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Zelenskyy Blasts Russia After Ukrainian Soldier Executed; Ukraine Denies Involvement In Nord Stream Sabotage; Missing Americans Found, Two Of Them Dead; Host Tucker Carlson Caught Tearing Into Ex- President Trump; Trump On Social Media: Let The January 6 Prisoners Go; Republicans Outraged By Fox's Use Jan. 6th Footage. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired March 08, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:30]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary church just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. Why Ukrainian forces refused to retreat from the bloody battles in Bakhmut. President Zelensky's warning about the consequences if Russia seizes the embattled city.

Two Americans kidnapped in Mexico now back in the U.S. for treatment. The other two are dead as a search for the killers ramps up.

Plus, from COVID test to a mandatory quarantine. How China is relying on strict coronavirus protocols to limit how reporters cover one of the largest meetings of communist leaders.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we begin this hour in Ukraine where the country's military says Ukrainian forces have been fighting off dozens of Russian attacks in and around the battered city of Bakhmut in just the past day. This video posted on social media appears to show a Ukrainian combat vehicle coming under fire from fighters with the Wagner Mercenary Group.

But despite the nonstop attacks, Ukraine claims Russian forces are suffering significant losses. This video appears to show Russian soldiers retreating from an area on the outskirts of Bakhmut. But Russia says its forces are making gains and have already captured settlements around the eastern Ukrainian city. Russia's Defense Ministry -- Minister I should say, says a victory in Bakhmut will lead to further advances.

That's a concern for Ukraine and for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who spoke with CNN about the decision to continue defending Bakhmut.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): This is tactical for us. We understand that after Bakhmut they could go further or they could go to Kramatorsk to Sloviansk. It will be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine in the Donetsk direction in the east of Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: In that interview, Mr. Zelenskyy also reacted to the disturbing video released on social media showing an unarmed Ukrainian soldier being executed. He says the video shows Russia's attitude towards prisoners of war, saying they don't have any laws nor do they respect anything.

CNN's Melissa Bell has more details now. But we want to warn our viewers, some may find the images disturbing.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Glory to Ukraine were his last words. Timothy Shadura was his name. His courage and his silhouette made iconic overnight by his brutal execution. An officer from his brigade telling CNN that his death will not go unpunished.

ANATOLI YAVORSKI, PRESS OFFICER, 30TH BRIGADE, ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE (text): Ukrainian society is very pained by the barbaric attitude of our enemies. And revenge is inevitable. The armed forces of Ukraine will avenge the death of our comrade.

BELL: The fate of Bakhmut still in the balance. With dozens more attacks to the north of the besieged city, and heavy losses to the Russian side say Ukrainian authorities. But efforts to encircled Bakhmut praised by the Russian defense minister after an unusual trip to soldiers in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

SERGEI SHOIGU, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): This city is an important defense hub for Ukrainian troops in Donbas, taking it under control will allow further offensive actions deep into the defense of the armed forces of Ukraine.

BELL: The town also at the heart of a tussle between the Russian army and Wagner. The mercenary group planting its flag closer to the center of Bakhmut. Much of the fighting now street to street, soldier to soldier. As civilians cower in their basements fewer than 4000 now say Ukrainian authorities, including 38 children. The ferocity of the artillery and mortar fire that continue to pound the city, making it hard even for soldiers to get out.

And as Moscow closes in, more claims of so-called Ukrainian terrorist activity with staunched Moscow ally Alexander Lukashenko announcing the capture of a Ukrainian Russian national accused of trying to sabotage a Russian surveillance plane at a Minsk airfield without presenting further evidence.

[02:05:15]

ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, PRESIDENT OF BELARUS (through translator): We identified and detained him. To date more than 20 accomplices who are on the territory of Belarus have been detained.

BELL: Only last week, Moscow accused Ukrainian saboteurs of opening fire on civilians inside Russia. But even as the war of words widens, all eyes are very much on Bakhmut and whether the symbol of Ukrainian resilience will finally fall even as a new one is born.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the government had nothing to do with the sabotage of the Russian-owned Nord Stream pipelines. His remarks follow a New York Times report which says new intelligence suggests a pro-Ukrainian group carried out the attack last year that left the pipelines badly damaged. A source told CNN that assessment was not made with high confidence and is not the predominant view of the intelligence community.

