Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Longtime Utah Senator Orrin Hatch Dies at 88; Ukrainians Make Brave Journey for Art; North Carolina Chef Heading to Poland to Help Feed Refugees; Blinken and Austin Expected to Visit Kyiv; Interview with Former U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus; Satellite Images Show Mass Graves Outside Mariupol. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired April 23, 2022 - 22:00   ET

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

[22:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BROWN: I'm Pamela Brown in Washington. You are in the CNN Newsroom on this Saturday evening. And we begin this hour with breaking news. Former U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch has died at the age of 88. The Republican icon served 42 years in the chamber. The longest-serving senator in Utah history. He retired in 2019. He was known as a gentleman with unwavering conservative principles and valued bipartisan compromise for the common good, which seems to be so rare in today's political climate.

CNN correspondents are covering all of the reactions pouring in. We're going to get to Joe Johns at the White House, Melanie Zanona is here, and Former Senator Max Baucus in just a moment. But first, CNN's Ryan Nobles looks back at Orrin Hatch's life and legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you solemnly swear --

RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): He was one of the longest-serving Republican Senators in the chamber's history. Orrin Hatch spent more than four decades crafting a legacy of unwavering conservative ideals. The grandson of Mormon settlers, Hatch grew up in a poor mill town outside of Pittsburgh. Tragedy struck his life early when his older brother died in World War II.

SENATOR HATCH: I had a white streak in my hair right here because it just affected me so drastically.

NOBLES (voiceover): In the late '60s, Hatch moved to Utah where he practiced law and raised a family. In 1976 he won a seat in the U.S. Senate, arguing the incumbent three-term senator had served too long. But that first term turned into a lifelong career. And the senate, he said, into something of a family.

SENATOR HATCH: We may have been partisan from time to time. We may fight each other very hard. We may get irritated with each other. We may scream and shout. But, you know, we look towards the person. We are looking towards somebody who's a member of the family. NOBLES (voiceover): Over his seven terms in the Senate, Hatch favored corporate tax cuts, limited government, deregulation, and military spending. He consistently voted against gay rights, abortion, and stricter gun laws.

SENATOR HATCH: The second amendment and the right to keep --

NOBLES (voiceover): But despite his ardent conservativism, Hatch occasionally reached across the aisle. Supporting AIDS education, the DREAM Act, and stem cell research. In 2000, he made a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

SENATOR HATCH: The reason I'm running for president is because I have more experience than all the rest of these candidates for president put together.

NOBLES (voiceover): But he lost to George W. Bush. As the ranking Republican on the senate finance committee, Hatch ushered in the 2017 tax cuts and job act.

SENATOR HATCH: This is a great day for America because we've been -- we're going to pass a pro-growth, pro-job, pro-America bill.

NOBLES (voiceover): The bill was lauded as the biggest tax code change in three decades and criticized for favoring corporations and the wealthy.

SENATOR HATCH: I come from the poor people. And I've been here working my whole stinking career for people who don't have a chance. And I really resent anybody saying I'm just doing this for the rich. Give me a break.

NOBLES (voiceover): Critics also blasted him for helping President Trump dismantle the Bears Ears in the Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah. A devout Mormon, Hatch was a prolific writer of religious music, composing over 300 songs during his lifetime.

SENATOR HATCH: For over 40 years, I've had the great honor of serving as your senator.

NOBLES (voiceover): Hatch, announced his retirement in 2018 shortly after his hometown newspaper, "The Salt Lake Tribune" called for him to step down.

SENATOR HATCH: I've always been a fighter. But every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves.

NOBLES (voiceover): Orrin Hatch, a lifelong public servant who chose a path of faith and tradition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: CNN's Melanie Zanona is in Washington and tracking all the reactions pouring in. And Melanie, we're getting reactions from both sides of the aisle. ZANONA: That's right. Tributes are starting to pour in from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill where Orrin Hatch served 42 years. Mike Lee, a fellow Utah Republican, put out a very lengthy statement. I want to read you a part of that. Here is what he said. He said Orrin Hatch was a giant of the senate and a pillar in Utah. His more than four decades of public service made him the longest-serving U.S. Senator from our State but that only tells a small portion of his legacy. Orrin was a friend, mentor, and example to me and countless others.

