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First Move with Julia Chatterley

Mayor: Lviv is Struggling to Feed, House 200K Refugees; U.N.: Two Million People have now Fled Ukraine; CNN: Biden to Announce U.S. Ban on Russian Energy Imports; Russian Families Call Ukrainian Hotline in Search for Lost Soldiers; World Central Kitchen Provides Food for Refugees; Letter "Z" Emerges as Pro-Russian Invasion Symbol. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired March 08, 2022 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN HOST, FIRST MOVE: I'm Julia Chatterley in New York with you for the next hour. We begin with the latest headlines from

Ukraine. 21 civilians have died in the Northeastern Ukrainian City of Sumi following Russian airstrikes.

Videos posted on Twitter show collapse buildings and piles of rubble. We're seeing attempts to move the city's residents to safety using so called

humanitarian corridors in a deal agreed with the Russians. However, the Ukrainians report, a humanitarian convoy headed for Mariupol was shelled by

Russian forces.

This entire taking place as Ukrainian officials accused Russia of using ceasefires to advance its forces and to deliberately target civilians.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, a defiant Ukrainian President has been live streaming from his office. Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses world leaders of inaction

thing that amounts to genocide, and it's demanding military jets and anti- rocket systems.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: The fault is with the occupants. But the responsibility is with those who for the last 13 days, somewhere

out there on the west, somewhere in their offices can't approve an obviously necessary decision. Those who still haven't secured Ukrainian

skies from the Russian killers we haven't protected our cities from air bombings and rockets when they actually can level.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHATTERLEY: President Zelenskyy will address UK lawmakers later today. And the UN Refugee Agency now estimates 2 million people have escaped Ukraine

as the mounting humanitarian crisis continues to take its toll. The U.N. says nearly all of the refugees are women, children and the elderly.

And these people fleeing the violence as the Russian military continues to shell residential areas, as Matthew Chance reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Clearing up the broken debris of a shattered home. This as the devastation caused by a

Russian attack on a residential neighborhood in a small Ukrainian 50 miles south of the Ukrainian Capital is nowhere near the frontlines but it has

felt the rage and the pain of this war.

CHANCE (on camera): We've come inside one of the houses who were affected by what was apparently random artillery or rocket fire into this

residential neighborhood. You can see just shattered the lives of the family here at work?

The windows have all been blown out obviously all their belongings have been left behind this sort of got into hiding picture up there seems to be

some of the people who lived in here. It was a family with children apparently and they've survived this which is good.

But of course when you look at the situation and the way that Russians have been shelling residential areas across the country, so many people haven't

survived and this is interesting come over look. It's a two bedroom you see over here look, the bunk beds, the roof that's fallen down onto the top of

that when that shell hit.

And of course in the - evacuation the kids have left all their toys up here. And it just shows you that now where you are in this country, with

Russia attacking towns and cities across it, like to be shattered.

CHANCE (on camera): He is a close friend of the family who are nearly killed in their beds here. Godfather to the three children escaped with

their lives. Now he has one request he tells me for the United States. Please close the skies over Ukraine he begs.

If we can just contact NATO and ask them this, everything will be fine. Otherwise, he warns Putin will cross Ukraine and threaten the whole of

Ukraine in a bunker under the town, its terrified children, the singing Ukraine's national anthem that keeps them calm. As Russia invades a whole

generation of Ukrainians is being united by this war together as they shelter from the horrors above. Matthew Chance, CNN, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHATTERLEY: We're witnessing the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II that according to the United Nations, and that's just counting the

people who fled the war in Ukraine many others have been displaced internally.

The Mayor of Lviv says the city is struggling now to provide food and shelter for the near 200,000 people who've arrived there so far. Scott

McLean joins us now from the City of Lviv. Scott, good to have you with us!

You have to assume there's going to be more people coming and that's why the Mayor is simply saying look we're desperate for help and more people

need to provide more assistance and aid.

[09:05:00]

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. So the Mayor suggesting that the aid right now is going to the frontlines where obviously it is

desperately needed. No doubt there. And also it is in Poland, where it is also badly needed as people show up often with no place to go, not knowing

anyone there desperately in need of food and shelter.

