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CNN International: Russian Flag Flies Over Avdiivka After Months of Battle; Aid Bill in Limbo as U.S. Lawmakers on Recess; Rights Group: Concern Over Potential Israeli Ground Offensive in Rafah; Hundreds Detained for Attending Alexei Navalny Vigils; Nikki Haley Slams Trump's Comments on Vladimir Putin; Families of Hostages Await Word on Loved Ones Held by Hamas. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired February 19, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: The death of Navalny rings an urgent alarm bell that demands that House Speaker Johnson passed the bipartisan national security supplemental with the dire help that Ukraine needs in it.

NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Why would I give up when 59 percent of Americans say Donald Trump is too old and Joe Biden is too old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are all hurting our families, all of our staff, our community. We are heartbroken. We are going to need time to be together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world in the U.S.. I'm Max Foster.

It is Monday, February the 19th 9 a.m. here in London. It's 11 a.m. in Ukraine where the Russian flag is now flying over the town of Avdiivka after Ukrainian forces withdrew following a month's long battle. Kyiv is pleading for critical military aid to continue its battle with Russia. But U.S. lawmakers are on recess leaving a key aid bill in limbo.

And in Russia, we're seeing more response to Alexei Navalny's death and pushback against his supporters with police shoving a man's face into the snow as they arrest him here.

Now first to Ukraine though where Russian troops raised flags in several parts of Avdiivka after Ukrainian forces withdrew.

Kyiv says it pulled its forces out of the town to keep them from being surrounded by Russian troops. But it appears Russia is building up pressure along all the front lines. Ukraine says Russian troops are massing in Zaporizhia in the south with some analysts saying there are as many as 50,000 Russian soldiers there.

Meanwhile, Ukraine waiting anxiously for U.S. artillery as a key aid bill remains stuck in the U.S. Congress. But the halls of the Capitol are quiet with the U.S. lawmakers on the two week recess. On Friday, President Biden called that break outrageous saying with the death of Navalny and the future of Ukraine at stake now is no time for a vacation.

And on Saturday, Mr. Biden told Ukraine's president that the delay in aid for Ukraine contributed to the fall of Avdiivka. And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the threat from Russia is too potent not to act now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: The death of Navalny rings an urgent alarm bell that demands that House Speaker Johnson pass the bipartisan National Security Supplemental with the dire help that Ukraine needs in it.

The best price the U.S. can make Putin pay is to give Ukraine the help they need to fend off Putin's evil aggressions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Meanwhile, a spokesperson for opposition leader Alexei Navalny says his mother and lawyers were denied access to the morgue in Russia's far north today, where his body is allegedly being held. The spokesperson says they weren't allowed to go in.

And Russia's investigative committee told them that the probe into Navalny's death has been extended for an undisclosed duration. Officials say Navalny died on Friday after losing consciousness. The true circumstances of his death and the location of his body remain a mystery.

It comes as Russian authorities are keeping a tight rein on public displays of mourning for the activists. A rights group says hundreds of people have been detained across the country for attending vigils and rallies for the late leader. You can see here police shoving a man's face in the snow after he was detained at a Navalny memorial on Saturday.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is here. I wonder if, you know, the authorities in Russia wanted this to sort of go away pretty quickly. If they thought that's not the case.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, this is a small flash of bravery, a spark of defiance that we're seeing in the wake of Alexei Navalny's death. If you compare it to what we saw some almost nine years ago after the death of Boris Nemtsov, who was gunned down just on the approach to the Kremlin, it's nowhere near the scale. There were marches, there were rallies, thousands of people turned out. These are people literally trying to lay flowers at makeshift

memorials and being carried off.

[04:05:00]

And I think that really tells you a lot about Russia at this moment. The level of repression, the clampdown on free speech on all independent media means that much fewer people are willing or able to come out and express themselves.

So I think striking that some are in this context, but it is still on a very small scale. And I think significant also what's happening with Alexei Navalny's body or not happening is the case may be the mother and lawyer turning up, we think now for the second time at center of that region, that polar region where he was being held,

being told nothing, essentially. The lawyer, we're told by the spokesperson, pushed out. And now there's an indefinite timing on the investigation into the cause of his death. So perhaps the Russian authorities in that region trying to essentially see how long the mother and lawyer are willing to wait in that polar region to get any news there.