Then there's also Chuck Grassley, he is a long-time Republican from Iowa. They served together, him and Orrin Hatch, for many years together in the senate. Here's what he tweeted. He said, sad to learn the -- of the passing of my friend, Orrin Hatch. I worked closely with Senator Hatch for 40 years on Judiciary Committee and 20 years on the Finance Committee. We had a very good friendship. He has contributed so much to public policy and for the people of Utah. Barbara and I send our sympathies to his family.

[22:05:00]

But as you mentioned, it's not just Republicans. We're also hearing Democrats start to offer their condolences. Here's what Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said. She tweeted, Senator Hatch was kind to me and we worked together well. There were a lot of differences including party, height, age, you name it. But somehow, we always looked for common ground. Prayers for his family today.

You know, Orrin Hatch was a real conservative. He was an old-school conservative. He oversaw the passage of the 2017 Tax Law when he was the head of the finance committee. He oversaw a number of contentious confirmation hearings when he headed up the judiciary committee. But at the same time, he was someone who really valued bipartisanship and he reached across the aisle on multiple occasions to pass landmark legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act which is a massive achievement.

And in fact, at the time of his retirement, he had passed more bills into law than any other senator alive at the time. And that is going to be a huge part of his legacy.

BROWN: Yes, and once you retire from the senate, he has of course the Orrin Hatch Foundation which is focused on civic engagement and bipartisanship.

ZANONA: Right.

BROWN: And it really is he had that rare trait now on Capitol Hill of reaching across the aisle --

ZANONA: Yes.

BROWN: --not being afraid to do that. And we just --

ZANONA: A dying breed at most in the Capitol.

BROWN: A dying breed, yes, for sure. Melanie, thank you so much. Melanie Zanona, thank you.

Former Democratic senator and Ambassador to China Max Baucus joins me now. Senator, you served in the chamber with Senator Hatch for decades on the other side of the aisle. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know you worked with him for many years, particularly, on the finance committee. What memories of Orrin Hatch stand out most to you?

MAX BAUCUS, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: Orrin is a great guy. You just couldn't help it but really like Orrin. He was very decent. He was compassionate. He was personable. He never had an ill word to say about anybody. He was just a wonderful human being. He also served his State, Utah, very well. I mean, that's what senators are supposed to do. Orrin did it. He also was -- he was very bipartisan, as you said. We had weekly meetings, Orrin and I, when I was chairman of the committee, sometimes he was chairman of the committee. His office, my office, and we just go over issues. How are we going to get stuff done? He was just wonderful that way.

But what he is not known for, I think, and should be remembered for is how much he helped children, the Children's Health Insurance Program. That's Orrin with Ted Kennedy. He's very, very proud. He has a very close friendship with Ted Kennedy and Ted, too. It meant a lot to Orrin working with Liberal Senator Ted Kennedy, together the two of them. That really says a lot about Ted, it says a lot about Orrin. They worked together. I -- he's just -- he's a wonderful man. There aren't many senators like him serving today. But he is a super, super guy. And I just think the most of him as does everybody else.

BROWN: He's a --

BAUCUS: We served together for about -- I served with Orrin for 40 -- 30 -- for 36 years. And we're --

BROWN: Wow.

BAUCUS: He's a little bit conservative. He wasn't a back slapper. He wasn't a big jokester. But he was -- and he was serious. And he was very, very honest and decent and really good to work with and wanted to do what's right.

BROWN: Yes, you know, he was the longest-serving Republican senator in history which is incredible. And as Melanie just reported, he passed more legislation into law than any other senator. And he was able to work with politicians on the other side of the aisle, like yourself. What was it about him where he was -- so effective in that regard?