But he says that Lviv has maybe not gotten the attention that it deserves from international aid organizations, because many of the people fleeing

the fighting in Ukraine, transit through the Lviv, either by road or by rail. This is sort of the Western train hub of Ukraine, and so many of the

trains from Kharkiv, or from Kyiv end up, rooting through here, on their way to Poland or other places.

And so a lot of people end up either by choice or because they're stuck here because they're finding it difficult to get out obviously, the train

station is packed, you'll have to wait for several hours to get on a train to Poland. Other people are trying their luck by bus and waiting in long

queues to cross the pedestrian border.

But many are forced to stay here. Many also choose to stay here because it is still relatively safe Julia because, you know, Lviv hasn't had any

bombing, yet hasn't had any bombing, even close to this area. A lot of people want to get out of the city, because they don't trust that it'll

stay that way. But still, it is relatively safe for now.

Everybody says that they need food, they need water. And they also need international volunteers to come and help to administer everything. They

already have hundreds 440 schools and cultural places that are being used to house people, almost 100 churches and religious places are being used to

house and feed people as well. And so they're simply running out of space running out of resources.

CHATTERLEY: Scott, how cold is it there? Because if you're talking about people standing in line for several hours, again, we were seeing children,

babies in push chairs waiting in queues there as well, just how cold is it so our viewers can get a sense of what the conditions are like?

MCLEAN: Yes, the natural temperature surely is below freezing. And it feels much colder than that though. It's sort of this damp, cold that sticks with

you and gets in your bones. And so that's why there's so much concern.

And that's why your heart really breaks for these parents, these now, briefly, single moms who are carrying sometimes multiple children in tow,

sometimes babies just a few days or a few weeks old, and they have to stand outside sometimes for long periods of time.

Luckily, now that we're almost two weeks into the war, it seems like authorities and just people in general are much more conscious of that. So

yesterday, when we were at the border, there were long lineups, a couple of hours to get across. And they were allowing women with the youngest

children to go to the front of the line.

And so the people having to wait a little bit longer were kids maybe 6, 7, 8 years old, which are obviously more able to tolerate these frigid

temperatures. Ukrainians are obviously used to this. They know how to dress for the cold, but it doesn't make it any easier to stand out there for

hours on end.

CHATTERLEY: Scott, good to have you with us. Thank you for that Scott McLean there. And we'll have more on the humanitarian efforts later in the

show when we speak to the CEO of World Central Kitchen whose feeding refugees in Lviv and countries, neighboring Ukraine.

In the meantime, the war in Ukraine triggering a multi decade high in commodity prices, as we've discussed numerous times on the show threatening

slowing economic growth and dire food shortages in poorer nations too but all the focus today once again, on what we're seeing in the oil market.

Brent Crude now topping $130 a barrel it's up, as you can see over 5.5 percent today. Why well, CNN is reporting that President Biden is expected

to announce a U.S. ban on Russian energy imports later today. He's set to speak in the next hour.

Remember, Russian energy is a tiny fraction of U.S. demand and imports, unlike in Europe, which faces the true crisis here. And prices, of course,

aren't the only thing that's heated today. So is the rhetoric on the same day that Europe has laid out a plan to reduce its reliance on Russian

energy by up to two thirds by the end of this year.

The Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak responded with the message, "Go ahead, we're ready for it" while warning that oil prices could

hit $300 a barrel, if not more. Anna Stewart joins me now. Well, the flow of news in the space today, as you and I have discussed far easier for the

United States to say look, we're banning all Russian energy imports than it is for Europe. But the plan that they've presented here today is I would

call ambitious to say the least.

ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: Yes, Europe is expected any moment now to release a plan to seriously wean their alliance of Russian energy, oil and

gas. You know, reducing their gas needs from Russia by two thirds by the end of the year. We'll bring you that press conference perhaps later in the

hour when we get it.

The threat from the Russian Deputy Minister that oil prices could hit $300 a barrel or more is quite a distance from the highest estimates we had

yesterday. Bank of America is that $200 a barrel other bank analysts I spoke to said less.

[09:10:00]

STEWART: It wasn't the only threat there; there was also the one on gas, of course, which Europe relies on Russia for more than 40 percent right now.

Russia saying that given Germany halted the certification process for Nord Stream 2 that undersea pipeline connecting Russia to Germany.

