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Luhansk and Donetsk to hold Referenda on Joining Russia; U.N. Chief Warns of "Great Peril" as World Leaders Meet; Anger in Iran after Death of 22-Year-Old Woman in Custody; Ukrainian Lawmaker: Russia should be Kicked Out of U.N.; Royal Family in Mourning Another Week after Historic Funeral; UK & U.S. Central Banks Trying to Fight Stubborn Inflation. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired September 20, 2022 - 11:00:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, its 4 pm here in London its 11 am in New York. Hello and welcome back to "Connect the World". 215

days into Russia's war on Ukraine, there is a bold new move to consolidate Moscow's hold on the Donbas.

Separatist leaders in Luhansk and Donetsk are planning referenda on whether to join Russia. Now the voting will begin Friday and stretch through

Tuesday. Occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia have announced similar ballots.

Moscow has been focusing on the Donbas for months but has been unable to capture it. Ukraine says the referenda stem from Russia's fear of defeat.

Ukraine's President Monday accused Russian forces of panicking. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: We are stabilizing the situation by holding our positions firmly so strong that the occupiers are really

panicking. Well, we have warned the Russian soldiers in Ukraine have only two options to flee from our land or surrender.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Kharkiv for you, can Ukraine win this war and if so how?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a very good question. But nobody really knows the answer. Ukraine at the moment,

obviously, has achieved a significant success in retaking much of the Kharkiv region in just the span of two weeks.

But the reality is that Russia has still not thrown its full military might into this war. It still calls it a special military operation. There's not

conscription going on in Russia. Now certainly the Ukrainians have made maximum use of the sophisticated weaponry provided by its backers, NATO and

the United States and others.

And but there's still quite a long way to go. And certainly the signs coming out of Moscow are, if anything, a hardening of their position. I

think there's a lot of wishful thinking that after the recent defeats on the battlefield by the Ukrainians of Russian forces that somehow Vladimir

Putin's grasp on power will be loosened.

But what we've seen through what 215 days of this war is that that hasn't happened yet. There are occasional outbursts of dissent in Russia, but by

and large, it appears he's still firmly in control. And we understand he will be making a nationwide speech this evening, perhaps responding to

these announcements by the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republic and Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions about these sudden these flash referenda

they're going to hold on independence.

Is, for instance, he going to come out and declare war, because if when they become parts of Russia, as far as Russia is concerned, then it's a

whole different situation. The Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics declared themselves independent of Ukraine, but until now, they have not

declared themselves or asked to join Russia. This is a rather ominous development and does not point in any way to an imminent end to the

conflict.

ANDERSON: Yes, you've just explained very succinctly why these referenda then are significant providing another option for Vladimir Putin. I think

I'm right in saying that the last time he made a televised nationwide address was February the 24th when he talked about his special operation

that went into action the following day that being of course, the invasion of the war in Ukraine.

We know that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will speak to the UNGA the world leaders gathered in New York at present. And we now know that the U.S. is prepared

to offer billions more in aid lesser sums, but significant sums also being offered by the UK. What does Ukraine need at this point to keep up the

momentum and do authorities there believe that they are getting it?

WEDEMAN: Well, Ukrainian officials are always careful to express their appreciation for the support they've received from the West. But in the

state same sentence they always stress about what they need in addition to what they've received?

[11:05:00]

WEDEMAN: Last week, I was at a Press Conference with President Zelenskyy. And he stressed that what Ukraine needs is long range missiles and air

defense systems to prevent the sort of strikes we've seen by the Russians on civilian infrastructure.

Here in Kharkiv about ten days ago, or perhaps more, the Russians knocked out the power system and the city was left without electricity for quite

some time. And that, in the immediate aftermath of the stunning games by Ukrainian forces, seemed to be the Russian tactic to hit the civilian

infrastructure as it was being routed on the battlefield.

So Ukrainians still want more long range missiles, for instance. Now, CNN has reported recently that the United States turned down some of those

requests for instance, missiles with a range of 300 kilometers. That's considered perhaps a provocation to the Russians.