BAUCUS: Well, he was -- he was a consummate servant. He wanted to serve the people. He wants -- and to serve the people, you can't be a grandstander. You can't be, you know, making big speeches. You got to be finding solutions to get stuff done. And he did so with the Children's Health Insurance Program, with mental health. There were a lot of areas where he worked really hard. He's very compassionate to get something done.

Now, maybe it's in his blood. Maybe it's his background. He is from a very low-income existence. I don't know. But whatever it is, Orrin was focused on serving. He's focused on serving. And when you serve, you want to find solutions. You want to get programs passed and try to find a combination. And that was Orrin Hatch. Again, he was a little dry, he's a little conservative, and he wasn't the life of the party but he wanted to get -- try to find solutions. I really liked him so much.

BROWN: I'm curious, just given your shared history and working together on so many different issues that came before the senate. What was he like when you were trying to get Obamacare passed in a bipartisan way?

BAUCUS: Well, he was not the chairman of the committee at the time, Chuck Grassley was. And I -- it's -- so he would -- Senator Grassley was the main person I worked with. But Orrin was there working alongside Chuck.

[22:10:00]

Orrin was trying to help legislation. But to be honest, verbal connect after a couple of years became really bipartisan and, in the end, one Republican voted for it, either in the House or in the Senate, it was because of larger Republican politics. That would not be Orrin's election. Orrin would want to work together, right. I think the party at the time -- all Republicans would vote against the (INAUDIBLE) regrettably and that's why it passed -- Republican vote. And frankly, you know, their efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act, it was -- Senator McMahon voted against overturning. Orrin would want -- a few -- left to his own devices. He would want to try to find a solution.

BROWN: All right. Former Senator Max Baucus, thank you so much for taking some time out to honor your former colleague in the Senate, Orrin Hatch. Thank you.

CNN Joe Johns at the White House. Joe, President Biden also had a long relationship with Orrin Hatch.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: He certainly did. You know, I was just looking at the bio of Orrin Hatch on the Hatch website. And one of the things it said was that he served during the administrations of seven presidents, four Republicans, three Democrats. And he was very active, obviously, in the Senate Judiciary Committee. A lot of people don't realize that both he and Joe Biden at different times were chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. So, they had a lot of interplays there, including on all the Supreme Court nominations. We can talk about that a little bit more. But we do have some video now of when Joe Biden swore in Orrin Hatch to his office in the United States Senate, the first day of the congress when Joe Biden was vice-president. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: All right. Raise your right hand and do this. Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic? That you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same? That you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion? And you will well and faithfully discharge your duties of the office upon which you are to about to enter, so help me God?

HATCH: No doubt.

BIDEN: He don't have any doubt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Orrin Hatch said he was an admirer of Joe Biden and his relationship with his family and all the tribulations the Bidens went through. He described Biden as the most personal figure in American politics and a tribute on the Senate floor. But remember he was a Republican. And Joe Biden, of course, a Democrat. So, they did have their clashes. And certainly, disagreement over Donald Trump, who Orrin Hatch supported. We have a video also now of Orrin Hatch getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom which was presented by Donald Trump. Listen.

Probably the most notable clash between Joe Biden and Senator Orrin Hatch, of course, would have been the Clarence Thomas Nominations for -- when he went through his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. Joe Biden was a chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at that time. Orrin Hatch was the defender of Clarence Thomas, who was under attack for allegations of sexual harassment, which had been lodged by Anita Hill. Back to you, Pamela.

BROWN: Joe Johns live for us on this Saturday night from the White House. Thank you. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:15:00]

Dawn is about to break in Ukraine, an Orthodox Easter Sunday. It is one of the holiest days of the year for Ukrainian Christians, even as many find themselves experiencing hell on earth. But they may be the lucky ones, still alive even as Ukraine sees more carnage, more destruction. These trenches may be more evidence of Russia's ongoing efforts to cover up its war crimes. Ukrainian officials say they are mass graves, West of Mariupol. CNN has not independently clarified or verified these claims. But they are supported by satellite photos of that area.