Well, basically, they weren't would be within their rights to also turn off the taps of gas to Nord Stream 1 that is the existing pipeline. That is the

biggest pipeline in terms of gas capacity to Europe, 60 billion cubic meters of gas each year. That's around 40 percent of all the Russian gas

that flows to Europe. These are big threats. The rhetoric is really ramping up here. And yes, I think we'll get more to come.

CHATTERLEY: Yes, we'll see what comes out of this announcement in the next hour. Anna great to have you with us thank you! We're going to head back to

Ukraine now CNN's Nick Paton Walsh joins us from outside a hospital in Mykolaiv, near the Black Sea, in Southern Ukraine location of some of the

fiercest fighting Nick, what have you been seeing?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Yes, Julia. I mean, we do often see activity picking up towards sundown a couple of hours away

from now. We've had an impact around the City of Mykolaiv. And that's consistent with a pattern we've seen here.

Even though the Regional Governor was brilliant, pleased at pushing Russian forces, it seemed out of the International Airport here as we drove in. We

saw shelling on the city's outskirts, impacting probably Ukrainian shelling targeting Russian positions hard to tell though.

But as the days gone on, we've continued to hear impacts around this city and in the hospital here, which has a pretty constant flow of injured in

small numbers coming into it. I heard one story from two women who survived the awful event quite far out of Mykolaiv this morning.

It appears that five of them were driving, changing shift in a children's rehabilitation center for disabled children. And as they drove along the

road, they appear to have come across what their photo was the "Z"s, which is their way of referring to Russian forces, they have a "Z" marking on

many of their vehicles.

They say that a shell exploded near their car, and that killed or possibly the subsequent gunfire, killed three of them outright. One woman, she

talked to me shaking so vehemently from that experience that she could hardly talk.

Even though it had happened seven hours ago, she said she saw one of her friends or colleagues head blown clean off. And this is a sign I think of

how civilians are consistently being caught up in the violence here. We've seen them hit by shelter shelling. And the stories you hear are, frankly,

terrifying, the ambulance is relatively persistent behind us.

So the fight clearly for Mykolaiv is very strategic port city is continuing, even though each time the Russians move in, they appear to get

pushed back. It's not a successful probe into this very big, very busy, very angry city. But instead, there appears to be a lot of shelling, which

is just to another impact there.

Which is clearly I think, the Russian forces way of trying to continue to have their presence felt around here, but it hits civilian areas, it's

inaccurate, and it does leave you towards exactly what the end game is here. If they cannot make their presence felt or push into the city itself

are they just going to sit on it outskirts and try and blunder their way in repeatedly, and then shell civilian areas out of frustration/

Key city Mykolaiv because after that a desk is next in Russia sauce, but the fight for it continuing, despite the fact that Russia doesn't appear to

have any sort of decisive move on their hands yet Julia.

CHATTERLEY: Yes. And in the meantime, civilians, as you pointed out, get caught in the crossfire. I think people listening will still be digesting

some of the stories that you were saying the horrific injuries that you've seen. What about for the doctors and nurses that are working in the

hospital behind you? How well prepared are they and what are they saying about what they've seen already on perhaps what's still to come?

WALSH: I think this hospital is, you know, used to think so far the last two weeks dealing with not overwhelming numbers of injured I should stress

I think when in visit round. A lot of people have been sent home already with lighter injuries other hospitals you've been to, sadly people have

died from their injuries in those hospitals.

And so yes, they I think they're shocked that this is part of their life. One of the doctors here was talking about how this was predominantly a

COVID center before the war broke out? Half of it split into that this is the surgical department I'm standing in front of.

But it's just extraordinary to see the ambulances peel in here. In fact, we just see one man brought in who was restrained apparently because he tried

to take his own life. And so that shows you I think, just how the ambulance crews are dealing with all sorts of daily traumas be they related to the

war or not, and how this town which is just a quiet poor city minding his own business is somehow finding itself caught in the center of Russia's

pretty barbaric invasion Julia.

[09:15:00]

CHATTERLEY: The consequences of war. Nick, such important point thank you for joining us Nick Paton Walsh there from Ukraine! We're back after this

stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:20:00]

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back! Clear economic damage in Russia. The Ruble has plunged as the West brings in tough economic sanctions against Russia. Just

take a look at this two data shows Russia is now the most sanctioned country in the world by a long mile. Look at that relative to Iran.

Most experts say President Putin made a miscalculation on the military front. New York Times Columnist Paul Krugman says Putin made one other

major miscalculation on the Russian economy. Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman joins us now Paul, fantastic to have you on the show as always.