And the Russians have essentially said so - said as much them. But the Ukrainians have a long list of things they want. Many of them they simply

have not received but I'm sure we'll hear President Zelenskyy ask for them again.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely air defense systems, of course being one of them. Thank you. The Russians still targeting the Kharkiv region where Ben is an

official there say - says that shelling on Monday injured these two people including an 11-year-old boy. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh was there as shelling

hit nearby.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There's no respite, victory here an artillery battle still shaking the

liberated the city of - this occupation slogan we are one people with Russia seems comic.

Now the Ukrainians have chased the Russians across the bridge, and further south. Shell has landed under hundred meters from us. Another swiftly

follows its unlikely Moscow can retake places last in the past weeks. So this is about vengeance and spite. This prisoner is claimed to be local,

but they think he's a Russian soldier deserting are left behind.

What else must go left behind is far uglier? These tiny rooms were their detention center, where as many as 400 prisoners were held at one time we

are told eight or nine prisoners per cell. Booby traps now in their place, a warning written next to this room.

WALSH (on camera): So he's writing grenade there on the wall. Because as they move through these cells, they're finding booby traps left, it seems

by the occupying forces that one in there a grenade left under a tray of half eaten food.

And it just shows you the hazards that ordinary people are going to find coming back. A place like this sure used as a key detention center by the

Russians. But across this town the damage is extraordinary. But also too is the risk of unexploded ordinance and potentially booby traps.

WALSH (voice over): They're discovering two other scars from torture. This former prisoner is introduced to us by the Ukrainian Security Service. He

says he was imprisoned about a month ago. He was once a cook in the army.

The telephone was an old wind up model used to send electric shocks into him. He thinks as interrogator was experienced from the Russian security

services. They asked him who he was in touch with from the army. The Russians burned their interrogation records hurriedly.

Elsewhere, signs of the mindset fueling the Russian invasion, they found time to paint this mural. A Russian soldier sees the Z on his arm next to a

pensioner and the flag of the Former Soviet Empire burnished in flames. Pause a moment here in the bloodshed and ruin and consider how truly odd

this is. They were only here a matter of months yet so speedily tattooed this building with their machinery of pain.

[11:10:00]

WALSH (voice over): So much here clearly beyond use so few locals huddle in its empty husk. Winning does not heal the wounds, just gives them enough

time to feel them. Nick Paton Walsh CNN, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Russia's war on Ukraine is sure to dominate the agenda at the UN General Assembly this week. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not

attending opting instead to send his Foreign Minister. General debate started a little over an hour ago.

The traditional first speech is by Brazil's President opening remarks, of course by the UN Secretary General warned of global challenges in the

months ahead. This is what's going on as we speak more though, from Antonio Guterres earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: Let's have no illusions. We are in rough seas. A winter of global discontent is on the horizon. A cost of

living crisis is raging trust is crumbling, inequalities are exploding and our planet is burning.

People are hurting with the most vulnerable suffering the most. United Nations Charter and the ideals it represents are in jeopardy. We have a

duty to act and yet we are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERON: Senior UN Correspondent Richard Roth is at the United Nations. That was a doom laden speech by Antonio Guterres. Just explain what was

behind that? Why it is that he wants to set up this meeting in that way? And give us an overview of what we can expect and in the days to come,

Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: It was a sharp speech by the Secretary General. Each year the speech has gotten tougher and tougher as

the problems pile up as he described it this colossal international gridlock.

The war in Ukraine doesn't help at all. Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council there were major differences divides between the big

powers on a host of issues and Africa and elsewhere. The war has one diplomat told me he has turned everything upside down.

For Guterres the UN Secretary General he's got to balance the wishes of the rich and the poor and he believes that the giant oil companies with their

fossil fuels should be taxed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUTERRES: But it's high time to put fossil fuel producer's investors and enablers on notice, polluters must pay. And today I'm calling on all

developed economies to tax the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies. Those funds should be redirected in two ways to countries suffering loss

and damage caused by the climate crisis and to people struggling with rising food and energy prices.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: For the UN General Assembly week, it's not only speeches, it's private one-on-ones we now know that French President Macron met with the

Iranian President the first high level meeting for him President Raisi since he took office. First meeting ever, the meeting has ended. I'm sure

the Iran stalled nuclear deal was topic number one, Becky?

