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North Korea Claims It Test-Fired New Tactical Guided Weapon; Russian Missile Strike Hits World Central Kitchen's Partner Restaurant In Kharkiv, Four Staffers Wounded; Zelenskyy: Russia Is Committing Genocide In Ukraine; Zelenskyy Warns Putin Could Use Tactical Nuclear Weapons; Putin: Sweden, Finland Joining NATO Would Have "Serious Military And Political Repercussions"; Author: Financial Profiteers Made More Than $1 Billion Off COVID; WH: Security Aid Shipments For Ukraine Have Begun Arriving. Aired 8-9p ET

Aired April 16, 2022 - 20:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:00:35]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. I'm Jessica Dean, in Washington. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Tonight, we are following three big breaking stories right now.

The White House saying U.S. aid for Ukraine has now arrived in the region.

North Korea saying it's test-fired a new tactical guided weapon.

But we begin in the United States. A shooting at a shopping mall in South Carolina. Police in Columbia say a dozen people are injured after someone started shooting inside that busy shopping mall.

So far, there are no reported fatalities. Two of the injured are in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.

Police have so far arrested three people, all of them armed. We don't know yet how many people actually opened fire.

Officials believe the shooting was not random and that some type of fight happened before the gunfire. They are asking anyone with video of the shooting to contact them.

We are also following breaking news out of North Korea tonight. State media there says the country test-fired a new tactical-guided weapon that, quote, "strengthens its tactical nuclear operations."

A short time ago, the South Korean military said it detected two projectiles fired by the north.

CNN's Will Ripley is joining us now by phone from Taiwan.

Will, I know you've been monitoring this for the last several hours. What have you learned? WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone):

So those projectiles were fired on Saturday evening local time, Saturday morning eastern time, Jessica.

Actually, the announcement of this did not come immediately from South Korea as it normally does. It came from the Homeland Security in Guam indicating no immediate threat assessment from the two launches.

And then North Korean propaganda put out quickly images of this launch. And they're calling this a new kind of tactical guided weapon that can enhance their on-the ground nuclear capabilities.

That's what's concerning about this. Because the missile that North Korea showed that flew according to South Korea just over 100 kilometers, hitting a rocky target in the waters off of North Korea, could potentially, if you believe what the North Korean messaging said, could carry a nuclear warhead.

So this could be a type of tactical weapon that could be a nuclear warhead depending on whether it's short-range or intermediate-range U.S. troops in South Korea, also U.S. troops stationed in Japan, more than 50,000.

Or the U.S. territory of Guam, which is the key military target that North Korea had threatened during the "fire and fury" days five years ago. North Korea talked about a potential strike on Guam.

So, look, this is clearly an alarming development that North Korea's been testing these weapons at such action assembly rated pace. It's not that they necessarily want to use the weapons, but they want to enhance their strategic offensive nuclear capability.

And Kim Jong-Un right now is doing this pretty much unabated because the world is so focused on what's happening in Ukraine.

He was able to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile a few weeks ago, a missile capable of hitting any city in the mainland U.S. And the response was relatively muted from the United States and others is because the focus is so much right now on Ukraine.

And because North Korea is so heavily sanctioned, as it is, they really don't see a whole lot of downside to doing this kind of weapons testing.

Unlike what was happening five years ago when President Trump was potentially talking about war with North Korea.

Of course, that led to a period of diplomacy that caused all the missiles launches to quiet down for a spell while the U.S. and North Korea tried and failed to find a diplomatic solution here.

Now it's a different administration. President Biden's taking a different, some might call unimaginative approach with North Korea, such as not engaging with them.

There's concern that these types of tests could escalate, Jessica, including the U.S., and potential North Korean nuclear tests, the first one that we've seen from North Korea in about five years.

DEAN: Wow.

All right, Will Ripley, for us, thanks so much.

Now to the latest in Ukraine. New tonight, that shipment of much- needed ammunition and military hardware has made its way from the U.S. and is in the region.

It is the first part of $800 million worth of aid promised by President Biden. And it arrives this weekend amid fears that Ukraine is running short on weaponry, particularly artillery ammunition.