We'll leave the errors perhaps on the military front to the experts to deal with but I do want to hone in on the economics. And first and foremost, you

could argue that Putin never expected this level of sanctions to be placed against the economy or he would have protected his war chest his reserves

better not had it majority of its spread in G-10 nations.

PAUL KRUGMAN, NY TIMES COLUMNIST, NOBEL LAUREATE, AUTHOR: I'm not sure there really was any way to have a war chest that was protected. I mean,

when we talk about foreign exchange reserves, we don't mean bags of cash, we basically mean one way or another deposits overseas that you can access

except if you can't, and he's got gold.

But you know a bunch of ingots sitting in Russia aren't actually very useful. So I think Putin just failed to understand how the world economy

works. And particularly what happens if the West gets really resolved to punish him?

CHATTERLEY: I mean, I've seen reports of somewhere between a half and two thirds of his reserves now frozen elsewhere in the world and to your point,

how useful is it waving a gold bar around if you need cash in the short to medium term?

KRUGMAN: You'd normally take notes use it as security for a loan except you can't get a loan. So no, basically the war chest has turned out to be an

illusion just isn't there.

CHATTERLEY: What's also been incredible and we've seen Shell today, an unprecedented statement from them apologizing for buying Russian oil last

week, and it's this broader chilling effect whether an asset or a bank has been sanctioned or not, people are now frightened of in any way dealing

trading buying Russian assets or their produce because they're in some way seen as indirectly funded this conflict?

KRUGMAN: Yes, I think we've never seen this before. The sudden dissent of purely in an economy that was fairly integrated with the world into pariah

status. And that means that even that the formal sanctions are only sort of the half of it. There's a lot of self-sanctioning, because no major

business interest wants to be seen as propping up the Putin regime. So it's an amazing thing, they really have just cut themselves off from the world.

CHATTERLEY: The economic term for this, I believe, is autarky. And actually I read your article and realize this, and I remember from back when I

studied, how damaging is this, because you're talking about economic depression, style numbers for Russia?

KRUGMAN: I mean, obviously, we have no modern equivalent, but it looks really, really large. I mean, it's not at all hard to think that this is

going to be double digit declines in real GDP. I mean two thirds of what Russia imports are not consumer goods, but capital goods, intermediate

goods, raw materials, which means that lots of their domestic economy grinds to a halt when they're cut off from the world. So this is going -

this is a depression level event, probably for the Russian economy.

CHATTERLEY: So I was just showing a sharp chart that shows the level of sanctions now against the Russian economy. And as you said, we don't have a

comparison for this kind of impact significantly more than what we saw in Iran.

But basically, what you and I are discussing is that beyond the sanctions that have been leveled, the self-sanctioning, that we're seeing means that

actually this chart is also under estimating the impact on their economy.

KRUGMAN: Yes, and it's also remember worth remembering, first of all, this is new. And also, you know, Russia is a more sophisticated economy than

Iran, which means it's more vulnerable. It's a, there's a lot of stuff, meaning things like even domestic air transport looks like it may be about

to sort of collapse because of lack of servicing and spare parts.

So this is we don't know how this the end game here? But clearly, Putin had no idea what he was getting himself in his country into.

CHATTERLEY: We're also talking about something that I don't think we would ever believe, two weeks ago, three weeks ago, which is the United States,

as smaller fraction, as it is enacting an embargo or sanctions on Russian energy. The Europeans have a challenge.

The Hungarians, the Germans are pushing back and saying now's not the time, but Europe has announced a plan to try and wean itself off in the space of

a year, the majority of Russian oil and gas, how possible how likely do you think that is?

KRUGMAN: Well, the U.S. can do - the U.S. thing is largely symbolic. We know it's a global market. If we don't buy Russian oil, we buy oil

someplace else, you know, maybe Venezuela, which has suddenly become the lesser of two evils. And the Russians, if they can sell their oil can sell

it someplace else.

But the Europeans well, you know, the Europe uses, they're very dependent on Russian gas, but they're mostly dependent on Russian gas in the winter.

Air, it's a very seasonal thing. And it as the economy that puts its mind to it is capable of doing a lot of adaptation.

The Europeans if they're willing to really go through with it can make themselves vastly less dependent on Russian gas by the time next winter

rolls around.

