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Civilians Evacuated from Mariupol; Clashes Erupt in Jerusalem at the End of Ramadan; Narendra Modi Visits Germany; Ballet Dancers Return To The Stage In Lviv; Shanghai Reports Dip In Daily COVID Deaths And Cases. Aired 2-2:45a ET

Aired May 02, 2022 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ISA SOARES, CNN HOST: Hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and right around the world. I'm Isa Soares live in Ukraine. The long-awaited effort to evacuate civilians stranded at a Mariupol steel plant finally underway, and a short time ago came word we could see another attempt in the hours ahead.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: And I'm Rosemary Church at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. I'll have our other top stories including clashes between Israelis and Palestinians after another week of deadly violence. We will take you live to Jerusalem.

SOARES: Welcome to the show everyone. It is 9:00 a.m. here in Ukraine and we begin really in Mariupol where hope is finally arriving for hundreds of civilians trapped inside a bombed-out steel plant in that besieged city. On Sunday, Ukraine's president said more than 100 people were able to escape the plant. And we've just learned that city officials will be attempting another evacuation convoy soon. We're told in the hours ahead.

While the U.N. and Red Cross are assisting in those evacuation efforts, the local authorities had to put the operations on pause on Sunday night for security reasons, that is what they are saying. A Ukrainian commander meanwhile in Mariupol said Russian forces began firing on the plant as soon as Sunday's evacuations were done.

Now that's in Mariupol. To the west, a CNN team on the ground witnessed hundreds of people fleeing their homes in Russian occupied Kherson. They spotted a convoy of at least 120 vehicles as you can see there, making their way north to the Ukrainian held territory.

Meanwhile, Russian shelling has been hammering towns in eastern Ukraine. Drone video shows one village as you can see, they're near the frontline, is coming under heavy fire. On Sunday, local officials in Donetsk and Kharkiv region said at least seven people were killed.

And of course, our top story cannot be overstated, just how dire the situation has been for many in Mariupol. New satellite images show really almost every building at the Azovstal steel plant has been destroyed. And in the city overall worth bearing in mind, estimates over 100,000 people are still trapped in that city. CNN's Scott McLean has more on the efforts to get them all out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Broad daylight and a row of buses wait for these war weary Ukrainian civilians. The long-awaited humanitarian corridor to evacuate shell- shocked people stranded in the city of Mariupol open briefly Sunday. About 100 people left the ruins of the Azovstal steel plant before the operation was paused.

It could be a lifeline for those wanting to escaped the besieged city, which has been pulverized by Russian artillery in recent weeks. It's estimated that hundreds of civilians are still stuck in bunkers under the steel plant and during days and nights of relentless bombing trapped with little food, water, or medicine.

The Red Cross and the United Nations say they are coordinating a safe passage operation which will transport evacuees to Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says it took moving heaven and earth to make this day happen after talks to open the corridor repeatedly broke down.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translation): After many weeks from negotiations, after many attempts among them meetings, calls in countries, proposals, finally there was not a day that we did not try to find a solution that would save our people. Today for the first time in all the days of the war, this vital corridor has started working.

MCLEAN (voice-over): This evacuee part of the Red Cross and U.N. convoy says she is glad to be above ground again. She said she spent weeks in an Azovstal bomb shelter and the attacks were terrifying.

NATALIA USMANOVA, EVACUEE (through translation): The shelling was so strong, it kept hitting near us. At the exit of the bomb shelter, on the top few steps you could breathe as there was not enough oxygen. I was afraid to even walk out and breathe some fresh air.

MCLEAN (voice-over): Russia's defense ministry also says evacuations are taking place in Mariupol. It says 80 civilians were transported from the complex to a Russian controlled area.