Meantime, Russia's President Putin complains that U.S. and NATO shipments to Ukraine are adding fuel to the conflict and could lead to, quote, "unpredictable consequences."

[20:05:03]

Heavy shelling was reported today in eastern and southern Ukraine while officials predict a major Russian offensive in the coming days. Witnesses say a kindergarten in southern Ukraine was hit earlier today but, thankfully, no casualties there.

Also new tonight, the mayor of St. Petersburg has announced the death of yet another Russian general in Ukraine. Major General Vladimir Fullov (ph) killed in combat earlier this week.

That marks the eighth top-ranking Russian military official reported killed during this conflict, which began February 24th.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Ukrainian citizens are on the move trying to escape Russia's brutal assault. Nearly 1,500 civilians were evacuated from areas of intense fighting today, according to Ukraine's deputy prime minister.

And 170 people managed to escape on their own from the besieged port city of Mariupol where Ukrainian soldiers continue to battle even as Russia tries to take full control.

In his latest video address to the people of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of the situation in Mariupol and promised a better future once hostilities are over.

Zelenskyy said, quote, "The situation in Mariupol remains as severe as possible, just inhuman."

And Russia's TASS News Agency reports the commander-in-chief of Russia's Navy met with the crew of the guided missile cruiser "Moskva," which now lies at the bottom of the Black Sea.

Ukraine says they hit the cruiser with anti-ship missiles, which is what the United States believes, as well. The Russian military maintains it sank because of a fire on board.

Russia has shown no regard for civilian casualties since it began its assault on Ukraine.

Tonight, we're learning a missile hit a restaurant in Kharkiv. A restaurant partnered with World Central Kitchen, run by celebrity chef and humanitarian, Jose Andres.

Company CEO, Nate Mook, posted this earlier on Twitter:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATE MOOK, CEO, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Absolutely horrific brutality. We are going to head to the hospital now, check on some of the restaurant staff. We're told they're OK.

But this is the reality for so many right now in Kharkiv. Coming to work, cooking for people that are hungry, is an immense act of bravery.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in eastern Ukraine tonight.

Ben, we know those four staffers were wounded in the attack. What else have you learned about this?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we don't know, Jessica, if that restaurant was specifically targeted by the Russians.

We know Kharkiv has been pummeled over the last, basically, what are we -- since the war began on the 24th of February.

And the Russians clearly do not have much regard for the possibility of civilian casualties. They don't seem to be using high-precision weaponry.

We were in a town today where, yesterday, two food distribution centers were hit.

And going beyond that, going back, for instance, I covered the Russian intervention in Syria. Oftentimes, Russian aircraft would target things like bakeries where people would be lining up for bread.

And therefore, this strike on the World Central Kitchen's partner restaurant in Kharkiv really fits in with a pattern that Russia has been following well before the war here in Ukraine -- Jessica?

DEAN: All right. Ben Wedeman for us in eastern Ukraine. Thank you so much for that reporting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describes the horrors of war, the cold-blooded murder of civilians and the Russian military's scorch-earth policy.

He says there's one conclusion -- Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine.

CNN's Jake Tapper sat down with him at the presidential office in Kyiv for an exclusive interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): I have the same opinion as President Biden, and I immediately saw what was happening here.

Especially what happened in Bucha and to the east of our country, my country. I speak about this because Russia calls it a military operation and not a war.

But look what happened in Bucha. It's clear that is not even a war. It's a genocide.

He just killed people, not soldiers, people. They just shot people in the streets. People were riding bicycles, taking the bus, or just walking down the street. They were corpses lining the streets.

[20:10:03]

These were not soldiers. They were civilians. They bound their hands. They forced children to watch as they raped their mothers. Then they threw them in a well. Mass graves, children, adults, the elderly.

And we have substantial evidence that points to this being a genocide. Audio and video where they talk about just how much they hate us. I did not even know that there was such hatred of the Russian military for the Ukrainian people.

