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Clean-Up Proceeds at Destruction Site in Kyiv as Heavy Fighting Continues; Ukrainians in Nuclear Plant Town Flee after Russians Take Over; Member of Ukrainian Parliament is Interviewed about War; U.S. Working to Help Basketball Star Arrested in Russia. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired March 07, 2022 - 06:00   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Ukraine is pushing back at Russia's claims that Russia's somehow opening up humanitarian corridors for civilians in four cities, in part because Russia keeps bombing them.

[05:59:19]

We're monitoring that development, as well as a third round of talks between Ukraine and Russian that are expected to begin sometime today. But I am getting word that we have our Matthew Chance, who is on the ground in a town, what, Southwest of Kyiv, Matthew. Tell us what you're seeing.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I'm in a town, John, about 50 miles South of Kyiv. And a couple days ago, it was struck randomly by Russian artillery or rocket shell. And you can see the devastation it's caused right here in this totally civilian area.

I mean, there are no military installations in this area. We've come right in the middle into it. These houses were filled with families. So children, you know, husbands and wives, absolutely shaken out of their -- out of their lives and had all of the surrounding buildings absolutely shattered.

There's a clear-up operation under way now. They've got -- they've got the locals in to sort of board up some of the windows. They've started doing that, because the windows were just blown out by the force of this blast.

Now, you can see all the shrapnel marks on the walls of this that has blown the brick work away. You can imagine the force. You can see them throwing out of the window. They're tearing out houses. And you can see it from over here. Smashing what's left of the window frame over there.

But you know, it's -- I mean, what's incredible about this, is first of all, we are nowhere near the front lines of this conflict. They're not Russian forces just a few miles away. We're in the South -- to the South of Kyiv. There are Russians, you know, a long way away from here. Bu tit just shows you that there are random attacks taking place on residential areas, either by artillery, or rocket or missile attacks. And they have the potential to cause enormous damage.

Now, this is a town of about 200,000 people normally. At least half the population, we're told by local officials, have already evacuated. And at nighttime, the people with children in this town, the families, they're taking shelter in bunkers every night, just in case something like this happens.

And so, look, obviously we're reporting a lot on what's happening on the actual points of contact between Russian forces and the residents in the North of Kyiv and other cities around the country, as well. But frankly, anywhere in this country is at risk. You can see here a missile strike.

BERMAN: Michael [SIC], just so people know, we're hearing some banging in the background there. I think that's demolition work being done inside cleaning up the aftermath of this bombing attack, lest people think you're unsafe and that's gunfire here.

I am going to ask you a question, if I can. The connection is shaky, Michael [SIC]. But just to be clear -- I'm sorry, Matthew. Just to be clear, this is nowhere near the Russian troop advance right now.

As you were saying, this is Southwest of Kyiv. They're shooting, or missiles, or bombing in areas that have no military value at this point.

CHANCE: That seems to be the case. You know, certainly, no military value. The people are getting the frame out of the window. That's what all that banging is.

You're right. There's absolutely no military value at this time. I think what we have to remember, John, is that we are in a very dynamic situation. This war is rapidly evolving. And we're seeing huge advances, quite rapid advances north of Kyiv. (AUDIO GAP) We think that they're going to encircle the city of Kyiv. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BERMAN: All right. Matthew Chance for us in a town in Southwest of Kyiv. Our connection just not strong enough to hear him. But basically, what Matthew was saying is you can see the Russian forces moving toward Kyiv but maybe now moving South, trying to encircle it and come at it from the South, as well.

In the meantime, that town of some 200,000 people, you can see, leveled by the Russian attack -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Ukrainians near the nuclear plant that was shelled by advancing Russian forces are now fleeing west by the thousands. So many are trying to get out they are overwhelming the transport system.

CNN's Sam Kiley is on the ground in nearby Dnipro, Ukraine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A collective breath is held as a long-awaited evacuation train slows to a halt. The odds of getting out determined by access to a carriage door. Police struggle to contain the crowd. All are desperate to flee west.

The mass evacuation from Zaporizhzhia is part driven by the recent capture of a nuclear power station by Russian invaders.

