocide and also crimes against humanity. So, in terms of possibility, yes, of course we can discuss it. But as
you pointed out, the definition of genocide under the genocide convention is very particular. It requires this intention to destroy in whole or in part the national, ethical, racial or religious group.
And what's important to note is that it's an intention to achieve the physical or the biological destruction of that group. So, it's not just, you know, destroying as a cultural group or as a cultural entity. It's actually achieving the physical of the biological dysfunction.
[03:10:08]
And that's quite a high standard to establish. And of course, because this is talking about a state of mind, it's a special intent, as you called it. You have to show that those who are involved in this activity, that they have this state of mind. So, you either establish that by what they say or you establish that by inference from what they have done. And that's often not easy to do.
VAUSE: Now you and other legal experts have proposed a special tribunal to prosecute times of aggression, which is defined as the use of armed force by a state against a sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state or any manner inconsistent with the charter of the United Nations. It can include invasion, military occupation, and annexation by the use of force, blockaded by the ports or coasts.
Right now, that would seem to be, at least on the surface, an open and shut case. So how would that investigation, how would that tribunal actually work? And who would be held accountable?
AKANDE: Yes, so the crime of aggression, which is what a number of us have been speaking about in the context of the invasion of Ukraine, the crime of aggression is about the waging of a war which is unlawful under international law. And as you say, this is an open and shut case in this particular circumstance, you know.
The use of force by Russia against Ukraine is clearly in breach of international law. So how would it happen? Well, first thing to notice that the International Criminal Court in The Hague in general terms has jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, but does not have jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in the context of Russia and Ukraine.
And this is because Russia is not a party to the statute of the International Criminal Court. And also, because though the U.N. Security Council could refer the crime of aggression to the ICC, Russia of course would veto in this case.
So, what we need in this particular case is the establishment of a different international tribunal, a special tribunal to deal with the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine.
Now you ask who would be held accountable. Unlike the other international crimes like genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, aggression is different in that it is a leadership crime. So only those who are in leadership positions in the state that has engaged in aggression can be held criminally responsible for aggression. So, it would be the leadership in Russia. Also, potentially, actually the leadership in Belarus. Which was complicit in this act of aggression.
VAUSE: Professor, thank you so much for your time. Thank you for explaining the legalities and where we stand on this, especially when it comes to genocide, which is often overused but not often understood. Professor Akande, thank you so much, sir.
AKANDE: It's a pleasure.
CHURCH: The man accused of shooting and wounding 10 people on a crowded subway train in Brooklyn is now in police custody. He doesn't appear to have gone on the run. In fact, as Shimon Prokupecz reports, he reportedly told investigators where they could find him.
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SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Patrol officers arresting the suspect walking the streets in New York City's east village after sources say he actually called in a tip, leading police to his general location.
KEECHANT SEWELL, NYPD POLICE COMMISSIONER: He was taken into custody without incident and has been transported to an NYPD facility. We hope this arrest brings some solace to the victims and the people of the city of New York.
PROKUPECZ: The 62-year-old talked about violence and mass shootings and multiple rambling videos posted on YouTube, including this one uploaded Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: I've been through a lot of (muted). What I can say, I wanted to kill people. I wanted to watch people die right in front of my (muted) face immediately. But I thought about the fact that hey, man, I don't want to go to (muted) prison.
PROKUPECZ: In other videos, the suspect said he has PTSD and ranted about race, homelessness and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams telling CNN.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D-NY): Why aren't we identifying these dangerous threats? Why aren't we being more proactive, instead of waiting for this to happen?
PROKUPECZ: The videos also giving insight into the alleged shooter's path to Brooklyn. Leaving his home on Milwaukee on march 20th, the suspect said he was heading to the, quote, "danger zone." He stopped in Fort Wayne, Pittsburgh and Newark, before arriving in Philadelphia on March 25th.
[03:15:00] Police initially named him as a person of interest because they found a credit card and keys to a rented U-Haul van at the scene. Later, tracking down the vehicle where source say it appeared he may have spent the night. He rented the van from this Philadelphia store on Monday.