Ukraine's defense ministry says its forces hit 17 air targets on Saturday, including three Russian aircraft and five cruise missiles. It has also claimed a strike in Kherson, killed two more Russian generals. CNN has not yet verified this claim. And the Kremlin has not commented.

Also tonight, a surprise from President Zelenskyy. He announced two American guests are expected in Kyiv, Sunday. They would be Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Usually, visits like these are not publicized until after the fact for security reasons. But CNN's Matt Rivers says that didn't stop the Ukrainian leader for making his announcement and appointed request. Matt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): High-profile visitors for the Orthodox Easter Holiday in Ukraine. On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters he would meet with top U.S. officials in Kyiv on Sunday.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't think this is a big secret. The people from the U.S. are coming to us tomorrow. I shall be meeting with the State Secretary, Mr. Blinken, and the defense secretary. And we will be waiting for the time when the security situation allows for the president to come and talk to us.

RIVERS (voiceover): The U.S. State Department and White House declined to comment on the matter. But Zelensky said talks alone won't help Ukraine.

[22:20:00]

ZELENSKYY (through translator): Why is it important for leaders to come to us? I will give you a pragmatic answer. Because they should not come here with empty hands now. We are waiting not just for presents or cakes. We are expecting specific things and specific weapons.

RIVERS (voiceover): On Friday, a Russian general made clear one of Moscow's goals in Ukraine by saying Russia intends to seize Southern parts of the country to create a land corridor between the Eastern Donbas region and Crimea.

On Saturday, for the first time in weeks, Russia launched major strikes on the Southern Port City of Odessa, which Ukrainian officials say hit a residential building, killing at least eight, including an infant. The Russian Defense Ministry said it was targeting a terminal which housed weapons supplied by the United States and European nations. There was also no letup in the bombardment of the Eastern regions of the country. Kharkiv, once again, came under fire after a barrage of Russian shells fell on the city. And the governor of the Luhansk region urged civilians to leave if they could, describing the situation there as around-the-clock bombing.

The Ukrainian government added new curfews across the country, saying there could be an increase in Russian attacks over the holiday weekend. Fierce battles for the territory that Zelenskyy will no doubt press his potential V.I.P. visitors, Sunday, for more help in trying to win.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIVERS (on camera): Well, Pamela, we were expecting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make some news at a press conference he gave here in Kyiv on Saturday evening but I think it's safe to say that everyone was surprised when he announced that a very high-level visit from top U.S. officials was in the works. BROWN: All right. Matt, thanks so much. And Mariupol, just a shell remains of a once vibrant city. Vladimir Putin claims his army has, "Liberated the port city." But many citizens are still huddled underground just hoping to survive another day. CNN's Scott McLean has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Satellite images and aerial footage has annual long shown the scale of the destruction in Mariupol. It is difficult to know the full human cost of the siege. But now there are new potential clues. New satellite pictures of a cemetery East of Mariupol appear to show freshly dug trenches some 40 meters long. The Mariupol mayor's office says that these are mass graves. CNN cannot independently verify the claim.

What is not unclear is the dire humanitarian situation inside the city. New video from the Ukrainian military shows women and children taking shelter underneath a steel plant, where Ukrainian troops are making their last stand. Inside, the Russian word for children is spray-painted on the walls. A Ukrainian soldier says he's bringing gifts, candy, and some food. The kids explain how they pass the time. Many of the women and children are the families of plant workers here. And many have been there for 50 days or more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I want to get out of here and see the sun. We've been here two months now. And I want to see the sun because they switch the lights on and off here. When they rebuild our houses, we can live in peace

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We all really want to return home. We want to return home alive. We all want to see our parents and families.

MCLEAN (voiceover): There is little hope those wishes will come true any time soon. Russian troops have surrounded the complex waiting for Ukrainian soldiers to surrender as food supplies dwindle. For the rest of Mariupol, a humanitarian corridor opened leading West through Russian-held territory to Ukrainian-held Zaporizhzhia. Though the Mariupol mayor's office says that Russians tricked people into boarding buses bound for Dokuchaevsk, a town in Russian-occupied territory. CNN could not immediately verify the progress of evacuation efforts in the city.

