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Millions are Under Winter Weather Alerts as Storm Sweeps U.S.; Russia's War in Ukraine Continues; Middle East Violence Escalates; Buttigieg to Visit Site of Toxic Train Derailment. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired February 23, 2023 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

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CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Christina Macfarlane in London.

Ahead on "CNN Newsroom," dangerous winter storms pummeling the U.S. from coast to coast. We are live at the CNN Weather Center with how these storms are disrupting travel.

And Ukraine bracing for possible escalation ahead of the anniversary of the invasion as Russia and China reaffirmed their ties in Moscow.

Plus, rising tensions in the Middle East after a raid by Israeli forces leaves at least 11 Palestinians dead. We're live in Jerusalem with the latest.

Millions of Americans are feeling the chill for the massive winter storm system affecting multiple states from coast to coast. Heavy snow, winds, and ice have knocked out power to more than 850,000 customers. Even parts of California are reporting snow with Los Angeles County issuing a blizzard warning for the first time since the 1980s. Flight tracking website FlightAware reports nearly 700 flights have been canceled on Thursday so far because of the weather.

Let's bring in meteorologist Britley Ritz. She is joining me now from Atlanta. This is serious disruption, Britley. Any idea how long these conditions are going to last?

BRITLEY RITZ, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately for days because some of these areas have already picked up two feet of snow, Christina. Sixty million people are under some sort of winter weather alert, including Southern California, where two to five feet of snow is expected in some of the higher elevations there. That, again, the first time since 1989.

For a blizzard warning coming on the National Weather Surface Office of L.A, that starts Friday into Saturday. The whole system itself is taking its trek up into New England, now under winter weather advisories as well as winter storm warnings with several inches of snow expected to fall as well as ice, and were already dealing with that, stretching across the upper Midwest across the Great Lakes and into New England down to the southern part of the country.

There are going to be few thunderstorms expected. Much warmer record- breaking heat, by the way, as of yesterday. All right, there is a snow moving through Green Bay as well as Minneapolis. Some of the heaviest snow through the overnight and early morning hours. And then moving into New England, watching that snowfall as of this morning and, again, through the afternoon and tomorrow.

Preliminary, snowfall totals. Over the last few days, Battle Lake, Wyoming picked up 48 inches of snowfall, ice, which is crippling by the way, numerous power outages reported already, trees falling because of the wind and the ice. Ann Arbor has already picked up 0.6 inches of ice and more falling.

You see the pink still popping here on your (INAUDIBLE) showing you through the rest of Thursday, and then it tapers back through the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes and pushes into New England Thursday night into Friday. So, freezing rain on top of the snow. It will be a bit crunchy and travel again not advised here in the upcoming days.

As for snowfall totals, on top of what we already experienced in Minneapolis and into parts of (INAUDIBLE) Michigan, Green Bay included in that, where we could pick up six to eight inches of snowfall. And, of course, another half an inch of ice in some of these locations up to a quarter of an inch as we move in to New England. Christina?

MACFARLANE: Goodness (INAUDIBLE). Stay indoors, keep off the roads as possible. Britley Ritz, thanks very much for the update.

We are now approaching the one-year mark of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the fierce fighting continues to rage on the battlefield and as world leaders on both sides of the conflict held discussions to strengthen their alliances.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow with China's top diplomat. He said relations between the two countries are reaching new milestones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): International relations today are complex. They have not improved after the collapse of the bipolar system.

[03:05:00]

On the contrary, they have become more tense. And in this regard, cooperation between Russia and the Chinese people's republic on the international arena are very important for the stabilization of the international situation as we have said many times.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: In the meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden is back in Washington after wrapping a trip to Warsaw and Kyiv intended to build support for Ukraine. On Wednesday, he met with NATO secretary general and a group known as the Bucharest Nine from the eastern part of the NATO alliance.

Mr. Biden made clear that the U.S. is committed to defend -- quote -- "every inch of NATO territory" as the leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: As NATO's eastern flank near the frontlines of our collective defense. And you know better than anyone what is at stake in this conflict. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: CNN correspondents are following all the developments this time. Melissa Bell is standing by in Kyiv and our Clare Sebastian is live for us here in London. I want to go to Kyiv, Melissa, first because we are now, Melissa, on the eve of the one-year anniversary. What is the mood like there in Kyiv and what are authorities are expecting as we hear these reports of additional safety measures being prepared?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are differing points of view, Christina, on what may follow in the coming days, whether or not Russia has the ability to mount the kind of substantial upping of its offensive that some have predicted.