[02:05:03]

Ukraine says there are hopes more evacuations will continue Monday, but there are reports of shelling once again in the city. Scott McLean, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And of course, we are expecting the evacuations to begin, third day really today. Well, as soon as that get started, we will keep you posted of course. While the refugee crisis from this war is worsening by the day, the U.N. says almost five and a half million people have now fled Ukraine since the invasion began in late January. And that's about 12 percent of Ukraine's entire population.

The vast majority continue to head west with more than 3 million refugees crossing into Poland as you can see there in your map. I want to bring in Igor Markov. He's the director of Nova Ukraine, a nonprofit organization providing humanitarian needs to Ukrainians. And Igor, a very good morning to you. Thanks for taking the time to speak to us.

Let me start in Mariupol because I know your teams on the ground having helping with those sheltering in Mariupol. Give us a sense of what they are seeing and what they have been hearing on the ground.

IGOR MARKOV, DIRECTOR, NOVE UKRAINE: Yes, the situation in Mariupol remains tragic on this day 68 of the war. The resistance by the Ukrainian military and national guard is heroic. But at the same time, the plight of civilians' holdup in the underground city, below the steel plant is really breaking our hearts.

In terms of the location, the volunteers that we funded were able to get to the outskirts of Mariupol and bring food and medicine. We got some people out, but at the same time, for reasons of operational security, I can only talk to what we did up until a week ago. The efforts to continue and we are funding, we continue to fund these efforts and we will continue of course, to receive donations to provide help to people of Ukraine.

SOARES: And just on that, point I know you can provide much information for security reasons, Igor, but give us a sense of the challenges of bringing food and anything you can bring to those in need inside the city of Mariupol. Of course, 100,000 people still sheltering underground in the city.

MARKOV: Yes, the challenges are related to finding routes to get to the outskirts of the city. There are many checkpoints of Russian forces. In some cases, they take away the vehicles. They can take away the humanitarian aid, the food. In some cases, they'll let these in, but the main goal is really to evacuate people and support their livelihoods to let them survive.

SOARES: Yes, and I'm guessing as you pointed out, the security of your own team and what that means in trying to get the, you know, the operation successfully underway. I know that your NGO has been raising money for the people of Ukraine. Give us a sense of how much you've been able to raise and where that money critically is going towards? What's going towards?

MARKOV: Yes. Since the beginning of the war or rather one week before the war when we started fundraising, we raised over $20 million. We spent between $14 million and $15 million so far, which is a larger faction than some of our peer non-profits. A large fraction of the money has been going to medical items. We provide hospital medicine. We provide medical equipment that is requested by Ukrainian hospitals that's not available in Ukraine.

Also, lifesaving first aid medications and devices such as tourniquets. We are funding the (inaudible) as we discussed, basic needs, basic infrastructures such as power generators. There is really a variety of food and basic needs, efforts all over Ukraine and pretty much every region that is under control of the Ukrainian government.

SOARES: And if -- and I -- and if this lasts, you know, if we dig deep -- if Russia digs deeper and this continues for much longer, where do you see the biggest risks, Igor?

MARKOV: The risks are to the lives of the people of Ukraine and at Nova Ukraine, we are considering scenarios including the long-term scenario in gearing for, you know, a long haul. We are structuring our fund-raising efforts to make sure that our donors can support the types of projects that they prefer. But we also prioritize the projects that are most dire and can save the most lives for most people. And this changes week by week based on the feedback we get from the volunteers in different parts of Ukraine.

SOARES: And of course, worth reminding people as we're talking about Mariupol and the besieged city of Mariupol, is not just people stuck inside which has been dire.

[02:10:03]

You know, been doing that for weeks now, for two months or so in the besieged city of Mariupol in the Azovstal steel plant. But is what comes next is though is the fact that they will be displaced. And that comes with a whole host of challenges. How -- what are your teams on the ground doing to try and meet those needs?

MARKOV: We are supporting a number of refugee camps and organizations that evacuated orphanages for example to western Ukraine. And so, the number of people who are displaced is increasing and this in high millions. This is challenging. They need food, they medicine, they need places to live. In some cases, there isn't enough place to live. They need sleeping bags. And again, this depends on the place, on specific groups.

