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Ukraine Denounces Russia At U.N. As "Terrorist State"; Russian Missiles Hit Power Plants, Bridges, Playground; Ukraine Reports 84 Russian Cruise Missile Attacks; Violent Clashes Erupt In 4th Week Of Anti-Govt. Protests; China Calls Taiwan "Inseparable Part" Of Its Territory; North Korea: Recent Missile Tests Show Nuclear Readiness. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired October 11, 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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[01:00:32]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone, John Vause. Ahead here on CNN Newsroom. A grinding stalemate no more. The war in Ukraine has escalated after a sweeping Ukrainian cover offensive followed now by Russian airstrikes, mostly on civilian targets.
Unrest in Iran spreads to the critical oil sector with a labor strike and one petrochemical plant in support of anti-government protests now into their fourth week. And a new intelligent vehicle system which could stop you from speeding, whether you like it or not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: We begin this hour with the aftermath of Vladimir Putin's revenge, a day of terror across Ukraine as Russian missiles and airstrikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, at least 20 towns and cities.
Ukraine reports the death toll stands at 14, close to 100 wounded and the heaviest bombardment since the Russian invasion back in February. Ukraine's military says despite Soviet era air defense systems, more than half of the 84 cruise missiles fired by Russia were intercepted. Another 13 attack drones were destroyed.
Virtually, every major city was hit, including Lviv in the West, Kharkiv in the East, Zaporizhzhia in the South. Ukraine's Foreign Minister says as far as he knows, not one Ukrainian military target was hit by a Russian missile. And Moscow is targeting civilian infrastructure to terrorize the people of Ukraine. And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainians will not be intimidated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): The occupiers already cannot oppose us on the battlefield. That is why they resort to this terror. Well, we will make the battlefield even more excruciating for the enemies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Later this day, Zelenskyy will address an emergency G7 meeting. U.S. President will also take part in that video conference. Meantime at the U.N., Ukraine's Ambassador denounced Russia as a terrorist state guilty of war crimes. Moscow's representative (INAUDIBLE) member states are joining forces against Russia. A vote is expected this week to condemn Moscow's annexation of illegally occupied Ukrainian territory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CSABA KOROSI, U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT: The war in Ukraine should have been never started. But it will end one day. Guns will be silent, but when? At what cost? How many people will have died? How many families separated? How much more suffering endured?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: As the missiles and rockets came down, many war-hardened Ukrainians gathered in the underground subway stations, others headed to bomb shelters. Many parts electricity was out after the power grid was targeted. The governor of Lviv in the West is now asking those who still have electricity to use it sparingly.
In a metro station in Kyiv, crowds past the time singing Ukrainian folk songs, and the Ukrainian lawmaker says missiles started landing and she was taking her son to school. They ran for the safety at a subway station for shelter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INNA SOVSUN, PEOPLE'S DEPUTY OF UKRAINE: It was not the panic that we have seen in March, was everybody knew that this was to happen. This is part of the reality. This is part of our resistance. And our job right now is to survive, to make sure that we are safe and to get back to the fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Ukraine's foreign minister says the military's counter offensive recapturing children across the country will continue despite the Russian bombardment. CNN's Fred Pleitgen was in Kyiv as the missile start falling.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): It was in the middle of Monday morning rush hour that waves of Russian missiles started hitting Ukraine's capital and other cities across the country, sending people scampering for their lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): My hands are trembling as I've just seen how the missile was flying overhead, and I heard that sound. [01:05:05]
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Ukraine says the Russians launched more than 80 missiles and more than 20 attack drones at targets in Ukraine. While the air defenses took many out, they couldn't stop them all. Ukraine's President quick to condemn the attacks.
ZELENSKYY (through translation): We are dealing with terrorists. They want panic and chaos.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Ukrainian cities like Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and multiple others reported power outages after Russia's attacks. The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration telling me they are working to get the electricity grid back up and running.
KYRYLO TYMOSHENKO, DEPUTY HEAD, UKRAINE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION: of course, critically, for us, it's critical infrastructure like electricity infrastructure.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But Russian missiles also struck sites that were anything but critical. Several cars were destroyed at this busy intersection outside the museum.
(on-camera): Even hours after the initial attacks by the Russian military, there are still air raid sirens going off here in the Ukrainian capital. And you can see right here this is just one impact site of where one of those Russian missiles hit. It ripped a hole into the tarmac of the road here, and five people were killed in this place alone.