Court documents say the suspect visited a Philadelphia storage facility filled with ammunition and more weapons on the evening before the attack. They also show surveillance photos of the U-Haul van crossing into Brooklyn at 4.11 a.m. Two hours later, a man matching the allege shooter's description wearing a hard-hat and construction vest left the U-Haul on foot.
WNBC obtained this video showing a man law enforcement believes to be the suspect and wearing similar clothing, entering the subway system about two hours before the shooting began. Investigators also linking the gun found at the scene to a purchase by the suspect sources say. And authorities have tracked the purchase of a gas mask to him through an eBay account.
The alleged shooter is expected to be in court later Thursday afternoon. And of course, no one in law enforcement expected that this is the way the manhunt would end. The suspect calling on himself, calling crime stoppers, telling them hey, I'm at this location, come and get me.
Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, Brooklyn, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Juliette Kayyem is a CNN national security analyst and former U.S. homeland security official under the Obama administration. And I spoke with her earlier and asked her to weigh in on what comes next with the subway shooting investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: The motive is going to be the more important part because they have him. He is now in custody. This is going to be a familiar typical criminal indictment, and then a case. I said, well, it will look very familiar.
The more interesting piece in play right now is what they're going to indict him with. As we heard today in the press conference with the NYPD, they are going to bring what's called terrorism charges. It's under the Patriot Act. This is the post-9/11 statute created.
And it permits a federal indictment against someone who uses terrorism or other forms of violence to disrupt mass transit. And what we don't know yet, and I think that the NYPD has to be clearer about this, what we don't know yet is, was there a political or other form of terrorism, you know, motivation, or is this someone with a lot of mental issues or other issues that led him to violence.
And those are -- those are important differences, because in a country that takes counterterrorism seriously, you don't want to -- you don't want to overuse terrorism charges or the terrorism word even for that matter.
CHURCH: Yes. And of course, the biggest question is the why, the motive.
KAYYEM: Yes.
CHURCH: But the other question, after all of this, why do you think the suspect called police himself to let them know where he they could find him?
KAYYEM: Yes, I had suspected this and I talked about his exit strategy. So, one way to look at all the weaponry he had, everything from that machete to the explosives to the fireworks is that he didn't have an intention of leaving, that this might have been something that he anticipated that he would die.
And therefore, the last 24 hours have been him sort of just waiting to be caught in some way. Because this wasn't a well-planned out attack in the sense like he didn't -- it wasn't clear what his strategy was in terms of an exit. I mean, he is just a few miles from the subway. He hasn't gone anywhere.
So that's one explanation that the police will look into. The other is that he knew he couldn't get away and therefore he calls it in.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: CNN national security analyst Juliette Kayyem talking to me earlier. Frank James is due to make his initial court appearance later today.
We'll go live to Ukraine after a short break where Ukrainian forces say they have struck a Russian warship in the Black Sea. But Moscow is telling a different story.
[03:20:00]
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VAUSE: Twenty-three minutes past the hour. Welcome back, everyone.
Ukrainian fighters claiming what could be a major win in the Black Sea. They say they've used Neptune anti-ship missile to cause serious damage to the Moskva, flagship of the Russian black fleet in the Black Sea. Russian state media though telling a very different story, claiming a fire on board detonated ammunition. The guided missile crew was then evacuated.
CNN though cannot verify either claim. But CNN's Clare Sebastian is following all of this from London. She can help sort out. So, what is the situation here? What is likely and what do we know about this?
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, it's worth pointing out that this is extremely difficult to verify. We haven't been able to locate the ship in the Black Sea because the weather has prevented from being able to see the satellite imagery of this. But conflicting reports is what we've got. The Russian side saying, as you say that a fire broke out on the ship that detonated ammunition. They say they've evacuated it.
The Ukrainian side, the state administrator of the Odessa region saying hours before we actually heard from the Russia side that it was -- that it was two Neptune missiles that hit the ship. If that is true, it would be a huge coup for Ukraine that the Moskva, the ship is the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet.
[03:24:58]
The Ukrainian also says it's the same ship that was involved in the altercation on the first day of the Russian invasion where the ship sort of approached Snake Island, which is also in the Black Sea, and the Ukrainian soldiers on the island told it obscenely to go back where it came from. They've now made postage stamps about this.
