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Drone Strike Rocks Kyiv; NATO and Russia Hold Nuclear Exercises; Russia Launches Probe into Attack; China's Leader to Secure Third Term; Suspect Caught in Stockton Murders; Casey Jordan is Interviewed about the Stockton Case; Buttigieg Most Requested Surrogate for Campaigns. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired October 17, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:29]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. I'm Bianna Golodryga.

We are following several developing stories for you this morning.

First, if Ukraine, another brutal wave of Russian attacks across Kyiv. Explosions heard across the capital as civilians urged to shelters as Russia launched a barrage of kamikaze drone attacks on Monday. At least three people were killed in the strikes, including a pregnant woman. Those attacks part of a wider assault involving drones and cruise missiles that Ukrainian officials said once again targeted critical infrastructure, cutting power in some areas.

And in China, Xi Jinping heads into an unprecedented third term as the leader of the ruling community party. In his address, Xi bluntly threatened to seize control of Taiwan by force if necessary. That line receiving the biggest applause of Xi's two-hour speech.

We'll have more on that speech in just a moment. But, first, let's begin with the latest wave of attacks on Kyiv. Our reports are standing by.

Let's begin with CNN's Clarissa Ward, is in Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv.

And, Clarissa, I want to talk more about these attacks, but first I want our viewers to take a look at what you actually saw firsthand this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is quite clearly a residential building. We have already seen one body being removed from here. We also saw another elderly woman being rescued from the rubble, actually from one of -- the balcony on the neighboring building.

And we just spoke with the head of the ambulance services who says they don't know for sure but they do believe it's likely that there are other people still trapped inside that building. Earlier on there had been reports of voices being heard from underneath the rubble.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Just once again indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Clarissa, are we learning more about the fate of those people who were trapped there?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So we are. And, unfortunately, Bianna, it's not good news. Ukrainian authorities now saying at least four people were killed in that attack that hit that residential building. Among the dead, an elderly woman, but also a young couple. The wife apparently six months pregnant. Emergency services were able to rescue at least 19 people, and those efforts have been ongoing. Some of those rescue workers themselves have ended up in the hospital.

But we spoke to the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, who said that this is clearly an attack on civilians and civilians' way of life and on civilian infrastructure because that area, Bianna, is an area that has been hit quite hard both today, with these kamikaze drone strike attacks, but also last week when there was that barrage of missiles that slammed into Kyiv last Monday. The apparent target, a power plant right around there. A lot of buildings in the area appear to have been damaged. It's not clear yet whether there has been any significant damage to the power plant itself.

But the clear goal here for the Russians is to try to destroy crucial civilian infrastructure, like power plants, like heating plants, like electricity plants, as we go into the winter and temperatures begin to plunge. The mayor saying to us, however, that rather than being cowed, the people of Kyiv are not panicking, they're just more angry and resolved to fight, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, it stood out to me that Mayor Klitschko said to you, quote, Putin needs Ukraine without Ukrainians, and that's why he's thus targeting civilians again.

Clarissa, Iran, we heard, is denying supplying Russia with weapons despite those drones being thought to be Iranian. And Vladimir Putin just being in Iran and visiting there a few weeks ago. What more can you tell us about this?

WARD: So, we have now heard from Iranian authorities. They're categorically denying supplying any weaponry to the Russians. But, you know, we know that these are these Shahed drones. They are Iranian- made drones.

We have heard from Ukraine's foreign minister today who has called for sanctions against Iran for supplying these weapons because they are, absolutely, Bianna, having a devastating effect because they fly so low, because it is much more difficult for air defense systems to intercept them.

[09:05:14] And this is why you're seeing also this renewed call from Ukraine's leaders to the international community to supply more sophisticated and more substantive air defense because the arrival of the Shahed drone in the battle space, which has been roughly a month, but today, for the first meaningful way, here in Kyiv, does seem to portend a new, grim chapter in this war, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, you mentioned the Ukrainian call for sanctions against Iran. EU officials are meeting just today to discuss this very topic. We will follow that development for you.

Clarissa Ward, thank you.

Well, as Russia's escalation continues, both Russia and NATO are set to hold separate long-planned exercises of nuclear forces.