(voice-over): The attacks come just days after a major Russian logistics route., the Crimean bridge was heavily damaged by an explosion. Moscow blames Ukraine for the blast though Kyiv has not taken responsibility for the attack. The Russian army showed video of ships launching missiles toward Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged he's taking revenge.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translation): A massive strike was carried out with high precision, long range weapons of air, sea and land-based systems on energy, military and communications facilities of Ukraine.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But this clearly was not a command facility and central Kyiv, a playground took a direct hit, leaving a giant crater. The capital's Mayor, former heavyweight boxing champ Vitaliy Klitschko, vowing to stand strong.
(on-camera): Your message to Putin?
VITALIY KLITSCHKO, KYIV, UKRAINE MAYOR: We'll never come back to Russian Empire. We see our future part of European democratic family.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Joining us now is Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, a CNN Military Analyst and the former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army. Sir, it's good to see you.
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good to be with you, John.
VAUSE: OK, so let's listen to the spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry outlining the what, how and why about the targets, which were hit by about around 80 Russian missiles and drones. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IGOR KONASHENKOV, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: Today, the Russian Armed Forces have launched a massive strike with long range precision weapons at the facilities of Ukraine's military command, communication, and energy systems. The target has been reached, all assigned targets are hit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: All assigned targets, targets like kid's playgrounds, high rise business towers, residential buildings. Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy said they were chosen to terrorize and kill civilians. But there's also the question where these targets hit because the Russians are using old unreliable missiles because they're running low on high tech precision guided weapons. So which one is it, terrorizing civilians or running low on the high tech stuff?
HERTLING: I think it's even more than that. They also wanted to prove that they had a new commander, this Lieutenant -- or this General Surovikin, who just took charge of the operations in in Ukraine, Russia in general. So, you know, just like, John, I think this is their attempt at an equivalent of a shock and awe campaign in a one- day period of time.
Unfortunately, we've seen from the very beginning that their precision weapons are not precise at all. They have continuously struck civilian targets. In fact, indicators are that more than 70 percent of the targets they've struck have been civilian infrastructure and the kinds of things you were just talking about playgrounds, schools, hospitals.
But the other piece is, I think you're right also, I mean, all of these things can be true that their precision weapons systems, we knew this as long ago as three or four months when there were reports from the U.K. intelligence system that more than 60 percent of the Russian precision weapons were not -- were having some type of misfunction.
VAUSE: And there has been outrage around the world in the wake of these airstrikes. So I want you to listen to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT: I am shocked and appalled by the vicious attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Russia once again has shown to the world what it stands for, it is terror and brutality. Those who are responsible have to be held accountable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And you mentioned over the weekend, Moscow appointed one general now in charge of all Ukraine operations. So how much of a role would Surovikin had inciting to target civilians and civilian infrastructure? It's clearly a war crime and he has a reputation for doing just that in Syria.
[01:10:07]
HERTLING: Not just in Syria but also in Chechnya. This guy was a young captain in Chechnya early on in that war as well as commanding forces in Syria. He has a reputation as being a butcher. In fact, that's his nickname. So you're talking about an individual that they are welcoming to command by conducting criminal attacks against civilian infrastructure.
And again, if this is to prove something, if this is supposed to instill more fear in the Ukrainian people, I think we've seen already that it's done just the opposite, that Ukraine is standing up, and they're continuing to say that these actions by Russia are criminal, and so is everyone on the world stage.
VAUSE: And not just after this attack, the Ukrainian President and the American President both had a phone conversation. And then President Zelenskyy tweeted this, "Productive conversation with the President of the United States. Air Defense is currently the number one priority in our defense cooperation."
At a press briefing a couple of weeks ago, the Pentagon said, NASAMS, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems will be delivered to Ukraine, within a few months. Now, NASAMS are used right now, I believe, to protect the White House. But it seems, you know, two or more would not be enough to cover or provide protection against the sort of Russian airstrikes that we saw on Monday. So what are the other options here?
HERTLING: When you're seeing the kind of random missile strikes that Russia is committing, and today, 84 of them from three different sources, air, submarine and ground-based systems, fired missiles into Ukraine today. So you have to be able to not only understand the kinds of systems that the missiles are coming from, you have to see the track of the missiles, you have to kind of guess the your best guess of where they're going. And then you can try and protect the system.
So you would literally need, John, hundreds of air defense systems, which Ukraine does not have to protect all the cities, all the critical infrastructures. And when Russia is firing at things like playgrounds and a hospital, there are literally thousands of those. So it's -- an air defense system is not an area fire weapon where it intercepts anything that comes in. It literally has to be at a specific location. And you kind of hope that that's the target that your enemy is trying to place on this a lot. So it's much more even complicated than that. That's the basics of defending with air defense weapons systems.