In a press conference in a Kyiv underground station, President Zelenskyy proposed a trade with Russia, an exchange for Ukrainian civilians trapped in Mariupol.

ZELENSKYY (through translator): We offer, as civilized people, we suggest humanitarian solution to the situation. We offer exchange of civilians. We present offer exchange of the wounded.

MCLEAN (voiceover): Zelenskyy said he is willing to meet with Putin but promised peace talks would be abandoned if Ukrainians in Mariupol are killed. Scott McClean, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Ahead more on tonight's breaking news, the death of longtime Utah Senator Orrin Hatch at the age of 88. Former Utah Congresswoman Mia Love joins me next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:25:00]

Returning to our breaking news tonight. Former Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah has died at the age of 88. The Republican icon served 42 years in the chamber, the longest-serving senator in Utah history. He retired in 2019. Hatch was known as a gentleman with unwavering conservative principles and value something that seems so rare these days, bipartisan compromise for the common good.

Former Republican Congresswoman Mia Love of Utah joins me now. You served two terms in the House while Orrin Hatch was in the senate. What can you tell us about him?

MIA LOVE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Like, anyone can google Senator Orrin Hatch and read of his accomplishments. But let me share with you the Orrin Hatch that I knew personally. From the moment I decided to run for office, he was available to me. He actually heard me speak at an event. And he said, you should run and I will do everything I can to help you. Most people say that. But Orrin not only showed his support to me personally but also financially and had his door open to me always. Gave me the very best advice.

One, which you alluded to is, that he's the one that actually told me to join the Congressional Black Caucus. He said, join. Join. You may be the only Republican there but there's -- you can do some good there for all people. You can find common ground. And it will be the best experience. And joining the Congressional Black Caucus, when I was a member of congress, was the best thing I ever did.

BROWN: Wow.

[22:30:00]

LOVE: And I can sit here and truly say that this is a man who loved serving people. Not just the people that voted for him, but even serving those who just -- people like me, right? Just doing everything he could to give back to this great country and he will sorely be missed. I will miss him. And I have to tell you, I call them Uncle Orrin. Because he was just always there for me, and I will miss him.

BROWN: I'm so sorry for your loss. I mean, there have been tributes pouring in from those who knew him from both sides of the aisle. You know, he had that trait that is now rare in Washington of reaching across the aisle not being afraid to do so. He was Utah's longest serving senator, he was the longest serving Republican Senator, 42 years an incredible amount of time, 42 years. What did you learn from him on both a political and a personal level?

LOVE: Well, I -- he was -- one of the -- he never, he didn't hold back his words or how he felt. I learned from Orrin that he could be bold, and he didn't make any apologies about how he how he approached an issue. He just approached it full force. He also gave me some really good advice and said when you get there, don't pay attention to the attention. Don't be a show pony. Be a workhorse. Get in there, roll up your sleeves, and let these people know that you're here to work.

We're -- people like Orrin, they're just -- they just don't -- they're too few. So he's going to be missed, but what he left behind will be remembered. I mean, all of his work on judiciary, his work on just opening up a safe place to have a conversation about religious rights and LGBTQ rights, human rights, just being able to open up those conversations in a place where both sides of the aisle can have space to speak. And wherever anybody was on the issue, said we can find common ground on this. Let's be for people, let's make sure we give people have the right to live, love, practice, do whatever they enriches their -- enriches their lives, so.

BROWN: Well, former Utah Congresswoman Mia Love, thank you for coming on and paying tribute to Senator Orrin Hatch dead at the age of 88. Thank you.

LOVE: Thank you.

