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Ukraine Marks Its Independence Day And Six Months Of War; Economic Impact Of Six Months Of Conflict; Analysing Iran Nuclear Deal Progress. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 24, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN, London, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNNI HOST: 31 years ago today, Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union. Six months ago today, the country was invaded by
Russia. Today Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine was reborn.
I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome back to Connect the World. We begin with an historic day in Ukraine, the country not only marking 31 years of
independence, it has been as I said, six months to the day since Russia launched its unprovoked war. This hour Ukraine, supporters in Warsaw and in
Berlin are gathering to mark the day.
More subdued celebrations in Kyiv, itself. The National and Armed Forces flags flying from drones at the Motherland monument. It comes amid warnings
that Moscow could launch major strikes on civilian and government targets this week. And Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky welcoming the
outgoing British Prime Minister to Kyiv today.
Boris Johnson delivering a $66 million aid package for Ukraine during the unannounced visit, telling the country that it can and will win the war. In
earliest speech President Zelenskyy told Ukrainians the country was reborn at 4am on February the 24th, the moment Russia invaded and moments ago,
this is Zelenskyy wrapped up and addressed to the United Nations Security Council via video conference.
Well, current questions continue regarding Vladimir Putin his endgame here but the resolve of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people is as strong
as ever, despite six months of senseless destruction and human suffering. My colleague Isa Soares reminds us of how this conflict evolved and a
warning. Her report coming up contains graphic images.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Devastating explosions across Ukraine's major cities. This was the moment Russia lit up Ukraine's skies. An
unwarranted invasion that only moments earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin called a special Military operation to demilitarize and deNazify
Ukraine.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Whoever tries to interfere with this, and even more so to create threats for our country,
our people should know that Russia's response will be immediate, and will lead to such consequences that you have never experienced in your history.
SOARES: The Kremlin's immediate goal to surround Kyiv and liquidate the Ukrainian leadership. Later that same day, Russian special forces took an
airbase just outside the capital. CNN was there as it all unfolded.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Within the past few seconds just before you came to us, they were engaged in a firefight, presumably with the Ukrainian Military,
which says it is staging a counter offensive.
SOARES: The predictions of some Western analysts that it would be all over in three days seemed on target. They weren't. Within 48 hours, Ukrainian
special forces rendered the airbase inoperable, the first in a series of setbacks. Russia shock and awe was suddenly surprisingly muted by Ukrainian
resistance, symbolized by a defiant President Volodymyr Zelensky, telling CNN from a bunker in Kyiv that the Russian invasion was about far more than
Ukraine.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It's very important for people in the United States to understand that, despite the
fact that the war is taking place in Ukraine, it's essentially for values in life, for democracy, for freedom. Therefore, this war is for all the
world.
SOARES: As he spoke, millions of Ukrainians were fleeing westwards to Poland, fearful of a Russian blitzkrieg, the fastest growing refugee crisis
in generations, according to the United Nations. As Russia pressed on, families were torn apart as the men stayed on to fight, their future
uncertain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this is goodbye?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Temporarily.
SOARES: Those who stayed behind bunkered underground, the Metro filled with the elderly and the vulnerable, all terrified of the unknown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm asking if they're afraid. They're very nervous.
[11:05:00]
SOARES: President Zelensky appealed to the west for help.
ZELENSKYY: You are the leader of a great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world.
SOARES: By March 10, Russia was heading towards the Capital. But not everything was going according to their plan. One column of Russian
vehicles, 40 miles long sat north of the capital exposed to Ukrainian mobile units with antitank missiles and drones. Suddenly Russia found
itself bogged down, suffering heavy losses.
But it wasn't until they were forced to pull back that the true human devastation was seen. Evidence of torture, executions, mass graves exposed.
Russian troops had committed human rights violations, atrocities, war crimes. The entire town became a crime scene.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For us the best motivation is justice.
SOARES: By the spring the Russian focus shifted to the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the original goal of Putin special operation. Russia's
goals in the East have come at the price of immense civilian suffering. The city of Mariupol was battered and bombed for two months. Local officials
estimated 20,000 people were killed, far more fled.
Soldiers at the city's Azovstal steel complex became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance, pounded from sea, land and air before weeks refusing to
surrender. Gradually, remorselessly Russian forces edged forward in the Donbas, but they've taken immense casualties.