CHATTTERLEY: Yes, supplies, even if you've only got to survive another couple of months in terms of the worst of the winter. What about China?

I've seen a lot of discussion about whether or not China in effect by with its financial ties with its trade ties with Russia can extend this conflict

by supporting them, but it feels a little bit like David and Goliath.

One economy is giant has great trade links and power and the other one is increasingly small. How important is China to Russia?

KRUGMAN: Yes, I think the Chinese first of all, are going to do much less in terms of providing an escape valve for the Russians then, you know, than

some people might imagine, partly because China, Chinese firms operate globally and they don't want to be seen, as you know, get the backlash from

consumers and regulators in the West for being seen to prop up a, you know, a murderous regime.

Also, China is not close to Russia. You know, don't let the fact that they have a common border fool you. Russia's economy is basically west of the

Euros. China's economy is basically close to the coast. We're really Moscow to Beijing is 3500 miles as the crow flies and the links between them are

pretty heavily overstressed limited set of rail lines.

[09:25:00]

KRUGMAN: So there's not that much they can do. And then if to the extent that China can really step in and rescue, they would exact a price. And

yes, China's economy is 10 times the size of Russia's, I don't think that you know, Putin with his Imperial Dreams, that that that includes becoming

a Chinese client state and get a Chinese bailout, if it's even possible, that's what it would do. So I don't think that China is really making that

much difference to this picture.

CHATERLEY: You're saying that it can acquire or try and reinstate some degree of the Soviet Union but become a vassal state of China in return? Do

you think China would risk secondary sanctions to deal with Russia in the financial sector for example?

KRUGMAN: Oh, yes. That's a very good question. I know it's hard to know, but I suspect the Chinese are actually going to be very, very cautious. I

mean, China really is very dependent on trade with the rest of the world. And they are - they don't in a peculiar way, although China's a giant

economy.

It's it has less immediate leverage than the Russians do. The China can't cut off heat to the households of Europe the way that Russia can. So I

think the Chinese are going to be very cautious, they're probably going to try and, and be as ambiguous as possible, which is not what Putin needs

from them right now.

CHATTERLEY: Paul, its sort of human economics question, but when we're talking, I'm using your word a pariah state now like Russia, and in my

mind, are the words from President Biden a couple of weeks ago, where he said, these sanctions are not meant to stop the war?

How long does it take in terms of the economic asphyxiation that we're seeing, for ordinary Russians to really feel what's been done?

KRUGMAN: Well, the ordinary Russians are going to feel the economic impact. They're already feeling it already hitting really hard. Now, what this does

mean, if I don't know much about war, I know nothing at all about Kremlin politics. It's not clear. It's not clear actually, who has the ability to,

to force Putin to change course or to overthrow him.

Can't I think trying to be too smart about that? It's actually not very smart. But for sure, this is there have to be already a lot of people in

Russia probably including in the Russian military, who were saying what the hell out we're doing here and do we really want this this crazy person to

take us down with him?

CHATTERLEY: They blame the West. Paul, always great to chat to you, sir thank you so much for your wisdom! Paul Krugman, New York Times Columnist

and Princeton Economics Professor sir thank you.

Coming up, the human toll is breaking families on both sides of the border. CNN's exclusive reports on how Russian families are seeking help from

Ukraine next?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:30:00]

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back! CNN has learned the United States is planning to ban imports of oil, natural gas and coal from Russia. The White House is

set to make the move unilaterally without its European allies. President Biden is expected to announce the ban in the next hour.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, at least 21 civilians have died in the City of Sumi following Russian airstrikes. Meanwhile, civilian evacuations began in the

city under a deal agreed with Russia. And the U.N. says at least 2 million people have now left Ukraine that's around 5 percent of the population.

Most of them have crossed into neighboring countries like Poland and Moldova.

Now with limited to no information on the conflict at home the families of Russian servicemen and women have to look to Ukrainian for help Ukraine for

help in tracking down lost family members. You're about to hear the voices calling across the battle lines as they tried to find out that their loved

ones are alive or dead. CNN's Alex Marquardt reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These are the voices of Russians, parents, wives siblings, desperately searching for answers.

Calling to find information anything on Russian soldiers they've lost contact with who were fighting in Ukraine who may be wounded, captured or

even killed.

