Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Former State Journalist Speaks Out on Russia's Propaganda; U.K. Warns Former British Pilots over Chinese Recruitment; Blinken: China on a Much Faster Timeline to Take Taiwan; Study Links Hair- Straightening Chemicals to Cancer; Gamma Ray Burst Creates a Once in a Lifetime Event. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired October 19, 2022 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:00:29]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: This is CNN Newsroom, in the hour ahead. Putin's plan to maximize misery. Rolling nationwide blackouts says Ukraine. Russian airstrikes target the power grid in Ukraine part of Putin's plan to break the back of Ukrainian resistance. Was it a protest or a wardrobe malfunction. The Iranian rock climber who competed silence her job has spoken out as she arrives home.
And possibly the most powerful galactic explosion ever recorded, what it is and why we won't see anything like this for decades to come.
On day 238 of the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is expanding efforts to drive Ukrainians into the cold and into the dark. Just over a week, unrelenting Russian aerial attacks have destroyed a third of Ukraine's power stations, leaving millions in the dark, water supplies have also been cut and apparent attempt to weigh down the resilience of the Ukrainian people.
And the chief of Military Intelligence in Ukraine said Tuesday the fighting will continue into next year into until June or July, Major General Kyrylo Budanov predicted not only victory for Ukraine, but I think this, Russia's loss is inevitable it cannot be stopped, it will lead to destruction. The general also talks of major victories and significant progress towards his end. But before there's a victory, Ukraine has to first survive this coming winter. Rain, snow, mud will add another layer of complexity on the battlefield and misery for millions of Ukrainians left without electricity to heat their homes. As temperatures plunge below freezing.
The U.N. is warning of a brutal potentially deadly winter ahead, especially in regions left badly damaged after months of heavy fighting. U.N. says aid workers are trying to reach those in help in need for the safe, dignified and a warm place to be over the winter months.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENISE BROWN, U.N. PRESIDENT & HUMANITARIAN FOR UKRAINE: This is about utter devastation, loss of life and total loss of livelihoods in the areas directly impacted by the war. And we have, and this time absolutely convinced a high risk of mortality during the winter months with families and communities who have been left with absolutely nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: U.N. noted damage to Ukraine's power grid cannot be fixed by the humanitarian community. Tuesday, the Russian defense ministry announced airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, especially power generation will continue now to second week. And in recent days, Russia has increasingly used Iranian made drones small, cheap and deadly. All part of a deliberate strategy by Russia, which the Ukrainian president says has caused massive rolling blackouts across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): Electricity consumption needs to be very thoughtful and it's used by power hungry appliances should be limited during peak hours. The more mindful we'll be our electricity consumption from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. the more stable will be our electric power system.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports out on the Russian aerosol, which is causing major damage to Ukraine's power structure faster than it can be repaired.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Russia hitting Ukraine's infrastructure with massive strikes across the country. Power plants in several regions targeted by both kamikaze drones and cruise missiles. This video purports to show Ukraine taking down one of them, but some hitting civilian areas like this residential building in the southern town, Mykolaiv.
KSENIA HORPYNYCH, MYKOLAIV RESIDENT (through translator): We woke up at 1:45 a.m. because of a very loud explosion, so it's impossible to describe it. There was so much dust.
PLEITGEN: The Ukrainian say 30% of their energy infrastructure has already been destroyed by Moscow's blitz, key installations like this power plant in the city Dnipro hit by multiple missiles. Ukraine's air defense is sometimes also overwhelmed by swarms of cheap kamikaze drones.
ZELENSKYY: The world can and must stop this terror. When we talk about Ukraine's need for air and missile defense systems, we talk about real lives taken by terrorists.
PLEITGEN: Kyiv believes Moscow is resorting to drone strikes because its forces are running out of precision cruise missiles. Stocks have some weapons already critically low Ukraine's military intelligence claims, but Russia's army is showing no signs of letting up.
[01:05:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): During the last 24 hours, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to deploy long range high precision weapons both air and sea based on Ukraine's military command sites and energy infrastructure.
PLEITGEN: Russia continues to face major problems with its mobilization effort, while many Russian regions claim they fulfilled their recruitment targets. Some recruits complain they're not getting adequately compensated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): But why when we care about the motherland, he does not care about us at all. The question is, when will it be done? We will go there now. And our relatives who have been staying at home for a whole month without any provisions, they are struggling in a month, they will be homeless.
PLEITGEN: Ukrainian officials believe despite Russia strikes its forces will prevail on the battlefield. The senior intelligence leader saying Russia's defeat is inevitable. Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Live to Ukraine's capital Kyiv now into the second week of your constant aerial attack. And Peter Zalmayev, the Director of the Eurasian democracy initiative. And Peter, thank you for using whatever power supplies you have right now to be with us. We appreciate it.