VAUSE: So you got to pick what's valuable and protect that. But what we also are hearing from Ukraine's military is that 56 of the 84 missiles and drones were shut down by the Ukrainians, which seems a pretty good record.
HERTLING: It's a great record. And I'd be interested, you know, we don't see this kind of intelligence when we no longer have access to classified documents. But I would bet the majority of those targets were shot down by stinger missile systems, because you have a crew missile that's going relatively slowly a Russian cruise missile, and it can go slowly, it's flying low. It's almost the same speed as a helicopter.
So if you have a soldier with a shoulder fired stinger missile, you can shoot it down. And we have contributed a lot of those kinds of shoulder fire weapons systems to the Ukrainian army. So my bet would be that most of them were shut down with those kinds of systems.
VAUSE: General Hertling, as always, thanks so much, sir. It's good to see you.
HERTLING: Thank you, John.
VAUSE: After the Russian airstrikes, the Ukrainian foreign minister spoke of resilience, defiance and determination in an interview with our Chief International Anchor, Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: I want you to understand a very simple thing, this is the war for the existence of Ukraine. This is the war for the existence of international law and rule-based order. So he may escalate, he may do whatever he wants, but we're going to continue fighting, and we will win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: A lot more for that interview in about 20 minutes or so, only here on CNN.
Anti-government unrest in Iran appears to have spread to the oil sector. Workers from at least one petrochemical complex in the south, joining widespread protests now into their fourth week. Video posted to social media shows the workers demonstrating and chanting slogans like, death to the dictator. Some blocked a highway running outside their oil plant.
The protests began with students and women demanding justice for a young woman who died after being detained by the so-called morality police. Over the weekend, violent clashes also erupted between protesters and police in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj. Human rights group says security forces use live fire to disperse the crowds.
Adding at least five people were killed in the clashes including a seven-year-old child. CNN though cannot verify that death toll. [01:15:07]
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has more now in the growing unrest. And in this report, a warning, it contains some very disturbing images.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is how the fourth week of Iran uprising started. The wheels of one more families forever farewell. Another young life taken too soon. One of several lives lost in a day of rage, a day of carnage in Iran's Kurdish region.
These are the images the regime doesn't want the world to see. They cut off the internet in Sanandaj making it hard for us to tell the stories of the dead and those left to mourn.
The little video trickling out only a glimpse into the repressive Republic and its vicious force to crush the growing dissent. The savagery caught on camera in scenes like this in Tehran. And this, a man pleads with police to leave his wife alone.
We're not protesting. She's pregnant, he says, but to no avail. Both appear to have been forcibly dragged away. It is that tyranny that feeds the anger of those on the streets. Defiant and determined seemingly unstoppable, you're chasing the riot police.
At an all-women's university this weekend, President Ebrahim Raisi who's dismissed the thousands on the streets as rioters praise students for seeing through with key claims as the foreign conspiracy to weaken Iran. At that same university, an extraordinary moment of rebellion as young women chant, Raisi, get lost.
Unclear if this happened while he was there. What's clear is the wall of fear in Iran has come down. Even the regime's attempt to control the narrative also briefly disrupted. Hackers interrupted state TV Saturday evening newscast with this video. He targets superimposed on the face of the Supreme Leader. And at the bottom of the screen, the faces of Mahsa Jina Amini and three of the young women who've died in the protests, Nika Shakarami, Hadis Najafi and Sarina Esmailzadeh with a message that reads, join us and rise up.
The streets of Tehran were already wising up that night with some of the largest protests in the capital so far, seems replicated across the country as the government claims calm has been restored, and the so-called riots are mostly over.
Day time brought more students back out in force, protesting on campuses across the country. And young school girls waving their forced headscarves joining in the daring chants. Their fearless cries for women, life, freedom, reverberating louder than ever through the streets of Iran.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Rescuers are searching for more than 50 people still unaccounted for after a deadly landslide in Venezuela. It happened in the northern part of the country after days of heavy rain. At least 35 people are dead, hundreds of homes have been destroyed.
Meanwhile, tropical storm Julia has left at least 13 people dead in Guatemala. Country's president is urging those who live near rivers to seek higher ground. The storm was battered much of Central America, left millions without power after hitting as a Category 1 hurricane over the weekend.
Julia also causing flooding in Honduras where the heavy rainfall turned streets into rivers. Storm was expected to drop almost 40 centimeters of rain parts of the region. Even though Julia has weakened, the flood threat could last at least a couple more days extending north into Mexico.
