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Civilians Seek Safety As Russia Steps Up Attacks In Eastern Ukraine; Biden And Zelenskyy Both Say Russian Attack Is "Genocide"; Zelenskyy Calls For Biden To Visit Ukraine; Viewing Russia's Info War From Neighboring Estonia; Philadelphia To Renew Indoor Mark Mandates Starting Tomorrow; Pope Calls For Peace During Easter Mass; Royal Family Gathers For Easter Service Without Queen; Program Helps Ukrainian-American Kids Understand The War. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired April 17, 2022 - 16:00   ET

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

[16:00:47]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right. Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right, we begin with the battle for Mariupol. The Ukrainian port city left in ruins by Russia's merciless invasion refusing to back down. The city rejecting an offer by Russia to surrender as the fighting wages on. Ukraine's prime minister saying today that Mariupol has not fallen, and Ukraine's forces digging in to defend 100,000 civilians still surviving in the city.

And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying he is open to negotiations with Russia but adds the assault on Mariupol makes that less likely. Zelenskyy also insisting he will not give up any territory to end the war.

Atrocities piling up as the fighting drags on. Search teams recovering bodies of over 40 innocent civilians killed when Russian shelling hit a high-rise apartment building near Kyiv. And today Austria's chancellor giving new details about his tense face-to-face meeting with president -- Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and warning about Putin's possible mindset amid the invasion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARL NEHAMMER, AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR: I think he is now in his own war logic. You know. He thinks the war is necessary for security guarantees for the Russian federation. He doesn't trust the international community. He blames Ukrainians for genocide in the Donbas region. I think he believes he is winning the war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Ukraine's foreign minister says the situation in Mariupol may be a red line in negotiations with Russia.

I want to bring in now CNN's senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman who's joining me live from Ukraine.

Ben, bring us up to date where you are.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka. Well, we're hearing the air raid siren off in the distance here in Kramatorsk, in the eastern part of the country. Regarding Mariupol, 10 hours ago a Russian deadline expired. The Russians said if the defenders of that city do not lay down their arms they will, in the words of Russia, be eliminated. However, the defenders are still holding on. They have rejected that deadline.

The situation obviously continues to be extremely dire. The military governor of the Donetsk region of which Mariupol is a part estimates that there may be as many as 22,000 deaths in that city since that medieval siege began. There were around 100,000 people living there at the moment, barely living, without any proper access to food, water or electricity.

Now, to the north of here in Kharkiv, there was a missile strike, a Russian missile strike, on a residential area that's killed five people, wounded 13. They're two separate strikes coming within a half hour of one another. So as the first responders were on the scene trying to care for the wounded, another strike came in. A typical Russian tactic that goes back to what we saw in Syria as well.

Now here in the eastern part of the country, there continued to be shellings on communities near the front line, and we went to one of those communities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice-over): The shelling comes early and often. With Russian forces massing nearby, this is a portent of things to come. Firefighters brave the threat of shelling, but few others brave the streets of Severodonetsk. Life for those who haven't fled has moved underground. The stuffy shelters where safety trumps comfort. Around 300 people call this temporary home on the grounds of a sprawling chemical plant.

[16:05:00]

Maxim and his wife Ira tried to keep 7-month-old Artum distracted. They're recent arrivals having fled their home 10 days ago. Maxim shows me cell phone pictures of the cellar they hid out in before coming here.

Disabled, Tatiana stays in bed most of the time. She'd prefer to be at home, but what home? There's no electricity, no cell phone signal, no water, no gas, she tells me. Everything is shaking from the bombing. The windows are shattered.

Tamara tutors her grandson Timor. A retired English teacher, she's been here for more than a month.

TAMARA, SEVERODONETSK, UKRAINE RESIDENT: A lot of people can't leave this place because of problems with health, and they don't have enough money to live on in other places. And they have to stay here. WEDEMAN: 73-year-old Vasily struggles to move about the shelter. He's

not leaving town. I was born here and I'll stay here, he says. Nearby tanks at an oil refinery burn after a Russian strike. Not the first time it came under bombardment. The shelling here comes early in the offing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN: And another thing shelled here in Severodonetsk today was a church. Today of course is Orthodox Palm Sunday -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ben Wedeman, stay safe. Thank you so much.