PETER ZALMAYEV, DIRECTOR OF THE EURASIA DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE: Yes, indeed, it's been quite lucky. All the Ukraine, we've had these waves of successive waves of power disconnections in our in various parts of Kyiv periodically lose power in order to conserve power. So far, I've been like having, you know, had lose power. But, you know, overall, Ukrainians are growing quite adept at saving electricity, you know. And so, Zelenskyy has reported that we've been able to save as much as 30% power usage per day.
VAUSE: This is obviously part of Putin's campaign to make life as miserable as possible for Ukrainian. So, what has the last week been like? And what are conditions like there? Right now, you sit in Kyiv, there's been these rolling blackouts in parts of the city. What about beyond Kyiv? What are you hearing about how people are dealing with all of this?
ZALMAYEV: Folks, I asked this before the interview, but I keep hearing voices of your editors.
VAUSE: Right.
ZALMAYEV: And I just can't hear you. I can't hear your question. Because of this interrupt.
VAUSE: I understand. I'll ask you one more than, is that good? ZALMAYEV: Yes, sure.
VAUSE: So, this is all part of Putin's campaign to make life as miserable as possible, right, in Ukraine. So, what has life been like for you? And people that you know, and beyond the capital Kyiv, what's been -- how people responded to all of this?
ZALMAYEV: Well, you know, surprisingly or not, but you know, Ukrainians have grown in Kyiv. And Kyiv residents have grown quite adept at dealing with this situation. I'm just -- I'm sorry, I'm just going to try to break through because I still -- I'm still hearing voices here. But, you know, you create -- the city government has fixed roads almost immediately after their strikes, you know, in fact, the strike that happened two days ago, this happened, like, a couple of blocks away from me, you know, and that's already been cleared, the decrees have been cleared. So far, we have not seen the outflow of people that we saw during the initial strikes back in February and March. People are staying put largely, people know, they need to hunker down. They've been told that the war that's coming in is going to be long and hard and cold.
But, you know, the historical precedent, tells us that these air campaigns, these campaigns of terror, don't work. They didn't work during the London Blitz in 1940 and 1941, they didn't work against Russia itself. World War Two, they didn't work in Vietnam, during the carpet bombings that didn't work in the Balkans. There is no reason to suppose that it will work in Ukraine. This is just a wave of Vladimir Putin to throw a bone to his party of war to try to change the narrative of the war that he's using in Kharkiv, he's losing in here so on, and he's throwing something to them. Look, Ukrainians are suffering. Look, Ukrainians are bloody, we must be doing something.
VAUSE: Yeah, the military-- his military is hopeless on the battlefield. So, let's target some civilians. Is this a lesson for the West? Because what's happened in Ukraine is that Putin is weaponizing power, electricity. He's doing the same thing to Europe in a different way. But it's the same sort of thing, weaponizing energy suppliers. Is this a lesson for the West moving forward when it comes to doing anything with Russia? And they'll also have governments autocratic governments in many ways?
ZALMAYEV: It is indeed, John, a very well put question. It is indeed a lesson that the West America and Europe should have learned a while ago, you know, Europe instead of backing away from Russia, cutting off its energy relations with Russia annexed Crimea. Continue to do business as usual, General Chancellor Merkel despite, you know, being a good leader, and being kind of tough with Putin politically, never even considered that, you know, maybe we should think about restoring our nuclear power projects instead of shutting them down.
[01:10:24]
Maybe relying on Russian gas is a bit of a, you know, a situation where you're sort of cutting a branch on which you sit yourself, you know, it's setting yourself up, essentially. And that's what we've done. We've encouraged, you know, Putin, we've encouraged him to think that the West is weak. It's a pushover. And so, the situation now is actually has come full circle to most sanctions, biggest outcasts in the in the world, to most sanction countries, Iran and Russia have made common cause. Iran is supplying Russia with these drones that are killing us right now. President Zelenskyy has called it moral degeneracy, moral bankruptcy. This is, you know, this is what we're seeing right now.
So, the lesson has come a bit late in the game, but you know, we're learning. We're all learning. And I think the conclusions we will have drawn from it will be right.
VAUSE: And we'll finish on better late than never. Peter, sorry about the technical problems. Thank you for staying with us. We appreciate it.
ZALMAYEV: Thank you.
VAUSE: Take care. Stay safe.
Well, Iran, denies supplying Russia with weapons in particular those kamikaze drones like the ones used in Monday's attack on Kyiv which left at least five people dead. But sources say Tehran has sent military personnel to illegally annex Crimea to train Russian troops on how to use those drones. With Iran reportedly promising to increase weapons sales to Russia. Ukraine's Foreign Minister says he's recommended to the President that Kyiv should cut diplomatic ties with Tehran.