BROWN: Russia's war on Ukraine is now entering its third month. Up next, they look at how it began and where it might be headed. You're in the CNN Newsroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:36:59]

BROWN: The war and Ukraine is now entering its third month and there is no sign it will end anytime soon. This is how we got here. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 troops crossed the border for multiple locations. Explosions were reported in several cities including the capital of Kyiv.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's been an air raid siren just suddenly, oh here it is. They are -- that's an air raid, an air raid siren. Several of them going off here in the center of the Ukrainian capital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned a bloodshed if Ukrainian forces didn't lay down their weapons. Not long afterwards, Russian forces took over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant taking staff their hostage according to Ukrainian officials, Ukraine's government would later say a lab near that plant used to monitor radioactive waste was destroyed. Those Russian troops would abandon in Chernobyl site about a month later.

At the start of March, Russia assembled a 40 mile long military convoy, armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and other equipment lined the road leading to Kyiv. But that convoys stalled making little progress for days. And on March 16, 300 people were killed when Russia bombed Mariupol drama theater, outside the building and letters big enough to see from the sky was the Russian word for children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the theater was bombed, my sister was standing with a window and the window was like blow up and she's fallen down. And my mom was in another part of the theater and wall fall into her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your sister, is she doing all right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's like (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's got a concussion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Days later, Russian attacks escalated when it started using hypersonic missiles like what you see right here. These missiles travel five times the speed of sound, making them hard to detect and harder to stop.

And then at the start of April, a reported Ukrainian strike on a fuel depot inside Russia. The Ukrainian defense ministry would neither confirm nor deny that attack. And simultaneously Russian forces started pulling out of areas near Kyiv like the airport 18 miles from the city. That airfield was one of the first places Russian forces claimed at the start of the war. On April 2, that disturbing images of bodies of the streets at a mass grave and Bucha coming right after Ukrainian forces liberated the town. As a result, Ukraine and much of the Western world now accused Russia of war crimes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: I want all the leaders of the Russian Federation to see how their orders are being fulfilled. Such orders such a fulfillment and joint responsibility for these murders, for these tortures, for these arms torn off by explosions that lie on the streets, for shots in the back of the head of tide people. This is how the Russian state will now be perceived. This is your image.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[22:40:17]

BROWN: As the war dragged on, Russia was forced to shake up its military leadership. Two weeks ago, Putin put a new general in charge of the Ukraine campaign the general who once led Russia's fight in Syria. Then a week ago, Ukraine claimed a major victory when its missile sank the Russian guided missile cruiser Moskva. It's the biggest wartime loss of his ship in 40 years. Russia denies Ukraine was behind the sinking but U.S. officials support Ukraine's account.

The fighting has intensified in Mariupol over the past few days, Russian forces have surrounded the steel plant there and Ukrainian officials say they have identified mass graves outside the city.

And that all brings us to where we are right now. The acting commander of Russia's Central Military District says its goal is to take full control of Donbass in southern Ukraine, creating a land corridor to Crimea, the port area Russia took over in 2014.

The support for Ukrainian refugees has been massive and heartwarming, especially from chefs around the world who have volunteered to feed them. Up next, Chef Ernie Adler from North Carolina will discuss his plans to help.

And tomorrow don't miss the unbelievable true story of the man who took on Vladimir Putin and live to expose the truth. The Sundance, Award Winning CNN film, Navalny airs Sunday at 9 p.m. right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[22:45:35]

BROWN: Just after Russia's invasion, a small team of Ukrainians put themselves at risk and headed out of the country. But their intention was not just to escape the danger, they wanted to make sure Ukraine was represented at an event known as the Olympics of the art world. CNN's Rosie Tomkins has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAVLO MAKOV, ARTIST, UKRAINIAN PAVILION: Anti-war has cultural background. And this was definitely class of two different cultures.

LIZAVETA GERMAN, CURATOR, UKRAINIAN PAVILION: Ukrainian art has been overshadowed for a very long time by Russia. The cultural field has to be a battlefield as well and we have to fight.

ROSIE TOMKINS, CNN INTERNATIONAL, HEAD OF DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCTION: In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a small team led by three Ukrainian curators and one artist fought to present their work at one of the world's most prestigious art fairs, the Venice Biennale.