Pentagon estimates more than 70,000. Western officials tell CNN the Russians are struggling to make up losses of men and munitions. And with
new longer range and accurate weapons from the west and its partners, Ukraine has begun taking the battle to the enemy, especially in the south.
The consequences of this war reaching far beyond its borders, as the wider world sees skyrocketing food prices.
And Europe, so dependent on Russian gas is looking towards a grim winter. The prospect of peace still so far away. Isa Soares, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, in the last hour, you heard from Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the head of the Ukrainian president's office where who - who discussed
with me that only a Military solution is the way forward in Ukraine. Well, in the second part of that interview, he reflects on his country's
independence day and the six month point of the war, whether he expects an uptick in attacks from Russia this week and what the legacy will be for
Ukraine.
And indeed its neighbor, Belarus. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, how worried are you about an uptick in attacks by Russia this week as Ukraine marks its 31st Independence Day,
MYKHAILO PODOLYAK, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER (through translator): Of course, we expect that on the day of Ukrainian independence, this amount of
shelling will be increased. And we'll be warning our citizens, people to be careful what's happening outside. If they hear an air raid, they
immediately follow to the bomb shelter.
But we understand that Russia is waging the terrorist type of war against the civilian so in order to basically pressurize our civilian population.
In particular, the population of our capital, Kyiv.
ANDERSON: The President of Belarus has congratulated Ukraine on its independence day, what do you make of that, given the country's support for
Russia? And if there is further escalation between Belarus and Ukraine, do you envisage Ukraine at any point attacking Belarus?
PODOLYAK: Of course, Ukraine is ready for any provocations on behalf of Belarus. Of course, and we understand from the Military part, that Belarus
is being used as a basically a springboard for any kind of attacks against Ukraine and Belarus might try to enter the territory of Ukraine, and
judging by the total lack of readiness of Belarus society to attack Ukraine.
So we basically think that the Russian society, it's different from Russian society when it comes to the war against Ukraine, when, like most of
Russians are so for war. In Belarus, they don't support President Lukashenko.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: President Zelenskyy yesterday said that Ukraine was reborn the day that Russia invaded. We are six months in, and we are entering what
could be some very long, very harsh winter months. How long do you and the administration believe that this will drag on? And is there a sense amongst
you and your colleagues that the worst of this war is actually behind you or not?
PODOLYAK: The key is that many people forgot in the 21st century that you have to pay a huge price for your independence and your freedom. And
Ukraine is doing that. And we following the path, that Ukraine - that confirms that Ukraine is a powerful country that pays any price, in order
to have democracy in Ukraine, and to give freedom to its population.
The length of the war will depend on one factor, war is a mathematical history, mathematical progression, every bit of its war should have certain
calculation, which kind of weapons we will have at each stage of this war. And if we'll have enough weapons at this stage of the war, practically MRLS
and drones, it will allow us to, deblock, liberate our territory because Russia wages her war with quantity, not quality.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Podolyak is an Ukrainian Presidential Adviser. David McKenzie joining us from Kyiv. A sense of dread today, also a sense of defiance on
what is this Independence Day in Ukraine, people were told to stay away from large gatherings, keep off the streets, and I can see people behind
you, and people are outside and they are marking this day, David.
DAVID MCKENZIE, NBC NEWS SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, you have to have a deep admiration for the citizens of this Capital because
despite being told that there is a threat of possible missile strikes from Russia, to mark this anniversary and six months into this war, people have
come up. You can see them behind me.
They've come out with families, couples, people writing notes on the tanks and the burnt out APCs from the brutal days of the conflict when the
Russians were trying to take the capital in many months ago now. And now the conflict has moved away in terms of the ground forces from Kyiv and it
is this (inaudible) question Becky is, will this much talked about fight back counter offensive from the Ukrainians come that they've been
telegraphing in the southern part of this theater, we don't know.
But there is a sense of defiance here. You can really feel it despite ongoing sirens, air raid sirens that have happened several times a day
today, people wanted to commemorate this anniversary and feel a bit of normality. What's hardly normal because there's some 30 Odd tanks, burnt
out tanks and hulks on the street. They've called it a Military parade for the Russians, Ukrainian style.
ANDERSON: David McKenzie's in Kyiv in Ukraine. Thank you, David. Well, the impact of everything happening in Ukraine is being felt in Russia as well.