The Iranian drones have become one of the most effective weapons on the battlefield for Russia. CNN's Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward has an exclusive look at one of the drones which are wreaking havoc across Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At an undisclosed location, Ukrainian military intelligence officer Alexey (ph) takes us to see one of Russia's newest threats on the battlefield and Iranian made drone known as the Mohajer-6.
(On camera): It's big. (Inaudible).
(Voice-over): Used by the Russians for reconnaissance and bombing.
(On camera): Yeah, it was shot. I can see this is the hole from where you shot it down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, this is a hole from the rocket of Ukrainian forces. You can see 02, 2022.
WARD: So, this is the date when it was made?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We think that this is, plane was made in this year when the Russian began to fly these drones. We have new problems on the field, on the battlefield. WARD: In just the last eight days, more than 100 drones have been fired in Ukraine, mostly Shahed-136 kamikaze drone drones, smashing civilian infrastructure and terrorizing ordinary people. The Kremlin today said only Russian equipment with Russian numbers is used in its so-called special operation. But Alexey (ph) says there is no doubt where this drone comes from.
(On camera): Now, I don't see any writing in Farsi, in Iranian language. How do you know (foreign language)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We know that it is Iranian plane by two main things. The first thing we watched the exhibitions of the planes in the other countries. And some years ago, Iranian other companies showed this.
WARD: This exactly model?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This plane. And the second thing, why the (inaudible) this Iranian plane is we have one, only one writing by the hand.
WARD: Can you show me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
WARD: So that's Farsi?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think, yes.
WARD: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're right.
WARD: So, if I understand there -- you're saying that they tried to hide the fact that this was made in Iran?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
WARD: Ukraine has called for more sanctions against Iran for supplying the drones, but so far, sanctions have had little effect. The components are commercially available in a number of different countries from Japanese batteries to an Austrian engine and American processors. This is the Mohajer-6, now we're seeing these kamikaze drones, the Shahed-136. And you say there's a new generation of drone coming to, the Arash-2?
[01:15:04]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arash-2, yes. We worry very much from this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: And Iranian rock climber back in Tehran after competing without hijab in South Korea. Elnaz Rekabi has become a sensation among anti- government protesters, but she's now merged to tell Iranian state media that she accidentally competed without scarf. Iran (inaudible) willing to cover their hair in public with the hijab, including athletes who compete abroad. There is a growing concern that Rekabi could face repercussions from Iran's regime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SPOKESPERSON, U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE: What we have to stress is that women should never be prosecuted for what they wear. They should never be subjected to violations such as arbitrary detention or any kind of violence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Right now, to Anna Coren in Hong Kong. So, Anna, this is one of those sort of stories that there's growing concern about whether or not that statement was by Rekabi, whether it was sort of got out of her under coercion, because she disappeared for a day, now she's suddenly back in Tehran with the athletes. So, what's going on?
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, John, look, we simply don't know. What we do know, however, is that she received what appeared to be a hero's welcome upon her return to Tehran early this morning. She received flowers. She spoke to the media and we'll get to that a little bit later. But as you say, she was, you know, missing for days at least that was the concern, but by many who were following her story. They were concerned about her well-being. Certainly, her future and whether or not she would be arrested and sent to prison once she got back to Tehran.
Now, these are the facts. On Sunday, she competed in the Asian championships in Seoul. She was not wearing a hijab. Now, in 2016, she gave an interview to Euro News when she was asked about competing in a hijab. She said yes, it's hot. But we have come up with an outfit that respects the hijab, and allows us to compete. She was not wearing that hijab on Sunday. Under Iranian law, women, as we know, must wear the hijab, certainly they must wear it when representing Iran, out of the country. And as we've been reporting, you know, these protests in Iran have been going on now for more than a month following the death of that 22-year-old girl who had been arrested by the morality, police for an improper hijab.
Now, many believe that Rekabi was staging a protest in Seoul. The images of her went viral on social media. When she came out of the airport, she addressed the media, she spoke to the fact that she wasn't wearing a hijab because it was unintentional, that she was busy dealing with her equipment, and she had simply forgot. Let's have a listen to what she said, when a reporter asked her if she had faced any problems.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELNAZ REKABI, IRANIAN ROCK CLIMBER (through translator): No, I'm back to Iran in perfect health and peace of mind. Despite the overwhelming stress that I had. Thank God, nothing happened.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were some news that for 24 to 46 hours, nobody knew what happened to you. REKABI (through translator): No, nothing like that happened. Everything happened according to plan. We are back to Iran. And even now everything is according to plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Wish she could throw us into making that same engine. We simply don't know. She was there with her teammates and with other members of the team who obviously were watching her, you know, compete for a full day in Seoul.