Certainly, Ukrainian authorities have been saying for several weeks now that they expect some sort of symbolic attack, perhaps, to mark that first-year anniversary of the war. Other analysts suggest that it is difficult to see how Ukrainian defenses have so improved and Russian offensive systems have so decreased that they have the ability to carry out anything terribly substantial.

Still, of course, Ukrainians are preparing for that possibility, specifically around the Kherson region, which is continuing to be the subject of attacks from the other side of the Dnipro River. So, there are measures being taken there to help protect populations, also in Kherson up by the Russian border with Ukrainian authorities suggesting people can stay at home if they feel unsafe and preparing for what they expect might be the worst.

Meanwhile, we just heard there from President Joe Biden, of course, the efforts to beef up Ukraine's counteroffensive continue. In the part of western leaders, we have a surprise this morning here in Kyiv on the part of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, meeting with President Zelenskyy, vowed to send six Leopard tanks of its own, expected to arrive here in Ukraine by February, March.

Training periods have been completed. But as ever here in Ukraine as we look ahead to that one-year anniversary, Christina, there is a case of hoping for the best, but as ever over the course of last year preparing for the worst.

MACFARLANE: Absolutely. Melissa Bell is live in Kyiv. Thanks, Melissa. Let us turn to Clare here joining me in London. So, Clare, on Wednesday, we saw Russia suspend its participation of the New START nuclear arms treaty. Now, there are reports that Putin is moving to strengthen Russia's nuclear armed forces. What we're learning about these comments from the Kremlin?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This -- I think it's fair to say we're seeing an uptick in the nuclear saber rattling, which has, of course, been a hallmark of this war so far in the lead up to this anniversary. First, you have the suspension of Russia's participation which probably confirmed on Wednesday in the New START treaty, that last remnant of the post-Cold War nuclear arms reduction architecture with the United States.

That really just sort of confirmed the status quo. Russia wasn't allowing inspections anyway. The U.S. also believes -- U.S. officials telling us that Russia tested in ICBM earlier the week, the intercontinental ballistic missile. That test apparently failed, but all part of the same theme.

And now, on the defender of the fatherland day, which is marked every year on the 23rd of February in Russia, Putin released a comment saying that they are going to give particular attention to strengthen what he called the nuclear triad, that sea, land and airbase nuclear weapon.

They have been modernizing their nuclear weapons for decades. This doesn't really change anything. But it does show this kind of posturing. Have a listen to what President Biden told ABC about how he views this threat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: What is your message to Putin on that?

BIDEN: It is a big mistake to do that. Not very responsible. And -- but I don't read into that, that he's thinking of using nuclear weapons or anything like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: So, there is no real intelligence or any kind of sense that nuclear use by Russia might be imminent. It obviously comes after we've seen the reaffirming of western support for Ukraine, and clear evidence, as far as Moscow is concerned, that it's nuclear threats so far have not proved a deterrent when it comes to the west supplying those weapons to Ukraine. So, I think that is why you see this uptick.

MACFARLANE: Yeah.

[03:10:00]

And it is all coming, obviously, as we talk on the eve of this anniversary. Clare, thank you for now.

Well, joining me now to discuss more about this live from Amsterdam is Romanian minister of foreign affairs, Bogdan Aurescu. Minister, thank you very much for joining us.

I just wanted to pick up with you, first of all, on those comments from the Kremlin as we've just been discussing. We know that over the past year, Putin has repeatedly hinted that Russia could use nuclear weapons if threatened. And now, we are of course seeing some escalation to those threats. Russia withdrawing from the New START arms treaty and now threatening to strengthen Russia's nuclear triad. How seriously are you taking these threats? Is this merely posturing from Putin?

BOGDAN AURESCU, ROMANIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Thank you so much for having me. Indeed, these are not new threats because, as you remember, Russia already since the beginning of the war in Ukraine was mentioning such kind of possibilities of use of nuclear weapons. And each and every time, they were met with very strong condemnation.