We are also increasing attention to efforts to rebuild Ukraine, especially in northern parts of Ukraine where the Russian forces were basically chased away and these places were liberated. We funded ambulances for Bucha and Irpin. We funded power generators for the Chernihiv region and we are continuing to see what can be done to make --to help people return to their houses. For example, we funded plywood to put instead of the broken glasses so that the house would become habitable again.

SOARES: And I know you mentioned earlier on that you're providing medical supplies and helping with hospitals as well. What are your teams seeing in terms of many of these hospitals in the east of Ukraine and what they have been facing as that offensive pushes on?

MARKOV: Yes. The hospitals are getting more people who are wounded, in many cases, critically wounded. This includes many civilians who were not prepared for this at all. And you know, there is a wide range of medications that hospitals are requesting. And so, we are able to work with large pharmaceutical distributors in Ukraine that have, in many cases, they have these medications in warehouses. And so, it is just a matter of connecting the requestors to the

suppliers and paying for the delivery and for the medications themselves. The list go multiple pages for individual hospitals.

SOARES: Igor Markov, I really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us and all the work that you and your team are doing on the ground. Thank you very much. Igor Markov there.

MARKOV: Thank you, too.

SOARES: Well, Russia has claimed that any soldiers who do remain in Mariupol steel plant would be treated humanely. But CNN's Matt Rivers found evidence to the contrary. He has the exclusive story of one Ukrainian fighter apparently captured and later killed by the Russians. And a warning, this story contains disturbing images as well as content.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russian propaganda with a clear message to the last remaining defenders of Mariupol. The video says we guarantee that we will save your lives and we will follow international laws to guarantee humane treatment. Such will be the case says the voice over with this man, a captured Ukrainian soldier, Dan Zvonyk. The 25-year-old member of Ukraine's territorial defense force was captured at the Azovstal steel complex plant, the last remaining pocket of resistance in the city.

CNN has geolocated the building behind them to an area just northwest of the plant, a Russian soldier detailing how they'll be treated. As you are captured, he says, we will treat you with honor and with understanding. These videos were published on April 20th, five days later, Dan Zvonyk was dead. This picture of his face hauntingly lifeless was sent to his mother by officials in Russian-held Donetsk, she told us.

We re-dialed the numbers and were hung up on once we identified as journalist. To confirm who he was, they also sent a picture of his chest with a tattoo on the body clearly matching the once seen on Zvonyk when he was still alive in Russian propaganda videos.

RIVERS (on camera): When you first saw that message, what went through your mind?

ANNA ZVONYK, MOTHER OF KILLED UKRAINIAN POV (through translation): Nothing. I just screamed. There was nothing. No thoughts.

RIVERS (voice-over): We met his mother near where she is staying in Kyiv. She fled Mariupol herself just two weeks ago alongside the rest of her family. Her sister-in-law also reeling from the photo of her nephew.

LUDMILA ZAGURSKA, AUNT OF KILLED UKRAINIAN POV (through translation): I still have that photograph in front of my eyes. It's constantly in front of my eyes. The morgue in Donetsk confirmed to CNN that Zvonyk was dead and that

his body was picked up on Sunday. CNN can't confirm how he died, but we know he died after being taken into custody, either by Russian or Russian-backed separatist forces.

[02:15:04]

RIVERS (on camera): Do you think that the Russians killed your son?

ZVONYK (through translation): Yes. I'm sure.

RIVERS (voice-over): Russia's ministry of defense did not return a request for comment about how Zvonyk died. For weeks, CNN has heard directly from soldiers inside the steel plant complex who have told us they will not surrender to the Russians for fear of being executed. Within their ranks, Zvonyk's death only hardened that sentiment.

(On camera): Does what happened to him only reinforce the notion that the soldiers that are there are not going to surrender to the Russians?