Looking at the images of her there's one, you know, she does multiple climbs over the day on Sunday. She's wearing like a head covering. You can see her ponytail earlier in the day. Later in the day. She's just wearing a black headband. And that was the image that really went viral. What we do know, John, is that Iranian authorities have been rest arresting hundreds, if not 1000s of people in Iran over the past month in, you know, what has turned into a bloody crackdown.
VAUSE: Yeah, absolutely. Anna, we appreciate the update. Anna Coren there, live for us in Hong Kong. And CNN has looked at some of the Iranian protesters injured during that government crackdown, or avoiding medical treatment for fear of being arrested. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has the story and a warning, some of the images in her report are graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The repressive Republic is crushing dissent with brutality that knows no bounds. Kurdish cities like this one bearing the brunt of an unforgiving crackdown. That's left no play safe with security forces now hunting down the injured.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The injured don't go to hospitals because if they go there, plainclothes police will arrest them. Even in most pharmacies, they cannot go and get treated because they will be immediately identified and eventually lead to their arrest. For this reason, people are not being treated for their wounds.
[01:20:00]
KARADSHEH: This is the leg of a 14-year-old boy peppered with what appears to be Birdshot wounds. Protesters in his town no better than to go to the hospital. His story replicated over and over across the country. Doctors, protesters and a human rights group tell CNN hospitals have turned into a trap. Too dangerous for protesters. A doctor inside Iran who doesn't want to be identified for his safety spoke to us through the voice of a translator.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They mostly come under cover, but most of times they are recognizable by some sings. They come and ask about new patients, if they want to use force. We have to answer them. Most of the times we use fake names or fake calls for protesters to help them so that they would not be recognized by intelligence forces. KARADSHEH: Security services are tracking down on identifying people by the horrific injuries they're inflicting on protesters. And it's not just at hospitals, protesters say ambulances are being used to detain people. In this video, people attack an ambulance with security forces inside. The narrator says protesters are saving a girl, not knowing who they can trust. Desperate protesters are now turning to an Iranian American doctor in New York for critical medical advice over Instagram.
DR. KAYVAN MIRHADI, INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN: The pictures they would submit are, you know, as basic as you know, fractures and when they're running away from the police. Versus like brutal beatings. People have sent me skull fractures that they're trying to treat into their house. They multiple pellets throughout their body, a lot of them fear like, you know, spend the next 10 years of my life in prison or just kind of let this, you know, broken femur heals on its own.
KARADSHEH: Dr. K, as he's known is relying on a small underground network of doctors he trusts.
MIRHADI: A lot of this is happening. You know, in covert areas, you know, like hidden areas by doctors that they want to remain anonymous.
KARADSHEH: Doctors helping protesters have reportedly been arrested, but that isn't stopping those putting duty above self.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As a doctor, I see this as a duty to save people anywhere. When the hospital is not safe, I try to help people on the street no matter where, no matter what risk. No one should go because of seeking freedom.
KARADSHEH: Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: We asked the Iranian government about the apparent arrest of protesters in hospitals and clinics. We received no response.
The United Nations Children's Fund is raising concerns about the worsening food crisis in Somalia. UNICEF says one child is being treated for malnutrition, every minute. Crippling drought has wiped out crops and livestock, forcing 1000s of families from their homes in search of food and water. According to the World Food Program, more than 7 million people face acute food insecurity with the driest conditions in 40 years. One and a half million children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition. The UNICEF spokesperson says malnourished children are 10 times more likely to die from waterborne illnesses or other diseases like measles. He says the situation looks worse than in 2011. And more than a quarter of a million people died from famine.
Still to come, what to do about the crisis in Haiti. U.N. is divided as Haitians are running out of food and water.
And later, boy, the money is great. Former British pilot cash again when he his flight instructors only it's in China and the U.K. says, stop, stop now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:25:42]
VAUSE: Guatemalan soldiers on Sunday opened fire with tear gas to push back about 250 Venezuelan migrants trying to cross the border from Honduras. Growing number of Venezuelans are passing through trying to reach the United States. Authorities say they need to make sure the migrants have proper documentation to enter the country. The Biden administration has announced a new policy that will allow up to 24,000 Venezuelans into the U.S. if they have a sponsor, passport and arrive by air. Many stranded in Mexico trying to get transit permits.
Haiti is grappling with a worsening humanitarian crisis with efforts to control gang activities. 1000s of residents have been in the streets for weeks, protesting and showing their anger and frustration as vital resources like fuel have become scarce. Food and water now luxuries many just don't have.
Outside countries have offered help. But that outreach has been met with even more protests. Some patients are blaming countries like the United States and Canada for the increasing violence.
Meantime, the United Nation split over how to help. Some member countries have proposed sending in defense forces while others say they need to honor the wishes of the Haitian people.