This is what we have to do right now because Russia, even if it is in war against Ukraine, it is a permanent member of the Security Council, and it has special responsibilities as an owner of nuclear weapons. So, this kind of threats is inadmissible and they have to be strongly condemned.

At the same time, we've seen before such kind of threats. They were not followed by any kind of action. We should know and we are able to know as an alliance, I am speaking on the behalf of NATO right now, that we can spot whenever there is certain preparation for the use of nuclear weapons.

So, with this rhetoric, for the time being, I think this comes at the moment of marking the one-year commemoration of the start of the war in Ukraine, and Russia has no results whatsoever to the contrary. I think it's a sort of a need for the Russian officials, including for President Putin and other allies of Mr. Putin, to mention such kind of things which create a lot of emotion at the international level.

MACFARLANE: Yeah. Elsewhere, meanwhile, of course, we are seeing some movement from China this week. China's claims of neutrality have really faded in light of the visit of china's top diplomat to Moscow yesterday. How concerned are you that this bilateral relationship will go beyond merely economic cooperation and move to, perhaps, deliveries of arms and munitions for Russia's war effort?

AURESCU: Well, I think it is extremely important that China and any other actor in the world stay neutral as far as this conflict is concerned and does not help the aggressor, which is Russia. To the contrary, it is the responsibility of any state in the world to support Ukraine.

That is why -- you mentioned I'm in Amsterdam -- I'm heading towards New York for the events dedicated to the one-year commemoration of the start of the war in Ukraine. The Security Council debates -- and General Assembly debate where we are supposed to adopt with hopefully a large majority or a solution regarding the comprehensive, lasting and justice in Ukraine.

So, I think it is important that all member states of the United Nations or the international community condemn very strongly what Russia is doing in Ukraine and ask for an immediate stop of hostilities, an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, and the start of a peace process.

Of course, this depends on Ukraine. The definition of victory depends on Ukraine. This is what we were discussing yesterday in Warsaw during the Bucharest Nine meeting together with President Biden and the NATO secretary general.

MACFARLANE: Yeah.

AURESCU: And I think it is very important that we support Ukraine as long as it takes in order to win this war.

MACFARLANE: On that meeting in Warsaw, as you mentioned the Bucharest Nine, we know Romania, of course, is part of the Bucharest Nine. We heard President Biden reassuring the eastern flank allies of the U.S.'s commitment to stand by your side as the war approaches its one- year anniversary. How important is that commitment to nations like yourself who border Ukraine?

AURESCU: Romania is not just a participant. It is one of the initiators of (INAUDIBLE) Bucharest Nine from it. It was initiated by the president of Romania, Mr. Iohannis, and president of Poland, Mr. Duda, back in 2015. It was a very successful format because it allows for transatlantic coordination.

This is what we have done yesterday in Warsaw once again because we have used this format during the last year, since the beginning of the war and even before that. So, it's a very timely discussion.

The reassurance by President Biden has given us hope that the United States is fully committed to protect and to defend any inch of allied territory, including, of course, the allies on the eastern flank.

[03:15:00]

It is really important. In Romania, the presence of the U.S. troops has increased since the beginning of the war. We have around 3,800 and even more American troops on our soil. This is an important reassurance. At the same time, a token of concrete solidarity towards the security of Romania and the other allies in the eastern flank.

We have discussed concrete measures. We have mentioned the importance of full implementation of the Madrid Summit decisions of June last year, especially in terms of the designation of the reinforcement for the battle groups on the eastern flank, including for the battle group in Romania, more for propositioning of equipment, more air defense capabilities in order to negate Russia's (INAUDIBLE) denial measures, also other measures, for instances, related to the better access to fuel for the troops on the eastern flank.

MACFARLANE: Can I ask very quickly --

AURESCU: Sure. MACFARLANE: Can I ask very quickly if you plan to increase the presence of U.S. troops in Romania? You mentioned a number that you already had. Are there any plans to increase that?

AURESCU: Well, any kind of increase of allied presence, and I would stress the word presence, is very important. The increase of U.S. presence on the territory of the eastern flank allies is extremely important in order to build a consolidated deterrence and defense posture and to go towards the forward defense that we have been discussing for quite some time, also in the Madrid Summit.