When we come back here, mystery solved. North Korea reveals what's behind that unprecedented number of missile tests this year. It's not about the actual missiles. Also, China sends a not too subtle message to Taiwan as the island celebrates National Day. And then later --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I want you got an ID (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my god.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: It's not really funny when they start throwing cans of beer at the stage. We'll have the comedians come back, you'll love it, in a moment.
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[01:21:30]
VAUSE: Volunteers in Thailand have been building funeral pyres to cremate the bodies of some of the victims of a massacre at a daycare center. By tradition, the bodies will be burned outside of Buddhist temple.
Last week, 36 people were killed most of them young children by a former police officer armed with a gun and a knife. Lastly killed his wife and stepson before taking his own life.
Taiwan celebrated National Day on Monday and China made no secret of its disapproval. Taiwan's Defense Ministry says Beijing sent dozens of military aircraft to the surrounding region, along with a number of naval ships. The Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed Taiwan has no right to exist as an independent island.
MAO NING, SPOKESPERSON, CHINESE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY (through translation): Taiwan is part of China, and Taiwan does not have a president, as it is not an independent state. The One China principle is the iron staff to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Adhering to the One China principle, the cross-strait ties will be able to improve and develop. Deviating from the principle, will lead to tension and turbulence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: But Taiwan actually does have a president who says there'll be no compromise when it comes to freedom and democracy. CNN's Selina Wang picks up the story.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Taiwan celebrated its National Day on Monday in a ceremony marking 111 years after the revolution that led to the collapse of China's last Imperial dynasty. There was music and festivities in Taipei. And this speech from Taiwan's President calling on mainland China to respect the island sovereignty.
TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWAN PRESIDENT (through translation): The broadest consensus among the Taiwanese people and our various political parties is that we must defend our national sovereignty and our free and democratic way of life. On this point, we have no room for compromise.
WANG: Beijing has already pushed back on that, reiterating that it sees Taiwan as, quote, an inseparable part of China's territory. Even though the Chinese Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan. The Communist Party sees Taiwan which is a democratically ruled island of 23 million people, CCP sees that as a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force if necessary.
Taiwan being a part of China is core to the Communist Party's DNA. Following the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August, China has stepped up military pressure tactics on the island. On Monday, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said 26 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels have been detected in the surrounding region.
This speech from Taiwan's President also comes just days before Beijing is set to start its party Congress, where Chinese Leader Xi Jinping is expected to be re anointed for an unprecedented third term. The big question is whether Xi Jinping will give more details about Beijing's plans to reunify with Taiwan at this party Congress. Analysts say, Taiwan will likely face increasing pressure from Beijing as Xi Jinping further consolidate his power.
Selina Wang, CNN, Hong Kong.
VAUSE: North Korea celebrating 77 years since the founding of the Ruling Workers Party. State media add images of apparently happy North Koreans offering flowers and paying tribute believe bronze statues of founder Kim Il-sung and his son late Kim Jong-il. The anniversary comes with a barrage of missile tests and military drills in recent weeks. Happy days there in North Korea.
[01:25:05] After North Korea announced they can strike South Korea anywhere, anytime with short range tactical nuclear weapons, new president of South Korea promised a robust response to counter the threat from the north and added this warning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOON SUK-YEOL, SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (through translation): North Korea is advancing its nuclear developments and threatening not only the Republic of Korea but the world. I believe it has nothing to gain from nuclear weapons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This year we've seen a record number of missile tests by Pyongyang. And as CNN's Brian Todd reports, we now know why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): North Korea's volatile dictator ramping up his aggressive behavior recently conducting at least seven missile tests in the past two weeks, including one which sent a missile directly over Japan. North Korean state media says Kim Jong-un, quote, personally guided this recent wave of tests. Why now?
BRUCE KLINGNER, FORMER CIA ANALYST ON NORTH KOREA: What it could be is to try to drive the U.S. back to the negotiating table in a more supplicant way. Maybe now, they're suggesting that even though they say they don't want any kind of dialogue, they'd be willing to accept offers from the United States.
TODD (voice-over): From the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, an aggressive response of their own to Kim's missile tests. The allies conducting joint military exercises, missile test launches, and in a move South Korean authorities called very unusual, the U.S. redeploying an aircraft carrier to the waters right off the Korean peninsula.
SUE TERRY, THE WOODROW WILSON CENTER: They did what they had to do, but they are not enough to deter North Korea. I think the latest missile test is just a precursor to what's -- what will come and there'll be seventh nuclear tests, possibly a test of a tactical nuclear weapon.