President Zelenskyy in an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper gives his view on peace talks with Vladimir Putin where the war stands right now and the thousands of Ukrainians who have fled the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: What about the more than four million Ukrainians who have left the country who are refugees? Do you want them to come back?

PRES. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE: Not now. I think not now. First one is, it's about women and children. They should come when the situation will be stabilized and when the war will finish, of course, because they will not help us now. It's not about the man. They will not help. Men should be here and should fight, and then the families will come back, of course, because I know the statistics about 93 percent, 95 percent of those people who are away because of the war. Not -- they want to come back.

TAPPER: President Biden just agreed to another $800 million in military aid for Ukraine. Bringing the total American contribution to $2.5 billion. Are you satisfied with that? Do you need more?

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Of course we need more. But I am happy that he is helping us now. I feel that right now we are having a cleaner dialogue. It's been a dialogue that's had some twists and turns and not just talk. It's been very, very difficult, because there aren't many countries that have really helped us.

The assistance from the United States led by President Biden, and they are doing it again today, but there will never be enough. Enough isn't possible. There is a full-scale war ongoing today. So we still need a lot more than what we have today.

TAPPER: The Biden administration keeps saying that they're giving you this aid to put Ukraine in a better negotiating position for a diplomatic solution. Is that the goal? To put you in a better negotiating position? Or is the goal to defeat Russia and get them to leave?

ZELENSKYY (through translator): We need to understand that what we want can come at a very high price, and in any case, all these years are war where is the compromise coming from the Russian federation? Maybe we can end this war without any conditions. Maybe the war can end without any dialogue or compromise. And without sitting down at the negotiating table with the president of Russia.

And you'll understand daily, as I said before, what's the price of all this? It's people. The many people who have been killed, and who ends up paying for all of this? It's Ukraine. Just us. So for us, this is a really great cost. If there is an opportunity to speak, we'll speak, but to speak only under a Russian ultimatum? It's then a question about attitude towards us. Not about whether the dialogue is good or bad. It's impossible. The sooner it happens, it just means that less are likely to die.

[16:10:02]

But it's not a fact that this would actually be the case. Not at all. But it's possible, and, therefore, we should try. We want to liberate our country. Take back what's ours. We can fight the Russian federation for 10 years to take what's ours. We can go down in such a path, but you have to understand what you're doing. Know your strength. Remember that you are not fighting alone. And can you imagine that you would fight one on one with a very large state? One that's 28 times larger than us?

In terms of territorial size and economy, and their army is larger, and one cannot fight on their character alone. To fight as one there needs to be equipment today or tomorrow. Not in two or three months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Let's talk further. Let's bring in Daniel Rothenburg. He is the co-director of the Arizona State University Center on the Future of War and professor of practice at the School of Politics and Global Studies. And you also wrote an op-ed for CNN last week where you argue, Professor, that the U.N. should investigate Russian aggression as genocide, saying this, I'm quoting now from your article, your op- ed, "The designation of a genocide in Ukraine would be appropriate if there was enough evidence to demonstrate Russia's atrocities express a purposeful effort to deny the existence of the Ukrainian people.

So let's talk further about that, Professor, because, you know, while even President Biden and Zelenskyy have used the genocide, that designation is actually very complicated. Even a lot of laymen have said it as well. So it cannot singularly be determined by the U.S. So what are you challenging the U.S. to do?

DANIEL ROTHENBERG, CO-DIRECTOR, ASU CENTER ON THE FUTURE OF WAR: So it's a good question. Genocide is a very complicated term legally. But I think what's most important about using it now is as a frame for understanding Russian intentions in the aggressive war on Ukraine.

WHITFIELD: Well, the International Criminal Court would -- well, number one, it says it's investigating, and that would be one body that would make the determination of genocide. What can the U.S. do that the International Criminal Court cannot?