The Kremlin is also reacting with the spokesman telling Russian state media the report is part of a "obvious misinformation campaign coordinated by the media."

And CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is following all the developments for us. She joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Salma. So, what more are you learning about this intelligence suggesting pro-Ukraine saboteurs may have been behind the Nord Stream bombings in September?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, I think that this new reporting will only add more questions rather than give us answers about something that's really confounded investigators across both sides of the Atlantic for months now. And that is who is responsible for this very brazen attack, the sabotage attack or what is believed to be an intentional attack on the Nord Stream pipelines.

Just a reminder, this occurred September of last year. It is believed than an intentional attack and explosion, a powerful explosion ripped through these two pipelines. Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 tearing four holes in the two pipelines. These were important pipelines that funneled natural gas from Russia into Germany into mainland Europe. At the time of these powerful explosions in September of last year again, Nord Stream 1 was already shut down by the Kremlin due to maintenance that kept being extended in Nord Stream 2 was under construction.

So, neither of them were functional at the time, but of course, a major incident in the Baltic Seas. Since that incident took place German, Danish and Swedish investigators have been trying to find out what took place. And yesterday on Tuesday, the New York Times publishing this report that says according to The New York Times, its own reporting, its own journalism, that pro-Ukrainian groups may have been behind the sabotage attack.

The New York Times reporting goes on to say that President Zelenskyy himself and his top lieutenants, there's no evidence that they were aware or involved in the attack. But again, it points to pro-Ukrainian groups. Now, for a long time since this incident occurred, there's been disbelief in the intelligence community that potentially it was Russia that stood to benefit from these pipelines being attacked, although NATO never directly accused the Kremlin.

So, this very much turns that narrative on its head. Now, Ukrainian officials, for their part, as you mentioned, have denied this outright. They've sort of left off these allegations, these accusations, calling them conspiracy theories and saying that there was no involvement in no evidence of involvement by pro-Ukrainian groups. Moscow has done a very similar thing, calling this an obvious misinformation campaign by the media.

And again, brushing off these reports. But it still adds to that question of who was behind. Again, this very brazen attack on these two pipelines. Something that was a very crucial connection for natural gas to Europe and of course, a source of revenue for Moscow. But in some ways the attack on those pipelines accelerated a foregone conclusion, if you will, Rosemary. Europe was very reliant dependent on gas and oil from Russia.

Prior to this conflict, it's been weaning itself off since the start of the Ukraine war that was accelerated by the end of these North Nord Stream pipelines. But again, still these investigators trying to find out what's happened. CNN has reached out to us officials for common. They say that this is not the predominant view of the intelligence community, but they continue to dig to find answers.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Salma Abdelaziz joining us live from London. And be sure to tune in for Wolf Blitzer's exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It will air Wednesday at noon 9:00 p.m., Eastern 10:00 a.m. Thursday in Hong Kong only here on CNN.

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CHURCH: The two Americans who survived a deadly kidnapping in n Mexico on Friday are back in the United States. According to Mexican officials, LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams are found in a wooden house in Matamoros on Tuesday. William's wife tells CNN he was shot in both legs. Washington McGee was not injured. Her mother told her affiliate WPDE, she has spoken with her daughter and that she's doing OK but struggling with the fact she had to watch her friends die.

The two other victims, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown were found dead inside that house. CNN has learned the group had traveled to Mexico for cosmetic surgery for Washington McGee, but they got lost on their way to the clinic in a dangerous cartel region. One man is in custody, accused of doing surveillance on the victims. But officials have not said if he's tied to a criminal group.

CNN Gloria Pazmino filed this report from neighboring Brownsville, Texas.

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And we're here in Brownsville, Texas, where crossing the border into Mexico is a part of daily lives. It was last week when for U.S. citizens had planned to cross the border into Matamoros, Mexico where one of them was hoping to have a medical procedure. We're also learning more about how local authorities first learned that these four U.S. citizens had gone missing.

One of their friends who had traveled with them had to stay behind here Brownsville, Texas, because she did not have proper I.D. They needed proper I.D. in order to cross the border. Now while the four friends were looking for this clinic in Matamoros, they came under fire by unidentified individuals. They were assaulted and subsequently kidnapped. Today we learned that two of them tragically lost their lives, two others are recovering at a local hospital.