FOSTER: And this area in Ukraine that has been, has fallen to the Russians. That's significant, isn't it? Even if it's just symbolically, but it appears like pushing forward on other fronts as well.

SEBASTIAN: Yes, this is what the Institute for the Study of War is calling opportunistic offensive operations in really three different areas along the front line around Avdiivka, that town that they now have taken up in the north near Kupiansk, which is an area that Ukraine liberated in September of 2022. And now the Russians are trying to attack there again.

And down in the south, which was the sort of epicenter of that failed spring counteroffensive in the Zaporizhia region. Now, look, this is an emboldened Russia, emboldened by the stalling of Western aid, which many are now attributing to the fall of Avdiivka. They are trying their luck when Ukraine is on the back foot. Ukraine, we were told months ago, is having to dig in along the front line, just simply does not have the capacity now to attack. So this is now what we're seeing play out.

Avdiivka itself, as you say, small, smaller even than Bakhmut, but perhaps strategically significant, opens up potential paths for Russia to go further west, although the Ukrainians are saying that they have moved and are now digging in even harder.

FOSTER: Interesting to see in the U.S. how, you know, exactly as you say, politicians being blamed for the fall of this village.

SEBASTIAN: I mean, the U.S. by far the biggest military backer of Ukraine in this war. It is very hard to overstate that.

Yes, the EU is now stepping up. They've approved that 50 billion euro aid package that was being blocked by Hungary. But you cannot overstate the impact of U.S. aid.

And look, it's not just about weapons and ammunition. There is a manpower issue at play here as well. Russia has been able to mobilize more men, bring them to the front line.

Ukraine has this aging force that as many of them have been on the front lines now for the best part of two years. And they are struggling to find a to bring more men in. Mobilization has been incredibly controversial in Ukraine.

So several things playing out. But the impact of U.S. aid, certainly if you talk to any expert, is now being seen very clearly on the front line.

FOSTER: OK, Clare, thank you.

China says it doesn't sell lethal weapons to countries at war. And that includes Russia, its ally and close partner. That's what China's foreign minister told his Ukrainian counterpart at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Wang Yi said Beijing does not want to add, quote, fuel to the fire of Russia's nearly two year long war in Ukraine. He says China has one goal facilitating peace talks. Ukraine's foreign minister said Kyiv would be maintaining a close dialogue with Beijing.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is comparing himself to Putin critic Alexei Navalny. He posted an opinion piece on his social media platform on Sunday that's entitled "Biden/Trump is to Putin , Navalny." In the post, Trump claims without evidence that there are, quote, some parallels between how the Biden administration is targeting him and how President Putin went after Navalny. It's the first time Trump has publicly weighed in on Navalny's death.

Former U.S. GOP representative Liz Cheney is criticizing Donald Trump's response to Navalny's death. She told CNN's Jake Tapper that Trump's post sounded like the emergence of a Putin wing in the Republican Party.

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LIZ CHENEY, FORMER U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: When you think about Donald Trump, for example, pledging retribution, what Vladimir Putin did to Navalny is what retribution looks like in a country where the leader is not subject to the rule of law. And I think that we have to take Donald Trump very seriously. We have to take seriously the extent to which, you know, you've now got a Putin wing in the Republican Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: That she hasn't decided whether she'll make a third party run for president, but did say she'd be quote, do whatever is necessary to defeat Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is accusing Donald Trump of grievously downplaying the dangers posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, Haley once again slammed Trump's comments on NATO saying inviting Putin to quote, do whatever the hell they want to NATO allies is bone chilling.

[04:10:04]

And she's calling on him to answer whether he thinks Putin is responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny. Haley says Trump needs to remember Putin is not a friend to the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: It's actually pretty amazing that he not only after making those comments that he would encourage Putin to invade NATO, but the fact that he won't acknowledge anything with Navalny. Either he sides with Putin and thinks it's cool that that Putin killed one of his political opponents, or he just doesn't think it's that big of a deal.

Either one of those is concerning. Either one of those is a problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Haley also bringing up the question of age and despite the odds she's staying in the race.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HALEY: Why would I give up when 59 percent of Americans say Donald Trump is too old and Joe Biden is too old? Why would I give up when the majority of Americans disapprove of Joe Biden, and a majority of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Israel is issuing a warning about when it could launch a potential ground offensive in Gaza's southernmost city Rafah. The details in a live report just ahead.