Here, they're being begged by the control room over a public address system to stop their attack on the CSC (ph) reactor plant, the biggest in Europe. They say, "You are endangering the security of the entire world. Attention, stop shooting at a nuclear hazardous facility. Attention: stop it."

[06:05:20]

There is now a disregard as much for nuclear safety as civilian lives in cities across the country, being bombarded by Russia.

(on camera): Scenes like this have not been seen in Europe since the Second World War, in the 20th Century. The mass evacuation of civilians, from a major city.

It's been accelerated here, because the people now believe, based on the evidence that they've seen elsewhere in Ukraine, that it is civilians who are now going to be targeted in Vladimir Putin's invasion.

SERGIY SAMKO, ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT (through translator): When Russian troops came closer to Zaporizhzhia, I decided it was better to get my family out before they entered the city itself.

LATONA SAMKO, ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT (through translator): We hope that we can make it on the train today, because this morning, people didn't let us in, even though we have a baby.

KILEY: This is a war that separates lovers and parts husbands from their wives, fathers from their families. Ukrainian men here between 18 and 60 cannot leave. They're needed for the fight.

(on camera): You're staying here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.

KILEY: So this is goodbye? Temporarily?

Well, I hope within a week or two, you can be back together again.

(voice-over): More than a million Ukrainians have fled their homeland so far. But more, still, are enduring these freezing conditions in the hope of a train to safety.

But Mykola Tymchimshin, who's 80, is staying on. He's a former paratrooper in the Soviet army.

MYKOLA TYMCHIHSHIN, ZAPORIZHZHIA RESIDENT (through translator): I made Molotov cocktails. I have great rifles. I'm a hunter, with 40 years of experience. I have a medal, left from the USSR. I'm staying. I hate them. All the invaders, because of this. Not to mention the fact that my grandson was bombed for a week in Kharkiv. KILEY: Those people who make it on board now face a 600-mile journey

to Lviv. For those who don't, time, and luck, may be running out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KILEY: Now, John and Brianna, one of the problems for civilians in this country, as we just heard from Matthew Chance, the random attacks on cities.

There are other cities such as Mariupol, Kyiv, Kharkiv, that are endangered; in the case of Mariupol, completely surrounded. The other two, in danger of being surrounded.

A terrific amount of effort being made by the government of the world to try to get humanitarian corridors organized so that civilians can get out.

They're now -- the Russians announced that they would allow some civilians out but only into Russian territory, a suggestion that's been rejected outright by Ukrainians as a pretty cynical move.

And I have to say, it's very much part of the Russian playbook. We've seen that in conflicts elsewhere. They use those periods of humanitarian ceasefires to regroup their military, and in this case, actually march civilians through areas while they are under pressure militarily -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Using them as shields. Sam, thank you so much for that great report. Tough to watch. So important, though.

This morning, the Russian military says it's holding fire so that civilians can evacuate in four cities. That's what it's saying.

But Ukraine is pushing back. It says that those cities are still being bombed. Many of those civilians are given no choice but to head to Russia, as Sam was just explaining, through Belarus.

The International Committee of the Red Cross tweeted yesterday, quote, "People are living in terror in Mariupol, desperate for safety. Today's attempt to start evacuating an estimated 200,000 people has failed. The failed attempts underscore the absence of a detailed and functioning agreement between parties to the conflict."

And joining me now is a spokeswoman and communication coordinator for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirella Hodeib.

Can you tell us what it is like, what people in Mariupol are enduring and what they are up against when they're trying to leave.

MIRELLA HODEIB, SPOKESWOMAN, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Thank you, Brianna.

The situation in Mariupol is desperate. People have now, in their 10th day without water, without electricity, living in shelters. Shelters are packed. I mean, the essentials are missing. A lot of healthcare needs, as well. And people need to have a safe passage to leave Mariupol and any other

location where hostilities are active. The ICRC is willing to facilitate those passages, provided that parties agree on the terms on specific, actionable and concrete terms, including locations, times, civilians who wish to leave voluntarily but also whether any humanitarian aid can be brought in while civilians who choose to leave are leaving.