TODD (voice-over): A seventh North Korean underground nuclear bomb test, analysts say, is likely to come in the near future. Kim's regime hasn't conducted one in five years, but he now seems to have a new swagger. For at least one recent launch, he appeared in a white tunic with black slacks. At one point, he donned what looked like a khaki safari hat as he peered through mounted binoculars. At another event, the Supreme leader wore a brown field jacket as he tried to cover his ears.
KLINGNER: He's showing that he's bold and he's proud and he's involved in this and that the tactical nuclear weapons program is his.
TODD (voice-over): Following a thought in relations while Kim was courting former President Trump.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We fell in love.
TODD (voice-over): And following a low in testing during the COVID pandemic. Kim is back to the brazen hawkish behavior that made him a threat in the first place, but with some ominous recent twists. Earlier this year, Kim and his increasingly powerful younger sister Kim Yo-jong threatened to annihilate South Korea with pre-emptive nuclear strikes if they felt threatened. Kim Yo-jong calling South Korea's Defense Minister scum as she issued one threat last spring.
TERRY: Taking a page out of Putin's playbook, and North Korea has literally just came out with nuclear doctrine, where they have lowered the threshold for pre-emptive nuclear weapons use.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Senior administration officials recently told CNN a lack of hard intelligence inside North Korea is hampering the U.S.'s ability to detect Kim Jong-un's military intentions. Analysts say, the U.S. has often had decent intelligence when it came to detecting major military moves by North Korea. But that determining the regime's strategies, the calculus of Kim and his father and grandfather has always been difficult for U.S. intelligence.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
VAUSE: Still to come here on CNN, the U.S. President promises increased support for Ukraine as the Russia's wave of airstrikes. A report from the White House in a moment. Also, if Vladimir Putin hoped his war of choice would reassert Moscow's influence in the region, call it another war gold missed.
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[01:31:18]
VAUSE: Welcome back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expected to address the G-7 when the group holds an virtual meeting in the hours ahead. This will come one day after Russia unleashed an unprecedented number of missiles and airstrikes on Ukrainian cities far from the frontlines.
At least 14 people were killed, nearly and 100 wounded in the attacks that rocked several population centers, including Kyiv. Video from the capital recorded this explosion, knocking out a pedestrian bridge.
Russia's assault targeted civilian infrastructure and caused power outages. It came two days after damage to a bridge linking Crimea to Russia dealt a major blow to the Kremlin which is now promising more strikes.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. welcomed the assistance their country is getting from the U.S., as well as the other countries in the west. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OKSANA MARKAROVA, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: We are very grateful to President Biden and the American people for everything we have received before, but especially for this new pledge of the air defense.
Clearly with 84 missiles and 24 drones, that Russia spent (ph) on Ukraine from Belarus, from Caspian Sea, from Russia, and from temporarily occupied Crimea today, is a sign that we do need air defense as much as possible. Everything that we can get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And President Joe Biden says Russian missile strikes will only strengthen U.S. commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
CNN's M.J. Lee has more now, reporting in from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
M.J. LEE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House has, of course, been closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine, and the fresh attacks from Russia across the country.
And on Monday, President Biden once again speaking on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And one thing that stood out from both readouts of that phone call from both sides is the acknowledgment of the importance of air defense systems.
The White House readout saying that President Biden pledged to continue providing Ukraine with advanced air defense systems. Where as President Zelenskyy said in a tweet that air defense is currently the number one priority in our defense cooperation.
So, we will see whether there are going to be any new announcements from the U.S. side on additional defense system capabilities that the U.S. might be willing to provide to Ukraine, as these attacks from Russia escalate.
The president has also been clear in casting these new attacks as demonstrating what he said in a statement as utter brutality of Mr. Putin's illegal war on the Ukrainian people.
So, this is a war, of course, that began back in February. The U.S. has, of course, already committed some billions and billions of dollars to help Ukraine. So we'll will see whether the attacks of the last 24 hours will in any way shape the U.S. calculus on the ongoing security assistance that it is willing to provide to Ukraine.
M.J. Lee, CNN -- the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Ukraine's foreign minister says that a sweeping two front counteroffensive will continue, despite Russian airstrikes far from the frontline.
Dmytro Kuleba spoke with CNN's chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour. He explains how the latest assaults hit close to home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DMYTRO KULEBA, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: My kids were literally 800 meters away from the bridge when the Russian missile hit it in the downtown Kyiv. I know the woman who was killed by a Russian missile at the crossroad leaving a child, her child was orphaned because her husband had been killed six months ago.