They say they are going to destroy us. Just to steal a toilet and a washing machine from an apartment, they shot an entire family. That is genocide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Don't miss Jake Tapper's full exclusive interview with President Zelenskyy. It's tomorrow on "STATE OF THE UNION." Jake will be live tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Joining me with more on all of this, CNN national security analyst, James Clapper. He's the former director of National Intelligence.

And also in that interview, we saw this President Zelenskyy warned that we could see Putin use these tactical nuclear weapons.

Throughout the Cold War, the threat of this mutually assured destruction kept Moscow in check when it came to nukes.

What do you think the U.S. reaction would be now to the use of any nuclear weapons in this situation, whether you call them tactical or not?

JAMES CLAPPER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I think, Jessica, it would be just revulsion, a global revulsion on the part of the rest of the world. But I do think if -- if the Russians use a nuclear weapon of any sort,

that is really crossing the Rubicon. And we, the West, we and NATO are going to have to do something more than rhetoric, and supply weapons, as we're doing now, which is a good thing.

But I think if the Russians use any form of weapons of mass destruction, chemical, biological, or nuclear, that we will have to take some reciprocal tactical action, which would not, to be clear, involve the use of similar weaponry.

But certainly, an attack on the origins of such an attack against Ukraine I think would be in order.

DEAN: And Moscow has long made threatening statements about Sweden and Finland joining NATO, saying it would have, quote, "serious military and political repercussions."

But Finland's minister of European affairs says his country is highly likely to join NATO over Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Putin went to -- after Ukraine in the first place over potential NATO membership.

Is his grand plan here, aside from other things to delegitimize NATO, backfiring on him do you think?

CLAPPER: Exactly. The very thing that Putin has long attempted to do is to drive wedges between and among NATO member nations and to drive a wedge between NATO and the United States. And what he has succeeded in doing is the exact opposite.

And now we have two long-standing neutral -- I use that term advisedly, air quotes -- countries, Finland and Sweden for that matter, who are seriously considering joining NATO because I think of the heightened vulnerability they feel toward an attack by Russia, having witnessed what's gone on in Ukraine.

Again, the irony here is the exact opposite of what Putin purportedly wanted to do.

DEAN: Right. And we know that -- that the beginnings of this new package of military aid has begun arriving in the region tonight. That's artillery rounds, helicopters, other heavy military equipment.

Do you believe that Putin has a line in the sand with the U.S. and other members of the Western alliance where he considers this and any sort of declaration of war?

We know that he's kind of had these broad threats that he said about what this military aid package might mean. Do you think there's a red line for him?

CLAPPER: That's a great question, Jessica. And I really don't know. He's made threats before, you know, just general threats. Anyone that helps Ukraine is -- kind of in for it, that sort of thing.

So I don't know that he has a line in the sand. I think, frankly, at this point, he's kind of winging this whole -- this whole thing.

And I -- I think it's a good thing that we are not being -- we, in NATO, are not being intimidated in terms of the kinds of assistance that we are providing to Ukraine. And this is an impressive laundry list of things we're doing.

[20:14:57]

But the main thing is, you know, in combat, there are high rates of consumption here. So I'm hoping this is just the first increment and that we sustain this support that we've started, this sort of, you know, take it to the next level support that we're providing Ukraine.

DEAN: Right.

And President Zelenskyy reportedly made a request to President Biden in a recent phone conversation to designated Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.

What would that mean? How likely do you think that is?

CLAPPER: Well, you know, I'm not sure what the intrinsic change would be over where Russia is today in the eyes of the rest of the world by designating him a state sponsor of terrorism, which I believe they certainly are.

That's what they're doing in Ukraine. That's their main objective is to terrorize the population of Ukraine and intimidate them into submission.

So I suppose this could mean that we could use extraordinary authorities we have under international terrorism to pursue terrorists.

But I really am not sure what the intrinsic change would be given the fact that Russia's already a pariah state now.

DEAN: Right. With all of these sanctions and truly is a pariah in the world.

Former director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, thank you for sharing your expertise with us. We appreciate it.

CLAPPER: Thanks, Jessica.

