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Russian Forces Now Control Most Of Severodonetsk; Biden Confirms U.S. Is Sending Advanced Rocket Systems To Ukraine; Gov. Abbott Announces State Of Disaster For Uvalde; Air Travelers Face Cancellations Over Memorial Day Weekend; Shanghai Celebrates New Start After COVID Restrictions Eased; EU Leaders Agree New Sanctions Against Russia; Displays of Defiance in Russian-Occupied Melitopol; Italian Activists Take A Stand Against Foggia Mafia; Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired June 01, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:08]
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world live from New York. I'm Alison Kosik. And you're watching CNN Newsroom.
Ahead this hour, devastation in eastern Ukraine. Officials say of most of a key city has fallen. And the U.S. president has just announced more help is on the way.
Bombings, arson and threats of extortion. One province in Italy is facing it all. Could the Italian Mafia be making a comeback. And after months under lockdown in Shanghai, the moment residents were finally allowed out on the streets.
Russian forces appear to be close to a major victory on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine. Local authorities report Russian troops now control most of the Severodonetsk. CNN has geo located video posted on the social media app Telegram showing Russian troops patrolling the central part of the city.
Severodonetsk has been a key target of Russian fighters and their offensive to claim Luhansk and the entire Donbas region. Civilian evacuations have been suspended and officials say all of the city's critical infrastructure has been destroyed.
Ukraine blames Russia for a missile strike on a nitric acid tank in the industrial area. You can see the thick orange cloud of smoke billowing from the site. Russian backed separatists say Ukrainian fighters blew up the tank as they retreated.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine is losing 60 to 100 soldiers a day with the war in Russia.
Meanwhile, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine reports a Russian missile strike on Sloviansk killing at least three people. The president's office says a school and seven high rise buildings were damaged.
And farther south in Kherson, Ukrainian officials blame Russia for a complete information blockade. Internet and mobile phone services are down now that the city is under Russian control. And Russian soldiers are reportedly selling SIM cards to people who provide their passport data. The U.S. State Department condemned the move.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: As we approach the 100 day of Russia's war against Ukraine, we remain concerned about steps Russia is taking to attempt to institutionalize control over sovereign Ukrainian territory, particularly in Ukraine's Kherson region.
The Kremlin is probably weighing a few approaches from recognizing a so called People's Republic as Russia forcibly did in Donetsk and Luhansk to an intended annexation, just as Russia did in Crimea. It's a predictable part of the Russian playbook, which is why we are continuing to sound the alarm now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Ukraine will soon be getting more high tech help from the US. President Joe Biden has announced quote, We will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Biden administration's -- Biden administration officials stressed that the U.S. is not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to hit targets in Russia. But these new systems have a far greater range than any weapons the U.S. has sent to Ukraine so far.
For more, I'm joined by Dana Pittard. He's a CNN military analyst and retired U.S. Army Major General. He's also the author of "Hunting the Caliphate, America's War on ISIS and the Dawn of the Strike Cell."
Great to see you and thanks for joining us, General. Let's go ahead and start with President Biden what he said in the New York Time opinion piece that he wrote that the U.S. will send more advanced rocket systems to Ukraine. And that's despite Russia warning that the U.S. will cross a red line if it supplies these weapons to Ukraine.
So first, what will these weapons be able to do? And secondly, what could be the ramifications from Vladimir Putin?
MAJ. GEN. DANA PITTARD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hello, Alison. The weapons are definitely needed by the Ukrainians because right now they are outdistanced outraged by the Russian artillery. And so in many ways, the Ukrainians at the full range of the Russian missiles and artillery are sitting ducks. So they do need that capability to be able to strike at Russian forces and strike at different targets in a timely manner, and at a decent range.
The ramifications of this is Russia, what are they going to do at this point? Russia has already invaded Ukraine. [01:05:00]
So there's not much Russia can do, all they want to do is try to stop the weapons from flowing into Ukraine as they know that helps Ukraine overall.
KOSIK: OK, you say what else can Russia do? And, you know, President Biden mentions in his piece, he addresses nuclear weapons, saying, you know, we see no indication that Russia has intent to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. But you know, there has been a lot of discussion of Putin being, you know, whether or not he's being a rational actor in this war, and with the U.S. crossing a red line, does anyone really know what Putin's next move could be?