[01:34:49]
KULEBA: So these are the stories. This is what happened. Death of civilians, threat to civilians, and massive, massive destruction of energy infrastructure across the country to make the life of civilians as difficult as it can be.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: You keep saying civilians, which I assume is deliberate, obviously, they are targets and they are killed and wounded. But is there any military infrastructure, or any other infrastructure? You've mentioned energy. Anything else that they targeted?
KULEBA: As of now, I am aware that the vast majority of targets were energy facilities. We still have some parts of Ukraine blacked out. I am not aware of any military facility that was targeted. It was only energy facilities and civilian houses, apartment buildings, or just crossroads in downtown Kyiv.
So there should be no doubt that the goal of this attack was to terrorize peaceful population and to make their life as difficult as possible.
And I'm pretty sure -- I'm confident, that this is the result of Putin's defeats on the battleground. When his army cannot beat Ukrainian army, he chooses to terrorize civilian in response as a revenge.
AMANPOUR: Others have suggested that President Putin is lashing out emotionally. There are lots of articles and blogs that are beginning to say that today. And that people are concerned, you know, there are mounting concerns about what he might keep doing, and how he might keep escalating.
Do you agree that there is an escalatory ladder underway right now? And will what happened around your country today cause you to rethink your offensives and your counter offensive to liberate the territories that have been occupied and seized?
KULEBA: No way, nothing. Whatever he does, whatever he does, we will continue to liberate our territory. I want you to understand a very simple thing. This is the war for the existence of Ukraine. This is the war for the existence of international law and rule-based order.
So, he may escalate, he may do whatever he wants. But we are going to continue fighting. And we will win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Russian president -- excuse me -- Russian President Vladimir Putin faces pressure to end the war that continues to increase with India among the latest to express concern over the escalating violence in the wake of that Russian missile strike.
New Delhi is a big buyer of Russian military hardware and a White House official discussed the pressure now piling on to Vladimir Putin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KIRBY, COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: He is clearly under a lot more pressure domestically, and quite frankly, overseas. I mean just a few weeks ago, the Chinese leader and the Indian leader actually publicly criticize what he is doing inside Ukraine. He had not heard that particularly from President Xi before. And here at home -- or at his home in Russia, he's got increasing numbers of protests about this mobilization and his annexation plans.
You have elected officials inside Russia -- elected officials that are publicly speaking out against Vladimir Putin. It is clear that Mr. Putin understands well, and this was a question you might remember a couple of months ago, that he understands well that he is not doing well on the battlefield.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That is an understatement. So far, the Kremlin has only achieved one stated strategic objective since the war began. The list of failures keeps growing.
CNN's Ivan Watson live for us this hour in Hong Kong with more on that, Ivan.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, John. It's not just international criticism from the west about Russia's conduct of its war in Ukraine.
I think we also need to look at what some call Russia's backyard, the former Soviet republics that many of whom have mutual defense treaties with Russia, are supposed to be very close security allies of Russia. And yet, are staying completely silent and distant from its war effort against Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: On his 70th birthday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the leaders of other former Soviet republics, and he called for the resolution of conflicts that erupt in the region.
Of course, Putin is directly responsible for launching the biggest war in recent history in this part of the world. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was aimed at reasserting Moscow's control over part of the former Soviet Union. Instead, this increasingly disastrous war has weakened Russia's influence across the region, including here in Central Asia.
[01:39:49]
KADYR TOKTOGUILOV, FORMER KYRGYZSTAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Unless something changes dramatically, and Russia rebounds, we will see Russia's role certainly diminishing in Central Asia, for sure.
WATSON: Kadyr Toktoguilov is a former ambassador to Washington from Kyrgyzstan, a small former Soviet republic with close economic and security ties to Moscow.
TOKTOGUILOV: To see, you know, this kind of attack by Russia against Ukraine was certainly disorienting because it sort of showed the things, the terrible things, that Russia is capable of.
WATSON: Of the leaders of the former Soviet republics, only Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus has publicly supported Russia's war in Ukraine. Russia conducts joint military exercises with its other four mutual defense treaty allies.
But when it comes to the Ukraine war, they have all stayed publicly neutral. And that includes Kazakhstan. In January, the authorities here use deadly force to crush a violent uprising that left dozens dead. Moscow answered an urgent call for help from the Kazakh government, leading a deployment of troops here on a brief peacekeeping missing.
You can still see burn marks on some buildings after the violence last January. Russia came to the Kazakh government's to help in its time of need. But the Kazakh president has made it clear he will not be getting involved in Moscow's war on Ukraine.
As Russia's military faces more and more setbacks in Ukraine, tensions have exploded in other areas long seen as Russia's backyard. Deadly fighting raged across the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in September.