This Russian wife like many others has turned to an unlikely source for help the Ukrainians. In the Ukrainian government building Kristina which is

her alias is in charge of a hotline called come back from Ukraine alive, which Ukraine's Interior Ministry says has gotten over 6000 calls. Kristina

asked that we don't show her face.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Your country is being invaded but you also feel the need to help these Russian families why?

MARQUARDT (voice over): The Russian relatives who have called this hotline say they haven't heard from their soldiers since the invasion. The hotline

which Russian families have found on social media or through word of mouth, gave CNN exclusive recordings of a number of the calls.

MARQUARDT (on camera): What are some of the calls that stick out to you that you'll remember the most?

MARQUARDT (voice over): These are the notes from one of the calls and in fact this call came from the United States the relative of a young Russian

soldier trying to find him.

[09:35:00]

MARQUARDT (voice over): She told the Ukrainians that his parents are no longer alive that the grandmother in Russia is quite sick. We have his

birthday. He's just 23 years old, and he was last known to be in Crimea right before the invasion. Now, the Ukrainians don't have any information

on him. But if they do find him or get some information, they can then call his aunt back in the United States.

Data from the hotline shows thousands of calls, not just from all across Russia, but also from Europe and the United States.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Hello, is this --?

MARQUARDT (voice over): We got through to three relatives in the United States of Russian soldiers believed to be in Ukraine, who called the

hotline, including a relative in Virginia, of one who also found the soldiers ID and photos on a channel of the social media app Telegram also

dedicated to finding the whereabouts of Russian soldiers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do realize all the signs are pointing to that is most likely killed in action - to keep you potentially? Maybe hopefully --

MARQUARDT (voice over): Is the Russian Ministry of Defense telling anything to the family?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: General it is trying to get contacted by anybody, just because everyone is scared. Everyone is afraid of - law enforcement

agencies tracking.

MARQUARDT (voice over): Marina (ph) told us her cousin's parents have had no contact with him. No information on whereabouts or on his condition.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Are they being told anything?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no they called - try to find him but like, no one is answer.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Is that why you call this Ukrainian hotline?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, that's why I tried to call, yes.

MARQUARDT (on camera): Did you get any information?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, nothing. I was, you know, hoping that he's like maybe like in prison or something like that, you know if he is still alive.

MARQUARDT (voice over): The vast majority of the calls do not result in immediate information for the families. Back in Kyiv, Kristina makes clear

that the call center isn't just designed to offer answers, but to galvanize Russians against the war. Sympathy for families, but also one more way to

try to undermine the Russian war effort as Ukraine fights for its very existence. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Kyiv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHATTERLEY: The price of war, we're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:40:00]

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back! The exodus from Ukraine continues. As you've heard the United Nations Refugee Agency says 2 million people have now left

many clutching backpacks filled with essentials leaving everything else behind.

My next guest made it his mission to treat the new arrivals with dignity. World Central Kitchen provides meals in disaster zones all around the

world. It's having hot food to displace people at eight points on the Polish border and in Hungary, Moldova and Romania. Nate Mook is the CEO and

joins us now Nate great to have you with us.

For many people this is the congregating point that from those that are flooding and fleeing the east, they then move on to other places. I guess

for many of them, this is the first hot meal they've had in a number of days.

NATE MOOK, CEO, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Absolutely. So I'm in Lviv, which is a city on the western side of Ukraine, and it has become a bit of the

humanitarian center in the country right now. You know, it is fairly calm; there are air raid sirens that do go off.

But at the moment, what's happening is Ukrainians from all over the country are coming by train, by car by bus here to Lviv where they figure out their

next steps. And we're only seeing more and more coming in every single day. The Mayor said the city is full now. But obviously that hasn't stopped and

that can't stop those that have no other choice but to flee and arrive here.

CHATTERLEY: I mean, the Mayor said we need more supplies. We simply can't feed more people than the 200,000 people that have already arrived. Where

are you getting supplies from? Because I'm assuming that's a logistical challenge of its own.

MOOK: Yes, we've got some incredible partners here on the ground in Lviv and also across Ukraine as well. We have kitchens and restaurants that are

serving in cities like Kharkiv, and Kherson, and Kyiv and Odessa. And here in Lviv we have amazing partners that have dozens of kitchens that we've

now activated.