Brett Bruen is President of the Global Situation Room, a private consultancy, specializing in crisis management. He also served as the Director of Global Engagement at the Obama White House after (inaudible) multiple diplomatic postings. Boy, you got to be titled. Good to see, Brent.
Good to be back with you, John.
VAUSE: OK, well, this crisis began when armed gangs essentially blockaded major fuel terminal last month, that led to the fuel shortages, shortages of pretty much everything else, still the economy. And at the U.N., there is no agreement on precisely what should be done here. The U.N. Special representative to Haiti described it this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HELEN LA LIME, U.N. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN HAITI: A political solution continues to be elusive. And on its own is no longer sufficient to address the current crisis. To support patient institutions in their drive for civic order and accountability, and to save 1000s of lives that would otherwise be lost members of this council must act and decisively so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: OK, so the U.S. and the U.N. General Secretary wants some kind of military force there. China and Russia are opposed. How does this immediate crisis gets solved without some kind of armed intervention?
BRENT BRUEN, PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM: There's not a clear path forward, John. And that's precisely the problem. And the best option we would normally have in this situation seems to be off the table. And that is, obviously to send in the U.N., but the U.N. has somewhat of a spotted history in Haiti. And clearly, we're also just acting at the 11th hour, and we don't have any good options, apart from as you suggest sending in an armed force, which in and of itself, it's not clear could resolve this situation. And certainly, it's not a sustainable solution.
VAUSE: And what's interesting -- we had the prime minister of Haiti asking for this multinational rapid action force, not necessarily U.N. force. They want the extra help to help the police with the games. The U.N. Secretary General has called for similar. The problem is, as you say, the hundreds of 1000s of patients who believe the current chaos is better than the presence of foreign troops. Just a little bit last time the U.N. was saying. Brett?
BRUEN: Sorry, John. Yes, I think, in fact, you know, the challenge precisely for the international community is to overcome its poor reputation in Haiti, and to figure out how do we make this look like it is not once again, the blue helmets marching into Port-au-Prince, but instead perhaps, is some neighboring countries, countries that have stronger relations and a better reputation on the island. But no one thus far apart from the Bahamas has come forward publicly and said, yep, we're willing to do it. And they know precisely because it's such a challenging mission. You've got to impose order and that's never a neat process. And in Haiti, with obviously armed gangs and quite powerful ones. It's going to be a very difficult and dangerous one.
VAUSE: Yeah, in the past few hours, there'll be a lot of headlines like this one more than 100 migrants stranded near Puerto Rico. Reportedly, most are Haitians. This crisis gets worse will 100-mile migrants become 1000, how many will in upfront to make this journey, this dangerous journey to the U.S.?
[01:30:06]
BRUEN: Well, it comes at a time, John, when we already, as you mentioned, just prior to this segment have hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, not to mention Central Americans, making their way up to the border.
We're looking at just a perfect storm of immigration both to the United States. But let us not overlook, this is putting enormous pressure on other countries throughout the region, not least of which is Mexico as many of these migrants try to find solutions and obviously the Biden administration's best solution was have many of those Venezuelans and others stay in Mexico. So now obviously the Mexicans have to deal with it.
VAUSE: Yes. But it is complicated and it's not going to go away anytime soon. We appreciate you being with us, Brett Bruen there. Thank you. BRUEN: You bet.
VAUSE: Still ahead, speaking out against Russia's lies. A former insider and state journalist talks to CNN about Moscow's propaganda machine and the war in Ukraine.
Also ahead, assessing the Chinese threat to Taiwan when China's military might make a move.
And just 14 tweets landed an American citizen behind bars in Saudi Arabia and his son spoke to CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause.
An update now on our top stories this hour.
Ukraine's chief of military intelligence predicting victory against Russia by mid next year saying Russia's loss is inevitable and cannot be stopped.
Iran again denying the supply of weapons and drones to Russia. But according to Reuters, Tehran has promised to provide Russia with additional missiles and drones. Russia has stepped up attacks using Iranian made kamikaze drones in recent weeks.
And Ukrainian intelligence reports that Russia's supply of precision guidance missiles running critically low which would explain the increased use of those attack drones.
Moscow has put the full might of its propaganda machine behind its war effort in Ukraine obscuring the grim realities from the public. Now we are hearing more about those efforts from someone who's on the inside, a former Russian military lieutenant and state media journalist is speaking out.
Here's CNN's Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Since the war in Ukraine began, Russians have been denied the truth about what is happening to their army.
GLEB IRISOV, FORMER RUSSIAN AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT AND JOURNALIST: When the war started, I was at the military desk at the TASS Agency, the main Russian information agency.
ROBERTSON: Gleb Irisov, a former Russian air force lieutenant turned state journalist is lifting the lid on the state's secrecy.
[01:34:59]
IGOR KONASHENKOV, SPOKESPERSON, RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (through translator): 498 Russian serviceman died.
