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Ukrainian Military Reports Heavy Fighting In The Battle For Severodonetsk; Ukraine Slams Macron's Remarks Not To humiliate Russia; Amid Boycotts, U.S. Scrambling To Make Summit of the Americas A Success; Boris Johnson Could Still Falter From Political Upheaval or the Economy. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired June 08, 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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[01:00:17]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to viewers all around the world live from Studio 7 at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. I'm John Vause. This is CNN Newsroom.
Coming up this hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we've been brought to see. Goodness me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: On the front lines of Ukraine's counter offensive, trying to reclaim territory in the south while Russian firepower focuses on the eastern city of Severodonetsk. With the Russian naval blockade preventing the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain, some countries in Africa say they have no choice but to buy grain from Russia, which was stolen from Ukraine.
And this was no way. Matthew McConaughey, born and raised in Uvalde, Texas holding back tears as he remembers young lives lost in a mass shooting, we'll call him with gun control.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: In eastern Ukraine, the bloody and brutal battle for Severodonetsk is now being waged street to street. The city has been targeted by Russian artillery for weeks, but a much larger Russian push to seize control of the entire Donbas. Satellite images show the devastation caused by Russia's grinding offensive using overwhelming artillery fire to obliterate everything in its path.
But despite weeks of intensive fighting, the front lines have barely moved. In Donetsk, Ukrainian official say their forces are under constant fire, but have managed to hold the line. And in his nightly address, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is attempting to resupply and re armed forces in Donbas after suffering heavy losses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): More than 31,000 Russian soldiers have already perished in Ukraine. Russia is paying with almost 300 lives every day for a completely senseless war against Ukraine. There will come a day when the number of deaths will reach an unacceptable level, even for Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: As Russia focuses its firepower in the East, Ukraine says it's now pushing back Russian advances in the South. CNN's Matthew Chance reports now from the southern front.
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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is where the Ukrainian military tells us they're seizing back their lands. But on the battered Southern Front with Russia, the stalemate of trench warfare seems to be setting in and commanders privately admit advances by either side here are small.
The Russians seem to be running out of ammunition. And they're not as strong as they were. The platoon commander of this forward trench told me. But we need more weapons to, he adds, if we're to push ahead.
(on camera): Speak to Anton (ph) here, and he's saying it is watching (INAUDIBLE) is very loud at night. Right, so in the morning, he's saying it's not so noisy. It's a bit quieter. So it's interesting because this is the place where the Ukrainian government say there's a big counter offensive that's been underway for some time and they're taking back territory but we've not seen a great deal of evidence of that on the ground. It seems that, you know, both sides dug in here heavily have fought themselves to a standstill neither side strong enough to win this war, but not weak enough to lose it either.
Is that going, is it? You sure. They can hear the going artillery shells streaming across our position here.
(voice-over): Our Ukrainian military escorts take us to what they say is a recently liberated zone, where at least 30 Russians holed up inside this kindergarten were killed. As Moscow focuses its forces on Donbas in the east, Ukrainian officials say conquered areas in the south like this are being left exposed.
(on camera): All right, well, they brought it to this very forward location where as you can hear there are still artillery exchanges taking place.
[01:05:02]
And this is the remnants of a battle from a couple of weeks ago they say where this Russian position was taken by Ukrainian forces at great cost, both to the Ukrainians and obviously, to the Russians as well, all of this debris on the ground is were told Russian equipment and obviously this is the remnants of a Russian armored vehicle of some kind, which has been, like so many we've seen, totally destroyed in this bitter conflict.
(voice-over): The Russians thought that they were going to win easily.
LT COL. DANTE, UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES: Yes, yes.
CHANCE (on camera): But that's not what's happening.
DANTE: Because Russian thought a few days finished war in Ukraine, in few days.
CHANCE: We can hear it's still going on there.
DANTE: Yes. It show and we can hear the flight of shell.
CHANCE: Yes, months later.
DANTE: Russian government plans have victory in few days. I think we must be ready to a lot more.
CHANCE (voice-over): A long artillery war with heavy weapons like this Ukrainian battle tank positioned in tree lines towards an unseen enemy. These firing points quickly become vulnerable. And the troops here need to be mobile.
(on camera): OK, well, we've been brought to this frontline position where they're going to fire on Russian forces a short distance away. It's a secret location. We can only stay for one round we're told, after that there's going to be returned fire and we've got to get out of here. But this is what we've been brought to see. Goodness me.
OK, guys, what now? Another one. I thought we had to go after one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once more again.
CHANCE: One more again.
(voice-over): Seconds later, another bone shaking round hurtles towards Russian positions.
(on camera): OK, we're going to go now. Come on.