ROTHENBERG: It's a good point. There's a number of different ways to use the term and to process it, and even to take it to, you know to some sort of prosecution. The International Criminal Court, the ICC, is one body. There are also sometimes special tribunals that are created for particular circumstances. That's what Cambodia and Sierra Leone. There's also national prosecutions that could take place, some of which have led to successful genocide prosecutions even of heads of state.

So the issue of prosecution is just one part of a genocide claim. I think what's important is, we want to try to figure out what's the underlying intentions of this war? And genocide might provide a help for making sense of what's going on there in the future.

WHITFIELD: But I'm wondering, too, I mean, the premise of your article is that the U.S. needs to be more involved. And without, you know, coming across as sounding sarcastic, I mean, the U.S. can't get to the bottom of the January 6th investigation, regardless of what kind of videotape everyone has been able to see and the injuries documented. So how is it the U.S. might have better success in involving itself in making a determination about genocide and what kind of penalties besides sanctions that should be imposed on Russia following all of these atrocities? The U.S. singularly as opposed to, you know, a global body.

ROTHENBERG: So it's true that actual prosecutions for genocide often take many, many years, complicated and one of the hallmarks of the national judicial process is its time. Still, though, the -- making a claim of genocide using the term strategically as a way of understanding what's going on is something a little bit different than formally determining whether or not genocide is going on. And your point about how much evidence is required and demonstrating intent which is the trickiest part of genocide, those are all very real.

But what I'd add to this discussion, the U.S. has quite a bit of information about what's going on behind the scenes through rather extraordinary intelligence gathering. We know that's part of what's been the success of Ukrainians on the ground, and that might provide some insight into underlying intentions of the Russians. But again this process isn't just determining whether or not there's genocide, it's using the term to have a better sense of what's going on.

WHITFIELD: What do you think the U.S. should be doing with its information?

ROTHENBERG: It's a good question. So some of it obviously has to remain classified. But I think it would be useful to archive this material, to create a special body within the U.S. government to look into genocide as well as other international crimes, and to prepare the groundwork for any number of things that might take place later on that don't have to be U.S.-led, although the U.S. can play a key role in guiding some of these processes and gathering information and just keeping the term around to help clarify what's going on.

[16:15:14]

WHITFIELD: Daniel Rothenberg, thank you so much for being with us this weekend. This holiday weekend. And Happy Easter and Passover. ROTHENBERG: Thank you so much.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, President Zelenskyy is asking President Biden to come to Ukraine. Will Biden consider going? We'll go live to the White House, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Biden celebrated the Easter holiday at Camp David. He's expected to return to the White House later on today. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper expressed hope that President Biden would visit him in Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Do you want President Biden to come here?

ZELENSKYY: Yes.

TAPPER: Is there -- are there any plans for him to come?

[16:20:02]

ZELENSKYY: I think he will.

TAPPER: You think he will?

ZELENSKYY: I think he will, and I think he -- but it is -- no, no. I mean, it is his decision, of course, and about the safety situation, it depends. I mean, but I think -- I think he's the leader of the United States, and that's why he should come here to see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Arlette Saenz is at the White House.

So, Arlette, we hear, you know, President Zelenskyy feel pretty confident that this is something that President Biden should do. But will Biden take him up on that offer?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, the White House is pretty adamant in saying they are not planning to send President Biden to Ukraine even as the president himself told reporters a few days ago that he is ready to go. Of course, there would be major security and logistical concerns and hurdles that would need to be crossed if the American president were to go into a war zone. But it seems to be off the table for the time being, but there are discussions under way between officials here at the White House about sending another high-ranking administration official to Ukraine.

Possibly Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin or Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but sources have also cautioned that such a trip may not eventually materialize. Now, while Zelenskyy believes that this would be an image of solidarity to have the president or a high- ranking official go to Ukraine, the U.S., of course, is continuing to support Ukraine when it comes to delivering more military assistance to the country.