An investigation is underway. But local officials believe this was a case of mistaken identity. Now we spoke with the local spokesperson for the police department here in Brownsville who told me that crossing the border is something this community does almost every day, and that while this city has been shaken by what's happened, he doesn't believe it will decrease the crossings in any way. However, they are asking people to take additional precaution. Listen to this.

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MARTIN SANDOVAL, BROWNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: This is something that doesn't happen, no, occasionally rare. It's very rare that it does. Unfortunately, it did happen. You know, and we were praying and we were hoping for the safe return for everyone.

What I really want to emphasize is this incident should not define Mexico as a whole. OK? That the city and Matamoros is just like any other city in the United States. It has its bad locations and it has its good locations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now we're also learning more about those who were involved in this kidnapping. The Tamaulipas governor Americo Villarreal identifying a person who was detained identified as a 24-year-old man who was keeping watch over those two who survived this kidnapping that will certainly be a part of the investigation. Local officials also highlighting this concept of medical tourism which has significantly increased recently.

They asked Americans to take precautions if they are traveling into the area to have a medical procedure. Not only are there risks when it comes to their personal safety, but there are also risks associated with their health and medical care. That is the latest here in Brownsville, Texas.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN.

CHURCH: Israel has carried out a military raid and a crowded West Bank refugee camp targeting a suspect and the shooting death of two Israeli settlers. That man was killed along with five other people. And Israeli official say soldiers surrounded the suspects house in Jenin came under fire and responded with shoulder-fired missiles. The Palestinian authority calls the use of missiles and act of war.

More now from Elliot Gotkine reporting from Tel Aviv. ELLIOTT GOTKINE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Israeli security forces carried out daytime raids in both Nablus and Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. In Jenin, the IDF says it was after a 49-year-old man he described as a Hamas terrorist operative and the man that they say was responsible for killing two Israeli settler brothers in the Palestinian village of Huwara on February the 26th.

The IDF says that the suspect barricaded himself inside his residence and that they fired shoulder-fired missiles at the residence resulting in his death.

[02:15:08]

A gun battle ensued they say in which five more Palestinians were killed according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. All of them, men in their 20s at the same time. Three IDF soldiers suffered injuries. None of them are life threatening. In Nablus, meanwhile, the IDF says that they made two arrests. Both of them are sons of the aforementioned Hamas operative, whom they accused of helping plan and to carry out the attack the killing of those two Israeli brothers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently putting out a statement saying that whoever harms us will pay the price. And Hamas also admitting that the 49-year-old man was indeed a member of its organization, and that he was indeed responsible for killing those two Israeli brothers.

Now, we often talk about daytime raids by the Israeli security forces being quite rare but given that this is the third one, at least so far this year, they seem to be becoming increasingly common.

Elliot Gotkine, CNN, Tel Aviv.

CHURCH: And we want to welcome our viewers in North America who have just joined us. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. The Americans who survive last week's deadly kidnapping in Mexico or back home in a Texas hospital. We will update you with the latest developments on that story.

Plus, awkward inconvenient admissions from a top host at Fox News. Tucker Carlson admits to hating Donald Trump and not just a little.

And later in a CNN exclusive Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the potential origins of the coronavirus.

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[02:20:30]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, the two Americans who survived a deadly kidnapping in Mexico on Friday are back in the United States. According to Mexican officials, LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams were found in a wooden house in Matamoros on Tuesday. William's wife tells CNN he was shot in both legs. Washington McGee was not injured. Her mother told our affiliate WPDE, she's spoken with her daughter and that she is doing OK but struggling with the fact she had to watch her friends die.

The two other victims, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown were found dead inside that house. CNN has learned the group had traveled to Mexico for cosmetic surgery for Washington McGee, but they got lost on their way to the clinic in a dangerous cartel region. One man is in custody accused of doing surveillance on the victims, but officials have not said if he's tied to a criminal group.

CNN's Rosa Flores has the latest developments.

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ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Two of four missing Americans are back in the United States and receiving medical treatment in Texas after being kidnapped in Mexico after what a U.S. official tells CNN was a case of mistaken identity.

Two members of the party were found dead and one of the survivors is severely injured with a bullet wound to his leg according to U.S. and Mexican officials.

In the party of four, LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams survived. Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard were killed.