(voice-over): And we quickly leave Ukraine's grinding frontlines behind. Matthew Chance, CNN in southern Ukraine.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
VAUSE: For the very latest from Ukraine, let's go live to Kyiv, CNN's Salma Abdelaziz. So, Salma, what's the latest in the battle now for Severodonetsk? Both sides seem to be claiming to either take new territory or reclaim lost territory.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. You just saw that excellent report, of course, from our colleague Matthew Chance in the south, but the focus right now is very much any east along that front line. President Putin's major goal, of course here is to take control of the Donbas region in the flashpoint in that is the city of Severordonetsk.
Now, I want to pull up the satellite images to show you the cost of the street by street battles, we're told the fiercest fighting yet, according to President Zelenskyy, who says Ukrainian defenders are holding their ground.
If you take a look at those pictures, you can see that before and after absolute decimation by some estimates, over 90 percent of that city destroyed. These two sides now fighting over what is essentially a wasteland.
But it's still very important, John, and I'll tell you why. Let's pull up a map here so you can take a look. Severodonetsk is one of the last strongholds for Ukrainian military in the region of Luhansk.
If Russian forces are able to take control of it, they're able to hold that city under their control, that would be a major step towards taking control of Luhansk and the larger goal, again, of taking control of the Donbas region. This fighting could continue for weeks even longer, because you're looking at what is essentially a kinetic stalemated.
Our colleague, again, Matthew Chance had that very clever analysis of a fight where neither side is strong enough to win but not weak enough to lose, either. So what could change the tide here on the ground. That's one thing, in particular, John, that's Western weaponry. That's long range missiles. That's what Ukraine is waiting on from the United States, from UK, that will allow them to hit Russian artillery positions up to 80 kilometers away, that could really change matters on the ground, but this is going to be a small amount of weapons that will be provided.
And it could be weeks before we actually see them in the meanwhile, of course, there are civilians still trapped and severed, and that's over 10,000. We understand with no clear way out, John.
VAUSE: Also the situation in the south of Mykolaiv apparently is now coming into renewed attack by Russian forces. What do you know about that?
ABDELAZIZ: Right, so let's pull up that map again, John, because this is really important as well. Let's look at Mykolaiv where it is, that's the southern front. That's where -- that reporting from Matthew Chance came from. Over the last several days, Ukrainian officials tell us Mykolaiv has been heavily shelled including a grain facility that's critical. Of course, Ukraine is the breadbasket of the world the Ukraine facility that was destroyed in Mykolaiv.
[01:10:05]
Military analysts will tell you that shelling coming towards a city like Mykolaiv at a time like this, that might be softening a target essentially starting to prepare for a potential push into that area by Russian troops. Again, we don't know the intention here. But anytime you start seeing a very steady type of shelling towards a particular area, that is the concern.
And what we saw on the southern front for Ukrainian forces, because the focus again, if you look at that map, the focus again is up in the Donbas region. That means that the south is vulnerable in some ways to a Russian pushing. And you have those Russian occupied areas, Kherson, Crimea where Russian forces can set up.
They can hit with long range artillery, it's a concern. It's a concern because it could mean opening up yet another front for the Ukrainian military at a time when they are heavily tied down in the Donbas region. This war spreading even further, more loss of life, more loss of resources. It's a kinetic stalemate. It's a war of attrition. It could drag on, John.
VAUSE: 104 days in I believe, and many, many days to go, I guess. Salma, thank you. Salma Abdelaziz live for us in Kyiv.
In Washington now is David Sanger, a CNN political and national security analyst, as well as White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. He's also author of "The Perfect Weapon." And David, it is good to have you with us.
DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Great to be back with you, John.
VAUSE: OK, so yes, there is this eminent flow to war, right now what little momentum there is seems to be with the Russians in the east who's with Ukrainians a week or so ago, is it becoming increasingly obvious that an end to the fighting will only come through some kind of negotiated settlement, essentially, when Vladimir Putin decides, so which version of defeat he prefers?
SANGER: Well, all wars come to an end, usually in a diplomatic fashion, unless there's a blitzkrieg win and Putin lost his opportunity for that. But the problem right now, John, is that we are in that sort of ugly middle, where President Zelenskyy does not want to acknowledge losing any territory.
President Putin has a narrow area of territory that appears to be very difficult to dislodge him from in the Donbas and the beginnings of a land bridge over to Crimea, while he has lost in the broader sense, which is to say that his vision of taking over the whole country seems to be shot. He could well end up out of this with more land than he went into it with. And that's a real problem for the West.
VAUSE: And the French president, who's sort of playing this role of honest broker, if you like, made a comment over the weekend. We must not humiliate Russia, so that the day when the fighting stops, we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means.