So, look, we don't know what has happened. Both sides though do agree that this ship has been severely damaged. And that is bad news for Russia, whatever the circumstance is.
VAUSE: Absolutely. Yes, nicely you handled the Snake Island instance, Clare. Thank you. Clare Sebastian live for us there from London. I appreciate that.
Well, Russian artillery is operating seemingly nonstop to try and soften defenses in Ukraine's second largest city. When we come back, our CNN crew is in Kharkiv to show you what it takes to survive under constant attack.
[03:30:00]
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm John Vause in Lviv. It's just gone 10.30 here on the morning.
Now the latest on Russia's war on Ukraine. Moscow building up its forces for a potential new assault on eastern Ukraine, setting the stage for a protracted battle that is likely to inflict heavy losses on both sides.
And the French military believe that invasion, that offensive could happen in the next few days. Meantime, the fight for the besieged city of Mariupol is now at a critical stage. Russia claims it's already captured Mariupol's commercial seaport and more than a thousand Ukrainian marines have surrendered. Ukraine at least two remaining units in Mariupol have now linked up to bolster their defenses.
CNN is not in Mariupol. We cannot confirm any of these reports.
And one of Russia's most important warships is either floating abandoned or at the bottom of the Black Sea. A Ukrainian official says the Moskva has been hit by cruise missiles fired from Ukrainian fighters. But Russia claims its ship was evacuated after a fire on board detonated ammunition. Again, CNN cannot verify either report.
But artillery fire and missile strikes continue to target Ukraine's second biggest city ahead of an expected Russian offensive in the east. Officials say at least seven civilians in Kharkiv have been killed, 22 others wounded in just the past 24 hours.
CNN's Nima Elbagir is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Desolate, bare, lifeless. This is what it looks like after weeks of relentless Russian shelling. Saltivka, the most densely populated district in Kharkiv. It's being bombed day after day, night after night. There are very few people left. The elderly mostly. One man stayed behind to keep his mother safe.
Igor says that he lives on the 16th floor of one of these buildings with his mother. He says his mother is deeply religious and deeply committed to staying here, even though they're almost entirely surrounded. And she won't leave so he won't leave.
But this is a front line under renewed pressure. The Russians are pushing hard. That is so close. Those are Russian positions. They are shelling towards us. We are just over a mile away from the Russian forces. This is their route into Kharkiv and then on in Ukraine. For now, this is the front line. That could change at any moment now. They are trying as hard as they can to push that frontline inward.
The soldiers want to show us more evidence of the heavy bombardment. The soldiers want us to move very quickly because Russian snipers are operating in this area. We've got to move. The rumble you hear is the constant shelling. The shelling just been absolutely relentless. From the moment we arrived, we have been hearing it.
We have to be careful where we step because they are also dispersing mines from the rockets that they are sending over into here. The shelling has intensified over the last few days. Regional officials told CNN this is evidence of the renewed Russian military push.
Yes, let's go. So, from where we are, we are pretty much surrounded by Russian troops on three sides. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are believed to be amassing to come into Kharkiv, to come into Ukraine from this direction. We've got to move.
The soldiers wanted us out of there. It was becoming too intense. Just 30 minutes later, we saw why. This warehouse is in the south Saltivka. It took a direct hit. This is an area that after the initial aborted invasion has been beyond the reach of Russian ground troops. But now, once again, nowhere is safe.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, Kharkiv.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:34:57]
VAUSE: There is so much grief here, there so much sadness, and there has been so much loss already, because across Ukraine there are mothers who are grieving for their children. And what you're about to see, and I know you probably have seen this already because we've played it a few times. But there is this mother who has found out that her son is dead. He is at the bottom of a well. It's in a village west of Kyiv. And a warning. What you're about to see is truly -- it's heartbreaking.
She recognizes his shoes. She cries "my little son, my little son. She knew his shoes." Rosemary, back to you.
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Just unbearable scenes, John. Thank you so much for covering that, and take good care. Stay safe.