MAKOV: Well, you know, when your son is getting close to you at five o'clock in the morning, the same father, they began. And definitely don't think about your projects in Venice, you know, this was quite a serious decision because that time I realized that it will be important really for the Ukraine to be represented on the cultural scene.

You can have promises of politics, you can have promises of the economy, even deep and huge problems. But still, you can survive. But you have -- if you don't have culture, there is no nation, there is no country.

TOMKINS: As Ukraine was thrown into crisis, the team behind the art pavilion had to prioritize personal safety, as well as their mission. Eventually they would plan routes to Venice, mostly driving across Europe with their families, their belongings, and parts of the artwork, fountain of exhaustion.

MARIA LANKO, CURATOR, UKRAININA PAVILION: In the first day of the war, my role a little bit shifted. I didn't have anybody to take care about besides myself perhaps and our project. The head west roads were jammed and very dangerous to drive at the time took me in around six days to reach the border with Romania.

TOMKINS: Meanwhile, Pavlo having spent six days in a bomb shelter in the city center, evacuated from Kharkiv to Vienna with his wife, a friend and her mother and his own 92 year old mother.

MAKOV: And I was quite abrupt. I said mom, you know, I'm 63, you know, I'm the oldest man in the feminine so, you know, I'm just like, OK, let's go and go to the car please. And we have to leave.

TOMKINS: Lizaveta fled from Kyiv to Lviv. She was heavily pregnant.

GERMAN: We didn't want to move at all, it was pretty scary. You know, we heard explosions and gunshots almost every day. The trip took us three days, we received a lot of support to accommodate us, to help us.

TOMKINS: Borys also fled Lviv. Finally arriving in Venice only a few days before the launch.

BORYS FILONENKO, CURATOR, UKRAINIAN PAVILION: Every man in Ukraine will go to Battlefield but we have many roles in this war. I got the letter from Ministry of Culture to represent Ukraine. For me, it's not easy to be here. But I will come back in three weeks to Ukraine.

TOMKINS: In Milan, Maria and Pavlo found a company to rebuild part of the installation that had been left behind with the original design team in Kyiv.

GERMAN: And then we finally reached our destination, Venice.

LANKO: It's good to be together, yeah, yeah.

MAKOV: Exactly. It's good to be together.

FILONENKO: We're excited.

GERMAN: No one believes that we're excited.

FILONENKO: Pavlo Makov is one of the most interesting and important artists from Kharkiv.

LANKO: He belongs to the first kind of post-Soviet and independent Ukrainian generation artist.

MAKOV: This artwork was made in a local context of the city of Kharkiv in the middle of 90s.

LANKO: After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city infrastructure, its Grunder (ph) started to deteriorate.

GERMAN: This idea of exhaustion of the big city which exhausts itself on many, many levels was obvious a problem. There is no life. It's just going down, down, down and then this water exhausts itself.

TOMKINS: The concept inspired over a dozen works of art, but none had functioned with flowing water.

GERMAN: When we approached him, ask him if he would like to produce it finally in Venice, for him it was the beginning of completely new story. For us, for the whole team, for the artists, it was extremely important to produce it the way it was without any minor changes, without any damage, without any, you know, adjustments just to show that the artwork is there no matter what.

[22:50:21]

MAKOV: Well, this new attention that we are getting now, you know, it's a little bit painful, because we do understand that this attention is paid by blood and victims in our country, you know. Russia is saying now, Ukraine is not a country, it has no culture. It doesn't exist, you know, culture is a national security question. Culture is how we can live together, how all these different individuals can find rules act as the society. I don't feel myself even an artist here, I much more feel myself as a citizen who has his duty to represent his country. And that's it. As well as all the curators, we have the same idea.

GERMAN: Of course, it's not an optimistic symbol. But in the end, the very presence of it in this in Venice, I think it will give hope to show that Ukraine is capable of doing things, not just hide it in the shelter, not just survive in but really do things, build a future.