DEAN: Breaking news now. We just got an update on that South Carolina mall shooting. And we're going to share that with you next.

Also ahead, profiting from the pandemic. A new book shedding light on the so-called capitalists and thieves who got rich while we got sick. Author and reporter, David McSwain, joins me live.

Then CNN's "Impact Your World" campaign teaming up with the Empire State Building to help raise millions of dollars for Ukraine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:21:03]

DEAN: An update on the breaking news out of South Carolina. Nine of the 12 people injured in the mall shooting have been treated and leased from the hospital. Two patients have been admitted. Another victim was taken to a different medical facility, and their condition is unknown.

Police are still asking anyone with video of the shooting to contact them.

In battle-ravaged and besieged Mariupol, we've had disturbing reports of citizens forcibly relocated to areas under Russian control and perhaps to Russia itself.

CNN's Phil Black lays out a grim future for a young girl whose once carefree life will never be the same.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SHOUTING)

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's almost hard to comprehend. This was Mariupol not long ago when its people knew safety and happiness.

The girl in pink is Kira Obedinska -- joyful, loved, 12 years old. This is Kira after the Russians came -- orphaned, injured, alone in a Russian-controlled hospital.

(MUSIC)

BLACK: Russian media released this video showing Kira in Donetsk, the capital of a Moscow-backed separatist region in Ukraine's east.

It shows her telling some of her story. Why she fled Mariupol.

KIRA OBEDINSKA, UKRAINIAN GIRL ORPHANED, NOW IN RUSSIAN CUSTODY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: "There was a lot of shooting," she says. "Our building was hit."

So was her father. Yevgeny Obedinsky, the former captain of Ukraine's national water polo team, was shot from a distance and killed as Russian forces fought their way into Mariupol on March 17.

Days later, Kira, some neighbors, and her father's girlfriend, tried to flee the city on foot, but someone stepped on a mine and Kira was injured in the blast. Russian soldiers then took her to Donetsk.

(on camera): The Russian military, which killed your son, now has your granddaughter.

OLEKSANDER OBEDINSKY, KIRA'S GRANDFATHER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) BLACK (voice-over): Kira's grandfather, Oleksander, tells me her mother died when she was a baby. Now she's watched her father die. She misses her remaining family and wants to return to him.

Oleksander is scared he may never see Kira again. He says an official from the breakaway government in Donetsk phoned and invited him to travel there to claim her. That is impossible because of the war.

When Oleksander spoke to the hospital, he says he was told Kira will eventually be sent to an orphanage in Russia.

OLEKSANDER OBEDINSKY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: "They took her documents," he says, "and said they'll provide new ones when they send her into Russia."

The Russian government has said it's helped move at least 60,000 Ukrainian people to safety across the Russian border.

The Ukrainian government has said around 40,000 have been relocated against their will, describing it as abduction and forced deportation.

(MUSIC)

BLACK: The Russian media video shows Kira talking happily about how she's sometimes allowed to call her grandfather.

OBEDINSKA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: "I called him today," she says. "I'll also call him in the evening."

UNIDENTIFIED RUSSIAN TV PRESENTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: A Russian TV presenter called the video proof Kira wasn't abducted, proof of yet another Ukrainian fake.

Kira also sometimes sends her grandfather audio messages like this one:

OBEDINSKA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: She first tells him not to cry, but she can't stop her own tears.

OBEDINSKA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BLACK: "I haven't seen you for so long, I want to cry," she says.

The voice of a young girl who has lost her family, her home, her freedom, all to Russia's war.

[20:24:59]

Phil Black, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEAN: When the pandemic began two years ago, many businesses rushed to help, selling face masks and hand sanitizer. But some people were just out to make a quick buck.

Next, some shocking accounts of fraud and rip-offs. I'll talk live with the author of "Pandemic, Inc, Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:29:52]

DEAN: When the potential for a global pandemic was first identified in late 2019, the medical community looked for treatments and vaccines. But some business people looked for ways to cash in. In the first six months of the pandemic, the Trump administration awarded more than $6 billion in contracts for things like masks and ventilators. But after taking the money, some of these people never delivered or delivered useless items.