And this idea of an exit ramp has been floating around for a while, I think since the conflict began. But those comments did not sit very well with Ukraine's president. Here he is speaking to the Financial Times on Tuesday. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENSKYY (through translator): What kind of humiliation are we talking about? I do not even believe that they are humiliating Ukraine. That would be a weak position. No one is humiliating us. They are killing us. So in response, we are not going to humiliate anyone. We are going to response in kind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Given how this war has shifted with the Ukrainians at times having the upper hand something that was never thought possible before the conflict. What is the incentive here for Zelenskyy to give Putin a lifeline from this war of choice? I mean, what -- can he actually force a total capitulation by the Russians?
SANGER: I don't think you enforce a total capitulation, because I don't think that he's got the power right now in this very narrow area around the Donbas where the war is basically concentrated. But there's a fascinating split, we are seeing develop.
If you think about the first 100 days of this conflict, John, there was pretty much wet unity throughout the west on the strategy, including trying to get Putin to pull back to the pre-February 24 pre- invasion wars.
Now it's clear that's going to be a pretty hard thing to do in the south and the east, particularly around the Donbas. So there's a split that's developing. There is a position that President Macron has taken, backed up by others like Henry Kissinger, who basically said at the end of the day, you should be prepared to give something to Putin here.
And there's the British and American argument, which is that Putin has to exit this conflict, greatly weakened from where he entered it. Otherwise he'll use the time of peace to basically rebuild and attack a new, hoping that he can correct the mistakes they made.
[01:15:00]
There's also the position taken by many Eastern European countries. The prime minister of Estonia was talking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour. Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAJA KALLAS, ESTONIAN PRIME MINISTER: I don't think that there, you know, it's right to have any premature cause for peace or ceasefire and why because even if there is peace, it doesn't mean that the atrocities or human suffering weakens, will end for the occupied territories. This is the experience from our own history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And here, this is an obvious split between Eastern European and the former Soviet republics like Estonia, which are in favor of Ukrainian victory and Western European countries like France, which this negotiated settlement. So what's driving that divide?
SANGER: Well, the first is that the Eastern European former Soviet bloc states all think that if Putin has some success in Ukraine, they're next. Some of them are NATO members, others like Moldova, for example, are not. So they're fearful that if you get into Putin in any way, he will say, Well, you know, at the end of the day, I didn't get everything I wanted, but I got some what I wanted. So what's next to consume?
The traditional Western European countries with the exception, of course, as I said, before Britain, are of a different view. And their view was more driven by the memories of the humiliation of Germany after World War I, which led to Hitler's rise and then to the decision by Nazi Germany to then roll through Europe again. And their view is you don't want to repeat the mistake made in the post-World War I era.
The problem with this is we tried 30 years of integration with Russia. Or some would say we didn't try it seriously enough, but the concept was bring them into Europe economically, so that they it modifies their behavior. And I think we've got to come to the conclusion that didn't work.
VAUSE: Absolutely, it certainly looks that is the case. And David, thanks so much for being with us. David Sanger there.
SANGER: always great to be with you.
VAUSE: As Russia's war grinds on, millions of Ukrainians have made that difficult decision to leave behind everything they know and everything they own, and free their homes and at times their country as well in a search for safety. But there are the few who decide to stay as the war comes ever closer. Like those in the city of Sloviansk who explained why to CNN's Ben Wedeman.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A three years old Yvonne doesn't know war rages around him. He doesn't really understand it yet, says his father Igor. For him it's just boom, boom. We try to explain it's only a loud car passing by.
Yvonne's mother Ksenia (ph) shows where they live. Neighbors who left the city of Sloviansk let them move into their ground floor apartment because it's safer. The hallways full of bottled water, the bathtubs full. There's been no running water here for weeks.
As the air raid siren blares, those who remained behind wait for food supplies at a distribution center. Were stained says Zeneda (ph). My neighbor has a well. I have dogs and two cats. My husband has diabetes.
64-year-old Nikolai (ph) shrugs off the danger of staying put. Where can I go if they bomb everywhere, he asks me. You can't escape your fate.
Kalina (ph) fled her village nearby on the front lines. It was very hard there she says. There was a lot of shelling have the village disappeared.
Her son-in-law and her daughter or taking her away. Every day people gathered for buses out of Sloviansk. The war now into its fourth month has seen millions flee their homes. With no end in sight, a sense of resignation and exhaustion has set in, some who leave they never return. To Katya's mother and father have come to say goodbye.
KATYA, SLOVIANSK RESIDENT: Actually, I didn't plan to live, but I decided to live because the situation is getting more and more dangerous.
WEDEMAN: Her parents will stay behind even as a part of them leaves. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Sloviansk, Ukraine.