LANKO: Arts won't stop the war right now, but it might stop the next one.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: The U.N. estimates more than 5 million people have left Ukraine since Putin launched his vicious and unprovoked war, nearly 3 million have gone to Poland. Among the humanitarian groups that have rushed to help, World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit headed by Chef Jose Andres, it has operations in Poland and other surrounding countries. And it's even set up locations within Ukraine.

My next guest, Robert Adler is headed to Poland in June to offer his expertise. North Carolinians who know him as Chef Ernie know, he has a lot to offer. Robert, or should I say, Chef Ernie, welcome to the show. Thanks for staying up late for us. I do appreciate it.

So tell us about your family history that makes you want to help Ukrainians and be a part of this mission?

ROBERT "ERNIE" ADLER, CHEF, SMOKEMASTER: So my family's history of both sides, grandmother and grandfather, various family members came from the Kyiv area and other areas of Poland and Russia generations ago.

For myself, I actually studied Russian history, Russian language and Soviet policy in college. So it's been something that's been in my blood, really, for decades now. And I actually have an opportunity now, essentially, to go through the living history, things that I've studied and be able to help people out along the way.

BROWN: So walk us through kind of your mindset and making this decision, going overseas and helping with this effort. And the kinds of preparations are having to do as a result.

ADLER: Well, food is a basic staple. It's one of Maslow's basic hierarchy, right? We all need food and air and water, and shelter. So there's number one, I think, no better way to help people than to make them feel better by sitting down with them and tell them that you love them and feed them a nice hot meal.

And looking at the devastation that's going on, it just struck a nerve with me. And I had to do something. And it wasn't a matter of just writing a check and letting somebody else do that hard work. I just felt it in my bones that I really needed to go over there and do what I can. And that's where World Central Kitchen comes in. They're just a phenomenal organization themselves and bringing in people like myself and volunteers from all over the world helping in various disaster zones, war zones, just to make people know that we love them and giving them a hot meal every day.

BROWN: Wow, just incredible. The effort that's going on that you are now joining, do you think you're prepared for what you're going to be seeing?

ADLER: Prepared maybe to an extent, a years ago, my wife and I lived in Florida and we went through Hurricane Andrew. So I've seen that type of physical destruction. And I've seen people that have had their lives destroyed and wondering, how am I going to recover from this? How am I going to pick up?

Going into a war zone, I don't think anybody can really be prepared for that. At the end of the day, because I know I'm going to be meeting people that have literally lost their entire lives and they may never have a place to go back to, they may not have a city to go back to. And it's one of those things I've just got to put on my tough guy coat and my armor and just sit down with them and feed them and let them know that we love them and we care for them and we're going to try to help them get back some semblance of normalcy. And if I can just do my little part to try to help them get to that point, then I've done my job.

BROWN: Chef Robert Ernie Adler thank you so much safe journeys and hopefully after your trip you can come back on the show and tell us about it. [22:55:07]

ADLER: That'd be great, thank you.

BROWN: Thank you.

Turning to our breaking news tonight, former Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah has died at the age of 88. The Republican icon was the longest serving senator in Utah history, 42 years. He retired and 2019. Senator Mitt Romney filled Hatch's seat and he tweeted this tonight, "A man of vision and unparalleled legislative accomplishment, Orrin Hatch serve Utah and our country with honor for more than 40 years. Few men have made their mark on the Senate as he did. Our judiciary, our economy and our national character are more elevated and more secure, thanks to his years of leadership. A great man and like his good friend, Ted Kennedy, a lion of the Senate. Ann and I send our deepest condolences to Elaine and the Hatch family. Rest in peace, my friend."

And this is from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. "Orrin was also remarkable for reasons that went beyond his Titanic Senate record. He was warm. He was deeply kind and gentlemanly. He cherished his faith and loved his church. He loved music. He was also exceptionally funny, hilarious, really, and the most frequent target of his deadpan wit was himself. And Orrin and his beloved Elaine offered the senate family one of its all-time great stories of love and partnership."

Thank you for joining me this evening, I'm Pamela Brown, CNN Newsroom continues after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[23:00:00]