GEORGE KUPARASHVILI, DEPUTY COMMANDER, AZOV REGIMENT: Matt, don't you think it confirms their fear and actually their expectations, what Russia did today? This is a war crime.

RIVERS (voice-over): We asked Zvonyk's mother, Anna, if she is angry with the Russians. Her answer honest and gutting.

ZVONYK (through translation): For now, I only feel innermost pain. Pain and emptiness. That's it.

RIVERS (voice-over): Matt Rivers, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And I've been hearing of that pain just yesterday. One mayor told me that many of the soldiers in his area are still missing. We'll stay on top of the story for you. Straight ahead in the meantime right here on CNN, a week in the violence in the Middle East marred by the end of course, the end of Ramadan. We'll get the lates in a live report from Jerusalem. That is next.

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[02:20:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. About 200,000 worshippers gathered to mark Eid at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem a short time ago. Officials say the event went peacefully despite tensions at the side and in the region during Ramadan. Over the weekend, violence left at least one Israeli man and one Palestinian man dead. CNN's Hadas Gold joins us now live from Jerusalem. So, Hadas, what more are you learning about this recent violence and of course, the situation right now?

HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, the situation is calm and peaceful, as you noted. Around 200,000 people celebrating Eid at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound here in Jerusalem. A very peaceful day, some incredible images we're seeing of just the scores of people at the compound praying. It's a very different feeling than what happened over the weekend in the West Bank.

The weekend's violence began Friday night when an Israeli security guard who was guarding the entrance to one of the largest Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was shot and killed. This is a settlement called Ariel.

According to Israeli officials, two gunmen approach the security guard tower he was working and opened fire at him. There was another person there as well who was actually this man's fiance. She was apparently protected by the -- by her fiance who was killed. The Palestinian militant group, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade has taken responsible. And later, Israeli officials say that they arrested two Palestinian suspect in West Bank for the shooting.

Also on Friday night, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli forces during clashes, they said, in Azzun, another town of the West Bank. This may have been connected to the shooting an Ariel because the Israeli military during the manhunt for those two gunmen, set up road blockages while they were searching for the gunman.

That potentially led to clashes. The IDF said that during counterterrorism activity, suspects threw Molotov cocktails at them and they responded with live fire. During that Palestinian man's funeral, there were further clashes with Israeli forces and the Palestinian Red Crescent said three were injured by live fire.

As you noted, this has already been a deadly and violent past couple of months. There have been attacks in Israel that have killed 14 people. The Israeli military has increased its raids in the West Bank leading to at least 20 Palestinians who have been killed. There have been clashes at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound especially during this very holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is ending today, but Israeli officials do not believe that the violence and the tension will somehow dissipate, especially over the next week because on Thursday, Israelis will mark independence day and next week will be the one year anniversary of that 11-day war between Hamas and militants in Gaza and the Israeli army. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right. Hadas Gold joining us live from Jerusalem. Many thanks.

And our coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine resumes after a short break. India's prime minister is set to meet with another leader facing pressure to ramp up support for Ukraine. We will look at Narendra Modi's visit to Berlin just ahead.

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[02:25:00]

SOARES: Welcome back. I'm Isa Soares coming to you live from Lviv in Ukraine. Now, Mariupol city council telling CNN that in fact, evacuation convoy supported by the U.N. and the Red Cross will attempt to leave the besieged city in the hours ahead. Of course, civilian evacuations had been paused Sunday for security reasons.

Still, Ukraine's president says more than 100 people including women and children were able, as you can see there, to leave the Azovstal steel plant after a period of calm allowed the operation to move forward. But by Sunday night, shelling had resumed at the plant where it's estimated hundreds of civilians are still trapped.

Meantime, Ukraine's prosecutor general says new cases have been opened in connection with alleged war crimes by Russian forces. She says to date there are more than 9,000 criminal cases and at least 15 suspects have been identified including 10, of course, in Bucha that we told you about in just the last few days.