We're working with them to identify suppliers, but we're also bringing in a fair amount of food from Poland. So we've set up a humanitarian corridor,

we have initial trucks that came in yesterday. We've got six more big semi- trucks arriving today. So the idea here is to really begin to stockpile as much food as we can, knowing that supplies are starting to run short.

And this is what we're seeing here. Our partners are telling us that their suppliers are having a hard time getting access to meet the running out of

things like rice and bolgar. And so the more that we can backstop and support that by bringing in product, that's what we're trying to do right

now.

And also prepare potentially to have to feed hundreds of thousands of people every single day. I spend most of my time here in Lviv going around

to new shelter points that are set up that are really popping up everywhere. I just came from a sporting facility, I was at a Polytechnical

University, I was at a yoga studio that's turned into a makeshift shelter for 150 people.

This is happening all across the city right now, as people arrive from across Ukraine and need somewhere to stay as they figure out their next

steps.

CHATTERLEY: If people are watching and maybe have to help or provide resources or in the local area, even just in terms of transport to provide

it, where do they need to go in order to contact you or your organization to try and help?

MOOK: Yes, it's a great question. So those that are in Ukraine, we have a number of opportunities to volunteer contact World Central Kitchen, some of

our partners including best FETS, they've set up a call center to receive requests for food. This is now sort of constant, there's new places being

opened up.

We have volunteers that are helping us drive and distribute meals as well. Outside of Ukraine, I think one of the best things you can do is donate

money, because this money can be directly put towards those that need it right now. So that any donations to World Central Kitchen are going

straight to purchasing food and making sure food gets to those families that need it most.

And also being able to keep those employed at our local restaurant partners, which is a really critical piece of this right now.

CHATTERLEY: You know, they're often thinking and you can give us your experience of doing this all over the world. In a natural disaster for

example, in many is the worst part of it it's happened then it's about recovery it's about mending it's about moving on.

[09:45:00]

CHATTERLEY: But for many of these people that you're meeting and helping, the uncertainty is just beginning. And they may not even know where they're

going on to next? Can you compare this, and the people that you're meeting and what they're going through to what you've seen in other parts of the

world?

MOOK: You know, it's absolutely, as you said, we're still in the middle of this, and we don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. And that sense of

uncertainty and instability really creates a huge amount of trauma, and just fear.

You know, these families that we're meeting are extraordinarily resilient, and Ukrainian volunteers that are coming together. And the partners that

we're working with are amazing. But they are dealing with quite a bit right now.

And, you know, everybody, you know, every so often needs to take a moment to just sort of catch their breath a little bit and realize, you know, the

scale and the enormity of what's happening. You know, I've - yesterday I was at a train station, a new train station that just opened in Lviv

because the main trade station is becoming so crowded.

They opened a second station, where they expect tens of thousands of Ukrainians to be arriving; we started serving meals there today. I met a

family, they had just traveled for 24 hours on a packed train, and then waited another nine hours for the grandparents of the young kids to arrive,

they didn't have a ride.

So I drove them to one of the registration centers where then they can find accommodation, and they sort of get set up in the system here. And just

hearing their stories, you know, they didn't know when they were going to go back home again.

They didn't know what was next, their lives were torn apart. It is horrific what is happening right now in Ukraine. And everybody is trying to do their

part to come together. And that is the one sort of semblance of hope right now is the spirit of Ukrainian people that are so strong amidst what's

going on.

And so, you know, we're here at World Central Kitchen, just continue to do whatever we can; the situation is changing every single day, as you said.

We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, we are unfortunately, having to prepare for the worst, even while we hope for the best. So, you know,

it's day by day. And this is definitely something new for us.

CHATTERLEY: Nate, you know, we're all grateful for what you and your team are doing. I was just going to ask how you guys are holding up. How is your

team doing? You're in a conflict zone.

MOOK: Yes, you know, our team is, is doing extraordinarily well. I'm so proud of them both all along the Polish border here with me and Ukraine,

and in some of the other neighboring countries as well. We're obviously taking a lot of precautions.

We're making sure that everybody is safe and well rested. You know, I think what really is driving, our team is seeing the incredible work of so many

others that is that are so inspirational. I mean, our chefs right now that we're cooking in places like Kherson, or Kharkiv one of our kitchens in

Kharkiv was only 500 meters from where that big missile hits, that was all over the news.