NED PRICE, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We're providing all appropriate assistance to them and their families. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.

FLORES: They crossed the border from Brownsville Texas into Matamoros, Mexico on Friday for McGee to obtain a medical procedure according to a friend of McGee's. They drove a white minivan with North Carolina plates across the border and got lost while trying to locate the medical clinic where they were headed, the friend told CNN.

Before they were able to locate the clinic, disturbing video shows the aftermath of the kidnapping as heavily armed men loaded them into a white truck and transported them to various locations to evade capture according to Mexican officials.

The Mexican president says those responsible will be found in punished. A U.S. official familiar with the investigation told CNN they believe a Mexican cartel kidnapped the group after mistaking them for Haitian drug smugglers. The State Department has issued its highest level four warning do not travel to Tamaulipas state where the group was abducted due to heavy crime and kidnapping in the region.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are many people who cross over that border for these medical appointments.

JOHN KIRBY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Attacks on U.S. citizens are unacceptable, no matter where or under what circumstances they occur.

FLORES: McGee and Williams are now under the care of the FBI and U.S. officials are making arrangements to bring home the bodies of Brown and Woodard. PRICE: We want to see accountability for the violence that has been inflicted on these Americans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FLORES: The building that you see behind me, that's where we believe that the Americans are receiving medical treatment. The hospital has not issued a statement with the patient's condition. Now the FBI for its part, saying that this is an ongoing criminal investigation and that it is working with federal law enforcement partners, both here in the United States and in Mexico to get to the bottom of who did this.

Now the FBI also say that they are working to recover the victims, the deceased victims from Mexico back to the United States so that they can reunite them with their families. Rosa Flores, CNN, Brownsville, Texas.

CHURCH: Mexico is the second most popular destination for medical tourism globally, according to patients beyond borders. An International Healthcare consulting company, they estimate up to three million people traveled to Mexico each year to take advantage of inexpensive treatments. On average, Americans can save 40 to 60 percent on common medical procedures, but aren't taking risks because these clinics are not held to U.S. standards and also setting foot in a potentially dangerous environment.

CNN en Espanol Correspondent Gustavo Valdes explains.

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: For the most part, the attacks like the one we saw are reserved for confrontations amongst the cartels or cartel members. This is the state that is home to the cartel, they'll go for the Gulf Cartel. So, it is a very, very violent criminal organization.

[02:25:02]

But typically, you see these attacks among themselves and what you see is collateral damage like we saw with this woman who was shot in this confrontation with the four Americans. Typically, Americans are safe as long as they are there during the day. Typically, the criminal organizations don't want to get into this kind of publicity, but the danger is always there. That's why it is -- the State Department has the alert to be careful when you cross into Mexico, especially in this part of the -- of the country.

CHURCH: One of the biggest stars on the network that caters to conservatives was caught admitting he hates Donald Trump passionately. Tucker Carlson even called him a demonic force. We'll have the latest revelations from his text messages after the break.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Another embarrassment for Fox News. Its star host Tucker Carlson was caught bashing former U.S. President Donald Trump in text messages never meant to become public. They were sent shortly before the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and were released on Tuesday in a court filing.

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It's part of Dominion voting system's $1.6 lawsuit against the right- wing channel for promoting lies about the 2020 election being stolen. Carlson wrote and I'm quoting directly here, "We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can't wait. I hate him passionately. I blew up at former Trump adviser Peter Navarro today in frustration. I actually like Peter, but I can't handle much more of this. That's the last four years. We're all pretending we've got a lot to show for it. Because admitting what a disaster it's been is too tough to digest. But come on, there isn't really an upside to Trump." CNN Senior Media Reporter Oliver Darcy added this context.

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OLIVER DARCY, CNN SENIOR MEDIA REPORTER: And also point out that this wasn't just one time where Tucker was very honest behind the scenes about Trump, you know, he called his post-election behavior, disgusting. He said that Trump not going to Biden's inauguration was destructive. He called them a demonic force, he call them a destroyer. There was a lot of stuff Tucker Carlson was saying behind the scenes that he never had the moral courage to say to his actual audience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Tucker Carlson is also facing a barrage of criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike for cherry-picking video from January 6 and downplaying the violence. Carlson says it was neither an insurrection nor deadly. He even accused Democrats and the media of lying about the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was assaulted by rioters and died the next day. CNN's Sara Murray, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): After Fox News attempts to whitewash the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. Even some Republicans are setting the record straight.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): And I think it was it was -- yes, it was an attack on the Capitol.