Well, blizzards, wildfire, tornadoes, they are all part of a storm system that's been pummeling much of the U.S. for days. We will have an update on where the system is moving next.
And North Korea is getting ready to mark a major anniversary, and usually does so in a very provocative way. We are live in Seoul with the details.
[03:40:00]
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CHURCH: And we have this just in. Ukraine has announced nine humanitarian corridors will be open today to help civilians escape areas of fighting. Four will help people reach safety in Zaporizhzhia, and five other evacuation routes will open in the Luhansk region. On Wednesday there were no corridors open. Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces were violating the ceasefire and blocking buses.
Well, back in the United States, millions of Americans can breathe a sigh of relief after a series of tornado watches expired Wednesday night. They stretch from Illinois to Texas as a storm system affected much of the Central U.S., several tornadoes were reported Tuesday, including this one that injured at least 23 people in Bell County, Texas. It also damaged more than 60 homes.
And for more on all of this, Pedram Javaheri joins us now from CNN's weather center. Good to see you, Pedram. What the latest on this and where is this storm system heading next?
PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, the eastern seaboard, the population across some of these areas really going to increase, Rosemary, when it comes to the severe weather threat. But we do expect the tornado threat really to diminish here over the next few hours and only five really in the grand scheme of things a limited number considering how many significant winds reports we had. Over 220 of them scattered about a wide area here with winds that were gusting as much as 60 to 70 miles per hour in the past 24 or so hours.
We had major damage, major power outages, thunderstorms abound here, would you believe it? Over a 12-hour span, 106,000 lightning strikes across this region in an area of storms that stretched about 800 miles. So not surprising to see some of these storms produce tornadoes.
And of course, we saw those reports, five reports of tornadoes in the past 24 or so hours. But incredibly, the run of tornado here or tornadoes across the United States has been as remarkable as it gets. Look at the month of March. On average bringing 80 tornadoes. We saw a historic 292 preliminary reports of tornadoes.
In the first 13 days of the month of April 129 tornadoes have been recorded, 155 is the average. Mind you, we still have upwards of two plus weeks left before the month is over. But notice the storm is now beginning to taper off. The damage is done. Significant rainfall in place.
Some of these areas, two, three, even five plus inches of rainfall with flooding in place there. High pressure building on the back side of it. There is the storm system now pushing off the eastern seaboard. And yes, a level two on a scale of one to five for severe weather still into Thursday afternoon, includes the city of Philadelphia and New York.
The good news out of all of this is no tornado risk. Very limited for that. Notice damaging winds and hail becoming the primary threats now for Thursday afternoon storms. Rosemary?
CHURCH: Pedram Javaheri, thank you so much for wrapping all of that. We appreciate it.
Well, more than 300 people are dead after what officials call one of the worst storms South Africa has ever seen. Heavy rain, flooding, and mud slides have pummelled parts of the east coast since Monday, destroying homes, roads, and bridges. There are also widespread power outages. Rescuers have been working to evacuate the affected communities.
North Korea is preparing to celebrate a major anniversary. Friday marks 110 years since the birth of its founding father, Kim Il-sung. And the festivities for the so-called Day of the Sun often involve weapons.
CNN's Paula Hancocks is standing by live in Seoul. She joins us now. So, Paula, what are the expectations here? How likely is it that North Korea will launch another missile test during this time?
[03:44:58]
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, with all things North Korea, we will only find out for sure when they decide they want to tell us. But I think what most observers are looking at this point is there could well be some kind of parade.
Certainly, there have been festivities in the days running up to Friday. The 110th birth anniversary of the country's founder. It's more significant even than usual. It's always the biggest day in North Korea for the year. But the fact that it ends in either a zero or a five is always a bigger deal for North Korea.
So what observers are looking at is whether there are going to be weapons within this parade, whether there are going to be new weapons systems throughout the parade. But we already know exactly what North Korea and Kim Jong-un would like to be showing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS: Kim Jong-un knows exactly what weapons and missiles systems he wants to perfect. And so do we because he has told us. In January last year, he gave one of the most detailed military reports in North Korea's history according to state-run media. His five-year wish list. Since then, he has been systematically working through it.