PITTARD: We have to stop being afraid of Vladimir Putin and Russia's nuclear weapons, that nuclear capability the United States, and certainly of some nations within NATO, far surpasses what Russia has. If Russia were to use nuclear weapons, even tactical nuclear weapons, they would be crossing a red line, and they could, in fact, cause the destruction of Russia based on that.
So it is time for the United States to continue to take the strategic initiative and make Putin and Russia react to what the United States doing versus vice versa. The use of Russian nuclear weapons would be disastrous for Russia.
KOSIK: Yes. And watching what's going on the quote, battlefield is disturbing. You look at what Moscow's advance on Severodonetsk has been like, it's been very intense. Talk us through why this area is significant. And how it's going for Russia at this point?
PITTARD: Well, Severodonetsk is a obviously a major city in the Luhansk Province, which is a part of the Donbas region. The Russians were the take Severodonetsk that would mean they really have most of the major cities and towns in Luhansk. And that's very, very important.
The Russians are making progress in eastern Ukraine. They've learned many operational lessons from their defeats around Kyiv and Kharkiv. Their coordination between their aircraft, their artillery, their rockets and their mechanized forces is much more aligned now. And they have limited objectives.
But the Ukrainians cannot defend everywhere in eastern Ukraine and the Russians are finding weak points or they can take advantage of that and attack. What Russia is doing now is they're gaining momentum. And they will probably take Luhansk province. But that will be a dilemma also for Russia, because Russia will then have to hold it which will take more forces to hold it than it -- than it's taking to actually take the province right now.
Ukrainians also have some hope. I mean, they've had some successful counter attacks in the Kharkiv region, and certainly down south east of Odesa, in Kherson. But the Ukrainians right now are going to lose some of eastern Ukraine based on the Russian momentum.
KOSIK: OK, CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Army Major General Dana Pittard. Thanks so much for your analysis.
PITTARD: Thank you, Alison.
KOSIK: We're following a pair of high profile diplomatic trips today. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is en route to the US. He'll meet with top officials including the Secretary of State. defense secretary and National Security Adviser.
Meantime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Saudi Arabia. He's expected to comment on the surge in global oil prices.
Brent crude spiked on Tuesday in response to the EU's partial ban on Russian oil imports, eventually settling at its highest level since March. We'll have much more on the EU sanctions against Russia later this hour.
The Texas governor has now declared a state of disaster in the small town of Uvalde a week after 21 innocent lives were cut short in the school shooting. The declaration will accelerate state and local resources to assist the devastated community.
Meantime, questions are mounting over the police response. But officials say the incident commander during the shooting the school district police chief is not responding to investigators request for a follow up interview.
And as grieving families seek answers they're also preparing to bury their loved ones. On Tuesday, the first funerals were held for two 10- year-old victims, Amerie Jo Garza and Maite Rodriguez, and more funerals and visitations are expected this week. CNN Omar Jimenez has the story.
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OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One week ago, 19 families sent their children to school and they never came home leaving loved ones only memories as community members even actor Matthew McConaughey whose hometown as Uvalde come to pay their respects those close to the 21 killed can't help but think about those last moments as they prepare to lay their own to rest.
[01:10:17]
The funeral for 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez is among the first. She's remembered by family as sweet, charismatic, and loving as seen in this video with her cousin.
DESTINY ESQUIVEL, COUSIN OF SHOOTING VICTIM MAITE RODRIGUEZ: Her classmates said she was brave. That she was grabbing all the other students and telling them where to hide before the gunman turned on her, because she was so brave and courageous to tell the kids to hide.
JIMENEZ: A heartbroken community attending five services, two funerals and three visitations for four children and one teacher among the 21 kills as more details come to light. It's unclear at what point during the shooting this video was taken. The apparent radio call was videotaped by a man who told CNN he heard the dispatch from the radio of a Customs and Border Patrol vehicle outside the school.
The radio traffic audio adding new concerns about what law enforcement knew during that hour they were still waiting to enter the classroom. And before they killed the gunman. One off duty Customs and Border Patrol agent ran to the school when he heard about shots fired.