Just earlier this week President Biden announced $800 million worth of more sophisticated and heavy-duty military equipment would be going into Ukraine, with the first shipments arriving over the weekend. Now Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed this new assistance, but still said that more is needed. Of course, he has repeatedly asked for fighter jets, something that the U.S. has said that they are not going to provide.

But there are some concerns among U.S. officials about the state of the Ukrainian's inventories when it comes to ammunition especially as there is expected to be more heavy combat between the Russians and Ukrainians in the coming days. Part of those, that military assistance that was going to Ukraine includes howitzers and more artillery rounds. But officials say that could be used up in just a matter of days, but the U.S. is consistently evaluating the needs of the Ukrainians and what more they can give to try to help them defend themselves against the Russians -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz as the White House, thanks so much.

All right, coming up, why antennas are suddenly a popular item at electronics stores for Russian speakers to easily pick up Russian television channels. We'll explain that, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:27:17]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Russian propaganda for one of Russia's neighbors, it's a difficult habit to give up. The steady stream of state TV pumped out of Moscow. In Estonia, Russian speakers have long been hooked on it, but since the start of the war, they've been cut off.

Here now is CNN's Scott McLean.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Eastern Estonia, the vast birch forests and open plains dotted with industry and concrete apartment blocks can feel a lot like Russia. Most people are ethnically Russian, many signs are in Russian and Russia itself is just across the river. In the Estonian border town of Narva, more than 86 percent of the population speaks Russian.

(On-camera): Even on this side of the river, native Russian speakers make up a substantial chunk of the Estonian population, one of the many lasting legacies of the Soviet era. Many older people don't speak Estonian well, and in the absence of a whole lot of Russian language media in Estonia, Russian state media has been left to fill the void, giving people a steady dose of Kremlin propaganda.

(Voice-over): That is, until the start of the war in Ukraine when Estonia blocked many Russian news outlets and TV channels, a decision that came with plenty of controversy.

VLADIMIR ZAVORONKOV, NARVA CITY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN: Why don't I agree? Because I think great democracy don't -- can't be afraid of any propaganda.

Many people here is buying some systems to pick up the Russian channels. It's not the way. Restrict is not the way.

MCLEAN: Antennas are suddenly a popular item at electronic stores for Russian speakers to easily pick up Russian TV channels. Others watch online through VPNs. Ilya Federov and his father Oleg have an even better setup in their home right across the river from Russia.

ILYA FEDEROV, NARVA RESIDENT: Basically this is just a lineup of the channels people usually get in their Russian households as well.

MCLEAN: They've got this TV hooked up to a Russian satellite dish, another to an antenna, both picking up all the Russian channels, though some they'd rather not watch.

FEDEROV: I can only watch 10, 15 seconds maximum because the levels of aggression and paranoia and the lies, just brazen lies, it's crazy.

MCLEAN (on-camera): A lot of people here are still very connected to Russia. Do you think that they believe everything that the Kremlin is saying about the war in Ukraine?

OLEG FEDEROV, NARVA RESIDENT (through translator): I don't just think, I know there are a lot of people who think Russian state media is the truth. But for sure it's a lot of false news and lies and only a minority in Narva don't believe Russian propaganda.

MCLEAN (voice-over): Some of those true believers are reluctantly tuning into this channel,

[16:30:04]

ETV Plus was launched in 2015 to give Russian-speaking Estonians access to reliable news about their own country and the world.

MARGARITA TANAJEVA, ETV PLUS ANCHOR: We don't have propaganda. We can make news about corrupted ministers or presidents in our country or politics. Many Russian journalists can do it.

MCLEAN: On Friday, ETV Plus reported on the sinking of Russia's flagship, the Moskva, giving both Ukraine's claim that its missiles sunk the ship and the more benign Russian version that it sank after a fire. Since the channel's launched, ETV Plus' ratings have made gains but gaining trust is much tougher.

TANAJEVA: Many of our viewers are ready to blame us, are ready to judge us because they don't believe us, but we are ready to speak with them. I don't want to judge them. I am ready to wait. I'm ready to give those people a time to make them believe me.