CNN's Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon.

So, Barbara, what should we expect when it comes to these nuclear forces exercises and is there any intel at all that Russia's movements will be anything but routine given the state of war today?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the big concern at the Pentagon, of course, what Russia may actually do and how much the U.S. will be able to anticipate and gather the intelligence about it.

But, first up, today actually, NATO, 14 nations, including the U.S., kicking off their annual nuclear exercise. It's called Steadfast Noon. They will fly about 60 aircraft throughout Europe. They will stay 600 miles from the Russian border, a clear signal that this is simply a training exercise. No live munitions on board. The idea is, including B-52s from the U.S., you fly these aircraft that are the nuclear deterrent aircraft. If it comes to that and you make sure everything works properly. This is an exercise that NATO and the U.S. have been conducting for many years.

But, at the same time, while that starts today and goes for several days, the Russians, this month, and there's only a few days left, are expecting to kick off their annual exercise, roughly translated from the Russian to be called "thunder." And it is the one that the U.S. will be watching so carefully to see if the Russians actually do move nuclear weapons around within their training scenario.

The expectation is that the U.S. will be able to see any movement, will be able to see if any of it is other than routine. The Russians are expected to conduct missile launches and other exercising of their strategic assets, essentially they're nuclear capable forces. So, this is something between now and the end of the month, all eyes will be on this. You know, the U.S. watches the Russian nuclear arsenal every single day, but right now, with this exercise on, extra vigilance to see what they're up to.

Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, there really is no room for any sort of miscalculation during these exercises as well.

Barbara Starr, thank you.

Well, the Russia investigative committee says it's launched a criminal case into Saturday's mass shooting at a training ground in the western Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine. Russian state TV says 11 were killed and 15 others wounded when two gunman opened fire on Russian military recruits.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins me now from Dnipro, Ukraine.

So, Fred, what's the latest that we're hearing about this attack, and did it come from a neighboring country to Tajikistan (ph).

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they say that the (INAUDIBLE) behind all this came from a former Soviet state, most probably Tajikistan, but it certainly is something that has shaken that entire region of Belgorod. It certainly seems to have shaken the Russian government as well.

In fact, just a couple of minutes, Bianna, before we went to air, we learned that the authorities there in Belgorod have now decided to start the holidays there earlier in that region to protect the children of that area after that incident took place. It's still completely unclear why these two people did that. What exactly was behind all of that. You were just mentioning that the investigative committee obviously right now at work there for the Russians. But it certainly also shows that the mobilization that the Russians are conducting is very difficult.

And, you know, Belgorod, that region there, is one of the main military hubs for the Russians. The Russians have a lot of their gear stationed there. They have a lot of their gear that they actually use for the offensive on the northeast of Ukraine, it came from Belgorod as well. It's a highly militarized town and it's also a town where much of the people are being trained who are part of that mobilization and who are now being mobilized.

And, of course, one of the things that we've been talking about so much over the past couple of weeks is the many Russians who have been fleeing the country because that mobilization is going on, because they don't want to be mobilized. And it certainly shows that the Russians are having big trouble getting that mobilization off the ground, finding enough people willing to do that, and that the mobilization process itself is certainly very difficult.

Vladimir Putin announced this weekend that now he says that this mobilization will be over soon.

[09:10:05]

He said that in about two weeks it will be over because the Russians have already mobilized around 200,000 people. Probably a little more than that. But they certainly are having big difficulties and especially that region there, Belgorod, is one of the few regions in Russia, Bianna, that is really feeling the impact of the war. There have been some strikes from the Ukrainians on territory around Belgorod on some military instillations, but also some fuel and oil installations there as well.

So, the folks in that town certainly extremely concerned about the way that the war is going in Ukraine. Certainly feeling the impact as the Ukrainians strike back there, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and complaining about the lack of training for so many of the conscripts as well before they go out to the front lines.

Fred Pleitgen, thank you.

Well, right now, Chinese Leader Xi Jinping is attempting to secure an unprecedented third term, striking a nationalistic and confident tone as China's communist party gathers to choose a new - new leaders.

CNN's Selina Wang joins me now from Hong Kong.