JACOB ALBARADO, U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENT: The kid the police were breaking out the windows on the outside and the kids were jumping out to the window.
JIMENEZ: Officials say at least two children called 911 multiple times begging police to come while the gunman was still inside their classroom.
RONALD GUTIERREZ, TEXAS STATE SENATE DEMOCRAT: The informations flowing in. Why does DPS have that information? The Sheriff's Office, the Federal guys, the local police. This is a failure at every level.
JIMENEZ: The Texas Department of Public Safety Director says one child told a 911 operator eight or nine students were still alive. Audio from an unconfirmed source revealing at some point law enforcement was aware that kids were inside the classroom.
GUTIERREZ: At what point do people not use some common sense here? Listen to 911 calls that are coming in understand that kids are still alive inside and know that they have to go in there do their jobs under the active shooter protocol.
JIMENEZ: One teacher who escaped the shooting says she wants to blame to focus on the gunman.
NICOLE OGBURN, ROBB ELEMENTARY TEACHER: And I just hate that. We have to look for blame to somebody else besides the person that actually did this to us.
JIMENEZ: But the families are now left with more questions than answers as they focus on the lives that are lost.
ESQUIVEL: He isn't just another victim. But she's a hero.
JIMENEZ (on camera): As you walk around in this community, it's hard to find anyone who isn't affected by what happened. If not directly, they know someone who is so as we will see families continue to mourn it is not an understatement at all to say this community will be mourning right there with them. Omar Jimenez, CNN, Uvalde, Texas.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KOSIK: If you want to learn how you can help those affected by mass shootings, including the tragedy in Uvalde, head to cnn.com/impact.
Ahead on CNN, air travel chaos. Commercial airlines in Europe are struggling to handle a spike in travel. We'll explain why things have gone so wrong. And after a long lockdown, Shanghai is beginning to lift COVID restrictions that some are still in place in China's financial capital. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:17:46]
KOSIK: It's an agonizing time for air travel long lines along with delayed and canceled flights are causing chaos and frustration for travelers and airlines alike at airports around the world.
The disruptions come as the aviation industry continues to suffer from staff shortages and financial challenges triggered by the pandemic. As CNN Nada Bashir reports, airlines in Europe are having an especially tough time ramping back up now that consumer demand is spiking.
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NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (on camera): Well, look, this certainly isn't the first time in recent weeks. We've seen disruptions at airports both here in the UK and also across Europe, long queues, major delays and hundreds of flight cancellations.
But this really couldn't have come at a worse time for travelers here in the UK. It's the beginning of the half term school break and for many families in England and Wales this is the first school break since COVID travel restrictions were lifted.
But this also comes just days ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and many would have been hoping to make the most of the long weekend to squeeze in a quick break. But for those traveling with airlines, including EasyJet, TUI, and BA, setting off from holiday has not been so straightforward.
EasyJet has canceled more than 200 flights over the school break and has apologized for the late notice some passengers received. TUI has also canceled several flights scheduled between now and the end of June citing operational challenges.
Now one of the key challenges these airlines are facing is of course staffing shortages. The European aviation sector is still tackling the consequences of huge layoffs during the pandemic. The sector was hit particularly hard after European airports were left at a standstill due to strict travel restrictions.
The UK Department for Transport has urged travelers to check the latest travel information before setting off. But we've also heard from one government minister on Tuesday who've told Sky News that the aviation sector should have done more to prepare for this kind of situation.
STEPHEN PARKINSON, BRITISH ARTS MINISTER: Coming to the Department of Transport working with the industry, we have been for many months, urging them to make sure they've got enough staff so that thanks for the success of the vaccine rollout as people are able to travel again that people can take the holidays that they've missed and that they've deserved and of course, it's causing a lot of distress to people particularly in half term, people with family and children with them. It's very distressing if you turn up at the airport and your flight isn't ready.
[01:20:07]
So we've been saying to the industry that they need to prepare for this. They need to have the staff that that they need to make sure people can get away and enjoy holidays.
BASHIR: Now the opposition Labor Party shadow finance Secretary James Murray also spoke to Sky News on Tuesday. He said the government needs to take greater responsibility for not offering enough support to the aviation sector during the pandemic, allowing airlines to make huge staffing cuts, and now expecting them to get back on track to meet this surge in demand that we're seeing now.