Meanwhile, hundreds died in separate cross border clashes last month between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Moscow refused a call for military assistance from its treaty ally Armenia. And now the Armenian government is working with the European Union to negotiate a settlement.
Moscow is on the back foot due to its destructive war of choice. And that is leaving a growing power vacuum across the former Soviet Union.
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WATSON: Now John, Kyrgyzstan was supposed to be hosting joint exercises from this collective security treaty organization as we speak, this week.
The exercises were called Indestructible Brotherhood, but, that brotherhood seems to be failing. Kyrgyzstan canceled those exercises at the last minute in protest for this violence across the border that erupted in September.
So if you look at the six countries that are members of this, relations are not going well. And the mutual assistance treaties do not seem to be used in effect right now. This is on top of the sheer discomfort at seeing Russia justify its war in Ukraine, with Moscow arguing that it was coming to the defense of Russian speakers -- ethnic Russians in Ukraine.
Well, there are large ethnic Russian populations in Kazakhstan and in Kyrgyzstan, so that kind of justification is perceived very much as a threat to these other former Soviet republics that are very much seen as being in Russia's backyard.
A final element here is that none of these countries want to face the sanctions that Russia is currently facing from the west. So that is another reason why they keep their neutrality in this ongoing disastrous war that is being conducted by Russia in Ukraine, John.
VAUSE: Well, Indestructible Brotherhood only lasts for so long, I guess. Ivan Watson, live for us in Hong Kong. Thanks for the report.
The president of the United Arab Emirates is reportedly traveling to Russia expected to meet with Vladimir Putin in the coming hours. A meeting which comes less than a week after the OPEC+ cartel announced a reduction of 2 million barrels a day in production, to boost the price of crude. A huge win to for Russia, a blow to Ukraine and a snub to the U.S.
Still to come, family in France demanding justice for the victims of a deadly Air France plane crash in 2009. Details on the long awaited trial when we come back.
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VAUSE: Concerns over increasing fuel shortages has triggered long lines at gas stations in France. Workers at oil refineries and storage sites are on strike, demanding a 10 percent wage increase to compensate for skyrocketing inflation.
The strike has taken more than 60 percent of France's oil refining capacity off line, resulting in many gas stations running dry.
This Halloween could be terrifying for investors in Britain, with the finance minister set to announce a new budget plan to be released October 31st, three weeks ahead of schedule. The plan is expected to reveal how the government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, who paid for almost $50 billion dollars of unfunded tax cuts. It will come out few days before the Bank of England's next interest rate decision. (INAUDIBLE) are hoping for clarity after the previous budget plan torpedoed the markets.
It prompted the Bank of England to take emergency action, purchasing tens of billions of dollars of government debt to avoid a total meltdown.
In France, the trial began on Monday for Air France and Airbus charged with involuntary manslaughter after a deadly 2009 plane crash.
Relatives of the victims are demanding justice, and many are upset the maximum fine the companies could face if actually convicted around $220,000.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has details now, reporting in from Paris.
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JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 13 years after a crash that killed 228 people, two giants of French aviation, Airbus and Air France are back in court charged with involuntary manslaughter.
They already were put under judicial investigation in 2011, but the charges were dismissed in 2019. Now though, the family and friends of those who died on Air France flight for 47 traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris pressured prosecutors to take up the case once again. In order, they hope, to put the blame on the two companies, rather than the two pilots who are now dead.
After years of ocean searches and analysis of the flight recorders, the BEA, the French agency which investigates air crashes concluded the accident occurred because of an air speed sensor failure that had occurred on the same type of aircraft before. And because the pilots incorrectly handled the situation which evolved.
The plaintiffs of the case maintain that the sensor problem should have been corrected, and that the pilot should have been trained how to handle such circumstances.
The vice president of an association which represents the families of the victims and who lost his brother in the crash said that this is the first time that the families will be able to confront the two companies directly.
PHILLIPE LINGUET, VICE PRESIDENT, VICTIMS' ASSOCIATION: I will say to them that they need to have some empathy with or to us. They need to understand our feeling, when we lose 228 passengers. they are stealing hearts. We need them to meet us. And we will never forget them.
BITTERMANN: Airbus and Air France deny any responsibility for the crash, and says the charges against them should be dropped. With nearly 500 interested parties taking part in the trial, it is expected to last until early December.
Jim Bittermann, CNN -- Paris.
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VAUSE: Still to come, which genius though an intelligence car which intervenes and stop the driver from speeding was a good idea. I have no idea. But we will try and find out in a moment. Also ahead, no laughing matter. An irate heckler throws a beer can at
a comedian in the United States. Hear how the comedian reacts when we return.