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VAUSE: Just ahead here on CNN, down in the polls on popular with voters politically wounded by a Tory rebellion and guess what, now comes question time in parliament for Boris Johnson.
[01:20:07]
But first, snubs from key leaders threatening to overshadow the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles a live report in a moment.
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VAUSE: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arriving in Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas hosted by the US. President Joe Biden will head west in the coming hours. But it's the growing list of leaders who have chosen not to attend, which is now making headlines
Journalist Stefano Pozzebon is live in Caracas this hour. And Stefano, the Biden administration had been working on this summit for months last year. And now it's all become about a lack of U.S. influence's own backyard. It seems to all sort of backfired, if you like.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, definitely a massive backfire for the Biden administration, at least from where I am, for example, here in Caracas, Venezuela, where neither the authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro nor the opposition will be in Los Angeles. Maduro today took a flight in Turkey to meet with the foreign minister of the Russian Federation would give some idea of who he thinks his loyalties are towards Putin and Erdogan rather than Biden.
But I think even widely more across the region, there is a sense that the U.S. war has been trying for months to use these submitters in occasion and opportunity to broaden the agenda to try find new counterparts across the hemisphere to try tackle important issues such as migration, climate change, renewable energy, the theme of the summit itself is a sustainable and resilient future as the whole of South America, Latin America, and indeed the Western Hemisphere tries to come back from the impact of COVID-19.
Now that can happen if important countries such as Mexico, for example, are not attending in person, but also the whole important country of the Northern Triangle in Central America, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, which are the country where most of the migrants who arrive at the U.S. southern border and actually come from. And so without those counterparts, it's very difficult now for the Biden administration to try have the leaders here in Latin America to pay attention to what is the U.S. proposal on the table at their summit. John.
VAUSE: Stefano, thank you. Stefano Pozzebon there live for us in Caracas.
Well, brace for fireworks in the British Parliament as Boris Johnson faces question time in the coming hours. The prime minister will try and outline his domestic priorities to move on from closer than expected confidence vote which is done elections leadership.
CNN's Phil Black reports out from 10 Downing Street.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Boris Johnson and his supporters are trying very hard to be positive about all this. Johnson has said the outcome of the no confidence vote is a good result. His allies have used words like decisive, clear, comfortable, even handsome when talking about the fact that he secured the support of 59 percent of sitting Conservative MPs.
Johnson told his cabinet during a meeting here in Downing Street on Tuesday that he should now be allowed to get on with the job of fixing the problems that he says are important to the British people. He says a line should be drawn.
But he can't be confident that this is all behind him. And that's because 41 percent of Conservative MPs voted to try and eject him from his home in office here on Downing Street. That figure was not enough to force him out. But it is more than enough to expose a deep rift within the Conservative Party to show very clearly how much his authority has already diminished.
As it stands, Johnson can't be challenged with a no confidence vote like this for another year, so say the rules of the parliamentary Conservative Party, but those rules can be changed. Johnson has some big challenges in the near future and ongoing investigation to whether he lied to parliament over parties that were held here in Downing Street during lockdown, and to imminent by elections that have now taken on great importance as instruments to try and determine and get some insight into Johnson's popularity and indeed his electability among British voters. Phil Black, CNN, London.
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VAUSE: A former Conservative Party leader tells Reuters News agency that Boris Johnson staying on his Prime Minister would be like driving down the highway with two flat tires. And word on the streets of London about Mr. Johnson isn't especially kind either.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SIMON GIBB, LAWYER: I think they started the process, which needs some time for reflection, since the general position seems to be who follows. But I don't think that is good enough reason not to get rid of somebody who appears to be unfit for the office and, frankly, is a stranger to the truth.
CHRIS THOMASON, DESIGNER: Perhaps it's a case that they don't know that there's a good leader, they're ready to take over. If you had a great contender, that perhaps people would stand behind a no- confidence vote. But perhaps when there's no obvious person that you can say they are better than Boris? Well, the devil you know, robbing the devil you don't.
LOUISE ROWNEY, SALES MANAGER: In some ways, I feel sorry for him. Because you know, the country has never gone through a pandemic or left the EU before. But the party thing everyone's been fined. And he was just drinking wine. So yes, it's pretty forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The British tabloids as expected had scathing coverage with the Prime Minister The Times headline, wounded Victor. The Sun's front page read night of the blonde knives, stabbed in the back by 148 Tories.
Boris Johnson's former employer, The Daily Telegraph called the result of the confidence vote a hollow victory.
Well, just ahead, Ukraine appealing for help to open its ports as Russia's Navy poses a major threat. Also by stolen grain from Russia to feed starving children will leave millions at risk of famine. The war in Ukraine brings a food crisis and a moral dilemma kind of to Africa.