But of course, this is not just a UK issue. Many of these cancel flights would have been heading to Europe. Well, we've also seen significant delays and cancellations. And this trend could worsen still, as we head into summer. Nada Bashir, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KOSIK: After more than two months of their lockdown, China's richest city is finally beginning to ease COVID restrictions in low risk areas. The majority of Shanghai residents are now able to go out. While this is the biggest step Shanghai has taken toward a full reopening, the weeks leading up to this point have been filled with chaos, and the government has warned it will restore the lockdown if new cases emerge. CNN's Selina Wang has the story.
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SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sprinting with shopping bags, residents racing to get out. After more than two months of a brutal city wide lockdown, Shanghai is finally cracking open the seal. The city's main train station packed with people trying to escape. But actually getting out of here is a treacherous journey. The city says it will fully resume transportation today.
But earlier, people have been seeing trekking miles across highways, dragging their luggage or strapping it to bikes. Even journeys of dozens of miles or more not swaying their determination. The train station parking lot has become a campsite, some leaving days earlier than their departure time. Terrified they could be locked down again if they stay at home.
The masses outside the train station, a stark contrast to the rest of Shanghai. Hundreds of thousands still remain locked in. But even the lucky ones allowed out face a laundry list of restrictions. There are checkpoints everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is definitely not freedom.
WANG: This Shanghai resident and her son who wished to remain anonymous for fear of persecution from authorities were finally allowed out after more than 80 days. Her only solace is seeing her son outside and smiling for the first time in a long time. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My child now has depression because of the lockdown. He started waking up at night and crying and shouting and saying there were people wearing masks in his bedroom. And he stopped eating.
WANG: That harsh reality miles away from what the government wants to show. Watch this state TV reporter pull the microphone and camera away and during a live interview when the resident starts to complain about the lockdown. She says, I've never lived through anything like this being locked inside your home and not allowed to go out. What a big joke.
Official say the city will start returning to normal in June but residents are doubtful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So this does feel like endless, endless nightmare.
WANG: Her freedom lasted less than a week. One COVID case was found near her so she's back to lockdown. For over two months, Shanghai has had its freedom taken away. Residents imprisoned at home or forced into quarantine centers like these. No one knows when this nightmare will fully end. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KOSIK: Still to come, despite a partial ban on Russian oil in the EU, Moscow still have buyers taking advantage of deep discount. Will the latest sanctions make the intended impact, we'll discuss.
Plus, the U.S. is sending more assistance to Ukraine's military to help repel the Russian invasion. But some ordinary Ukrainians living in Russian occupied areas in the east are bravely displaying their own defiance.
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[01:28:25]
KOSIK: In the coming hours, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to address rising global oil prices during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Brent crude hit its highest level since March on Tuesday, just one day after European Union leaders agreed on a plan to halt 90 percent of Russian oil imports by the end of the year.
But just one piece of a new sanctions package on Russia, something the French president says we could see more of in the coming weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): I think that what was decided today the six package is a very strong package which a few weeks ago nobody thought was possible. I don't think we should rule anything out for the next few weeks. It all depends on the development of the situation on the ground. I think we should not exclude anything. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: CNN's Anna Stewart has more on the EU's latest round of sanctions.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTE (on camera): It took a whole month in negotiations but finally the EU has passed its sixth round of sanctions. The package includes cutting the biggest Russian bank from SWIFT, that's the messaging service that underpins much of the global financial system, banning three Russian state TV broadcasters and sanctioning more individuals for war crimes.
But the most significant measure on that list is the embargo on Russian oil, which came with a big concession. In order to get the approval of Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic an exemption has been granted for a key pipeline delivering Russian oil to these landlocked countries.
Now that does weaken embargo overall but it still means that at the end of the year the EU will receive just 10 percent of the Russian oil current imports and Russia will have lost what is current --
[01:30:42]
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But the most significant measure on that list is the embargo on Russian oil which came with a big concession.
In order to get the approval of Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic, an exemption has been granted for a key pipeline delivering Russian oil to these landlocked countries.