And that is where we find CNN's Fred Pleitgen. He joins us from Moscow now. You've been reporting in and out of Moscow over the last six months, you
are based there for a very long time before that, what would you say has been the biggest impact of what Russia calls it's and I quote here, special
Military operation on the country and on its people, Fred.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know that, Becky, I think that really depends here in this country, where you live and
which social sphere you are part of. One of the interesting things that we continue to see every day as we live here is that if you wanted to pretend
to yourself that this special Military operation isn't going on, isn't happening. You can do that here in Moscow, you can walk through Moscow
every day, and you wouldn't really noticed much of it at all.
People living normal lives. Yes, the sanctions are biting to a certain extent. But I think one of the things that's also clear is that Vladimir
Putin has to a certain degree managed to sanction proof of the economy here, at least for now. People don't really notice it as much as many had
feared. Nevertheless, of course, there are many other regions here in this country where of course a lot of the people from those regions did go to
Ukraine, fought there and many of them have died and many of them were wounded.
So there the impact obviously is one that is a lot more direct and obviously a lot more brutal as well. At the same time it certainly does
seem as though one of the things that the Russian government is trying to do is essentially outlast the West in all of this.
[11:15:00]
PLEITGEN: They seem to be in it for the long run. They have said they are not going to back down from the original goals that they've had. And they
certainly seem to be trying to project at least internally here, the idea that Russia can somehow do this kind of on the side, maintain a normal life
for a lot of people and at the same time, conduct a fairly large Military operation as well.
So right now, they show no signs of backing down. And yes, of course, there are impacts of all of this, but they certainly aren't as big as many people
here in the country had feared in the beginning, Becky.
ANDERSON: President Zelenskyy's advisor telling me earlier that he sees no room now for a diplomatic solution, that there is only a Military one. And
of course, the Ukrainian president's advisor, suggesting that that will be a Ukrainian victory on the ground. Is that how the Kremlin sees this? That
the opportunity for a diplomatic solution is now off the table?
PLEITGEN: Officially, officially, they don't. Officially the Russians do say they believe that there - there should be negotiations, they believe
that it's something that does need to happen. But if you look at the Russian demands, and what the Russians have sort of been saying publicly,
it certainly doesn't look as though there would be such room for such negotiations.
One of the things that we keep hearing is that the Russians say they want to achieve all of their goals, they've obviously come to some pretty big
demands like the demilitarization of Ukraine, essentially getting rid of the current government in Ukraine and Ukraine, of course, having to see
large parts of its territory as well.
That's obviously something that simply isn't acceptable to the Ukrainians. And, you know, that certainly seems to be pretty clear here as well. So
right now, while the Russians continue to say they believe - they want negotiations, they, for instance, believe that the Turks could mediate
those negotiations, it certainly doesn't seem as though something that's being realistically discussed right here.
And at the same time, you know, the combat that Russia is conducting goes on at a very, very high level and the Russians are continuing to press
their invasion, continuing to press the offensive that they have, especially in the Donbas region. And if you look at some of the messaging
that you hear, especially on Kremlin controlled media, the Donbas really plays a major role there and it certainly seems as though that's the main
target that the Russians have right now to take all of that territory, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow. Fred, thank you. Well, coming up on Connect the World with Becky Anderson, the U.S. says it carried out
airstrikes in Syria to protect its troops. Why Iran is speaking out against those attacks? Plus, Israel's Prime Minister. speaking out against the
return to an Iran nuclear deal. After the break, I'll speak to one Iran expert who says the US policy to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions could
backfire.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: Iran is condemning U.S. airstrikes on Syria, calling them a violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Let me explain
why. This comes hours after the U.S. military says that President Joe Biden ordered precision airstrikes on this map where you can see here, Deir Al-
Zor, targeting bunkers used by groups tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran has denied any affiliation to those groups. One prominent activist group says at least 10 people were killed. It follows last week's rocket
attack near a Military base in northeast Syria housing U.S. troops. Well, these strikes in Syria come against the backdrop of ongoing indirect talks
between Washington and Tehran to revive the Iran nuclear deal, the JCPOA.
And those negotiations with the EU going back and forth between the two parties, have been going on for months. My next guest is Iran expert Karim
Sadjadpour. He has an interesting take on all of this and has penned an Op- Ed about what he thinks the U.S. gets wrong about Iran. He writes in part and I quote, "U.S. policy towards Iran has for years faced a paradox that
has been poorly understood. The coercive policies needed to counter the Islamic Republic's nuclear and regional ambitions, that is sanctions may
inadvertently serve to strengthen, not weaken the regime's grip on power.