Selina, it's no question who their prime leader will be and the top leader, obviously, in an unprecedented third term, will be President Xi Jinping. What was he laying out for the vision for the country's future.

SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, that two- hour speech was essentially a globing report card about how Xi's decade in power has helped China score these historic victories. And Xi's vision really boils down to this simple message, make China great again. To restore China's rightful place in what Xi Jinping thinks is its rightful place in the world. And his view is that the only way for China to get there is to increase communist party control in every part of Chinese society.

And in foreign policy, while he didn't mention any other country's by name, he did make my hints to the threats from the United States. He talked about how China opposes the bullying and the hegemony from other countries.

And on Taiwan, Xi Jinping said that while China aims to peacefully reunify with this self-ruled democratic island, he said China promises to never rule out the use of force. And, Bianna, in that moment, that is when you saw the greatest and loudest applause from the more than 2,000 communist party delegates in that room. What that reflects is this growing confidence and aggression in nationalism in China. And every time the U.S. tries to take China on, now, whether it's in trade technology or human rights, it plays into this view in China that it's under siege from western powers that are trying to contain China.

So, that's why we should expect to see in the third term increasing tensions between the U.S. and China as China increasingly believes it doesn't need to play by American led international rules.

On zero Covid, Xi Jinping also promised to double down on that strategy by saying that zero Covid is what has put Chinese lives above all else, despite the growing frustration in China that cities are still being locked down over just a handful of Covid cases. But what we're really witnessing here this week is Xi Jinping ripping

up the playbook set by other modern Chinese rulers, setting himself up to be ruler for life, going from collective rule to strongman rule. So, increasingly, the fate of 1.4 billion people in China and their relationship with the world, well, it hinges on the mind of one man.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, breaking precedent and not announcing a successor like his predecessors have in the past.

Selina Wang, thank you.

And still to come --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF STANLEY MCFADDEN, STOCKTON POLICE DEPARTMENT He was on a mission to kill. He was out hunting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: He's suspected of stalking down his victims in dark areas without many cameras, alone and caught off guard. Why California authorities think they have the man connected to at least six murders since July, and how public tips led them there.

Plus, today, for the first time ever, hearing aids are now available over the counter. Why experts say this move is a game-changer.

And after being banned by Twitter and Instagram for anti-Semitic hate speech, this morning we're learning Kanye West plans to buy a social media platform of his own.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:18:14]

GOLODRYGA: Right now, thousands of people are being forced to evacuate their homes as a wildfire spreads rapidly in Washington state. Fueled by unseasonably hot temperatures, low humidity, and powerful winds, the Nakia Creek Fire has exploded from less than 200 acres to 2,000 acres in just a matter of hours. Officials say the fire is burning on extremely steep ground. It was just 5 percent contained as of last night. Nearly 3,000 homes are now under evacuation orders. Some 30,000 households are being told to prepare to leave if necessary. Of course, we'll continue to cover and follow this fire.

And other news, police say a suspected serial killer is off the streets of Stockton, California. Forty-three-year-old Wesley Brownlee was arrested early Saturday morning. He's accused of killing five men and wounding a woman. Investigators say, at the time of his arrest, he was, quote, out hunting and on a mission to kill.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF STANLEY MCFADDEN, STOCKTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: This is pattern work consistent with some of the patterns that we have seen where, you know, around parks, around dark places, stopping, looking around, moving again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Camila Bernal is live in Stockton.

So, Camila, what are we learning about what led up to this arrest and how did public tips help?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bianna, good morning.

So, police saying that there are two things that helped them get this arrest, the person they believe is responsible for these killings. The first being those tips, the help from the community, and the second, in the words of the police chief, just good old-fashioned police work. They say once they got all these tips, they reviewed them and then they zeroed in on one possible suspect. Once they had that suspect, they started studying him, watching him. They knew where he lived. They followed him around and tried to find those patterns.

[09:20:04]

You heard the police chief there saying they indeed found those patterns. He was going out either early in the morning or late at night, checking out areas that were dark or that he was in parks. He would drive around, look around, stop and then continue. And that's why in part the police chief is saying that he was, quote, on a mission to hunt or on a mission to kill and now hunting, and that's why they said they made this arrest and prevented another possible attack.