Now that does weaken the embargo overall but it still means that at the end of the year, the E.U. will receive just 10 percent of the Russian oil it currently imports. And Russia will have lost what is currently its biggest oil customer.
According to the think tank, Bruegel, Russia currently receives $10 billion a month from the glut (ph) for oil. That will drop off to just $1 billion by year's end. Of course, Russia will try to sell its oil to other customers like India and China as the E.U.'s top diplomats made clear.
JOSEP BORRELL, E.U. HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Certainly, we cannot prevent Russia to sell their oil to someone else and not so powerful. But we are the most important client for Russia. They will have to look for another one and certainly we will have to decrease the price. The purpose is for the Russians to get less resources, less financial resources to feed in the war machine. And this certainly will happen.
STEWART: Russian grades of oil are currently much cheaper, around $34 less a barrel compared to benchmark crude so that makes it more attractive to markets outside of the E.U. But ultimately, it brings in less revenue for Russia.
The other problem with the E.U.'s plan to squeeze Russia financially is the fact that the E.U. is still buying Russian gas. and that is a huge source of Russian revenue. Many would like to see the E.U. ban Russian gas in the next round of sanctions but that would likely face even fiercer opposition from some among the 27--member states.
Anna Stewart, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Joining me now from New York is Catherine Rampell. She's a CNN economics and political commentator, as well as an opinion columnist for the "Washington Post". Catherine, great to see you.
CATHERINE RAMPELL, CNN ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Great to be here.
KOSIK: There's a lot of news to get to. First let's talk about energy and the European Union making a huge commitment to ban the vast majority of Russian oil imports by the end of the year. But, you know, what kind of short term impact on the war could this make?
RAMPELL: Well, we don't really know how Putin is going to digest this information. We do know that it will be very painful for the Russian economy and for the E.U. economies for that matter. Not only the decision to stop importing Russian fossil fuels, but also the E.U. has announced that it will essentially ban the ability of private firms to insure, provide insurance to, that is, Russian ships, tankers that are carrying this energy.
Which means that, it will inhibit Russia's ability to export, not only to the E.U., but to countries in Asia that have not yet impose their own sanctions on these products. So it will be very painful potentially for Russia, painful for the E.U. as well.
Whether it actually ultimately achieves its geopolitical goals of ending the war is anybody's guess.
KOSIK: Yes, because then you have got countries like India, the world's third biggest oil importer, which has actually seen its crude imports from Russia climb since the invasion. So is there any pressure that can be made to get India to curtail its purchases of Russian energy?
RAMPELL: As long as India sees it as within its own self-interest to continue purchasing this Russian oil, potentially at a huge discount, by the way, because nobody else will touch it, I think India is going to continue buying it.
What kinds of tools are available, and what kind of negotiations might be happening behind the scenes we don't fully understand the impact of yet. But India again may not have a choice if the companies that usually insure these deliveries now are basically unable to participate. That basically shuts down these transactions, even if India is still willing to purchase this oil.
So this may force the country's hand whether or not they agree to discontinue engaging with Russia economically.
KOSIK: All right. Let's switch gears and talk inflation specifically in the United States, where, you know, inflation remains at levels that we haven't seen in 40 years and the question of who or what is to blame for it? And it's not every day we hear a high ranking administration official -- in this case the U.S. Treasury Secretary admitting I was wrong. Listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET YELLEN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: Well, look, I think I was wrong then about the path that inflation would take.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: What is your take on her admitting that she was wrong?
RAMPELL: I admire the candor. I think it's better than dodging the question or pretending that she's made public statements that she didn't make a year ago.
[01:34:53]
RAMPELL: And by the way, Secretary Yellen was not alone in downplaying or publicly stating that forecasts for inflation were going to moderate, essentially.
This was the case for most economists, with a few very loud exceptions. People like Larry summers, for example. Most forecasters at the Fed, within private industry -- if you look at economists who work on Wall Street, for example, most of them were expecting that price pressures would come back down pretty soon after they talked up initially at the beginning of 2021.
Obviously, that didn't happen. And in hindsight we can say well, maybe we should've -- maybe they should've anticipated, maybe we should've anticipated. I thought, for example, that inflation would be transitory, to use the term of art, because basically supply chains would normalize. That was -- that was generally the understanding that people would get vaccinated, supply chains would normalize, people would go back to work, and those inflationary pressure would recede.