ANDERSON: Absolutely. And we wait to see whether there is any communication between either Raisi and Biden not expected, or even their teams and

because those talks at present are stalled in direct talks, of course, between Washington and Tehran.

Look, you mentioned that Guterres used his speech to go hard on energy companies describing their profits as grotesque greed. And he suggested

that the scale of climate change and food security is something that taxing those profits could help address.

Clearly those profits coming off the back of that war in Ukraine, amongst other things, I just wonder whether, you know, the climate issue, food

security shows where the UN's priorities like even considering that war in Ukraine.

ROTH: Well, the UN system is set up to care the humanitarian agencies delivering badly needed food to all of these problem areas. But in terms of

the membership of the UN, it does what it wants to do. And in this case, the aid, even if there was something tax, Guterres wants the money to go to

Africa and other developing countries who he says had been suffering under the effects of climate change. Climate change was supposed to be the number

one topic here. Ukraine has turned that around.

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Thank you. Let's get you Shasta Darlington who is in Brazil. [11:15:00]

ANDERSON: Jair Bolsonaro spoke earlier, and he mainly focused on Brazil as promised. He said this would be a domestically focused speech. It was one

assumes to his domestic audience mostly ahead of what are these huge elections coming up? What did he say?

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Becky. This was in many ways a campaign speech ahead of those elections. So we heard Bolsonaro

praising his record, he praised for example, Brazil's COVID response, and that's despite widespread criticism and the high death toll during the

pandemic itself.

He held what he said is a strengthening economy with inflation and unemployment now reined in. Of course, he didn't mention that that's coming

on the back of both very high inflation and very high unemployment earlier this year. He also did address climate change and the environment in the

Amazon, suggesting the media is overly critical of his government, take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAIR BOLSONARO, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT: As regards the environment and sustainable development, Brazil is part of the solution and stands as a

reference to the world. Two thirds of all of the Brazilian territory remain untouched, covered by native vegetation, precisely as it were when Brazil

was first discovered in the 1500s.

In the Brazilian Amazon region, in the area as big as Western Europe, more than 880 percent of the rainforest remains untouched and pristine, contrary

to what is often reported by the mainstream national and international media.

(END VICEO CLIP)

DARLINGTON: Now, what he fails to mention is that deforestation is at record highs, and many people blame his administration for not cracking

down on the illegal loggers and miners. He used this opportunity to also talk about the agro industry and gender ideology.

These are important topics for his base. And he also squeezed in some criticism of the left wing Workers Party, which isn't surprising, because

his main rival in these upcoming elections is Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a two time president from the Workers Party who's ahead in the polls Becky?

ANDERSON: Shasta Darlington is in Sao Paulo in Brazil thank you! Still ahead, anger and outrage in Iran set off by the death of a young woman

after her arrest by morality police. We'll speak to an Iranian American Analyst about that incident. And as world leaders gather at the United

Nations Ukraine says one country should be kicked out of the UN and it is no surprise where they are pointing fingers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:20:00]

ANDERSON: Well, in Iran the death of a young woman while in police custody is triggering protests across the country. At least five people were killed

in Iran's Kurdish region when security forces opened fire during the demonstrations on Monday.

That is, according to a Norwegian registered human rights group, which also reported dozens of protesters injured in Iranian cities over the weekend?

Well, Mahsa Amini was arrested by the morality police in Tehran last week.

She was taken away to a so called reeducation center and died later. Authorities are saying that she had a heart attack. The U.S. Secretary of

State is among those expressing concern, Anthony Blinken tweeting Mahsa Amini should be alive today.