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VAUSE: Ok, well, thousands of road tests each year from unsafe driving has prompted some companies to develop new technology that could help keep you safe but actually control the speed of the vehicle. Some users say the privacy of drivers is now at risk.
CNN's Pete Muntean has more.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here we go.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In this electric car, a lead foot can only get you so far. It's equipped with Intelligent Speed Assistance. That means the car knows the speed limit here is 20 miles per hour, and it won't let you go above it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I'm pressing the pedal, but you can see actually the numbers going down.
MUNTEAN: Driving me is New York City Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi. The city is the first in the U.S. to try speed limiter technology in 50 of its fleet vehicles.
MEERA JOSHI, NEW YORK CITY DEPUTY MAYOR: We need to be at the forefront. There is no reason today, with so much technology and so much awareness, that anybody should die at the hands of an automobile.
MUNTEAN: Federal data shows more than 20,000 deaths on our roads in the first half of this year. It is one reason why in its latest safety recommendation the National Transportation Safety Board is calling on the federal government to start incentivizing carmakers to put speed limit or systems in new cars.
JOSHI: We have to remember these are not just numbers. These are people who have lost their lives.
MUNTEAN: New York's speed limit or program works through something called telematics -- stored data on local speed limits is cross reference with the car's GPS position. Software in new York's cars give the driver an alarm -- or simply just cuts off the accelerator when you reach the speed limit.
JOSHI: It's called a dead pedal.
MUNTEAN: This system does have an override. If you press this button, you can accelerate beyond the speed limit for 15 seconds, in case you need to merge or speed up to meet the flow of traffic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody is in the fast lane driving too slow, then to me, that causes more accidents than driving faster.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels kind of intrusive and invasive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think from a regulatory standpoint, I think it might be overstepping some bounds.
KARL BRAUER, INDUSTRY EXPERT: I think the average consumer is going to see this as an overreach by the government.
MUNTEAN: Industry expert Karl Brauer says it would be up to carmakers to accelerate safety without putting the brakes on sales.
BRAUER: I think a move like this is certainly a sign of the future. It's a preview of coming attractions. And probably an unavoidable one.
MUNTEAN: A change cannot come soon enough for Juan Toledo.
JUAN TOLEDO: I really hope they take it serious and that people make the changes.
MUNTEAN: His wife and kids were killed by an oncoming speeding drunk driver, a crash that served as inspiration for the NTSB, calling for speed limiter systems.
TOLEDO: It's going to save lives. It's going to prevent more accidents from happening, and less families having to go through what I'm going through.
[01:54:53]
MUNTEAN: Clearly a lot of opinions about this, and a lot of action would need to be taken before you start seeing this more widespread.
New York City wants federal money to expand its trial. And the NTSB wants federal action to make it so that this is required in new cars.
Remember, just a recommendation right now from the National Transportation Safety Board. There is a requirement for this system going into place in Europe. That starts next summer, July 2023.
Pete Muntean, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Attention K-Mart shoppers, actually all shoppers, online discounts are expected hit record levels this holiday shopping season in the United States. Nearly a third of the merchandise will be discounted, including computers, electronics, and toys according to a forecast by Adobe Analytics.
Soaring inflation in excess of inventories has for some repairs to offer the price cuts. Amazon is among those joining in, touting its big sales, slated to start in the coming hours. Get ready.
Ok, heckling a stand up comedian is one thing, throwing a beer can is something else altogether different. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't care, I want to go tonight's tea. Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on, girl, you can't do that.
(EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm never coming back.
(EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ever again.
(INAUDIBLE) Straight up --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Might just have been the perfect come back there are we are alive, to chug what was left of the beer can. All of this has happened over so many are which started in the past, over what president they voted for. (INAUDIBLE) told Newsweek that the woman's partner threw the beer can after the comic made her the butt of a joke.
She described the moment with CNN's Kate Baldwin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIEL ELIAS, COMEDIAN: I could not believe what happened. And then as soon as I picked it up, I realize that there was still liquid in it. I was just like, well, I have to drink this. I have to chug this.
Anytime there's a weird interruption in standup, it's always like, well, how to recover from this? How do I not dig a hole for the next comedian that he has to climb out of. And like, I don't know, how do we make this fun?
KATE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: You've said that the club has asked you back and booked you again for April. How do you feel about going back?
ELIAS: I feel like I should have asked for more money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Good call. The company club also pressing charges against the guy who threw the can of beer, good one.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
CNN NEWSROOM continues with my colleague and friend from Australia Lynda Kinkade. See you right back here tomorrow.
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