MCLEAN: Scott McLean, CNN, Narva, Estonia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up, we will go live to Philadelphia. The city is set to reinstate its mask mandate in all indoor public places as COVID-19 cases quickly rise. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:36:01]

WHITFIELD: All right. Tomorrow Philadelphia will become the first major U.S. city to reinstitute its mask mandate since January. Masks will be required in all public indoor places. Philadelphia's health commissioner cites a new rise in COVID cases. And today White House COVID coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said decisions like this should be left up to local governments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ASHISH JHA, WHITE HOUSE COVID COORDINATOR: You know, local officials do have a lot of local knowledge of where it's spreading, in which communities. They're using other types of data, so I have been really supportive of local people making -- local leaders making local decisions, mayors and governors, and I continue to be supportive. I think that's the right way to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Polo Sandoval is in Philadelphia. So, Polo, how are folks reacting there?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, at this neighborhood just north of downtown Philly, Fred, you see some of that masking signage that's up. Now whether it was just recently put up or it's been there since the start of the pandemic no question it will be applying again tomorrow. Once the city begins to require that indoor masking for public spaces, now we're talking businesses, schools, museums, and other indoor spaces.

Now important to point out there is a way around this. Businesses and entities are being given the option to require the vaccination of all the occupants in that building. And if they can prove that then they can potentially remain mask-free. So we'll have to see if any businesses decide to go in that direction. So that's yet to be seen. But in terms of how we got here, city officials noticed about a 50 percent increase in daily COVID cases in the last two weeks.

And that was a red flag that basically triggered this return of this mask mandate that kicks in tomorrow. But in terms of the other numbers, they're fairly manageable right now. In fact, the daily COVID cases still about 142, which is still well below that 225-mark that would be required to go to stage three of a response and hospitalizations right now in Philadelphia still about 44 as of last Monday, which was the last update.

And that also is still well below the daily hospitalization rate that would basically trigger the next stage three requirement. So we're still far from that. But nonetheless, the city hoping to get ahead of that. Now in terms of the reaction, there's this small group of business owners that are basically suing to stay this mandate as they've done in the past. Their argument here is that city of Philadelphia is disregarding CDC guidance and that it's, at the end of the day, also bad for business.

So that's their argument right now. We're certainly going to have to see if that sticks in court. But previously some of those legal attempts have been unsuccessful in the past -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Polo Sandoval, Philadelphia, thanks so much.

All right, still ahead, Easter with the royals and why the Queen did not attend services.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:43:21]

WHITFIELD: In his Easter message Pope Francis called for peace during what he said is an Easter of war. As CNN's senior Vatican analyst John Allen explains, the Pope also tried to steer clear of making his address overly political.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ALLEN, CNN SENIOR VATICAN ANALYST (on camera): Easter Sunday typically a joyous time for Catholics had a shadow cast over it this year by the war in Ukraine. Pope Francis referred to the war as cruel and senseless calling this an Easter of war. He also expressed compassion for the victims of this conflict including refugees and internally displaced persons, and also children who have been orphaned by the conflict.

The pontiff acknowledged that Ukraine has been dragged into this war, but did not mention Russia by name, that in keeping with his policy from the beginning of trying to keep some channel of communication with the Russians open.

In addition, the Pope named a number of other hot spots including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which has flared up anew in recent days, Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, situations in Africa and Latin America, but it was clear that Ukraine had a special pride of place.

By the way, this was the first time the Pope has been able to celebrate Easter in front of a large crowd in St. Peter's square since the COVID pandemic began.

For CNN, this is John Allen in Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, members of the royal family attended Easter service earlier today, but without their patriarch. Prince William and Kate were seen arriving with two of their children, George and Charlotte, at the St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle today. Notably missing from the Easter service was Queen Elizabeth. The Queen will celebrate her 96th birthday this month and regularly attends church services but did not make an appearance today.

[16:45:07]

All right, joining us right now Kate Williams, a CNN royal commentator.

So good to see you. Love the red, Kate. Happy Easter. All right. So do we know -- do we know why the Queen missed the service and how significant it is that she did not attend?