Plus, fighting for their loved ones release. The families of hostages held by Hamas speak with CNN about the agonizing weight and why they're not giving up.

Still ahead also, China back in business after the Lunar New Year will break down the latest numbers on holiday spending there.

[04:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz says forces will expand military operations in the southern Gaza City of Rafah if Hamas does not return the remaining hostages by Ramadan. The Holy Muslim month is expected to fall on the second week of March. His words come after Israel's Prime Minister said the release of hostages can be achieved through tough negotiations and strong military action.

Meanwhile, video obtained by CNN shows people digging through rubble in central Gaza where a spokesperson for the Al-Aqsa Mosque's hospital says at least 18 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday. Palestinian health officials say many of those killed and wounded were children. CNN can't independently verify the number of casualties.

The International Court of Justice has opened hearings on the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in Palestinian territories. While it comes as the war rages on in Gaza, the case arrives more than a year after the U.N. General Assembly voted to ask the court for a non-binding opinion on the long running dispute. Palestinian representatives are expected to speak first at today's hearing.

CNN's Scott McLean following developments and joins us now from Istanbul. All eyes really on Rafah at this moment because the Israelis have said they want to minimize any civilian casualties, but there's about a million of them there and it's difficult to see how they can get out, particularly when they haven't been presented with a plan yet.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. More than a million is what many of the estimates have in terms of people sheltering in Rafah, Max, and we're talking about an area that is less than 20 percent of the actual land territory of the Gaza Strip. And while the ground offensive is still pending, still yet to begin, the air campaign there is happening regularly.

We saw on Saturday a series of strikes. One of them killed a family of six. The other one killed seven people who were sheltering in an open area, according to local hospital officials. And we know from a U.N. agency that many people in Rafah have already seen the writing on the walls.

Because of these intensifying airstrikes and because of this looming threat of a ground invasion, they are moving north past areas where active fighting is taking place toward Deir al-Balah, where those 18 people that you mentioned were killed. And some of those 18 people, according to witnesses on the ground, neighbors of that building that was hit, say that they had actually come from Rafah seeking safety. Clearly they didn't, they hadn't found it.

And this is part of the reason why Israel is getting so much criticism for its insistence that it will move into Rafah. It was more than a week ago that the Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he wanted to have this Rafah offensive wrapped up by Ramadan. So that's less than three weeks from now, March the 10th.

Now you're hearing a different message coming from Benny Gantz, a War Cabinet Minister, who says that that's the deadline essentially for Hamas to hand over the hostages or Israel will move in to Rafah.

He said this, quote: To those saying the price is too high, I say this very clearly: Hamas has a choice -- they can surrender, release the hostages, and the citizens of Gaza will be able to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan.

Now he insists that this can be done in a coordinated way to get civilians out safely, working with the Americans and the Egyptians. But this is something that the White House has cast serious doubt on whether it's even remotely possible to do this, given the humanitarian challenges and the volume of people that we are talking about there.

In terms of the hostage negotiations, things are at a bit of an impasse. You have the Israelis saying very clearly that the ball is in Hamas's court. It said that when it was in Cairo last week for talks, Hamas didn't change substantially its position, but it needs to in order for talks to move forward. And its hostage coordinator says that Hamas needs to be closer to reality.

At last word, Hamas's offer is to essentially have Israel gradually withdraw from Gaza over a four and a half month period. And in that time, hostages will be released in exchange for all Palestinians in Israeli jails who are women, children or over the age of 50, something the Israelis have already said clearly no to.

Israel's hostage coordinator says that, look, his side is willing to pay a hefty price to get these hostages back, but not the price of ending the war. And that seems to be contradictory with what Benny Gantz is saying, that they will not move into Rafah. Because of course we know, Max, that the Israelis have said since the outset of this war that they will only consider it completed when Hamas is wiped out.

[04:20:05]

And as we know, they believe that Hamas is using Rafah as shelter right now. They are operating from that area. And so, going into Rafah at some point would be a necessity in order for Israel to complete its objectives -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Scott McLean, thank you for joining us for that.

The families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas say they'll keep fighting until their loved ones are released. Just days ago, a group of them traveled to The Hague to file a legal complaint against the militant group. CNN's Jeremy Diamond traveled with them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANTS: Oh no! We will not!