This presence means not just an increasing number of troops, but also it means prepositioning of equipment, which is extremely necessary, if needed to defend the allied territory, but also assignment of reinforcement forces for the battle groups, which are already in the eastern flank territory.

So, all of this represent a combined set of measures. Command and control aspect, which are also very important. So, all of these create a smart defense and a smart forward defense, which is important. The stronger the defense is, the stronger the deterrence is. This is the only language Russia understands.

MACFARLANE: Foreign minister, unfortunately, we have to leave it there, but we really appreciate your time. Thank you for coming on and giving us your thoughts on the anniversary of this war. We appreciate it.

AURESCU: Thank you for having me.

MACFARLANE: Thank you. Now, airstrikes, rocket fire, and a lethal raid in the West Bank. We're live in Jerusalem with the latest on the escalating violence. Also ahead, three weeks after toxic train wreck in Ohio, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will travel there today to see it firsthand.

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[03:20:00]

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MACFARLANE: Smoke covered over the Gaza skyline today following a new round of airstrikes. Israeli forces say they hit a weapons manufacturing site and a military compound operated by Hamas militants. The strikes came after six rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel. According to Israeli authorities, most of them were intercepted. No reports of casualties and no claim of responsibility.

The rocket fire is likely retaliation for a deadly Israeli military raid in the West Bank targeting Palestinian militants. Palestinian officials say 11 people were killed and more than a hundred others wounded in what they called a massacre.

Let's go live now to Jerusalem, and journalist Elliott Gotkine joins us now. Elliott, this raid was unusual. It happened in the daytime. What more are you learning about why it was carried out at this time and the number of casualties? We're hearing over 100 people injured there.

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Christina, it's not unprecedented that Israeli security forces would carry out a daytime raid. But it is rare. And according to the Israeli secretly force, the IDF, they say that this was carried out in the daytime because there was, in its words, very specific intelligence indicating an imminent attack.

Now, this happened mid-morning. There were many people out shopping in the open market in the old city of Nablus. Israeli security forces went in to try to arrest three militants who they say were responsible for killing an Israeli soldier. They say that they invited the militants to surrender. They refused to do. One fled. He was shot and killed. The other two were ultimately killed as well.

As you say, in total, 11 Palestinians were killed after this raid by Israeli security forces. We know that some of them were civilians. More than 100 injured. And according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, some of those injuries were as a result of live ammunition and that there were bullets, in their words, that were flying everywhere. The spokesperson for the Israeli defense forces can see that things did get, in his words, very messy.

We've seen that there's been condemnation from the Saudis, the Jordanians, the Egyptians, and from the Emiratis as well as a result of that raid yesterday.

The United States State Department said that it is extremely concerned, in its words, by levels of violence in Israel and the West Bank. And we've also heard from the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, saying that he is deeply disturbed by the continuing cycle of violence and is appalled by the loss of civilian lives.

Now, Palestinian Islamic jihad, two of its commanders were killed in that raid yesterday. It has come out and said and warned of an explosion of violence and an escalation. As of now, it doesn't seem that other militants or the Israeli security forces are keen on any escalation. But of course, Christina, as we've seen in the past, this can change very quickly.

MACFARLANE: Yeah, absolutely. A spiral of -- an escalation of violence, as you say. Elliott Gotkine there live for us in Jerusalem. Thank you very much, Elliott.

Now, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg heads to East Palestine, Ohio today to see for himself the toxic train derailment that has upended the small community.

[03:25:02]

His visit will coincide with the release of a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board. The train was carrying multiple cars of hazardous chemicals that blanketed the area with toxic smoke. At a CNN town hall on Wednesday night, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw promised a long-term commitment to the community. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN SHAW, CEO, NORFOLFK SOUTHERN: So far, we've committed $7 million. And that's a down payment. We're going to continue. And we're going to be here today. We're going to be here tomorrow. We're going to be here a year from now. We're going to be here five years from now. That's my commitment to this community. I want to see this through. And each and every day, I'm going to do the next right thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: It has been nearly three weeks since the derailment. Many residents are understandably worried whether it's safe to be there. CNN's Jason Carroll shows us how the disaster unfolded and what has happened since.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Friday, February 3rd, flames of burning rail cars light up the night sky in East Palestine, Ohio. A Norfolk Southern freight train with 100 cars partially derailed, including nearly a dozen cars full of hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, a cancer-causing chemical.