Instead, the United States and the Iranian people mourn her. We call on the Iranian government to end its systemic persecution of women and to allow

peaceful protests. Well, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh walks us through the protests in Iran, the government's reaction and the incident that started

this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): There is so much anger on the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities. Crackdown by

authorities has not stopped these defiant Iranians. According to one human rights group several protesters have been killed and injured in these

country wide demonstrations sparked by the death of a young woman while in the custody of the country's morality police.

Mahsa Amini a Kurdish Iranian was detained last Tuesday by the force tasked with enforcing the country's strict Islamic dress code, including the

headscarf. She was taken away to so called Re-education Center. It was the last time her family says they saw her awake later that day.

The authorities say she fell into a coma. Amini died on Friday. Her family and rights activists blame her death on the brutality of the notorious

police force. Authorities have called her death an unfortunate incident.

On Friday they released this edited CCTV video they claimed shows Amini at the so called reeducation center. State TV says she appeared unwell while

speaking to a center expert before she collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

Police say she had a heart attack. Her family says she was a healthy 22 years old with no pre-existing heart conditions. The Ukrainian president

ordered an investigation into her death on Friday. An official say they've carried out an autopsy and are reviewing it.

The streets have responded with more protests, many don't believe the government would deliver a credible investigation. And despite the history

of ruthlessness and dealing with demonstrations, protests appear to spread this week.

Amini's death has reignited the debate over the role and the very existence of the morality police, which has been repeatedly accused of using violence

in the past.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they are supposed to be present, there is no need for so much violence and creating fear among the people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am strongly against this because we are talking about a cultural issue. It's not possible to apply a cultural issue by force.

KARADSHEH (voice over): As the Iranian President appears at the UN General Assembly, New York this week; women are back out on the streets saying

enough is enough. Some brave enough to remove their headscarves as they chant Death to the Dictator. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, for some perspective on this, let's turn to Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian American journalist and political analyst. She's the

host of the extremely good Iran podcast and is based in Washington DC.

We've just been looking at those images, these images of protesters in cities, in many parts of Iran, not everywhere, but in many parts of Iran.

What do you make of all of this?

NEGAR MORTAZAVI, JOURNALIST: Well, Becky, as it was mentioned, in your report, there's a lot of anger and outrage that has been building up not

just for this incident, but at the entirety of the morality police and essentially forcing this religious stressing on women.

The morality police and people have seen videos and footage essentially evidence of their violence in the past. And the morality police has

essentially as being seen as a force for harassment and violence against Iranian women on the street.

And from that footage, I think another key point from the footage they publish of Mahsa is that her dress is just like any normal Iranian woman on

the street.

And some religious Iranians are also coming out and saying what exactly was wrong with this woman's address? That made - Islamic that she had to be

taken into custody and eventually - this time.

[11:25:00]

ANDERSON: So - will say Negar, just explain what Iran's morality police is and what they, what they do what their purpose is?

MORTAZAVI: But the hijab, the Islamic hijab is mandatory according to Iranian law. And women in Iran for years, essentially, decades have been

pushing back against the limits of this mandatory hijab. If you look at pictures of Iran in the public in the 1980s compared to the 90s, the 2000s

and then to the today, you see how generations have been pushing back this force.

So the state has essentially given the enforcement of this mandatory hijab to the police. It's part of the police forces of Iran. It's the morality

police that basically police says how Islamic women are dressing and sometimes very subjectively.

So it's not very clear who and why exactly is being arrested, how they're being treated, sometimes very violently. They're being taped, thrown into

vans, taken to stations. And now you have even religious scholars coming out and saying this type of forcing an Islamic dress on people is just un-

Islamic in itself.

ANDERSON: Yes. And I wonder what the consequences of this sort of rhetoric is. You pointed out on Twitter that a prominent Iranian religious leader

called the morality police illegal, irrational and illegitimate, among other religious Iranians, who did the same. Is there enough momentum at

this point to get rid of them? Abolish the morality police completely?

MORTAZAVI: Well, Becky, it's hard to say. But the reaction seems very severe because the tragedy was very severe. She's a - she was a 22 year old

woman that a lot of people, even religious people see as their own daughter, their own sister, just a normal girl walking on the street, not

even from the capital from a small rural area. And she died because this on Islamic practice was being forced on her as these religious scholars are

saying. I think this seems to be a turning point there has been growing protested on morality police, people resist being arrested and taken by the

morale versus being a strong movement.