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cries of Israeli hostage families rise over yet another city. This time it's The Hague, the Dutch city synonymous with international justice, where they've come to demand Hamas's leaders be charged with war crimes.

DIAMOND: After 131 days of their loved ones being held captive, the hostage families have resorted to this, coming in front of the International Criminal Court to demand justice.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But they know this isn't the final stop in their pursuit of justice.

OFIR BIBAS LEVY, SISTER OF HOSTAGE YARDEN BIBAS: It's another step in our fight to bring our families back home and another step in our fight against Hamas.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Today, that step begins at Israel's International Airport, where about 100 hostage family members arrive for yet another early morning flight to yet another country, another day fighting for their loved ones' release.

They arrive carrying signs and wearing shirts and hoodies, bearing the faces of brothers and uncles, daughters and sisters, all captives in Gaza.

Those were Eden Yerushalmi's last words to her sister Shani before the phone line went dead on October 7th. Since then, Shani has been fighting for her sister.

SHANI YERUSHALMI, SISTER OF HOSTAGE EDEN YERUSHALMI: So we are optimistic, but, you know, it's been more than four months and we worried about her. We all feel that the world will forget about them.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But aboard this flight, at least they know they are not fighting alone.

YERUSHALMI: It's sad to say, but I'm happy. I'm glad that we are not alone in this, that Eden is not the only kidnap.

ODED MOSES, SON OF HOSTAGE GADI MOSES: The circumstances gather us together and we meet a lot and we talk a lot.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But no amount of camaraderie can assuage a mother's pain.

HAGIT CHEN, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE ITAY CHEN:131 days and nights. You know, we cannot breathe, we cannot breathe anymore.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Or dim the dreams of being reunited with her son, Itay, a 20 year old Israeli soldier who is also a U.S. citizen.

CHEN: I dream about Itay a lot. In my dreams, you know, he's in the Red Cross van waving to me, smiling because always he has a big smile on his face. And he will say, I'm OK. Why are you worried so much? I'm OK.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But during the trip, it becomes clear that the negotiations that could free the hostages are at an impasse. Frustrations with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu growing.

CHEN: Until Itay is home, it's not enough. Obviously, they're not doing enough if Itay is not home after so many days.

MOSES: Negotiations is like a net of lies. OK, that's our negotiation. Everybody are lying or playing part of the negotiations. No one really can know what happened, but it's not the top priority, as I see it.

DIAMOND (voice-over): In the meantime, the wait is agonizing.

LEVY: We're trying to be optimistic, but the longer the days go, it's -- it's getting harder and harder.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The Bibas family still holding out hope that Shiri and her two redheaded boys are alive, despite Hamas claiming they were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

LEVY: And for Shiri and the boys, we -- we act as if what Hamas said never happened. We believe and we have faith that they are still alive and we are still demanding them back.

DIAMOND (voice-over): For the hostage families, there is power in those demands and raising their voices together.

CHEN: We have more hope that things will change. We hope to change things for us, for Itay.

DIAMOND: Do you feel --

CHEN: -- the power, the energy, the vibes.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Jeremy Diamond, CNN, The Hague, Netherlands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The U.S. says it struck an unmanned underwater vessel deployed by Yemen's Houthi rebels for the first time during a series of strikes on Saturday in the Red Sea. Three anti-ship cruise missiles and an unmanned surface craft were also hit after U.S. officials determined they were an imminent threat.

[04:25:04]

It's the first time the Houthis have used an underwater vessel in their attacks on commercial shipping. They've been targeting international shipping lanes since Israel invaded Gaza following the October 7th Hamas attacks.

New York's governor apologizing for what she said about Israel and Gaza. Just ahead, the remarks she would later call a poor choice of words.

Tragedy in Minnesota. A town is in mourning after two officers and a firefighter were killed in the line of duty.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. If you're just joining us here are our top stories today.

The Russian flag flying over parts of Avdiivka after Ukrainian troops pulled out of the town. Ukraine says the move is to keep its troops from being surrounded. This comes as a bill to give more aid to Ukraine appears to be stalled in Congress.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is calling on Republicans in the House to pass that legislation after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison. Israel says it'll expand its operations in Rafah if Hamas doesn't

return the remaining hostages. A war cabinet minister said the deadline is the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

The governor of New York.