UNKNOWN: There are two evacuation stations open.

CARROLL (voice-over): Residents evacuate as the blaze rages through the weekend. Firefighters unable to get close due to the toxic chemicals and the possibility of an explosion.

GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OH): We had to weigh different risks with no great choices.

CARROLL (voice-over): Monday, February 6th, the decision is made to conduct a controlled release.

SCOTT DEUTSCH, NORFOLK SOUTHERN: This allows us to control that operation and not have the car react and do it itself.

(EXPLOSION)

CARROLL (voice-over): A large black flume can be seen from miles.

DEUTSCH: The detonation went perfect, and we're already to the point where the cars have been -- became safe.

CARROLL (voice-over): But residents are left wondering when it is safe to go home.

UNKNOWN: We're all trying to (INAUDIBLE). But it's kind of -- because we can't get direct answers, because nobody knows.

CARROLL (voice-over): EPA testing shows air and municipal drinking water to not have dangerous levels of contaminants. The evacuation order is lifted and the railroad is reopened. But when they returned, some residents complain of headaches, rashes, and nausea.

SEN. J.D. VANCE (R-OH) (voice-over): Watch this. You see that chemical pop out of the creek. This is disgusting.

CARROLL (voice-over): Thousands of dead fish floating in local creeks like this one, behind Kathy Reese's (ph) home.

UNKNOWN: Air wise, I feel okay. Water wise, no, no. There's just too many chemicals and stuff that were still there that they still don't want to identify completely.

CARROLL (voice-over): Officials say daily tests continue to show the air and municipal drinking water are safe. But residents have little trust in them.

UNKNOWN: Are my kids safe? Are the people safe? Is the future of this community safe?

CARROLL (voice-over): Anxious residents demand answers.

MAYOR TRENT CONAWAY, EAST PALESTINE, OHIO: Railroad did us wrong. So far, Norfolk confessed they're fixing it. If that stops, I will guarantee you, I will be the first one in line to fight that.

CARROLL (voice-over): The EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to complete all of the cleanup or the agency will immediately take over the cleanup and seek to compel the company to pay triple the cost.

MICHAEL REGAN, EPA ADMINISTRATOR: In no way, shape or form will Norfolk Southern get off the hook for the mess that they created.

CARRROLL (voice-over): The governor of neighboring Pennsylvania announced his state made a criminal referral to investigate the rail company.

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO (D-PA): Norfolk Southern's corporate greed, incompetence, and lack of care for our residents is absolutely unacceptable.

CARROLL (voice-over): And Norfolk Southern continues to vow to do what is right.

SHAW: We're going to see this through. We're going to invest in this community. We're going to do it in the right way. We're going to do it in the right time.

CARROLL (voice-over): On Tuesday, public officials visiting homes and drinking from the tap to try and show the municipal water is safe.

UNKNOWN: Here's for you.

CARROLL (voice-over): Yet what remains is a deep level of mistrust and lingering questions about who will be around years from now to make sure no one has gotten sick.

REGAN: We will go through this process with the citizens of East Palestine for as long as it takes.

DEWINE: We will stay here. We will continue to test. We will continue to do what needs to be done.

CARROLL (voice-over): Jason Carroll, CNN, East Palestine, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: Now, a 19-year-old man has been charged with murder in Florida after allegedly going on a shooting spree Wednesday resulting in the deaths of at least three people.

Police say the first victim was a woman killed inside a vehicle who may have known the suspect. Two journalists were later shot at the same spot while reporting on the incident, and one of them died. The suspect then entered a nearby home and shot a mother and her young daughter.

[03:30:01]

The child later died in the hospital. The president of the Radio Television Digital News Association twitted his condolences regarding the tragedy.

Now, still ahead, it's a job no one wants, but someone has to do it. We'll meet the man who's taking bodies from the battlefields of Ukraine back to their families.

But first, Vladimir Putin says Russia's relationship with China is reaching new milestones. The details of his meeting with the top diplomat, next.