But I'm hoping that this tragedy will essentially become a turning point and lead to the eventual removal of this harassment, essentially a woman on

in the public space.

ANDERSON: You've alluded to this. But let's just pursue it a little bit. Many people pointing out that the anger that we are seeing on the streets

today is anger over Mahsa's death.

But not just that it's anger over the system, the lack of opportunities of money, resources, and it goes on the list goes on. We have a stalled

nuclear deal at present, which means Iran sanctions remain they are not lifted. What's the future for this country? Should those sanctions not be

lifted at present?

MORTAZAVI: Well, Becky, absolutely. So it's a grievance after agreement that's just building up. It's the same young population that's suffering

from a very terrible economy; they see no opportunity for themselves.

When it comes to employment to economic opportunities, they see a lot of political and social repression. And then add to this that they eventually

see themselves or their own sister, their own daughter being potentially killed on the street by this force called the morality police.

So it's building up, the tension has been building up; the protests have been closer to each other as far as timing. And you see this flare up

again, and again. And again, as you said, there was hope that with a renewed nuclear deal, there will at least be some breathing room when it

comes to the economy, that lifting of sanctions. That hasn't happened.

It doesn't seem very close at this point. Although the Iranian president is also in New York at the UN, it seems like both sides are to some extent,

still interested in a deal but are unwilling to bridge the gap between them.

So with the current status quo continuing, I just see this, this anger and the frustration building up and no end to this backlash and the protests

that essentially are bringing the young people to the street.

ANDERSON: Negar, it's good to get your analysis. Thank you very much indeed. For more on this story, you can use the website cnn.com/middle-

east, scroll down, you'll find more about this incident other stories about the region and on this incident why it's different from others, certainly

the outrage that has been sparked off the back of it.

Well, as you've seen the UN General Assembly is meeting under the shadow of the war in Ukraine. We're going to talk to a Ukrainian lawmaker about what

a country hopes to see and hear at this year's meeting. And a little later this hour Britain has a new Monique, what will that mean for the

Commonwealth, well on that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

ANDERSON: United Nations gathering in New York. The site - comes as Western nations plan to send Ukraine billions more in aid nearly seven months into

Russia's invasion.

U.S. lawmakers have signaled their support for the Biden Administration's latest request. The White House wants an additional $12 billion in

humanitarian, economic and military help for Ukraine.

Meantime, the European Union is agreed to another $5 billion in loans to help keep the Ukrainian government and critical infrastructure operating.

Well Ukrainian officials are thanking allies for their aid, but at least one lawmaker is asking UN members for more symbolic help as well.

In a tweet earlier today, Kira Roddick of Ukraine's parliament said and I quote here, "It is clear that the UN needs to be reformed and the first

step would be kicking Russia off".

Well, Kira Roddick joins us now live from New York. Do you really believe you can get Russia expelled from the United Nations?

KIRA RUDIK, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Hello, well, maybe not today. But I do believe that it is necessary for it to happen. And I do believe that

it is possible to make. Six months ago, nobody believed that Ukraine will stand for more than a couple of days.

Then nobody believed that we would get heavy weapons, and then nobody believes that we are capable of counter offense. But watch us. And right

now, what we think we need is to United Nations to be more effective, and to stop being a blocker to all the international efforts to support

Ukraine. And for that we need Russia of the United Nations.

ANDERSON: Right. Well, there is no mechanism, let's be quite clear to remove Russia from its position on, you know, not just at the UN but is

positioned as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

But there have been discussions about how a mechanism might be created to do that. So you are not the only person who has called for that. Let's talk

about what Ukraine will be asking for.

What its message will be to the UN General Assembly. There are 193 nations gathered, as it were or certainly 193 members of the UN General Assembly.

What's the message going to be from Ukraine this week?