SEN. KEVIN CRAMER (R-ND): And I think that breaking through glass windows and doors to get into the United States Capitol against the orders of police is a crime, to somehow put that in the same category as, you know, permitted peaceful protests is just a lie. I get (INAUDIBLE).

MURRAY (voiceover): Fox News Tucker Carlson, using curated clips of the Capitol attack to falsely claim, there was no violent insurrection.

TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST (voiceover): These were not insurrectionists they were sightseers.

MURRAY (voiceover): House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave Carlson exclusive access to thousands of hours of video from January 6.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Speaker McCarthy is every bit as culpable as Mr. Carlson.

MURRAY (voiceover): As U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger, tore into Carlson's program for its quote, "Offensive and misleading conclusion. The program conveniently cherry-picked from the calmer moments of our 41,000 hours of video." Manger wrote in an internal memo, "The commentary fails to provide context about the chaos and violence that happened before are during these less tense moments."

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY): It was a mistake in my view, for Fox News to depict this in a way that's completely at variance with what our chief law enforcement official here at Capitol thinks.

MURRAY (voiceover): The chief also defending fallen officer Brian Sicknick, who was attacked with chemical spray and physically fought members of the mob. After Carlson questioned links between his death and the insurrection.

CARLSON (voiceover): Here's surveillance footage of Sicknick, walking in the capitol.

MURRAY (voiceover): A day after the Capitol attack, Sicknick died from a series of strokes. The medical examiner said he died of natural causes, but "All that transpired on January 6, played a role in his condition." Sicknick's family slammed Fox in a statement saying, "Every time the pain of that day seems to have ebbed a bit, organizations like Fox rip our wounds wide open again, and we are frankly sick of it."

Another Carlson claim that the QAnon Shaman walked through the Capitol without pushback from police. But in court where Jacob Tansley pleaded guilty, prosecutors say officers repeatedly tried to get him and others to lead. But officers felt outnumbered on January 6, and weary of confronting them. This as the Justice Department still works to hold writers to account for the attack back then.

MERRICK GARLAND, U.S ATTORNEY GENERAL: We have charged more than a thousand people with their crimes on the day and more than 500 have already been convicted. I think it's very clear what happened on January 6.

MURRAY (voiceover): Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump proclaimed, "Let the January 6 prisoners go." and offered his thanks to Carlson and McCarthy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MURRAY (on camera): Now, as for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, he says he has no regrets about releasing this footage to Tucker Carlson, claiming it was in the interest of transparency. Sara Murray, CNN on Capitol Hill.

CHURCH: What are the origins of the Coronavirus? Just ahead in a CNN exclusive, Dr. Anthony Fauci discusses the potential origins of COVID- 19. And for that, in just a moment.

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CHURCH: A U.S. Congressional hearing is set to take place in the coming hours on the origins of COVID-19. The prevailing theory was that infected animals in China pass the virus on to humans. But now some government agencies in the U.S. are questioning this. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke to CNN about the potential theories.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, FORMER DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASE: They're talking about information that they have that we don't have privy to. So, we don't really know but I don't think there's a really correct and verify but answer to your question. It just still remains unknown at this particular point. There are two theories, as we're all familiar with now, one is the lab leak theory, the other is that it was a natural occurrence from an animal spillover. But one thing is that we have to keep an open mind about this until there's definitive evidence.

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CHURCH: Recently, both the FBI and the U.S. Department of Energy have indicated the virus was the result of a lab leak in Wuhan, China. A new powerful storm is expected to hit California in the coming days just as the state digs out from heavy snowfall. A short break in the wet weather is expected on Wednesday and early Thursday before a warmer, more powerful storm arrives. The atmospheric river is expected to bring more snow in some areas and heavy rain. Some 16 million people in lower elevations are under flood alerts. Winter Storm watches have been issued at the high elevations beginning Thursday and lasting into Sunday. I'm Rosemary Church, for our international viewers, "WORLD SPORTS" is coming up next. And for everyone else here in North America. I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Do stay with us.

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