ROBERTSON: it was march 2nd. More than A week into the war before Russia admitted its troops were dying in Ukraine.
But Gleb says they know since the get-go. He was manning the military desk phones at TASS as the war began.
IRISOV: I started to receive a lot of messages from my sources that they are taking extremely heavy casualties.
ROBERTSON: What numbers?
IRISOV: The numbers was enormous.
ROBERTSON: He'd served in Syria in the air force. But quit in disgust over Russia's part in Assad's war. His wife worked at TASS. He got a job there thinking he would be able to report facts about the poor state of Russia's military.
But as soon as the war started in Ukraine and Russian casualties began piling up, his hopes fell victim to Putin's propaganda machine.
IRISOV: Instructions from the ministry of defense, from FSB, from the office of the president.
SAVIDGE: New laws, preventing protests over the war in Ukraine, put Gleb, his wife and young family in danger. He quick a week into the war.
A week later, they fled for safety to Armenia, then Georgia, then Turkey, then Mexico, finally to the U.S.A. and a chance to tell the truth about the war.
IRISOV: If you want really to speak out, you need to be at some kind of safe place.
ROBERTSON: His insights are remarkable. Rampant corruption, and warlordism.
IRISOV: Putin himself and his friends, they use this military system. They (INAUDIBLE) tons of money through this military system.
ROBERTSON: Gleb's observations about Putin's newly promoted general, Sergei Surovikin reveal the propaganda machine he fled remains in overdrive. General Armageddon as Surovikin is known, actually a danger to his own side.
IRISOV: He has made the life for his commanding officers there absolutely impossible.
ROBERTSON: Gleb knows Surovikin, served under him in Syria. He says the general signed off on his resignation.
Is he going to change the morale in the Russian forces?
IRISOV: I strongly believe that nothing can change the morale for Russian forces there. No way.
ROBERTSON: Putin's propaganda machine may be working, his army is not.
Gleb is witness to both and brave enough to speak about it.
Nic Robertson, CNN -- Kyiv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: 14 people now confirmed dead after a Russian fighter jet crashed into a residential building in the city Yeysk (ph) in southern Russia. Three of the victims were children.
According to Russian media, the supersonic bomber was on a training mission. One of the engines caught fire during takeoff. The pilot ejected before the jet slammed into a nine-story building. (INAUDIBLE) was set near that building on Tuesday. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
And now to the United Kingdom where the defense ministry says four pilots on the Royal Air Force who have accepted lucrative deals to work as flight instructors for the Chinese military, they should stop that, they should stop that right now. But here's rub, those jobs may be ethically questionable but they are not illegal.
CNN's Bianca Nobilo has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The British Ministry of Defense has issued a threat alert after announcing that up to 30 former U.K. pilots are in China training Chinese pilots in supporting their defense industries having been lured with lucrative compensation packages.
The Ministry of Defense said that "we are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to head hunt serving and former U.K. Armed Forces pilots to train the Peoples Liberation Army personnel in the People's Republic of China.
They added that China is using third parties to find U.K. and other western pilots to directly train Chinese pilots and assist their defense industries.
Minister of state to the Armed Forces James Heappey spoke about the national security sensitivities.
JAMES HEAPPEY, MINISTER OF STATE TO THE ARMED FORCES: China is a competitor that is threatening the U.K. interest in many places around the world. It's also an important trading partner. But there is no secret in their attempt to gain access to our secrets. And the recruitment of our pilots in order to understand the capabilities of our air force. It's clearly a concern to us. And the intelligence part of the MOD.
[01:39:50] NOBILO: The British government has signaled its intention to toughen up the use of confidentiality contracts, also to change the law to increase transparency around those employed by foreign governments as well as making it an offense to continue such training after having received a warning.
Bianca Nobilo, CNN -- London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: The White House has warned that China is moving much faster with plans to seize Taiwan under President Xi Jinping. During his keynote speech at the Communist Party Congress, the Chinese leader made no secret of his plans for what he calls reunification.
CNN's Will Ripley is live in Taipei. And if you gauge this by applause at that congress, it seems Xi got a winner here with Taiwan.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was unmistakable John, that whenever the issue of Taiwan was brought up, the ruling elite in that room, they cheered.
They are supportive of the idea of China taking control of this self- governing democracy that the communist rulers in Beijing have never controlled.
And for the first time in modern Chinese history, they have an army including launching their third aircraft carrier this year. They are on track really to have a navy bigger than anything the world has ever seen.
If you look at the comparative estimates by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence in 2020, China was on track to have 63 more battle force ships then the U.S. It is truly an extraordinary and apparently we don't have the graphic for you. But the chart just keeps going up -- there we go -- in terms of the capacity of the Chinese navy.