[11:35:00]

RUDIK: Well, first of all, we would thank every single supporter that we have every single ally, it is important that people who are helping us will

get enough gratefulness from us. Second is, we need the support to continue.

We need weapons, we need money and we need sanctions because we are facing that extremely complicated winter. And for us to survive it, we need all to

stay united. Third, we will ask the United Nations to push for their nuclear station to become a neutral territory.

This is critical not only for Ukraine, this is critical for the whole world. We all remember what happened in the Chernobyl. And we all know

right now that we are just one mistake, one accident away from having another nuclear tragedy, the fighting near the nuclear station should stop.

And the fourth is we need to continue with the Grain Deal. Because we want to support African countries and South American countries, we do really

want to continue being the breadbasket for the whole Europe.

But for that we need the security for our ports. And this is where United Nations needs to step up. And there this is where they cannot step up. You

know why, because Russia in the Security Council is blocking all the initiatives that are to support Ukraine, and actually to support the

security in the whole world.

And this is why we need to find the mechanism; we cannot be the victims of just Russia saying there is no paperwork for us to be kicked off. That's

why we will continue threatening the whole world with the nuclear attacks with the hunger and with national disasters and catastrophes.

ANDERSON: OK. Russia is a member of the UNSC. It will veto much of what Ukraine hopes to achieve, given an opportunity. So clearly, from your

perspective, the UN is, is inefficient and ineffective with Russia as a member of the United Nations Security Council, but that mechanism where it

to become available won't be available anytime soon.

In the short term, 215 days into this war, I understand and hear Ukraine's appeal for more support. You will know another $12 billion in support being

freed up by the United States more from the EU more from the United Kingdom.

I understand where that money and why that money is needed. There may be people watching this who say how much more can Ukraine expect from other

countries? Is it clear at this point?

RUDIK: Look, when we are talking about 12 billion over the support, I want to make it clear that every single month, that gap in Ukrainian budget is

$5 billion, that $5 billion, we need just to survive just to continue to exist as a country.

Plus, we need to spend money on the weapons; we need to spend money on the supplies. And we need to get ready to this extremely complicated winter

where people will be freezing because they do not have roof over their heads.

So we need to look at things in the comparison. And this is what the comparison is, we would need more. And this is the tragedy of the

situation, that for the world to be able to continue this war, we need to make more and more radical solutions.

We need to figure out how to really win this war soon, because I understand that will be extremely hard on our lives to continue to provide all these

amounts of money to us.

ANDERSON: Let's talk about what we understand to be happening today. President Putin, as we understand it, will make a speech to the nation the

last time he made such a speech was February the 24th.

He talked about a special operation in Ukraine. And that happened the following day. There is now talk of and the likelihood of these referenda

in the east in occupied territory this weekend.

How concerned or what do you expect to come out of this speech tonight? And how concerned are you about Ukraine having had some successes on the

ground, the risk of further escalation at this point on the part of the Russians, what are your biggest concerns?

RUDIK: Well, our biggest concern is still the nuclear attack and or a nuclear accident that could happen on the largest nuclear plant in Europe,

which is in our territory right now. And our second concern is of course mass mobilization in Russia that could be announced by Putin.

[11:40:00]

RUDIK: We do not know if that would happen. But that would be an escalation, like of a different scale. And the third point is, of course,

those reference domes, they will be completely illegal. But Putin is not the first time when he is disobeying all the international laws, so he can

go for that.

And he then will say that the territories that right now are kind of a grain zone that they are in Russia right now, and that he will be

protecting them, so that will be further and further escalation.

And again, there is no good solution for that other than pushes him back, take the territories, and make sure that there are no referendums that are

held there and create a new security system in the world.

So things like in Ukraine would not be able to happen again. We are looking at the strategical issue right now. You see it by seven months in this war,

there is no plan of how are we are going to win this war. We hear the support from our allies.

But we do not hear the clear plan, their comprehensive step by step plan from the Western countries of what should be the path to the victory. And

this is critical because Putin you see he has a clear task that he is going through.

And this is why we are working on what we can in Ukraine. We are fighting and we continue to ask for the support that helps us winning, but there

should be a general strategy, it should be actually made in the United Nations.