Karim is a Senior Associate at Carnegie Endowment. He's joining us live from Marbella in Spain. And I'll get you to explain the conceit of your
argument in that piece, which is a terrific piece in a moment. But let me let me start if I can Karim, by asking you whether you believe that we are
now after months and months on the brink of a deal to put Washington and Tehran back into the JCPOA.
KARIM SADJADPOUR, SR. ASSOCIATE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT: Becky, it certainly does appear that we're inexorably moving towards some kind of a deal as if
we run 25 miles of a 26.2 mile marathon. Now, that doesn't mean a deal is imminent. We know from experience that, you know, Iran is going to continue
to negotiate hard and try to extract as many concessions as possible.
But the bottom line is that the Biden Administration is deeply committed to reviving this deal and the Iranian government is grudgingly committed to
reviving the deal, because it cannot reverse its economic decline, absent a removal of economic sanctions.
ANDERSON: How is the region, the region of the Middle East and the Gulf changed since the last time this deal was struck in 2015 of course.
SADJADPOUR: Iran is much more powerful than it was in 2015. It has - it's essentially dominating four Arab countries, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Its proxies in those countries have grown more powerful, and Iran's technical wherewithal is become much more sophisticated. Its use of
precision missiles, rockets, and drones are a huge challenge to many of America's regional partners.
And you know, what they will tell you is that they don't worry about being nuked by Iran. They worry about the weapons that Iran is using on a daily
basis via its proxies.
ANDERSON: Can you then explain why it is, for example, that the UAE is sending an ambassador back into Tehran. As you have described, this is a
more powerful Iran and regionally it is accused of much maligned behavior and the efforts being made by countries in the region I of course, leave
Israel aside from this and I want to get your perspective of what you're hearing out of out of Jerusalem at present.
But why is it that we are seeing a more cohesive relationship, a cozier relationship between some of the main stakeholders in region towards Tehran
at this point.
SADJADPOUR: Well, the Emiratis and other countries, I would put Saudi Arabia in that category are trying to deconflict with Iran, they're not
interested in a conflict with Iran. And Becky, they don't have the luxury of changing their geography, you know, they don't have the luxury of being
relocated 1000s of miles away from Iran.
I think they also realize that they no longer can - they no longer feel they can rely on the United States in the same way. And so their goal is
they - I don't think they have any illusions that the nature of the Iranian regime has changed and it's possible to have, you know, a warm, friendly,
trustful relationship with Iran. But they do realize that, you know, for a country like Iran, all it does is need to destroy things, doesn't really
need to build anything.
[11:25:00]
And so a place like the United Arab Emirates, which has put so much time and effort and trillions of dollars into building itself, all it takes is
one conflict with Iran that potentially destroys everything. So their goal is to deconflict.
ANDERSON: I want you to just hear some of what Yair Lapid, the Israeli prime minister had to say about the potential for a deal at this point,
have a listen.
YAIR LAPID, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The Iranians are making demands again. The negotiators are ready to make concessions again. This is not the first
time this has happened. The countries of the West draw a red line, the Iranians ignore it, and the red line moves. If the Iranians didn't take it,
why didn't the world leave it?
ANDERSON: Where will a potential deal, at this point leave the Israelis?
SADJADPOUR: Well, that Iran-Israel relationship is like a David and Goliath relationship, depending on you know, which prism through which you're
looking at it. If you look at it from a geographic prism, you know, Iran is 75 times larger than Israel, has a much larger population. Iran is Goliath
and Israel is David.
But if you're looking at it from a Military perspective, well, Israel, as you know, 10s, if not hundreds of nuclear weapons, Iran is, you know,
potentially months away from one. Israel has much more sophisticated Military power. The bottom line, though, is that you have a regime in Iran,
which doesn't believe Israel should exist.
Iran's leadership has denied the Holocaust, you know, Israel's leaders are very sensitive about that. And so I think that the reality is any, any
country, which is seeing an adversary moving towards a nuclear weapons capability, you know, they're going to want to try to prevent that, that
possibility. And, you know, they're not confident that the JCPOA best ensures that.
So, you know, I think there's frankly, Becky, we know, a divide oftentimes between Israeli politicians and you know, Israeli security forces and I
think Israeli politicians are going to continue to be very concerned about any deal, any - any diplomatic deal with Iran.
ANDERSON: Very briefly, and we started this by me quoting some of what you penned in a really good Op-Ed, U.S. policy towards Iran has for years faced
a paradox that has been poorly understood. Can you just explain briefly, the conceit of this piece?