David McSwane is a reporter for ProPublica. His new book is "Pandemic Inc.:" Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick." David, it's great to see you. Thanks for being with us tonight.

You found a man who took more than $34 million from the government to provide six million N95 masks to the VA. This was an April of 2020 when no one could get their hands on masks, and there was a big scramble. Tell me about this man, Robert Stewart.

J. DAVID MCSWANE, REPORTER, PROPUBLICA: Right, yes. So in those early, really scary months, when we had no vaccine and hospitals were overrun, the Veterans Administration, which oversees the largest hospital system in the country, awarded 34 and a half million dollar contract to Mr. Stewart and I had just sort of been looking around at the purchasing data watching these contracts, you know, hundreds of millions, eventually billions of dollars flowing out of D.C. and just had some questions. He seemed to have no footprint, had never had a major federal deal. And he was right at the middle of the pandemic response for this agency.

And just decided to call him and ask him how he got these masks that no one else seemed to be able to get. And he said, I have them on the -- on the real deal. I'm getting on a private jet in the morning to oversee their delivery to the VA. And I said, can I -- can I tag along and he's been -- next thing you know, I'm on a private jet. And it really set off more than a year of reporting just following these people who saw an opportunity in the pandemic to make money.

DEAN: Yeah, what a wild ride. I mean, when someone says I'm getting on my private jet, like, yes, you tag along and follow the story. I also mentioned that Robert Stewart did plead guilty last year to defrauding three different federal agencies. But his story wasn't the only one you found. There were a lot of them.

There was also a company that got a $10 million contract for test tubes to be given to FEMA, but apparently, they showed up with plastic free forms that are used for soda bottles, and you see some of these pictures here, you posted them to Twitter. Did these people really think they were going to get away with stuff like this?

MCSWANE: Well, many did get away with it. But, yes, there was -- this was sort of a rare thing. And history was such a mess. We were so ill prepared. And the government response was essentially -- you know, we don't have things so we're just going to -- we're just going to give you a contract -- give you a contract, you could form an LLC on a Monday and have a $10 million contract by Thursday. And a lot of companies took the federal government and states for a ride and, and taxpayers got screwed.

DEAN: Wow. And you write that Peter Navarro, who was President Trump's deputy assistant and trade adviser at the time, quote, essentially verbally awarded a $96 million deal for respirators to a company with White House connections. So the Trump administration, which of course, first downplayed the pandemic was OK. And in your reporting, is this what you found that they were OK with breaking rules to reward their friends?

MCSWANE: Oh, they're certainly willing to break rules. I wasn't too shocked to see that. That's actually what set off this whole thing. I saw a contract that had been -- had been awarded and somebody had noted ordered by the White House. And for obvious reasons, you can't have political office and political appointees deciding who gets government money.

But Peter Navarro and the administration, one a few in the Trump administration, who saw the threat early on, did something really remarkable and inserted himself into contracting, which is usually left to people who, you know, who are government experts, to make sure taxpayers get a good deal. You know, companies aren't being rewarded for their political connections. And, you know, we get the things we need.

And he spent some things up and rewarded some companies with some spotty records. And then at the same time, didn't take an opportunity to cut a deal with a U.S. mask manufacturer who said, you know, I can make N95s. We can get you millions of these masks. So it was really just -- it was really just clumsy, messy, and people came in and had an opportunity and took advantage.

DEAN: Did you -- were you surprised at the end of all of this? Did you ever stop being surprised? And then now that we're kind of on the backside of some of this, how can we make sure this doesn't happen again, that taxpayers don't get ripped off in the middle of a once in a generation pandemic?

MCSWANE: Yes. I mean, I was surprised and I wasn't. I mean, the basic notion that, you know, billions of dollars were being spent and there were emergency contracting guidelines going on. I knew people were going to take advantage. I was shocked to see what little vetting occurred, if any at all. They're really well has a mentality of just giving anyone and everyone a contract because we're in so much trouble. [20:35:05]

And what that did is it raised prices, you have states and cities and hospitals and the federal government competing against one another. You've got people who see the -- a mask that used to cost a dollar, the federal government just agreed to pay $6 on that. That's the price of a mask. Really was a mess. And you see these characters that come out of the woodwork and kept me busy for many months.