And this is why Russia should not be the part of it and should not be a part of the United Nations.

ANDERSON: Kira, it's good to have you on, your perspective is extremely important. Thank you. Well just ahead back in 1960, Nigeria joined the

Commonwealth when Britain had a young queen.

Today we are looking at the Commonwealth future in this new loyal era. It may be a milestone for China's fight against COVID. We'll look at the idea

to boost tourism as the country continues to fight the pandemic.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: The new loyal era begins in Britain's the royal family remains in mourning for another week for more than 10 days. The UK of course came

together in grief setting 1000 years of history.

The emotion, profound as people from all over Britain in the world paid tribute well during Monday's state funeral for Her Majesty the Queen, Queen

Elizabeth II. UK Government says around a quarter of a million mourners viewed the Queen's coffin during the lying in the state.

Now Britain's longest serving Monique has returned to her husband amid mood music that was all love and gratitude for the Queen's 70 years of service.

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: Well, as the Caroline age begins, some Caribbean countries could will are debating whether to keep King Charles as their head of state. Nic

Robertson takes a closer look at theirs and the wider Commonwealth's future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice over): Away from the glitz of Queen Elizabeth's 1953 coronation, Britain's once great empire

was in tatters, India, Pakistan and many others had broken bonds they felt shackled them to second class status.

Through her reign, the Queen strove to find threads that united the old empire and pull together the Commonwealth of Nations.

SIR DON MCKINNON, FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND: By growing with that, she just has this immense breadth and depth of knowledge about

so many people and so many issues, which covers in her - of the world.

ROBERTSON (voice over): Today 2.5 billion people in 56 countries and members, India the most populous, others tiny islands like St. Kitts and

Nevis, aligning in the Commonwealth helps trade ties and political stability.

Australia, Britain, Canada and 12 others kept the queen as their sovereign. Now its future is in King Charles hands.

MCKINNON: He will grow into that job and he will learn to love the Commonwealth.

ROBERTSON (voice over): But the challenges will come fast. Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister says within three years they'll vote on becoming a

republic. Barbados voted to become a republic last year, dropping the queen as sovereign, but planning to remain a Commonwealth nation.

Even at home in the UK, on ease over the Empire's ugly legacy, the slave trade has grown a voice that won't accept to whitewash past. What binds the

modern era Commonwealth a sports business culture shared values that even New Zealand and its apparently loyal role subjects may be straining to

uncouple now their beloved queen is gone.

MCKINNON: I would think there would be a lot of people saying well, you know it's time we became a republic in our own right and we should be

debating that.

ROBERTSON (voice over): The last Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting the Queen attended was in the UK in 2018. Her increasing frailty kept her

from traveling, making it harder for her to hold the Commonwealth together.

King Charles will have had this on his mind just a few months ago, attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda.

KING CHARLES III: I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow or the suffering of so many.

ROBERTSON (voice over): As the Queen manage change, so will he, rise or fall the Commonwealth in his hands now. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: It's just after quarter to five here in the UK. China considering easing entry rules for some foreign tourists. The idea is to bolster

tourism two years after the country shut its borders when the pandemic began.

Under this draft policy, foreign tourists can only visit board of tourism sites as part of a tour group. Now this is anger intensifies over China's

zero COVID policy, a bus carrying patients to a quarantine facility crashed into a ravine killing 27 people Ivan Watson with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A deadly bus crash in southwestern China sparking anger over the country's strict

COVID policies. The vehicle carrying dozens of residents from the City of Guiyang as well as their drivers seen dressed in a hazmat suit to a faraway

quarantine center.

Hours later, the bus overturns killing at least 27 people and injuring at least 20. A worker later seen spraying disinfectant on the wreckage.

WATSON (on camera): The bus departed the southwestern city of Guiyang shortly after midnight on Sunday, with the goal of reaching a quarantine

center in remote Libo County located within three hours' drive away.