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VAUSE: Welcome back everyone. I'm John Vause. You are watching the CNN NEWSROOM.
A stark warning from the World Bank, many countries will find it hard to avoid a recession. They're the latest group to sound the alarm on a potential global economic downturn. The worry is so great, the World Bank has slashed its global growth estimate for the year.
Last year the bank estimated nearly a 6 percent rise in the global economy. This year's forecast down to less than 3 percent.
The blank blames a number of problems for the issues including stagflation which occurs when rising inflation and unemployment combined with slow or stagnating demand for foods and services.
The bank's president cautions it's the worst economic slowdown in years. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MALPASS, PRESIDENT, WORLD BANK: The sharpness of the slowdown is really concerning. We think it is the biggest slowdown of the global economy in 80 years. I think many countries will see a recession in the cycle.
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VAUSE: And earlier I spoke with a Rana Foroohar, CNN global economic analyst about the impact stagflation is having on the global economy.
Here she is.
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RANA FOROOHAR, CNN GLOBAL EOCNOMIC ANALYST: Usually high inflation can mean high growth. You know, when inflation is booming, when prices are going up that tends to mean there is a lot of demand, there's a lot of action in the economy.
But in this particular period that we are in, we could be pumping up interest rates at the same time that growth is about to slow. So you get this sort of volatile mix of really bad things happening all at once. Prices going up. At the same time, that people might be losing their jobs. Not something that any country or any policy maker wants to deal with.
VAUSE: Well the U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned U.S. senators that inflation is likely to remain high. And she was asked about one possible factor in all of this -- greed. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does corporate greed explain the broad based price increases consumers are currently facing?
JANET YELLEN, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: Well, I guess I see the bulk of inflation as reflecting demand and supply factors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: It was a fairly dry (ph) answer to what seemed to be a fairly, you know, legitimate question, in light of recent reporting which was (INAUDIBLE) this analysis for "The Guardian" for example which found 12 corporations' financial and earnings call to have revealed most are enjoying profit increases even as they pass on cost to consumers.
"The Guardian's' findings are in line with recent U.S. Commerce Department data saying corporate profits rose 35 percent during the last year, are at the highest level since 1950.
Airlines are reporting record earnings. You know gas prices are on the (INAUDIBLE), Chevron -- profits increased by 40 percent. How much of this is just profit? How much of it is profiteering? FOROOHAR: Great question. You know, you got to pull the lens back a
little bit and look at the fact that corporate profits have been high for over a decade now. So this isn't something that's happened just at the same time that we've been having higher inflation.
That said, higher inflation does create ever more cover for companies that want to take higher profits. And you know, you've probably heard -- we've all heard some of the earnings calls with CEOs saying, you know, this is actually the time for us to be raising prices. Everybody is raising prices. You know, it's an easy time to do that.
So there's a confluence of factors here. I think the big picture point really is that even before the last couple of years -- COVID, war in Ukraine, rising inflation -- corporate profits were rising. And that is something that policy makers everywhere are worried about. That divide between corporations and average citizens and consumers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Ukraine's foreign ministry says ending a Russian naval blockade of Ukrainian ports allowing grain exports will help prevent a global food crisis. Kyiv says limited amounts are being moved by road and rail but millions of tons of grain remain stuck at port going nowhere.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports in now from Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the big impacts of Russia's war in Ukraine, which Russia of course called a special military operation, is food security around the world.
[01:34:42]
PLEITGEN: Now the U.S., its allies, and of course, the Ukrainians are saying that for instance the shortage of grain around the world is something Russia, and only Russia is to blame for that.
Because of course, the Russians have taken over several port cities inside Ukraine but also because, they've essentially, as the U.S. puts it, blockaded the port of Odessa, for instance and other Ukrainian ports as well that were exporting grain and other agricultural products as well.
Nevertheless, the Russians for their part, are saying that they believe that the U.S. and its allies are also to blame for international sanctions that make it a lot more difficult for Russia to export the product that it has.
Right now, Russia's foreign minister is in Turkey trying to find some way out of that impasse. For instance, for a safe corridor for ships coming from Ukraine imports.
The Ukrainians, for their part, are first of all saying that they have not been invited to those talks. But they're also saying that they have serious security concerns after Russia has been for instance, firing cruise missiles at Ukrainian port cities that it could offer the Russians a segue to attack Ukrainian port cities that are not under Russia's control that Russia has been trying to attack in the past.
All those, of course, has huge global implications for food security, as the war in Ukraine continues to drag on.
The Russians for their part are saying that they have been making gains, especially in the Donbas area. They say that they now control around 97 percent of the Luhansk (INAUDIBLE) and that their troops are continuing to move forward.