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[03:3459]]

MACFARLANE: U.S. President Joe Biden is back in the U.S. after his trip to Ukraine and Poland. Before leaving Warsaw on Wednesday, he described Russia's decision to withdraw from the New START nuclear treaty as a big mistake. Mr. Biden also met with members of the Bucharest Nine, a group of eastern European NATO countries formed the 2015 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea. He says the U.S. will never falter in its commitment to NATO and NATO will always protect them.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Vladimir Putin addressed a cheering crowd celebrating Defender of the Fatherland Day. Russia's president says the country's soldiers are fighting heroically in Ukraine. And CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins us now live from Hong Kong with more.

And Kristie, as Biden met with NATO allies, Putin welcomed China's top diplomat to Moscow. And it seems there is no pretense anymore that China are maintaining a neutral stance towards Russia's war on Ukraine. So, where does this leave the China-Russia relationship right now?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, China's top diplomat Wang yi told Vladimir Putin that the China-Russia relationship is resilient and rock-solid as he wrapped up his visit to Moscow. And on Wednesday we also, of course, heard from Vladimir Putin who said that the relationship is reaching new milestones.

And Wang yi really doubled down on that sentiment in opening remarks as he was meeting with the Russian president. And we have some of those remarks for you. Wang yi saying this, quote, "China-Russia relations stands the test of changes in the international climate. It is mature, resilient, and rock-solid," end quote.

But the relationship has also been under intense scrutiny. In fact, on Wednesday, the Pentagon warned China of consequences if China proceeds with giving lethal support to Russia for the ongoing war on Ukraine. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SABRINA SINGH, DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: Now, we haven't seen them give lethal aid to Russia at this time for the war, but they haven't also taken that off the table. And so, we have been consistent from here and I believe Secretary Blinken also met with his counterpart in Germany just last week. We reinforced there that, again, there will be consequences for China should this partnership with Russia further deepen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: And China has repeatedly pushed back on the allegation. Back to you, Christina.

MACFARLANE: All right, Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, thanks. Kristie, watch the space, I guess, for now.

Now to a side of the war in Ukraine you probably have never seen before. You're about to meet a man doing a job that provides comfort to the families of the fallen. He drives back and forth across Ukraine, bringing the dead home for burial. CNN's Clarissa Ward has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: On most days, Oleg Repno sets out before dawn. Part of a volunteer group called "Bulldozer," that transports the remains of Ukraine's fallen soldiers back to their families.

At a morgue in the Kyiv suburb of (inaudible), a group of servicemen are waiting to meet the body of Private Alexei Litvinov (ph). It's somber work and the men move quickly. They hand over the soldiers' personal effects.

At the moment, we have 18 bodies he tells us. And each family wants to get them as soon as possible. (On camera): So why do you do this work?

Few people are willing to do this work for free. He says. And not everyone has the psyche for it.

They are lonely, seemingly endless hours on the road as he crisscrosses the country. Emblazoned across the side of his truck is the number 200. A military term for the transport of dead bodies that dates back to Soviet time.

On occasion, processions of people line up on their knees to greet the truck. A mark of respect for the dead. At a morgue in the city of Dnipro, Repno stops to pick up more bodies. Overwhelmed by the number of casualties, the hospital has taken to storing them in a shipping container in the parking lot.

As the men work, mourning relatives file past. Ukraine does not release information on how many of its soldiers have been killed in action, but Repno says that his daily load has soared in recent weeks as fighting has raged in eastern Ukraine.

(On camera): Do you have any idea how many bodies you have taken back to their hometowns at this stage?

In this van he says around 1,000.

[03:39:57]

And now we're at a stage in the war where more and more Ukrainians soldiers are being killed. Are you seeing that?

At the moment, yes, he tells us. Right now, it's a large amount.

Thirty-six hours after Repno drops off his body, Private Litvinov (ph) is given a proper funeral in (inaudible). Killed in the Donbas region on February 11th, his mother Marina (ph) can finally say goodbye to her son.

(On camera): How important was it to you to have his body returned so that you could give him this beautiful funeral today?

The main thing is to have him at home not laying somewhere eaten by birds. You understand how awful it is when people just disappear, she says. We cannot change anything, but thank God he is here and I can come to visit him.

This is the reason Repno does this work. But seeing the family's grief it is also incredibly painful.

The hardest part is when you drop them off, he says. When there are relatives present to look them in the eye.