KEILAR: What does Russia need to do here, really? What do they need to agree to so that civilians are not killed as they escape? Because what Russia is proposing right now is just not realistic.

HODEIB: We're speaking to both parties. We are facilitating the dialogue between them so that these safe packages have the necessary guarantees for civilians to leave while it's safe for them to leave. And the ICRC is ready to accompany those -- those civilians leaving those convoys, provided that parties agree amongst each other.

The ICRC cannot be a grantor for any ceasefire or security related to those -- those safe packages.

KEILAR: So, Mirella, there are reports right now of Russia mining, putting mines along the escape routes in Mariupol. Is there evidence of that?

HODEIB: We haven't seen -- we're in discussion with both parties. For the time being, of course there is violence everywhere. Hostilities are everywhere. So we really need to be very clear on the routings.

These convoys will take so civilians can leave places where the hostilities are very active, like in Mariupol and other places and that they are safe doing that.

So safe passage is mandatory under international humanitarian law, and both parties would need to agree on -- on providing safe package to civilians leaving those areas.

KEILAR: All right. Mirella, thank you so much. We do appreciate you being with us as we're talking about what civilians are enduring there to escape.

CNN is now reporting that the U.S. and NATO have sent Ukraine 19,000 anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles so far. Is that going to be enough? A member of Ukraine's Parliament joins us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:16:46]

KEILAR: The breaking news: Russians bombing cities across Ukraine. Ukrainians say that includes evacuation routes for civilians.

Despite pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Biden administration has opposed a no-fly zone, because it says that enforcing a no-fly zone would likely mean a direct military conflict between the U.S. and Russia. Joining me now is someone who would like to see a no-fly zone imposed

over Ukraine, Kira Rudik. She is a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and the leader of the Holos Party.

Kira, thank you so much for being with us again.

KIRA RUDIK, MEMBER OF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Thank you.

KEILAR: I'm wondering, as you hear -- you hear this argument coming from NATO countries. They say they enforce this no-fly zone and then you end up with World War III. What do you say to that?

RUDIK: Well, I'm saying to that that it's an illusion that this war has not begun yet. We already see that the question here is NATO able to protect themselves and able to stop Putin, or NATO is not able to do that?

And what we see right now, this tentativeness, these questions, these attempts to not be involved in the conflict, they're just showing that Putin can do whatever he wants.

Look, 30 years ago, Ukraine signed a Budapest memorandum, and we gave up our nuclear weapons. We gave them up for the security guarantees that, U.S. included, NATO gave us.

And right now, we -- when we are asking for the protection, we are hearing, Oh, we don't want to be involved. We don't want to be in this conflict.

Well, what is the good resolution for what is happening to Ukraine? Does NATO and the United States and all the other countries in the world want to have another Russian satellite at the center of the Europe, or maybe they want to have an ongoing war at the center of the Europe?

We Ukrainians intend to win. We are standing up the way that nobody in the world expected us to. And we know that we can win. The only thing that we need right now to be able to win, to be able to push Russia back, to be able to weaken it out so it never will be able to attack sovereign countries, is the support from the air. This is somewhere where we cannot fight ourselves. This is somewhere where we need support.

And we know that we can -- this is what we are seeing. Please provide us with no-fly zone. Please let us win this war. Give us this chance. Everybody said that we wouldn't stand for more than 48 hours. Today is the 12th day when Ukrainians are fighting, and we didn't give up any major city.

However, Russia has been bombing those cities. And --

KEILAR: And, Kira, I do want to mention, you personally -- look, you have posted photos of yourself with weapons. You are ready to take up arms against the Russians if it comes to that.

You mentioned you need help from the air. And right now, I mean, look, there doesn't appear to be any budging on this no-fly zone, as impassioned as you are in calling on it and other MPs are in calling for it.

But the U.S. is working with Poland to possibly provide Ukraine with MiG fighter jets. Is that -- you know, is that going to make a difference? Is that enough?

RUDIK: This would definitely make a difference. However, right now what we see from Russia's tactics, they have been bombing our airports.