SADJADPOUR: The best way I can illustrate it is something that the actor Sean Penn wants told me about Fidel Castro, the late Cuban leader. He said
that Fidel Castro used to joke with him that if America were to ever remove the embargo against Cuba, he would do something provocative the next day to
get it reinstated, because he understands that his power is best preserved in a bubble.
Likewise, the leadership in Iran like Kim Jong-Un and other dictators, they realize their power is best preserved in a bubble, in some ways they
benefit from isolation and sanctions. And the challenge for the United States is that we cannot simply not react to Iran's regional aggression,
its nuclear ambitions.
So the policy that we use to counter that is economic sanctions, which in some ways is a gift to this regime which thrives on isolation.
ANDERSON: Always a pleasure having you on and come back. I know that you will be as keenly focused on what is going on at present on this story as
we are. We look forward to speaking to you again, soon.
SADJADPOUR: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Meantime, enjoy Marbella, thank you. Still ahead, the urgent call for help in a country left reeling from unprecedented flooding. What
Pakistan's Climate Minister says must happen and must happen fast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Unprecedented, that is a word that we have heard repeatedly during this northern hemisphere summer to describe extreme weather events
and it is being used as well in Pakistan, which is facing what officials, they call a looming humanitarian disaster. Monsoon floods have killed more
than 800 people. Let me start this part of the show with Sofia Saifi, reporting on the struggle facing a region now underwater.
SOPHIA SAIFI, CNN PRODUCER : Catastrophic floods, decimating crops, battering homes and leaving hundreds dead since June. Torrential rains have
left paths of destruction across Pakistan and Afghanistan amid a devastating monsoon season. With unprecedented levels of rainfall, country
officials are sounding the alarm.
Pakistan's Climate Change Minister warning the climate crisis will continue to bring extreme weather patterns that will hit developing countries
hardest. From July to August, the city of Karachi, Pakistan's largest and its financial hub recorded its highest level of rainfall in 30 years
according to the country's disaster management body.
Authorities say they're diverting all their resources to assist victims who have been left stranded as transport services came to a halt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): All the trains stopped operation because of the floods and the railway station is closed now. We can do
nothing but stand in the water not knowing where to go.
SAIFI: Many have lost everything with nowhere to turn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are so worried about this. Some of us lost houses, livestock, grain, some lost everything. You can't even
begin to imagine how they are going to live here in a situation like this.
SAIFI: Across the country, relief is ongoing with Pakistan's military assisting in rescue and relief efforts in all four provinces. The weather
crisis is given way to a humanitarian crisis as floods prevent access to medical services, drinking water, food and pave way for waterborne
diseases.
Floods forced Pakistan's Polio Emergency Operation Center to cancel a five day anti polio campaign targeting children in the hardest hit province,
Balochistan.
Across the border, neighboring Afghanistan is also reeling from flash flooding, reducing homes to rubble and city streets to murky rivers as
people carry what is left of their belongings.
GHULAM MOHAMMAD, RESIDENT OF KHUSHI DISTRICT OF LOGAR PROVINCE (through translator): Our houses have been destroyed. Now we're all homeless and
have nothing. The flood took everything from pillows to mattresses, and even in some houses, children were also lost.
SAIFI: Provincial officials in the hothead province of Ghazni say food assistance has been sent but it isn't nearly enough.
ZAMAN KHAN, RESIDENT OF KHUSHI DISTRICT OF LOGAR PROVINCE (through translator): As a result of the flood, we have lost everything. We've lost
our houses. So far only one loaf of bread has been brought us. What can we do with one loaf of bread?
SAIFI: Already in the thick of their own financial and political crisis, fears loom that patterns of extreme weather may be the new normal for these
countries as they bear the brunt of climate change. Sophia Saifi, CNN Islamabad.
ANDERSON: Well, you saw Pakistani Senator Sherry Rehman in that report. She's the country's Minister for Climate Change. Now she joins me now via
Skype from Islamabad.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: Thank you for joining us. You visited affected areas. Just describe what you saw.
SHERRY REHMAN, PAKISTANI MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE: I think the situation is changing every day on the ground and literally, I just saw your casualty
figures, our death toll has gone up to 903 just as we speak. 1000s of homeless without shelter without food, and the communication lines have
been cut off. It is a serious humanitarian disaster.