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Reporter: Yes, Fred. It is very significant because we are seeing a change here. Last year the Queen did 200 engagements, nearly 100 of them were in-person. It's not going to be the same this year. She has had significant mobility problems and indeed a royal source has said to a British up from now on cannot necessarily expect to see the Queen at engagements. Maybe she'll come. We'll find out on the day. But from now on, we won't expect to see the Queen at these events, the Easter service, any services, some of her engagements as well.

So we really, we understand that the Queen celebrated privately today in Windsor Castle but I think this does mean that mobility problems really have become really too difficult to make it possible for her to be out and about as she was just last year.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I mean, those adjustments are understandable. I mean, still, the Queen does carry on in a very impressive way.

All right. So all of these decisions and today's service also comes at a time of one of the most anticipated family get-togethers as it happens, as Prince Harry and Meghan stopped by. They were in country and they actually met with the Queen on Thursday. Right? What do we know about that meeting?

WILLIAMS: Yes. Prince Harry and Meghan, they popped in. In fact, no one knew they were here. They were actually spotted by a group of tourists.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

WILLIAMS: So nobody knew they were here. They came over on an ordinary flight, the British Airwaves flight, and no one spotted them and they had a short meeting with Prince Charles. We understand 10 minutes, he and the Duchess of Cornwall, and then they went on to meet with the Queen and had a conversation with the Queen and really I think that's very important. I think that was really important icebreaker.

They had been -- they were on their way to the Invictus games and I think this makes it very much more likely that they may come to the Platinum Jubilee. And in fact there's some talk in the papers, the other royals are afraid that Harry and Meghan might overshadow the events but certainly I think this makes it much more likely that we might see Harry and Meghan and of course Archie and Lilibet, their children, at the Platinum Jubilee on the balcony way which will be a big moment because of course, this is the last jubilee the Queen will see.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And was this the first meeting of Meghan and Harry and the Queen since, you know, the split? I don't know another way to put it delicately. Kind of a split?

WILLIAMS: Yes, it certainly -- yes, we understand it to be the first meeting. Not on -- obviously they've been talking on Zoom, having lots of chats on Zoom. Prince Harry said how much the Queen loved talking on Zoom. But it's the first meeting that certainly they've had since the Oprah interview and certainly since birth of Lili. The Queen of course hasn't -- not yet met the baby yet.

So it is a very significant meeting and I think it shows, you know, how the Queen, how they are of each other. That they were on their way and, of course, Harry came to the Duke of Edinboro's funeral. But that was a very different occasion, it was a somber occasion. This was tea with the Queen, private event. They had -- I'm sure they had a lovely chat.

WHITFIELD: Yes. That was very difficult. Well, that's pretty encouraging. I mean, we like families to stay together.

All right, so you did mention the Invictus Game and that's why, I mean, you know, largely in part why they were both there. Tell us more about why this particular Invictus Games was so important particularly as they, you know, pay homage to Ukraine.

WILLIAMS: Well, the Invictus Games are so important. They're celebration of veterans, of their service, of all the veterans in the sporting games. Harry, of course, as a veteran himself. Meghan gave this wonderful introduction to Harry as my incredible husband, and it is particularly poignant watching the veterans and this tribute to service. It's so important -- in the midst of war with Ukraine and so many people suffering, so for giving their lives in service and that was particularly marked by the Invictus Games as well.

So it's wonderful we can have an Invictus Games post-COVID.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WILLIAMS: Of course COVID has hit it like --

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.

WILLIAMS: And wonderful that all the veterans will get together and also I think to commemorate the service being done in Ukraine at the moment.

WHITFIELD: Absolutely. It's absolutely about, you know, commemorating the service and to see those pictures, to see the turnout, I mean, that is impressive and it's been a long time since we've been able to see that kind of gathering. Very nice.

WILLIAMS: What a turnout. Well, it's a huge turnout. Huge celebration. It was, been a fantastic event, the Invictus Games. It really has.

WHITFIELD: Kate Williams, great to see you.. Happy Easter. Thank you so much.

WILLIAMS: Thank you. Happy Easter. Thank you, Fred. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. You as well.