So by the time when we will get the jets, which I do really hope from the bottom of my heart that will happen at some point, we may not have airports for them to fly from.

And this is another critical time issue. That everything that used to take months right now needs to take hours. And because every single hour that we are winning, we are winning with Ukrainians who are paying for it with their lives. They are spilling blood for us to have time for these leadership organizations, for these decision-making processes, et cetera.

We need jets that will still be able to fly from Ukrainian airports while we still have airports. And this is the chicken and egg situation. We need a no-fly zone to protect our airports. We need no- fly zone to protect our nuclear plants. Because if this tragedy, nuclear tragedy would happen, it would affect everybody. Everybody in the world.

And Putin is completely bombarding the nuclear plants, because he's a war criminal. He's crazy. He completely is bombing recreation convoys, because he's a war criminal, and he's crazy.

And right now, he is bombing airports to lower down the chances that we could use our allies' jets to fight him back. And this is why maybe we need an interim (ph) support. Maybe we need interim (ph) protection from the air. But we do need it.

Because I can fight with my Kalashnikov. I'm getting ready to do that. But there is nothing I can do to protect myself from the missiles that are coming from the air. Nothing. And this is the most heartening piece of all of it.

KEILAR: Kira, we are listening to what you were saying. We will be seeing how the U.S. and allies are receiving what you're saying. Kira Rudik, thank you.

RUDIK: Thank you so much.

KEILAR: So up next, the American basketball star who is being detained in Russia. Could Vladimir Putin's conflict with the West complicate the effort to bring her home?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:26:58] BERMAN: So this morning a serious situation surrounding one of the WNBA's biggest stars, in Russia. Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia on drug charges.

Andy Scholes joins us now with the latest on this. Andy, what is the latest?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, I mean, it's a serious situation. Brittney Griner could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. And this obviously a terrible time to be an American arrested in Russia.

And Griner is a seven-time WNBA all-star and two-time gold medal winner for Team USA. Plays basketball in the off-season there in Russia, where many of the best players do go to earn more money.

And according to the Russian federal customs service, officials at an airport near Moscow said they arrested Griner after they found vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in Griner's luggage.

And this happened last month. We just found out about it over the weekend when "The New York Times" broke the story. So Griner has been detained there in Russia for quite a while.

Yesterday, her wife, Cherelle, spoke out on Instagram, saying in part, "I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life. I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely."

Now, speaking at a news conference in Moldova yesterday, Secretary of state Antony Blinken briefly addressed Griner's arrest.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: There's only so much I can say, given privacy considerations at this point. Let me just say more generally, whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course, stand ready to provide every possible assistance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Now, back on January 23rd, the State Department issued a "do not travel" advisory for Russia, warning Americans against -- against traveling there because of potential harassment against U.S. citizens and the embassy's limited ability to help in Russia.

Another "do not travel" advisory was issued there on Saturday, John. A WNBA spokesperson has said, other than Griner, all players competing in Russia and Ukraine have left those countries.

BERMAN: Yes. One month ago, Andy. All right. Thank you so much for that.

KEILAR: Joining us now is Democratic Congressman John Garamendi of California. He is a member of the Armed Services Committee and chair of the Armed Services Sub-Committee on Readiness. First, I just want to ask -- I want to follow up on that report that

we just saw about Brittney Griner. What can be done here to get her out?

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): It's going to be very difficult. Our diplomatic relationships with Russia are nonexistent at the moment. Perhaps during the various negotiations that may take place, she might be able to be one of the solutions. I don't know.

It's also -- Russia has some very, very strict LGBT rules and laws. That may be part of this also.

KEILAR: You're worried that's part of this?

GARAMENDI: I wouldn't be surprised.

KEILAR: I do want to ask you, right now, the U.S. is working with Poland to possibly provide to Ukraine MiG fighter jets.

GARAMENDI: Right.

KEILAR: We just spoke with a member of parliament, a Ukrainian member of parliament who said that's all well and good -- and I'm paraphrasing -- but what's the point of fighter jets if we don't have airports to land them at?

[06:30:00]