ANDERSON: Pakistan is no stranger to monsoon season, but the scale this time seems absolutely exceptional, the damage to Pakistan's cities is
awful. Many say this is due to poor government planning. What's your response to that?
REHMAN: See, we could say that but the point here is that we've never in living history seen six, seven, and we're right now in the eighth cycle of
relentless monsoon rains, it barely gives us a gap of half a day or one day. The city of Karachi, for instance saw 400 millimetres in a few hours.
No city is structured are geared up are that climate resilient, that that it can cope with this amount of water in such short time.
So it's literally buckets pouring down, and everybody is caught unprepared. We have monsoons every year. It is nothing like this. This is a torrential
downpour of biblical proportions.
ANDERSON: The government appealing to both the IMF and regional partners at present to help support Pakistan financially. How do you secure funding as
it comes in to avoid a repeat of the sort of images that we are seeing today, particularly in areas like Balochistan when, when the country's
finances are in such dire straits. You say that this is you know, this is extreme weather like you haven't experienced before, but there has to be
some prioritizing of financing and at present, how do you ensure you get that?
REHMAN: I've lost your voice.
ANDERSON: OK, unfortunately, we've lost the Senator. And important that we were speaking to her, and we'll see what we can do to get her back. And
because it is an incredibly important story. You're watching Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Six months of war has created, what the UN Refugee Agency is calling the largest human displacement crisis in the world. We're talking
about Ukraine of course and the U.N. says 7 million people have been internally displaced leaving their homes to seek safety within Ukraine's
borders and more than 6.6 million others are now refugees scattered in countries across Europe.
[11:40:00]
About 20 percent of those refugees are living in Poland, including one woman who shared her yearning to return home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TATIANA AFANSIEVA, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE IN POLAND (through translator): I want to go home. I wish I could go home today. If only they would say that's it.
We're safe there, you can go back. If only I was told that we can safely return, I would leave on foot now. It's almost half a year. It's half a
year of my life ripped off from - ripped out of my life simply. I had no life for these six months. It's not a life. It's not a life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, hundreds of 1000s of refugees of course have also ended up in Germany. CNN's Lynda Kinkade has some of their stories and what life for
them looks like right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nearly 1 million Ukrainians have fled to Germany since the start of the Russian invasion according to the United
Nations. Berlin is a popular landing pad, given its proximity to Poland, Ukraine's neighbor.
SASCHA LANGERBACH, SPOKESPERSON BERLIN REFUGEE AFFAIRS OFFICE: We have about 25,000 people currently accommodated in our reception centers
throughout Berlin. Both Ukrainians and asylum seekers from all over the world. And we only have a few 100 places left. As you can see here, we will
soon reach the maximum capacity of our reception centers.
KINKADE: With private accommodation growing scares, many looking to other options. More than 400 refugees now reside in a container village on a
runway at Berlin's abandoned airport, Tempelhof. One of the residents is 28-year old Roman (ph) who lost his legs after an artillery attack in
eastern Ukraine. He hopes to receive true prosthetic limbs, but it takes time says his wife.
SVETLANA KOVEL, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE FROM LVIV: Medical care is good. The only problem is the waiting time but that's normal. Here there are lots, not
like at home. We're just used to other laws and procedures, faster medical appointments, faster treatment. Here, it's better quality, but it takes
longer.
KINKADE: A few containers down live Yaseen (ph) and Albina who is four months pregnant. After leaving Mariupol to seek safety in Berlin, they see
a future here.
ALBINA KIRSAN, UKRAINIAN REFUGEE FROM ODESSA: We're going to have a baby here. We are going to stay here. We like Berlin so much and we already
found lots of offerings here. It's nice mentality and very good people and no angriness.
KINKADE: Ukrainian journalist Svetlana lives a Tempelhof with her mother and daughter. She's most concerned about her 14-year old child's mental
health.
SVETLANA GALUN, JOURNALIST: I see my daughter need - need help because she's very nervous after the war. For me, and for my mom, it's easier.
Maybe because we are adult but for a child, it's like difficult.
KINKADE: Here at an abandoned airport runway just a few of the millions of Ukrainian refugees whose lives have been completely upended over the past
six months. Lynda Kinkade, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Organizations are still on the ground helping Ukrainians suffering from the war and you can find out how you might be able to help
by visiting cnn.com/impact. Look, any small donation is going to count but there's lots and lots of information there. So do have a trawl through and
see what you can find there. Thank you for joining us. Marketplace Middle East is up next, tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:00]
END