Instead, what happened is supply chains remained snarled, they continue to be. That fiscal policy, the American Rescue plan that was passed last year, and monetary policy that is very low interest rates from the Fed, continue to stoke demand. And so you had very high demand, very constrained supply, that is a recipe for higher prices.
KOSIK: All right. Thanks for your analysis. Catherine Rampell, CNN economics and political commentator. Great to see you.
RAMPELL: Thank you. KOSIK: Ukraine has identified more than 600 Russians suspected of war
crimes. The country's prosecutor general said they've already started prosecuting around 80 of them. A long list of suspects include high- level Russian military officials, politicians, and what Ukraine calls propaganda agents of the Russian Federation.
The prosecutor general says investigations have been complicated by the ongoing fighting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IRYNA VENEDIKTOVA, UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR GENERAL: Every day in Ukraine, we have extra 200, 300 war crimes. What we need now, all people on our planet, we need justice. We want accountability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: The International Criminal Court announced at that same news conference it's working on opening an office in Kyiv in the coming week.
There are new questions as to whether or not a car explosion in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Melitopol was an act of Ukrainian resistance. The city's exiled mayor says the blast was most likely carried out by the Russians, as they begin to quote, "cleanup collaborators". But he said it's also possible the explosion was the work of a Ukrainian guerrilla movement.
This, as ordinary Ukrainians are finding their own ways to express their defiance to the Russian occupation.
CNN's Melissa Bell has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An explosion in southern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, blamed by Moscow on Ukrainian resistance.
And on Sunday, Melitopol is Ukraine, chanted in the hearts of a town that's been in Russian hands for nearly three months.
Yellow ribbons more defiantly displayed than elsewhere in Russian-held southern Ukraine.
From Crimea to Kherson, symbols of silent resistance.
But Melitopol has noisily resisted from the start. After the early chants of its people was silenced and when the town's mayor was kidnapped by Russian forces in early March, some locals turned to armed resistance.
IVAN FEDOROV, EXILED MELITOPOL MAYOR: It was a very dangerous situation.
BELL: Now in Ukrainian-government held Zaporizhzhia, Ivan Fedorov (ph) says Melitopol will never give up. FEDOROV: They can kidnap. They can kill. They can make some tortures.
But we can't give support because our citizens do not want to live in Russia. I know it. Melitopol will return to Ukraine.
BELL: Melitopol fell quickly. And even as Russian forces pulled back to the south and east of the country, remained on the wrong side of a line that has hardened.
MYKOLA KRASNY, UKRAINIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE (through translator): Russia is using hybrid methods of occupation. That means the Russian Federation is trying to identify and destroy centers of resistance, Ukrainian partisans. Such people are often uncovered and will sometimes disappear in Russian prisons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Idea of the yellow ribbon was --
BELL: Which is why the Yellow Ribbon Movement has become key, according to its spokesman in Kyiv.
He tells me, the ribbons allow people to pass on the message that Ukraine is present here. That there is no other south (ph) than under the Ukrainian flag.
[01:39:52]
BELL: Here in Zaporizhzhia, there is also a chance that that line between Russian controlled Ukraine and the rest of the country is hardening even as it continues to move forward.
We can hear here the regular sound of outgoing artillery fire. But we can also see an emerging refugee crisis.
Hundreds of families living in their cars as they try to get back to their homes now, in Russian-controlled cities.
Melissa Bell, CNN -- Zaporizhzhia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: There's a growing movement in southern Italy that's standing up to organized crime. Ahead the residents refusing to go along with business as usual, when it comes to the Italian mafia.
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[01:44:45]
KOSIK: Haiti has seen a spike in fighting between gangs, resulting in deadly clashes and violence across the city of Port-Au-Prince. U.N. officials say beheadings, mutilations and other forms of brutality have been used to terrorize and punish people living in areas controlled by rival gangs.
The U.N. says at least 188 people were killed in the past month, but they warn this number could be potentially higher. The rising gang violence has also displaced more than 16,000 people across the country.
Haiti has been in turmoil for years, but the violence escalated after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated last year.