And that's not the only branch that is getting bigger and bigger as Xi Jinping makes clear his eyes are on Taiwan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: The loudest applause at China's Communist Party Congress when leader Xi Jinping promised reunification in Taiwan. The self-governing democracy claimed but never controlled by Beijing's communist rulers.
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT (through translator): We insist on striving for the prospect of peaceful reunification. But we will never promise to give up the use of force.
RIPLEY: Do you think Xi Jinping actually believes that peaceful reunification will happen?
IAN EASTON, AUTHOR, "THE CHINESE INVASION THREAT": No, absolutely not. If he did, he would not be engaging in the largest, tailored, offensive military buildup that the world has witnessed in at least a century.
RIPLEY: China's power, bigger economically and militarily than the former Soviet Union, says Ian Easton.
EASTON: Their biggest military strength is size. Size of their missile force, size of their amphibious force, size of their air force, their navy, their cyber capabilities, their space capabilities.
RIPLEY: It's there any doubt in your mind that Xi Jinping is going to try to make a move on Taiwan?
EASTON: No, there is no doubt. The only question is how and when.
RIPLEY: That burning question, top of mind for Taiwan's government. The island's record defense spending dwarfed by China's massive military.
SU TZU-YUN, DIRECTOR, TAIWAN INST. FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY RESEARCH: Actually Taiwan right now face the threat from China, its very huge and immediate.
RIPLEY: The threat from China is huge and immediate.
SU: Yes.
RIPLEY: And getting bigger. U.S. intelligence says that President Xi gave the order. China's military must be ready to take Taiwan by 2027. But he is still deciding if he'll do it.
President Joe Biden said repeatedly the U.S. military would defend Taiwan. He has authorized more than one billion dollars in arms sales to Taipei.
Taiwan taking cues from Ukraine focusing on asymmetric, unconventional warfare.
SU: That can give Taiwan more opportunity to defeat such a huge force.
RIPLEY: Defending this democratic island from its nuclear-armed nemesis will be the greatest military challenge of the 21st century, Easton says.
EASTON: So if Taiwan falls and Xi Jinping is able to shatter the U.S. alliance system, democracy will cease to exist in our country. Taiwan is the front line. It is the geostrategic nerve center of our world today. And that is likely to remain true for decades to come.
RIPLEY: The U.S. and its allies must do more than sell weapons, he says. Defending Taiwan is defending the free world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY: It all starts here, that is what a lot of geopolitical analysts who specialize in watching movements in the Indo-Pacific region believe John. And of course, this is not the only flash point that China is involved in right now, whether it is bloody border clashes with India, whether it is the South China Sea and China's militarization of atolls and creating essentially man-made islands with permanent craft carriers, military infrastructure and clashes with Japan as well over disputed islands.
And yet, it is Taiwan that clearly if you listened to Xi Jinping speech, that is top of the list. And China is growing their military budget every single year -- well over $200 billion.
And even though that is still dwarfed by the United States military spending, John, China is focusing on this region. And they get a lot more for that money in terms of industrial output and salaries than the U.S. does.
[01:44:58]
RIPLEY: So, certainly what the overall message that we are being told here is that people need to really in the west, start to really focus on this issue and not just look at it through the economic prism but also the geopolitical and military prism because they believe that Xi Jinping is making his intentions pretty clear. It's up to the world, the free world if they want to listen.
VAUSE: When you get a big navy you want to use it, I guess.
Will -- Will Ripley in Taipei, thank you.
VAUSE: Just 14 tweets have left an American father in Saudi Arabia in a prison. His family pleading with the White House to help negotiate his release. The State Department confirmed on Tuesday, 72-year-old Saad Ibrahim Almadi was sentenced to 16 years for tweets considered critical of the kingdom.
His son says if his father is being held in a Russian or Iranian jail, his name would be in the headlines every morning.
He spoke with CNN a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IBRAHIM ALMADI, SON OF U.S. CITIZEN SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS IN SAUDI ARABIA: My father received a freezing temperature in his cell. They wake him up in the middle of the night. They prevent him from sleeping. They torture him until he convicted (ph) himself that he made some tweets in order to destabilize the kingdom.
My father is nowhere near being dissident. My father is a senior American citizen who just wants to live freely and happy in the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The U.S. State Department says it has yet to be determined if Almadi has been wrongfully detained. The last time a U.S. official had access to him was back in August on the 10th.
Much more to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, including a new cancer warning for women who use chemicals to straighten their hair.
Also, the serious impact of not getting enough sleep that it can have on your health especially if you are over 50. What a new study says about the health risks.
Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: This just in to CNN, Ukraine's military says 12 kamikaze drones launched by Russia was shot down over the Mykolaiv region this morning. CNN cannot independently verify the claim but Russia has launched a wide assault this week on Ukraine's infrastructure. Power sources using drones for some cruise missiles and other rockets.