And Russia's defense ministry releasing this video. They say it shows a high precision missile. The same kind that Russia says it used to destroy a hangar full of U.S. and European weapons at military airfield near Odessa. Ukraine said Saturday Russian missiles knocked out a runway at Odessa's airport. But it is unclear if Russia is referring to the same attack.

Well, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. And one thing they have in common, well, they're both facing pressure to ramp up support for Ukraine. For more on all this, let's bring in CNN's Vedika Sud who joins me now from New Delhi. And Vedika, what exactly is India's position here vis- a-vis Ukraine? Has Modi condemned openly Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

VEDIKA SUD, CNN REPORTER: Neither has Modi condemned nor has India at the U.N. As of now, Isa, yes, they've gone ahead and they have condemned the killings, the Bucha killings, but has the strongest statement that they've made in the U.N. so far. They've also in the same breath said that India wants the cessation of violence in the region and talk should be held through diplomatic channels.

And that's been the stand ever since the conflict in the area. Now, Narendra Modi has a very busy three days in Europe. He has started his tour with Germany. He will be meeting with the German Chancellor in a couple of hours from now. He's already in Berlin.

He's been meeting with the Indian diaspora but Ukraine will be the focus of talks along with other issues where Germany and India share very strong bilateral and strategic ties. Ahead of his visit to Germany, Narendra Modi on Sunday into Monday had said, that my visit to Europe comes at a time when the region faces many challenges and choices. And that's I think what this hinges on. The talks between the German Chancellor and Narendra Modi, the choices that they have made because of which there has been international pressure especially from NATO and the European Union on Germany and from the western alliances and western countries on India.

In the last one month we've seen several diplomatic leaders and heads of state visit India.

[02:29:58]

They've been talking to India about Ukraine, trying to push India to take a stand other than a neutral stand on the conflict there. But India shares very, very deep ties with Russia.

And more than that, what's important to note here is like Germany depends on Russia for its oil imports, for its natural gases. To a massive extent, India depends on Germany for its defense equipment.

Hence, taking a stand at this point really wouldn't be in India's favor. And that's what something that the prime minister said in the past, his government just said in the past, the foreign minister of India has said in the past.

So, all eyes will be on the inter-governmental consultations, which is the dialogue mechanism between the top leaders and (INAUDIBLE) today, let's see what comes of it. Isa.

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (on camera): I know you'll keep an eye on it. But like you clearly say that -- said there, Vedika, you know, India and Russia have strong economic ties, and that says a lot.

Vedika Sud for us in New Delhi. Thanks very much, Vedika. Good to see you.

SUD: Thank you.

SOARES: Well, hearing Lviv, the National Opera was forced to close its doors in February, when Russia launched its violent assault on Ukraine.

Well, this weekend, it reopened its doors for a ballet performance, and I was fortunate enough to be there. Here's a look at how art is trying to help heal in the shadow of war.

SOARES (voice-over): Away from the front lines, an army of artists begin the process of mending this nation's grief.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

SOARES: Gently repairing the hurt brought on by war. At Lviv's National Opera, everyone has a part to play.

Tonight, Giselle ballet will be the first full performance since the theatre closed its doors almost two months ago. As musicians dust off their instruments, and as the audience starts to trickle in.

For us, coming to the theatre is returning to a small part of our life which was there before the wall. We are internally displaced from Kyiv, says Julia Dimitrieva. We had to come to Lviv while there are hostilities.

The artistic director tells me why they decided to open now.

We understand that light must defeat darkness, that life must defeat death, and the mission of the theatre is to assert this.

But the reminders of war are never too far away.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dear guests, our event will be suspended in case of an air raid alert.

SOARES: Only 300 seats were allowed to be sold tonight. The capacity of the operas bomb shelter. Still, it's sold out.

SOARES (on camera): It's only minutes now until that curtain opens, and you can feel the tension. Because this performance is extra special.