Residents and activists in a southern Italian province are taking a stand against organized crime after police say the local mafia attacked nearly a dozen businesses earlier this year.
CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from Foggia, Italy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: "I've always stayed away from here because it makes me bitter," businessman Lazaro Dauria (ph) tells me.
Two years ago, three of his trucks and other equipment were torched after he said no to mafia bosses here in the southern Italian province of Foggia, who demanded more than $200,000 a year in pizzo, slang for protection money.
Dauria now has around the clock police protection. He says paying pizzo is still the rule in Foggia. But change is afoot.
The population is beginning to understand that they shouldn't pay, says Dauria. The mafia, however, is fighting back. Police suspect the mafia was behind 11 arson and bomb attacks in January on businesses, including Anna Apile's (ph) flower stand outside the main cemetery in the provincial capital also called Foggia.
She and her sons have since repaired the damage. No one ever asked us to pay anything, Anna insists. The Foggia mafia is really a collection of often warring crime families living off extortion, drugs and arms smuggling.
One of the characteristics of the Foggia mafia is its extreme violence, says police chief, Paulo Cirna (ph). There have been eight mafia wars in the city of Foggia.
In recent years, the authorities have woken up to the growing threat of organized crime in this relatively poor underdeveloped part of the country. Yet their efforts are often stymied by omerta, the southern Italian law of silence.
Fear and family loyalty ensure many residents see nothing and say nothing, when the authorities come calling.
In Foggia's main outdoor market, our questions about the mafia are dismissed.
No, we don't know about those things, she tells me. There is no mafia, says this man.
But cracks are starting to show in the wall of silence, thanks to a brave few. Daniela Marconi is the leader of Libra, an anti mafia group. Her father was shot at point blank range 26 years ago, an official with the finance ministry. He was investigating dubious business activities. His killer has never been found.
The more active she has become, the more ominous the threats against her.
I received anonymous letters, Marconi says, some really nasty in which the tone was always, mind your own business, change cities, go live somewhere else.
Some mafia bosses have been put behind bars, but that might not be enough, warns Foggia's chief magistrate Ludovico Vaccaro.
"Unfortunately, prison is very porous," he tells me. There's a lot of osmosis between inside and outside. Prison doesn't insure an interruption of criminal activity.
Someone shot a bullet through the window of one of Alessandro Zito's businesses, after he refused to pay pizzo. He left Foggia with his family, fearing for their lives.
On this day, he's back in town a member of a newly-grouped of businessman, who have had enough of extortion.
"Civil society is changing," he says because people are tired, because the situation is no longer livable.
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WEDEMAN: In the evening, we join the police on patrol. After January's spate of attacks, checkpoints have become a frequent sight. The fight against the mafia here has only just begun.
Ben Wedeman, CNN -- Foggia, southern Italy.
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KOSIK: Actor Kevin Spacey now says he will voluntarily travel to Britain to defend himself, as he faces charges of four counts of sexual assault. That word coming in a statement given to ABC's "Good Morning America". Charges were authorized last week, but since Spacey is not currently in England or Wales, charges couldn't formerly be applied.
It's an event 70 years in the making. Coming up, how Britons are getting ready to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee.
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KOSIK: The U.K. is getting ready to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee. Four days of festivities are set to begin on Thursday. The queen returned to Windsor Castle on Tuesday, ahead of events marking her 70 years on the throne.
The streets around Windsor Castle are lined with flags and declarations, and local shops are stuffed with all kinds of souvenir for the occasion.
The four days of pageantry and celebration include a military parade and community events. Residents there say they are ready to pull out all the stops.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a huge fan of the queen. She is so dedicated, and she's been serving us for so long. Yes, we have to pull out the stops a bit, don't we?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're not going to come every year. Comes once like in your lifetime the jubilee celebration. That's why people are so excited.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've all been through a lot. And a lot of sickness and sadness and bereavement. But mainly it's to get together and let our hair down, enjoy ourselves and be up again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: The platinum jubilee officially kicks off Thursday and runs through Sunday.
Thanks for watching. I'm Alison Kosik. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @AlisonKosik.
CNN NEWSROOM is back with Rosemary Church after a quick break.
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