Of course, the local authorities here just thankful to the public for coming out, for help. And here is what the San Joaquin County District Attorney had to say about that public help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TORI VERBER SALAZAR, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY: This crime was solved because we're Stocktonians. Because you don't come to our house and bring this kind of reign of terror and not mobilize 350,000 people, 780,000 in this whole entire county mobilized, mobilized and captured this individual whose reign of terror is no longer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And he was wearing all black. He had a mask around his neck. He had a gun when he was arrested. According to police, he also has a criminal record. We're waiting to hear more about the record and about the charges that he will be facing. That's expected tomorrow when he goes to court for the first time.

At the moment, we're not clear if he has an attorney. We're hoping to find that out tomorrow. And in terms of motive, police also saying they just don't have that motive yet. So that's a question still out there for authorities.

Bianna. GOLODRYGA: Camila Bernal, thank you.

Let me bring in criminologist, behavioral analyst and attorney Casey Jordan.

So, Casey, that community is very fortunate I guess with the collaborate work of those locals who were bringing in tips and police officials who were following this suspect.

From what you've covered and seen thus far, does he fit the profile of a serial killer?

CASEY JORDAN, CRIMINOLOGIST: Well, it doesn't even matter if he fits the profile, but he does. Again, it's ballistics which linked all of these crimes and it's public tips that took us to this suspect.

But when you look at somebody who is, as the place describe it, on the hunt, on a mission to kill, that definitely fits a profile of what we would call a heat in a stick thrill killer. And we don't know enough. We don't know whether the thrill or the high that he may have gotten, assuming we have the culprit, came from the hunt or from actually dispatching homeless people, because more than half of them were homeless. Five of the six, I believe, were Hispanic men. We don't know enough to know if these people were targeted because of who they were, or were simply a vulnerable population, wrong place, wrong time, easy targets for him.

But the behaviors they're describing, the stalking, the predators, the wearing of the mask, the waring of the black, the driving around looking, that would definitely fit somebody who thinks that he's almost a pseudo commando. He's in it for the thrill of the hunt.

GOLODRYGA: What do you make of the timeline, that there was a 15-month gap between the first two murders and then the subsequent ones?

JORDAN: Yes, that is actually fascinating because we have two last year in April and then we have a 448-day gap before we see a very typical pattern of several shootings about 30 days on average in between. That is textbook to a tee.

But that big gap would suggest a few different things. Was he incarcerated for those 400 days? Was he in a relationship that maybe satisfied whatever was agitating him in his life that made him want to go out and hunt people? Did he have a good job? Was he out of town? There is obviously conjecture that if he was not living in Stockton for those 400 days, he may have been in an entirely different location and shooting people elsewhere. So, you can be sure police are going to look at all of these possibilities, all of these options and use ballistics to try to figure out if he could be responsible for killings elsewhere.

We know they're looking at Chicago. They don't think he's responsible for those. But they are going to do a nationwide analysis to see if there are unsolved crimes, shootings, that might be linked to this man.

GOLODRYGA: Well, thankfully, they caught what appears to be the suspect and hopefully prevented more senseless murders.

Casey Jordan, thank you for your time.

Well, still ahead, Democratic campaigns look for the Biden secretary who can help keep their momentum at full speed. Why Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the most in demand administration official currently on the trail. That's up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:29:25]

GOLODRYGA: This morning, sources tell CNN that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the most requested Democratic surrogate on the campaign trail, fielding even more requests that Vice President Kamala Harris.

CNN's senior reporter Isaac Dovere is following all of this for us.

Interesting, Isaac. So, what's behind the massive push now for Buttigieg?

ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, look, Democrats are looking for ways that they can connect with some of the popular elements of the Biden agenda, but also acknowledging that the president, despite an uptick in the polls, is not that popular and Vice President Kamala Harris, sort of being dragged down in the polls in part by President Biden. And Buttigieg is that kind of fresh face that they can look to maybe as well as being a little bit of a political celebrity.

[09:30:06]

And for Democrats who are looking for anything that they can do to help