ANKIT PANDA, STANTON SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: The North Koreans have really, I think laid out an ambitious agenda for a military modernization. And it proves to be very credible.
HANCOCKS: Among the systems already at least partially tested according to Pyongyang, a hypersonic glide vehicle, which if perfected, could evade missile defense systems. It's a big if. Only the U.S., Russia and China currently have this capability. A military reconnaissance satellite. Necessary, Pyongyang says, to keep an eye on the U.S. and its allies.
Elements were tested earlier this year but the Pentagon believes the space launch is a cover for a test of a new intercontinental-ballistic missile system. A 15,000-kilometer ICBM. That's 9,300 miles. Which could reach mainland United States and beyond. An ICBM tested March 24th came closer to this than ever before but South Korean officials doubt Pyongyang's claims it was their most recently unveiled Hwasong- 17. Missile experts say a test of that weapon may have failed a week earlier.
LEE SANG-HYUN, PRESIDENT, THE SEJONG INSTITUTE: Given the shape of this warhead, it is likely to be a MIRV, an ICBM with multiple warheads. And also, if it was fired on the normal trajectory, it can hit anywhere on the continental United States.
HANCOCKS: And tactical nuclear weapons.
PANDA: Because Kim Jong-un has spoken quite explicitly about tactical-nuclear weapons. These are the kind of nuclear weapons that are designed to be put on small artillery rockets and smaller, short- range ballistic missiles.
HANCOCKS: Meaning North Korea's next underground nuclear test expected at any time maybe smaller that its last in September 2017. Tremors from which could be felt in neighboring China and South Korea. Tests which surely attract international attention but Kim Jong-un also has a domestic audience.
SANG-HYUN: To cover up the economic failure, he needs to show up another achievement. I think that's the weapon program that he can be very proud of. HANCOCKS: Time wise, Kim Jong-un may be in the most ideal testing
environment in his more than ten years in power. The world's attention is on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the chances of Russia or China siding with the U.S. and the United Nations Security Council to sanction North Korea are next to zero.
PANDA: There is just no chance of any kind of U.N. Security Council sanctioned action. The U.N. Security Council can't even condemn North Korea's latest ICBM test in unison.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: Which means that most observers you speak to do agree that there is going to be plenty more testing coming up. In fact, January is already in the record books for the number of missile launches.
Also, the USS Abraham Lincoln, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is currently in Korean waters, or in waters just off the peninsula in an apparent show of force, just before this big anniversary, and will probably move away just after it. So certainly, every eye is on North Korea to see what, if anything, of weapons systems they're going to unveil. Rosemary?
CHURCH: All right. Paula Hancocks joining us live from Seoul. Many thanks. And we'll be right back.
[03:50:00]
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CHURCH: China is struggling to contain the surge of the ultra- contagious Omicron variant of coronavirus. A new report shows at least 44 Chinese cities are now under full or partial lockdown. Despite China's zero COVID policy, it's logged more than 350,000 new infections since early last month. Most of them in Shanghai, which is enduring the country's most severe lockdown.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is beginning its first phase of reopening as cases decline there. One week from now places like gyms and salons will back in business. Restaurant and dine in hours will extend to 10 p.m. And groups of four people will be allowed to gather instead of just two.
Well, the world has reached another staggering COVID milestone. Half a billion people have now been infected with the virus since the pandemic began. According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.
I want you to take a look at this graph. It took just over a year for the world to hit 100 million cases. Then less than 200 days to reach 200 million. Since then, each new milestone has been reached much more quickly. Now we're at 500 million. But many believe the real number is much higher.
[03:55:01] Well, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the CDC predicts the U.S. will record one million deaths from the coronavirus, and it says that's likely to happen by early next month. According to Johns Hopkins, the virus has already killed more than 987,000 people in the United States. But despite the looming milestone, the number of newly reported deaths is forecast to decrease over the next month.
The CDC also announced Wednesday that it's extending the federal transportation mask mandate for another 15 days. That means masks will still be needed on planes, trains and other public transportation until at least May 3rd.
I'm Rosemary Church. Thank you so much for spending part of your day with me. Our breaking news coverage continues with Max Foster in London after a short break.
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