However the Ukrainians, for their part have also been saying that their forces have been fighting back and making gains of their own as well.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN -- Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Right now aid groups put the number of people on the brink of starvation in the Horn of Africa at more than 14 million. Nearly 40 million are in imminent risk of famine in west Africa this year.
For them there seems to be no moral dilemma, no hesitation when it comes to buying cheap grain from Russia regardless of where it may have come from.
Among African countries, the "New York Times" reports 60 percent of wheat in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Senegal comes from Russia or Ukraine. That figure rises to 80 percent in Egypt. And Benin and Somalia completely dependent on grain supplies from Russia and Ukraine.
For many countries in Africa already feeling like an afterthought in this conflict between Russia, Ukraine and the west, there is no luxury or desire to debate the geopolitical ramifications of giving Vladimir Putin increased leverage to defy the global response to his war in Ukraine.
The high moral ground means little when children are hungry.
My next guest puts it this way. "Africans don't care about where they get their food from, and if someone is going to moralize about that they are mistaken.
Hassan Khannenje is director of the HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies. He joins us now live from Nairobi.
Sir, thank you for being with us. It seems like a fairly easy choice right now. Why (INAUDIBLE) selling grain at discounted price from Russia or millions go hungry. But what is the U.S. and Europe, what if they're offering an alternative. Same produce, same price, same amount. Would African nations back the west or will there be still be support for Moscow?
HASSAN KHANNENJE, DIRECTOR, HORN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES: I think it is going to be solid, depending on the (INAUDIBLE) due to current food shortage. It is something that Africans are going to pay attention to.
I think you expect Africans to express solidarity especially when it comes to Russia's actions in Ukraine at the risk of starving themselves is expecting a little bit too much.
So the choice is, you know, ease it on many African countries in part because much of their wheat needs actually are sourced from that conflict area. And so it's a challenge to the continent, but I think the choice is very clear.
VAUSE: I'm going to say, there is no alternative being offered by the west right?
KHANNENJE: Yes, absolutely not, at least at the moment. And so thus far, in the absence of that, I think you're going to expect that African countries are still going to make efforts. But part of those efforts are actually to demonstrate its own urgency with regards to the fate of the crisis in Ukraine.
VAUSE: Putin needs allies, Africa needs food. And the Russian president and the head of the African Union met last week, in the Russian resort city of Sochi. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): We think that with Africa in general and its individual nations, we traditionally have good relations. I would even call them friendly relations, without exaggeration.
Africa as a whole has huge potential. And based on that, we will continue to develop our relationships with Africa, and its individual nations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: You know, many believe that Africa handed Putin a very significant win in terms of global influence and prestige. Are there concerns though this could ultimately augur very badly for Africa, by dragging out the war in Ukraine for longer and actually prolonging a food crisis.
KHANNENJE: Actually -- absolutely not. You know, I think Africans also a acutely aware of the geopolitical nature of the current conflict. But they also have historical ties with, of course, Russia even though fundamentally most of (INAUDIBLE) with the west. But I think they are finding themselves in a place that is not very comfortable.
But also a place where, when it comes to choosing between the lives of the citizens, as well as the international moral-ism. They're going to choose the citizens of a political morality.
VAUSE: According to the "New York Times", from the United Nations who voted on passing a resolution that condemned Russian aggression, 24 African countries abstained, seven didn't vote at all. Just one, Eritrea, voted no.
[01:39:59]
VAUSE: What does this tell you about Russian influence on the continent? Do you think, some are looking at this as an opportunity to strengthen relations with the Kremlin and move away from the West.
KHANNENJE: Actually, I don't think that is exactly the choice. A lot of Africans' position in part was also informed by their fear that big powers should not be allowed to do what they want to do. Because it's only international law that can actually protect smaller countries.
But at the same time, I think there is a sentiment within the continent, that's much of the west has abandoned in Africa in much of the last 30 years. And therefore, being able to take sides in this conflict is not really going to help Africa in fundamental ways considering the influence that China already has on the country.
VAUSE: Explain just how serious this food crisis is right now across the continent. How bad is it, how bad is it going to get?
KHANNENJE: Actually, things could not have gotten any worse. Remember, this has compounded efforts to recover from a either (INAUDIBLE) dislocation and economic contraction because (INAUDIBLE) pandemic.
And so, this situation is only going not only to ensure that this recovery takes longer but it can easily cause instability and fuel the kind of extremism that we're already seeing in certain parts of the continent from the Horn of Africa as well as in west Africa.
VAUSE: Hassan Khannenje in Nairobi, thank you sir for being with us. We appreciate your time.
KHANNENJE: Thanks for having me.
VAUSE: We'll take a short break. When we come back, life may slowly be normal in Beijing as COVID rules are eased. A live report from China's capital in a moment.