Authorities say the vehicle tumbled into a ravine at 2:40 am raising the question, why it was so important to rush suspected close contacts of COVID

patients such a long distance so late at night, especially in a province where officially there have been only two deaths from COVID since the start

of the pandemic.

WATSON (voice over): The Chinese government is obsessed with eliminating all traces of COVID from the country locking down entire cities for weeks

and even months. Authorities can find nearly 2 million residents of the City of Guiyang in their homes starting on September 2.

Days later trapped residents suffering from food shortages, voice anger and frustration. Where's the Communist Party, one man yells.

[11:50:00]

WATSON (voice over): We've trusted the party and the government. Things are worse in more remote areas. In the Western Xinjiang region, a desperate

mother films her children sick with fever, and complains COVID restrictions prevent her from taking them to a hospital.

Recording of another call for help to the authorities in Xinjiang's Capitol, this from a gastric cancer survivor who says he's dying from lack

of food. The man who we won't name for his safety shows CNN pictures of his empty refrigerator.

He says he needs frequent small meals since doctors removed most of his stomach for cancer treatment and says police detained and beat him after he

went out on the street looking for food.

In the capital of Tibet this month, officials marched residents off to quarantine camps. The Chinese government sends suspected COVID cases on

mass to sprawling makeshift facilities were some complain of wretched conditions.

After Sunday's deadly bus crash, a deputy mayor apologized and promised an investigation into the accident. But even on China's heavily censored

internet critics are chiming in.

What makes you think we won't be on that late night bus one day, one person writes, they have a point? While the rest of the world moves on from the

pandemic, in China, there's no end to the campaign to eliminate COVID, no matter the cost. Ivan Watson CNN, Hong Kong

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Right. Let's take a look at the big board showing. Is that the story the DOW Jones down about 1 percent weighting of course on the Fed to

make a decision on the - on rate rises, 75 basis points is what is expected more than that. And this market could take a real dip, more on that after

this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: All this hour, we've been talking about the war in Ukraine. We've also talked about the pandemic in China and heard leaders at the UN, where

the UNGA is going on. That big meeting of world leaders is lamenting the economic toll of the energy crisis supply chain breakdowns and of course

inflation.

And in some countries, we've seen inflation levels that rival the early 1980s. So the big question is can central banks rein it in? Well, the U.S.

and the UK Central Bank's hope so; they're expected to raise interest rates again and in a big way this week.

Let's take a closer look at this with CNN Business Correspondent Rahel Solomon. And just to be quite clear, there'll be people watching the show

around the world Rahel who say, you know, inflation at 10 percent. What are you worrying about? Because, you know, I'm not - I'm just thinking about

the fact that we've just seen President Erdogan in Turkey speaking before world leaders.

The inflation rate there is sky high as it is in so many places around the world. But these 8, 9, 10 percent inflation rates in the West is something

that we haven't seen in decades. And central banks are in a real quandary, aren't they about raising rates to you know, basically put a cap on this

inflation. And at the same time ensuring that they don't send these economies into recession. It's a really difficult one this, isn't it? How

are they coping?

[11:55:00]

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a great point Becky, right, that it is all perspective. But absolutely these are levels of inflation

that we hear from the West have not seen. And practically 40 years central bankers are scrambling this week, and not just the Bank of England, Becky,

and not just the U.S. Federal Reserve.

We're also going to hear from the Central Bank of Sweden and Switzerland, Indonesia, all sort of stepping up scrambling to suggest that they have the

tools and the resolve to try to put a lid on inflation.

Sweden kicking us off today, with a surprise 100 basis point rate hike as inflation there is 9 percent. And then tomorrow, we're going to hear from

the U.S. Federal Reserve where we expect something similar.

Sweden really setting the tone here, Becky, tomorrow, when we hear from the U.S. Federal Reserve, we expect another massive rate hike of three quarters

of a percent. And we can show you this year sort of where we're coming from. So look, you could argue that this could actually increase worry,

right as borrowing costs come up. But the hope is that in the long term - lowers inflation.

ANDERSON: Rahel, it's good to have you with us, really important stuff. That is "Connect the World" with me, Becky Addison, more up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END