SOARES (voice-over): For a few hours, nothing else matters. As the audience and I are transported to a world of love, and beauty. Playing Giselle tonight is 21-year-old Daryna.

It feels great, she tells me, back in her dressing room. Because dancing helps to distract from what's happening.

Like many here, her life has been shaken by war and the horrors of Bucha where mass graves were recently found.

My mom and my grandmother and her sister survived occupation in Bucha, she tells me. Now, she's in safety in Poland, restoring her nerves.

Daryna finds solace on this stage, throwing herself behind her character.

All the negative emotions which accumulate for a long time flow out, she tells me.

A cathartic performance for both of those on and off stage. Offering comfort to those who need it most, in the hope they can lift if only just briefly this nation's aching soul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And everyone I spoke to there had a story of war, and this will give so many just a brief pause.

Thank you to everyone who spoke to me on that day, and that does it here for me from Lviv. I'll be back at the top of the hour, and more of our breaking news coverage.

In the meantime, I want to send back to Rosemary Church in Atlanta after this short break, you are watching CNN.

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[02:37:53]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (on camera): Welcome back everyone.

Well, the daily number of COVID deaths and new local cases in Shanghai declined slightly for the third consecutive day.

According to the latest government numbers, Shanghai reported 32 deaths and more than 7,300 new local cases Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Chinese capital city of Beijing reported 41 new cases on Sunday. Nationwide, there were more than 7,700 new cases reported. That is according to the National Health Commission.

And CNN's Anna Coren joins me now live from Hong Kong. Good to see you, Anna. So, China's zero COVID policy has put incredible pressure on Shanghai, particularly. But now, a slight improvement in infections and deaths. It could mean an easing of restrictions in some districts there. What more are you learning about this? And of course, what it means?

ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, Rosemary, we know that officials have announced in an easing of restrictions in six districts in Shanghai. That should impact about 7 million of the 25 million who have been under lockdown for more than a month now.

But we have spoken to some residents in those districts, and they say they are yet to be allowed to leave their apartment building. So, we will wait to see when that actually takes place.

Once they are allowed out so they can only travel within their district. But certainly for the majority of people in Shanghai, there still remains no end in sight as to when this lockdown will be eased.

We obviously know that they've been under these strict rules now since the end of March.

And Rosemary, I spoke to one resident this morning, who has been under lockdown now for more than six weeks, because her neighborhood went into lockdown weeks before the official lockdown. And she said she is now feeling depressed. That she's gone from that sense of hopelessness, anger, to now feeling just numb.

She says, my tears have dried up, my empathy has dried up. I have stopped looking at news, I've stopped looking at social media because I just have to stop counting the days. It's just becoming too much.

[02:40:09]

She said the small joys in her

Looking at news, I've stopped looking at social media, because I just have to stop counting the days. It's just becoming too much. She said the small joys in her life are receiving food deliveries from a restaurants that have reopened in the last week and convenience stores.

In Beijing, Rosemary, it is a different situation. They've obviously looked at what has happened in Shanghai, you know, thinking we are not going to allow that to happen to the nation's capital. We've seen these rounds of mass testing. And this Labor Day holiday which runs through to Wednesday, they have suspended in-restaurant dining, they have banned schools, they've also banned the amusement theme park, Universal Studios. All of this in an effort to ensure that COVID cases do not spiral out of control. I may mentioned that number 41 on Sunday.

We also know that as of this Thursday, anybody who goes to a public venue travels on public transport will have to produce a negative COVID case.

Interestingly, Rosemary, the government came out last Friday, saying that their zero COVID strategy was the magic weapon in protecting people's health and ensuring no deaths.

CHURCH: All right. Anna Coren, joining us live from Hong Kong, many thanks for that.

And thank you for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. For our International viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is up next. and for everyone else here in the United States and Canada. I'll be back with more news after a short break. Do stay with us. You're watching CNN.

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