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VAUSE: Sign of the times. Patrons returning to cinemas in Beijing which is just another sign the capital may be emerging from the latest COVID surge. In Shanghai though, after restrictions have just been eased, multiple neighborhoods once again, back under lockdown.
Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang joins us now live with the very latest. I guess it sucks to be in Shanghai right now?
STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Shanghai. But it's not surprising John though the re-lockdown at multiple shanghai neighborhoods because that is how the authorities have been doubling down on their enforcement of this zero COVID policy
But this kind of whack-a-mole approach, if you will has actually being seen across the country. In Mongolia, for example, on Tuesday, they reported more than 80 cases and leading to many residents.
They are being placed under strict lockdown, a similar story in Tandong that this border city across the river from across North Korea. But even when you are looking at Beijing, of course, as you mentioned movie theaters reopening. Long lines reappearing in front of restaurants with the resumption of dining services, and most schools will be reopening next week.
[01:44:51]
JIANG: This is not really the return to pre-pandemic normalcy, as we're seeing in many other parts of the world because people here, even when they regain some degrees of freedom they're still faced with an increasingly pervasive and invasive measures that are here to stay.
That means the constant need of scanning those so-called no-occasion (ph) QR codes to allow the authorities really track her every move in the name of contact tracing. That also means getting tested every 72 hours in Beijing.
But, also in Shanghai in order to access and most public places including public transportation. And, that of course has translated into long lines ins front of many testing locations and triggering more frustration or even anger. Because, obviously, this is not just ending convenience. But potentially a super spreader event, as they have been in the past. So, really a never ending nightmare here.
But of, course the authorities have said, Beijing's success, if you will, proves zero COVID does work. The problem in their eyes lies with the lack of proper enforcement at the local levels due to incompetence or even politics, John.
VAUSE: Zero COVID -- a total success, it's the people of China who are -- (INAUDIBLE) I guess. Steven, thank you
In the U.S., advisers to the Food and Drug Administration, recommending the emergency use of authorization a fourth COVID-19 vaccine. If the full FDA gives Novavax the greenlight, it would be administered as a two dose shot for people 18 and older.
Novavax is a more (INAUDIBLE) protein based vaccine and uses different technology than Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
Novavax has already been authorized in the European Union, the U.K., Canada and South Korea and other countries as well.
Monkeypox has now been detected in 29 countries around the, world according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The CDC has now issued an alert level to advisory to practice enhanced precaution now that the disease, usually associated with tropical Africa has gone global.
The CDC says the risk to the general public remain low. But recommends immediate medical treatment should isolate rashes or lesions appear.
Still to come, one of the most well-known guns on the market with a notorious reputation. And gun owners love their AR-15s. We'll tell you why next.
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VAUSE: Welcome back everyone.
Two brothers on South Africa's most wanted list had been arrested in the United Arab Emirates and are waiting extradition back to South Africa. Atul Gupta, pictured here, and his brother Rajesh are accused of massive corruption, fraud, money laundering during former South African president Jacob Zuma's administration.
The Gupta brothers fled to the U.A.E when Zuma resigned back in 2018. They have repeatedly denied the allegations.
Tuesday, it was a somber day on Capitol Hill, family members of victims of the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, spoke to the Senate hearing on domestic terrorism. They called on congress to take action on gun reform, as well take crimes.
Prosecutors allege the white shooter in Buffalo was motivated by racism. They targeted people in a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood, killing ten. Here is what the son of one of the victims had to say.
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GAMEL WHITFIELD, LOST MOTHER IN BUFFALO SHOOTING: For her to be murdered, taken away from us by someone so full of hate, is impossible to understand and even harder to live with.
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WHITFIELD: But we are more than hurt. We are angry. We are mad as hell because this should've never happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Meantime, the House of U.S. Representative, lawmakers observed a moment of silence for the victims of the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last month.
Oscar winner and Uvalde, Texas native Matthew McConaughey, delivered an emotional appeal for gun control at the White House briefing on Tuesday. McConaughey called for meaningful measures to combat gun violence like universal background checks, raising the minimum age of purchasing an AR-15 from 18 to 21.
The "Interstellar" actor remembered victims of the recent Uvalde shooting by sharing their stories and showing some of their artwork. Along with his wife, he even brought in a pair of green Converse shoes that once belonged to ten year old Maite Rodriguez.
MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ACTOR: UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maite wore green high top Converse with a heart she had hand drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature.
Kamala's got these shoes. Can you show their shoes please?
Wore these every day. Green Converse with the, hard on the right toe. These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shootings. How about that?
The common thread, independent of the anger and the confusions, it was the same. How can these families continue to honor these deaths? By keeping the dreams of these children and teachers alive.