And at the end of the day, you know, some of that normalized, and we just saw good old-fashioned corporate profits for certain things, and as I document in the book. And at the end of the day, I think the book is really a blueprint of exactly what we shouldn't do when faced with such a crisis.

DEAN: And when you were doing all this reporting, so it's over a year of reporting, did you ever get angry? Did you ever look around and see hundreds of thousands of people dying or people being disabled by long COVID and look around and also see people that were getting rich off of this?

MCSWANE: Yes. I mean, as a reporter, we approach with an open mind, and we give everybody their fair shot to explain themselves. But this was an outrageous phenomenon that I was witnessing. And, you know, we were suffering as a country. And there were real consequences to not getting the supplies where they needed to go.

And, you know, government waste, we see that story every day in one form or another, but lives were at stake. And, you know, we're in this just a history -- that historic moment and this trauma that we're all still enduring. And seeing that behavior, you know, from the -- from the front row was really astounding, and I wanted to convey that to the American people.

DEAN: All right. Well, David McSwane, thanks again. And you can check out the full story in David's new book, again, it's called "Pandemic, Inc.: Chasing the Capitalist and the Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick." Thanks so much for being here.

MCSWANE: Thank you.

And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. We've been telling you tonight about how a new package of U.S. military aid for Ukraine has begun arriving in that region. Will these new weapons be enough to fight the Russians or will more be needed? I'm going to ask Congresswoman Jackie Speier, that's next. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:40:48]

DEAN: Shipments from the latest U.S. security assistance package to Ukraine have begun arriving in the region. It's part of the $800 million package President Biden approved this week. And it includes the first round of high-power weapons that President Zelenskyy has been asking for. My next guest is on the House, Intel, and Armed Services Committee and has urged the president to increase weapons support to Ukraine. Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier joining me now. Congresswoman, great to see you. I know you have just recovered from a recent bout with COVID. So hopefully you're feeling well tonight.

REP. JACKIE SPEIER (D-CA): I'm great. I'm actually -- I've had very few symptoms. So not to worry if you're double boosted.

DEAN: That's right. Thank God for those vaccines. We're so glad you're doing well. I know you signed on to a letter earlier this month calling for the Biden administration to expand the weapons being sent to Ukraine. This $800 million aid package, does that move satisfy what you were hoping for?

SPEIER: Well, it's certainly a down payment. But in truth, President Zelenskyy has been real clear, he needs more of everything. Because they're losing various equipment that we've sent and ammo, they always need a reinjection, all of those.

Plus, they really need jets, they need fighter jets, and they need tanks. So we're coming a long way from where we were before. We're sending them helicopters, we're sending them personnel vehicles, we are adding those switchblade drones and air to -- surface-to-air missiles. So what we've done is good, but it's not good enough.

DEAN: And when would you like to see the administration move on, on more aid? Do you think that needs to be happening now or wait and see how it goes with what's being sent right now?

SPEIER: I actually think we have to continue to reemploy all the resources we have. I think we need to give them more of everything because they're losing some of what we have already sent to them. And the Russians are mobilizing to take on Donbas Region in a very, very serious way.

And look what they've done already in the country. When the President called it a genocide, I don't think he was overstating what is happening. Mariupol is gone. There are tens of thousands of people that have been killed there. These are citizens in the community, civilians in the communities. These are more than war crimes at this point.

And I do think that Vladimir Putin has one thing in mind, and that is to bring the country itself into the Russian -- more than the sphere into the Russian boundaries, and he doesn't much care if it's just rubble. He just wants that land. And we have got fight back.

DEAN: And you've previously said that to end the war, the West needs to give Putin a way to claim victory. Do you still think that is right? And do you worry that this new strategy could force Putin into a corner at all?