All right, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced more than a quarter of Ukraine's population to flee their homes and more than 4.5 million people have left country creating the world's fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II.

[16:50:15]

But this week's CNN Hero is doing all that she can to help. Teresa Gray, a paramedic and nurse from Alaska, has sent small self- sufficient medical teams to natural and humanitarian disasters for the past six years, and recently she and her volunteers travel to Romania where they provided care and comfort to hundreds of Ukrainians in need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERESA GRAY, CNN HERO 2022: What we were expecting to see was large groups of people housed in tent cities, and actually, they are housing these refugees in individual dorm rooms. They've got food, they've got shelter, but the trauma is the same. They've lost almost everything. This is filled with women, children and elderly.

There is a flu outbreak currently that obviously affects the children. We also have pre-existing conditions. It isn't just about fixing a broken arm or giving you medicine. It's making that human connection. Sometimes you need to hold their hand and walk them down a hallway and listen to them.

We try to meet the needs of whatever presents to us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Smile, everybody.

GRAY: Human suffering has no borders. People are people, and love is love.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Love is love. To see Teresa's organization in action and find out how they went the extra mile to help one Ukraine family go to CNNheroes.com and while you're there, nominate someone you know to be a CNN Hero.

We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:56:22]

WHITFIELD: An after-school program in Ohio is helping Ukrainian American children understand the war in their ancestral country.

CNN's Gary Tuchman visits the program to find out what the kids think about the invasion.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's called the Ukrainian Academy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good afternoon, everyone. So today we are going to speak about war and peace.

TUCHMAN: In the Cleveland suburb of Parma Heights in Ohio.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you raise your hand if you have grandparents in Ukraine?

TUCHMAN: Almost all of their parents were born in Ukraine and many of these children were also born there. This is a private preschool, daycare as well as an afterschool program for children ages 6 months to 12 years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are we in a state of peace or are we in a state of war in this country?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Peace, peace, peace.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Peace. What about Ukraine?

STUDENTS: War.

TUCHMAN: The feeling here is that, although what's happening in Ukraine is frightening, it's important for these children to learn about it and talk about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What can you say about soldiers in Ukraine? How do you feel about them?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're brave.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're brave, right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Soldiers help people to not die.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If someone comes to your house, start destroying it or taking your stuff, you know, would you be happy about that?

STUDENTS: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think this is right?

STUDENTS: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When another country like coming to another country and taking stuff and bombing, and do you think this is right?

STUDENTS: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Who came to Ukraine?

STUDENTS: Russia. Russia.

TUCHMAN: The teachers ask how the children are feeling about all this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Worried.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Worried.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scared.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scared. What other words is war? How can we describe a war?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sadness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sadness.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My family is -- well, are very scared for my grand, my great grandma, my relatives that are also in war. And it's very anxious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope Ukrainian win, because some Russian people are good and saying stop to the other Russian who is being bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So not all the Russian people are bad, right? There are some people who just, you know, say no war, please stop it. They're asking the president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's not because of the Russian people. It's because of the president. He's greedy and trying to take over the country.

TUCHMAN: Roman and Helena Dutka are the owners of the academy.

(On-camera): Do you think your students here are now prouder to be Ukrainian-American than even before this war?

ROMAN DUTKA, UKRAINIAN ACADEMY OWNERS: Yes, I think they are proud about their roots, that they're Ukrainians and about that Ukraine is standing strong. I think that --

HALYNA DUTKA, UKRAINIAN ACADEMY OWNER: Staying together.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Before we say goodbye to the students, I get to talk with them a bit.

(On-camera): If you had superpowers, what would you do if you had superpowers?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Save the good people.

TUCHMAN: Save the good people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: That's what you would do as superwoman?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, and like make the house fly into the air.

TUCHMAN: Make the house fly into the air?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

TUCHMAN: Fly to safety?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The laughter of children who have a lot on their minds.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Gary Tuchman, thank you for bringing us those super kids.

Thank you for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN NEWSROOM continues with Paula Reid right now.