It is very hard he says. There's so much emotion. So many tears. But there is no time for tears tonight. Repno still has more bodies to deliver. And across Ukraine, many families are still waiting. Clarissa Ward, CNN, Ukraine. (END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: All right, still ahead, Turkey reveals new relief plans and cracks down on unsafe housing in the wake of the deadly earthquake. A live report from Turkey when we return.

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[03:45:00]

MACFARLANE: Turkey is ramping up its response to this month's catastrophic earthquake as the death toll surpasses 49,000 across both Turkey and Syria on Wednesday. The Turkish government has launched an economic relief plan and banned layoffs in 10 provinces as authorities move to demolish damaged buildings.

The justice ministry says at least 160 people out of nearly 600 suspects have been arrested, and many more detained over unsafe construction. CNN's Nada Bashir joins us now live from the Turkish port city of Iskenderun.

Nada, this appears to be an effort for accountability by the government given the understandable anger that has followed such a tragic loss of life. But how much are the government themselves implicated in the failings of those they're seeking to investigate and arrest here?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, this really is a big focus now when there is a real sense of frustration and anger, questions over whether the government has done enough to ensure that a country like this on several fault lines is safe when it comes to these significant earthquakes.

And there has been mounting pressure on the government as you have said there. They've already launched an investigation. More than 500 people identified as potential suspect, more than 160 so far arrested over allegations of construction negligence. And I say there are also reports that some contractors were offered or provided amnesties when it came to buildings that didn't adhere to the necessary safety requirements.

And there have been questions on whether the government has done enough to implement those safety measures, particularly across the southeast region. Take a listen to what the presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, told CNN yesterday in response to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IBRAHIM KALIN, TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON: I don't want to, you know, deflect the responsibility here in any way. We are in a position of responsibility and we have to take action, no doubt. But it's also a matter of a culture of understanding and everybody, you know, following these guidelines and regulations. I mean, individuals, constructors, private sector, municipalities, central government, everybody. You know, I think we are all learning really great lessons, very costly and sad, but, you know, great lessons from all of this. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: And Christina, these great lessons may not be enough. In fact, they certainly won't be enough for those who have lost their loved ones, lost absolutely everything. I mean, take a look at the destruction behind. Me you can see some of these buildings are barely still standing. Others have completely collapsed. These are people's homes. Their belongings. Their entire lives gone following this earthquake. And this is just one neighborhood.

We are in Iskenderun, which is in Hatay province, among the hardest hit by that initial earthquake. And also, particularly damage following that aftershock on Monday. There are some 900,000 people currently living in tents across southeast Turkey. Some of those that we've been speaking to in one of the camps just across the street from where we are, almost three weeks on, still don't have a tent.

They're sleeping in the streets. So, for those that have lost loved ones, for those questioning where the accountability lies, these lessons that the government says they are learning, these plans to rebuild within a year, for some, feel like empty promises. Christina?

MACFARLANE: Yeah, you can absolutely understand their frustration and their anger. Nada Bashir live there from Iskenderun. Thanks very much, Nada. And do stay with us. We'll be right back after this quick break.

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MACFARLANE: After a good-natured rivalry that's lasted more than 50 years, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones will come together on a new project. A representative of the Stone says the 80-year-old McCartney will play bass on one song on a new Rolling Stones album, but denied reports the Beatles' other surviving member, Ringo Starr, will be featured on a track. The album will be the Rolling Stones' first since their drummer, Charlie Watts, died in 2021.

Japanese officials are investigating this mysterious metal sphere that washed up on a beach this week. So, far they haven't been able to figure out what it is or where it came from. But a bomb squad were able to determine that the ball is in fact hollow and does not pose a threat.

[03:55:04]

And before we go, want a pair of big red boots? Get in line. The oversized cartoonish footwear is lighting up the internet with influencers of all ages flaunting them on TikTok. The boots went on sale last week for $350 and reportedly sold out in just minutes. According to "The New York Times," the New York-based collective called MSCHF, which has a history of trolling consumer culture, is behind the fad.

A group also designed the candy inspired sneaker. And these Birkenstock lookalikes made from an actual Birkin bag from Hermes. Interesting. I'm kind of partial to those red boots.

Thank you so much for joining us this hour. I'm Christina Macfarlane in London. Stay with us. "Newsroom" with Max Foster is coming up next.

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