Again how can the loss of these lives matter? Well, we honor and acknowledge the victims. We need to recognize that this time, it seems that something is different.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: McConaughey met with the U.S. President before the briefing. He also talked with lawmakers on capitol hill earlier in the day.
The senators are negotiating what, if any, new gun control measures they can pass in the wake of a recent spate of the mass shooting.
One proposal from Democrats includes raising the age to purchase a semiautomatic rifle from 18 to 21. Republicans are largely opposed to the deal, with defending the right to own a weapon, which is the weapon of choice for mass shootings like the AR-15.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN THUNE, (R-SD): They are a sporting rifle. And it is something that a lot of people, for purposes of going out, target shooting in my state, they use them to shoot prairie dogs and you know other types of environments.
So, I think that there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: They're a weapon of war, more like -- in a more permanent battlefield. AR-15 style rifles have political and symbolic values to some governor. Others say they simply enjoy owning one.
Here is what some enthusiasts tells CNN's Randi Kaye.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anna Thomasson learned how to should an AR-15 style rifle back in 2015, after a battle with breast cancer sidelined her from running marathons.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being a girl my family, that was what the boys did. So I never learned how to do that before.
RANDI KAYE,CNN CORRESPONDENT: Did it give you confidence learning how to use it. ANNA THOMASSON, FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR: Incredible confidence, it's
incredibly empowering The energy coming off of that gun I feel like goes into your body and then you're not tired again.
KAYE: It energized her so much, she became an instructor. And along with her husband, Bryan Wertz, is now teaching others how to use it. We caught up with them at Eagle gun range and farmers branch Texas.
KAYE: Does it fire differently? When you, you know, use it compared to other rifles or --
BRYAN WERTZ, FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR: It's softer shooting than most. It doesn't have a lot of recoil and it almost feels like shooting like an air gun as opposed to something that's really heavy.
KAYE: Bryan also likes the AR-15 style because he says they're easier and safer to handle than handguns. So you don't need to spend as much time and money on training.
WERTZ: The thing about easy that matters is that when you defend yourself, it's more accurate. So, if you're in a home and your family is all there, you will be more accurate with that.
KAYE: Bryan and Anna use their AR-15 style rifles for target practice. But mainly for their own protection.
What do you say to, you know, people who say why would somebody like you have to own an AR-15? What do you say to those?
ANNA THOMASSON, FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR: (INAUDIBLE) He -- he -- he -- he -- any of those people can punch me once, I'm going to be lights out. But if I can defend myself and give me distance in time, then I have a fighting chance to live past today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know some people are just afraid of them, and they're not comfortable with them. If we can introduce it to them safely, then they normally, say that things not even scary.
RAY RODRIGUEZ: This is a AR-15, chambered in 556 with the EO tech (INAUDIBLE).
[01:54:58]
KAYE: Ray Rodriguez is also a big fan of the AR-15 style rifle.
RODRIGUEZ: I fell in love with it the very first trigger pull.
KAYE: Ray says he owns them for protection.
RODRIGUEZ: I can clear my apartment if I need to.
KAYE: Ray says the AR-15 style is especially popular because they're so customizable.
Often described as Legos for adults. Anna personalized hers to fit her small frame. It weighs less than five pounds. THOMASSON: We've had to find different components to make it as light
as it can be. I would not be able to hold up a 20-pound gun and fire it where I needed to fire.
KAYE: Bryan also had Ann's AR-15 style rifle decorated with a pink hello kitty decal. Others took it to greater extremes. And, then there's Ray, who tattooed a picture of his heavily modified rifle on his arm.
When you add on to the real gun, you're going to add on to the arm?
WERTZ: Yes, added on to the arm, yes.
KAYE: Despite this loyalty to the AR-15 cell rifle there is still many who will question why anyone needs to own one.
WERTZ: I would say, give a proper gun range the ability to coach them through what a AR-15 is capable of and what we can do through proper training and proper coaching. You can see that it can be a sport, and it is a sport.
KAYE: After mass shootings, we typically see a run on this kind of weapon, people hear a lot of talk of gun rights, a lot of talk of banning this style weapons so they then to rush out and buy these AR- 15 style weapons.
But we spoke to the eagle gun range where we did our story, and they told me that they haven't haven't seen any uptick in sales or demand for this style of weapon.
And one other note, they are about 20 million AR-15 style weapons in the United States, that is a very small percentage of the total number of firearms in the United States.
In, fact there are 393 million privately owned firearms in the U.S., right now. And about 20 million of those once again are these AR-15 style rifles.
Randi Kaye, CNN -- Dallas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching this hour.
I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague, Paula Newton. I'll see you right back here tomorrow.
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