And you know, and still yet every day, they're still cooking, they're still baking bread. We are getting trucks from here in Lviv. We're sending

additional supplies out to them. We have a truck going out to Odessa today and Kharkiv tomorrow. And this, you know, helping support their work.

And that I think really keeps us going because we know that these heroes are on the frontlines every day cooking for their communities. And we have

to be here to support them.

CHATTERLEY: I know I think we've all been humbled for want of a better word by the spirit, the humanity and the strength of the Ukrainian people. You

tweeted something; it was a video that you captured at the Lviv railway station. I just want to play some of it for our viewers. Nate describe that

for us.

MOOK: You know we had just been distributing some hot meals, some Bogota soup that our kitchen behind me is preparing right now. And handing out

fresh sandwiches and meeting some of these Ukrainians that were arriving into Lviv. And, you know, it's such an intense, stressful moment, and just

so heartbreaking.

And then you sort of pause and you hear the music. And it's sort of overwhelming. And everybody sort of takes a moment. And I think you know,

it's this brief sort of moment to forget about where you are, and to think about the future and what hopefully will be very soon, calm beautiful time

where we can all be together in one under a peaceful sky. So yes, it's a lot.

CHATTERLEY: We pray. Thank you, Nate to your team for being where you are right now. Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen, sir we'll keep in touch

thank you! We're back after this.

[09:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHATTERLEY: Welcome back! President Biden expected to announce a U.S. ban on Russian oil imports in the next hour and beyond. The EU also announcing

measures to cut its imports of Russian oil and gas by some two thirds within a year.

As you would expect oil markets are certainly reacting Brent and U.S. Crude higher by more than 5 percent across the board. We are just below $130 a

barrel in Brent Crude as you can see there. Remember Russia's Deputy Prime Minister is now warning $300 a barrel plus oil if the West cuts energy ties

with his country.

The global price of foodstuffs to wheat corn and metals like nickel are rising to record too on supply fears. Nickel is up 250 percent yes, you

heard me right in two days. London regulators have been forced to halt trading in that metal today because of the intense volatility.

And in the meantime, U.S. and European stocks holding steady after a week Monday that saw the DOW falling into correction territory so that's a drop

of 10 percent from recent highs. Now let's move on the letter Z is quickly becoming a pro war symbol of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

The letter was first spotted on tanks and military vehicles well now its gaining support from Russian civilians too. CNN's Phil Black reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's impossible not to notice. Many of the Russian vehicles invading Ukraine carry a distinctive mark.

Trucks, tanks, fighting engineering and logistical vehicles they are advancing through Ukraine with the letter Z painted conspicuously in white.

The people being invaded have noticed here in the Eastern Ukrainian town of - and angry crowds' swarms after at attacks a single vehicle. It's only

obvious connection to the war, the letter Z.

ARIC TOLER, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND TRADING, BELLINGCAT: It's almost certainly some kind of technical grouping. There are a million different

theories about what the Z means. But I think it's just a marking just easy to do. Easy thing to artists like a square or triangle.

BLACK (voice over): In a war where the wannabe conquerors are not flying their national flag. That single character has taken on a special

significance. At a recent gymnastics will cover that 20-year-old Russian competitor Yvonne Cooley accepted his bronze medal, wearing a Z prominently

on his chest.

He was standing next to a Ukrainian athlete. The sports' governing body described it as shocking behavior. But how do you describe this? Terminally

ill children and their carers formed a giant Z outside a hospice in the Russian City of Casa.

BRIAN KLAAS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: It's disgusting that the state is co-opting young children to be propaganda

mechanisms for their war is dangerous when small little symbols become proxies for being a loyal citizen in an authoritarian regime during a time

of war.

[09:55:00]

KLAAS: Because those who don't wear it, those who don't show the z could be targeted by the state.

BLACK (voice over): And in this highly produced propaganda video, Russian men wearing that letter declare their support for the invasion, chanting.

For Russia, for the President, for Russia for Putin, an aerial shot shows a giant Z made from the orange and black of the St. George's River, a

traditional symbol of Russian military glory, usually associated with victory over Nazi Germany.

By accident or design, a character that doesn't feature in Russia's alphabet has become an iconic symbol of Putin's invasion, and the

propaganda campaign to win support among his people. Phil Black, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHATTERLEY: OK, that's it for today's show. Stay safe, "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson is up next and we'll see you tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END