Soaring inflation isn't all bad. It's a windfall for corporate America now raking in huge profits. Stronger than expected earnings from Johnson & Johnson, Netflix and Lockheed Martin helped drive a rally on Wall Street Tuesday.
Right up there. The Dow nearly 340 points up. it's more than 1 percent. Nasdaq finished 96 points higher, it's under 1 percent. S&P 500 really up a quarter of 1 percent. Big day.
Nearly a third of U.S. households with a baby 12 months or younger say they have trouble finding formula last month. That's according to a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau as supplies of powder formula have been -- they've actually rebounded since the height of the shortage back in July.
But it's still yet to recover to where they were before the nationwide formula recall earlier this year.
[01:49:53]
VAUSE: A new study is showing evidence of the link between hair straightening products and cancer in women and the risk for black women is especially pronounced.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: This new study adds to a growing body of research that has found a connection between using hair straightening chemical products and an increased risk of cancer.
So previous studies have found an association between hair straighteners and cancers including ovarian cancer, breast cancer. And now this latest study has found a connection with uterine cancer.
So what the researchers did, they looked at data at more than 30,000 women and they found that the estimated uterine cancer risk for women who have not reported using hair straightening chemical products was around 1.6 percent. But for women who did report frequent use, the risk was 4 percent. And
what I mean by frequent use, women said that they have used these products more than four times in the prior year.
So, the researchers concluded that women who do report frequent use appear to have a two-fold higher risk of uterine cancer.
Now, black women do tend to use these products more frequently which is why the researchers have said this connection appears to be more pronounced for black women.
And the researchers also have said that the reason why hair straightening chemical products appear to have this connection is because they might have chemicals that are called hormone disrupters. They might have chemicals in them that can impact hormones, raising your risk for hormone-sensitive cancers like ovarian cancer, like breast cancer and like uterine cancer as well.
So this is an active area of research and it's something that researchers are investigating very closely.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you Jacqueline.
A new British study reveals that people over 50 need to get more sleep. Study took a look at a group of nearly 8,000 civil servants in the U.K. who had no chronic disease at age 50. People who slept five hours or less faced a 30 percent high risk of developing chronic diseases over time than those who slept at least seven hours a night. The risk only increased with age.
So how can you improve your sleep? Well, the experts say this. Establish a consistent sleep schedule. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and free of pets. Avoid drinking caffeine, alcohol, eating large meals before bed (INAUDIBLE). Exercise during the day. That could all lead to a better night's sleep. Good advice.
Coming up, a gamma ray burst in outer space could be the biggest and most powerful ever recorded. And it could bring us new understanding of how black holes are formed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Well, it has happened, Rolls Royce is rolling out its first electric vehicle. And like everything from the luxury carmaker, the Specter is a sight to behold. Two door coop, longer than a full sized SUV. Has a 557 horsepower engine, that's fast. Reportedly zero to 60 in under four and a half seconds.
[01:55:00]
VAUSE: And the battery, how about this, an estimated 260 mile range before needing to recharge. They'll start rolling out late next year. And get ready to pay up big dollars for this -- $413,000, but worth every penny.
Telescopes round the world, captured one of the brightest explosions ever in space and perhaps one of the most powerful.
A gamma ray burst reached our planet last week after a massive star more than two billion light years away collapsed into a supernova.
CNN's Kristin Fisher has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: This is one of the biggest and brightest explosions in space ever recorded By telescopes. It is so bright that scientists and astronomers believe that they are not going to see anything else quite like it potentially for decades.
And so what you are seeing there, that is actually some gamma rays. It's taken by a gamma ray sensor and telescope. Something that can see that type of particle.
And this all started -- this giant explosion started about 2.4 billion light years away. It has been traveling through space for billions of years. Then finally reached earth and the telescopes and sensors in our solar system last week. Ten days ago, or about ten days ago on October 9th.
And so what scientists believe happened is that there was tis massive explosion of a star likely 30 to 40 times the size of our sun. And what that explosion was, was a supernova explosion, a star dying essentially and becoming a black star.
And when that happens, what you are seeing on your screen there is that stream of particles that comes from a supernova explosion. These are traveling through space at a very high rate of speed in the form of x-ray and gamma ray particles.
And those gamma ray particles are known for producing the most powerful explosions in the universe. So that is what this was. One team of researchers are now -- you know, inside their research group are now calling this the BOAT. Kind of like the GOAT, the greatest of all time.
Well, this is their analogy for the BOAT -- the brightest of all-time. And so this really was something that scientists were not expecting. Took them by surprise and they may not get to see anything quite like it for at least a few decades.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us.
After the break the news continues with my colleague and friend Rosemary Church.
See you right back here tomorrow.
[01:57:30]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