[20:45:01]

SPEIER: I think that if you're going to try and negotiate a stalemate or a truce, there has to be the appearance of both sides winning. And that's what I meant by that when there was these diplomatic efforts and negotiations going on earlier in the last month.

But I also think that this could be a very protracted war. So the economic sanctions we imposed have been good, but I think they have to get better. And by that, I mean, if you look at how many banks that we have sanctioned, it's about 900. Most other countries have actually sanctioned some 6,000 banks.

And when you look at what we've done, relative to pulling our companies out of Russia, 400 companies have left Russia, but there's still some big companies that are still there. And I want to start pointing the finger at those companies to get the heck out of Russia. That includes International Paper, the Mars Company, and a much longer list.

DEAN: And this week, President Zelenskyy asked President Biden to add Russia to the list of state sponsors of terror, and there's only four countries on that list Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria. Do you believe the President should consider adding Russia?

SPEIER: Well, it certainly should consider adding Russia. I don't know that we're at the point of doing that, specifically, at this time, because I think most of us want to see an end to this war. And if it can be negotiated, it's much harder to negotiate once you've created that status for Russia, right?

DEAN: And before I let you go, I want to ask you about this breaking news we're getting tonight out of North Korea. We've learned that North Korea fired off a new guided weapon that, quote, strengthens its tactical nuclear weapons operations. What is your reaction to that?

SPEIER: I think that we have, frankly, allowed North Korea to build its nuclear power structure. It happened during the Trump administration when he was sending love letters to Kim and vice versa. And I think that at this point, they will continue to build their arsenal. And we just have to be prepared. The Pacific tilt that we have been kind of suggesting that we have to do is real, whether it's protecting Taiwan or addressing China or North Korea.

DEAN: All right. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, thanks again. We appreciate it.

SPEIER: Good to be with you.

DEAN: An 86-year-old woman in a wheelchair needed help to escape a warzone in Ukraine. CNN first brought you her story Thursday, and now, we have a positive update you're going to want to hear.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[20:50:31]

DEAN: Fighting for control of Ukraine's Donbas Region has actually been raging for eight years. Analysts say if Russian forces lose there, it will submit Vladimir Putin's invasion as a historic failure. But already the people who live there are deeply suffering. 86-year- old Lidia was nearly alone with no way to escape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: When there's no electricity, and it's so dark, and there's shelling, she says, you can't imagine how scary it is. She tells us she recites prayers to get through the night. I never imagined that my end would be like this, she says, you can't even die here because there's no one to provide a burial ceremony.

For Igor, it is agony not to be able to do more. I promise you, I will help you to be evacuated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: So that was last Thursday. And now Lidia's turn has taken her life has taken a turn rather. Here's CNNs Clarissa Ward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WARD: Lidia Michaelov (PH) thought this day would never come. After weeks of horror, she waits outside her apartment to be evacuated.

So we're here at the Big Heart Living Facility and we're just waiting for Lidia to arrive. She's been driving for some hours and we're excited to see her. Here she is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you, man. We got her out.

WARD: Lidia agreed its cameraman, Scottie McWhinney.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey.

WARD: It's our old friend, she says. I'm so glad to see you again. After we left Lidia Thursday, there was an outpouring from people who wanted to help. We managed to connect volunteers to a care home and the relative safety of Dnipro.

Leaving Lidia alone in her apartment was incredibly tough. To see her safe is a huge relief.

Today, I will finally feel calm, she says. This is so important. Thank you.

[20:55:03]

Her journey out of this car was far from easy thrill so

You're here. Her journey out of Avdiivka was far from easy.

She's saying that there was a lot of shelling this morning. It was terrifying. It took six long hours to get here, but she made it. I'm so lucky, she says, safe and comfortable at long last.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DEAN: So glad to see her safe. New York's Empire State Building lit up tonight in the colors of Ukraine every night through June 1st. The upper floors of the tower will light up for 15 minutes after sunset. It's a partnership project between CNN Impact and the city of New York. For more information about how you can help humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, go to cnn.com/impact.

Thank you so much for joining me this evening. I'm Jessica Dean. Pamela Brown will be back tomorrow.

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