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NATO: Russia Using Belarus for Many Air Missions Into Ukraine; Zelenskyy Adviser Urges All Nations to Ban "Bloody" Russian Oil; Former Boxer Wladimir Klitschko Interviewed on Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Attempts to Encircle Kyiv. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired March 11, 2022 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: It's actually largely dispersed and redeployed now. Some units are now repositioned in forests. They're heading for tree-lined areas, some behind homes. New video from northwest of Kyiv in Chernihiv shows the aftermath of a Russian strike on a football stadium there. This is the home of the women's national soccer team, now blown out, littered with debris.

And then take a look at this, breathtaking, kind of heart stopping here. Ukrainian state emergency service releasing this video that shows them diffusing a bomb from a downed Russian fighter jet. And as they're doing it, you can hear these explosions going off in the background.

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ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Absolute nerves of steel by that bomb disposal unit.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's foreign minister has condemned what he is calling Moscow's barbaric crimes, posting video of sick orphans being evacuated in ambulances from the town of Vorzel, near the capital of Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is saying that around 100,000 Ukrainians have now been evacuated through humanitarian portals. That's over the past two days. Some have been more successful than others in Mariupol and Volnovakha in the east. Those corridors do remain blocked according to Ukrainian officials who say that Russian troops are also attacking them.

KEILAR: Let's go live now to Dnipro, where civilians are being targeted by Russian forces. Sam Kiley is there on the ground for us. Sam, Russian targeting is now moving into the center of the country where you have been. There have been these rather peaceful parts of the country, and it seems like no longer. What are you seeing?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think you're right about that, Brianna. And I think if you look at the Russian strategy at the moment, it seems to be to reach over the heads of the fighting Ukrainians and hit the civilians in the background, and perhaps to try to break their spirit alongside efforts to win the war on the ground, as it were, against the fighting folks.

So what we have seen here in Dnipro is in a shoe factory, one caretaker was killed in the small hours of this morning when some kind of missile, substantial missile hit this factory, destroying most of it, was mercifully an abandoned factory, most of the complex is abandoned, and set fire to it. Firefighters were still trying to put those flames out when we got there midmorning.

And the same time, more or less, there were a strike that fell close to a kindergarten, causing that damage, and close to a civilian apartment block too in this city. Elsewhere in the country, we have seen air strikes against, in Lutsk, against the airport, and indeed, in the southwest of the country, too, against an airport. But this is, I think what we're seeing here in Dnipro is a foretaste of what people now have come to expect, because they have seen the mass attacks on civilians, particularly in Kharkiv, which is only about 100 miles north of where I am, and also, of course, in the capital Kyiv. Brianna?

KEILAR: Look, I think we have to be so clear, Sam. This isn't an accident. If you look at war zones where hospitals and civilian targets are hit by accident, you will have apologies that come. In the case of the U.S. doing this, sometimes you even have a presidential apology, certainly from some top officials. This isn't an accident. And the message here is clear. It is saying to Ukrainians, you and your children aren't safe anywhere.

KILEY: No, I think that's absolutely clear. It's less clear, I think, in the case -- excuse me -- of an air attack. It could be a missile gone awry, a misdirected or incompetent or a dumb bomb. If it's the use of a dumb bomb, of course, then clearly the idea is to just bomb fairly much at random.

I think when you see really deliberate intent to attack civilians, has been certainly in Kharkiv and Mariupol and in Kyiv, where you have got the use of these multiple rocket launching systems that are designed to kill everything and everybody in an area about twice the size of a football pitch. So in those cases, there is absolutely no question if they are fired into a civilian area, that that is an absolutely deliberate attack against civilians.

But you're absolutely right. More broadly, Brianna, and we have seen this repeated in Syria, rather what is going on here is a repeat of what the Russians did in Syria, where they systematically and deliberately targeted hospitals and medical facilities using their jets and their smart bombs. And that is obviously an attempt, and we have seen strikes against, and close to hospitals here, particularly most recently in Mariupol, that is all part of the attempt to break the back -- to break the will of the civilian population rather than to break the back necessarily of combat forces on the ground.

[08:05:00]

So they're trying to combine the two, and partly, I think because to some extent the combat forces have been stalled. They have not been able to achieve the swift victory, the rapid decapitation of the administration here that they had hoped for. So they're switching back to their old-fashioned attacks on civilians, which we have seen before. Remember, Grozny, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, they're making Ukrainians pay for this. And look, dumb bombs in a civilian area, truly, that is Russian roulette. Something bad is going to happen. Sam, thank you so much for the report.

MARQUARDT: All right, well, the Russian focus remains very much on the capital Kyiv. Wladimir Klitschko joining us now. He is a member of the Kyiv Territorial Defense as well as being a former world boxing champion and the brother of the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko. Sir, tomorrow so much for being with us today. We have seen Russian forces trying to encircle the capital. They have been making their main thrust from the west and from the north. But we're also seeing now a significant push from the east. What are you seeing in terms of Russian gains around Kyiv today?

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO, BROTHER OF MAYOR OF KYIV, UKRAINE: Understand that Russia is attacking the entire country. They're very active in the east of the country as well as north. And today there were cities bombarded un the west. And it is just obvious that the main target of Russian invasion is the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kyiv.

MARQUARDT: So how do you see the status of the capital of Kyiv? Of course, Ukrainian forces have been doing a very good job of keeping Russian forces out of this city. But the Brits, among others, believe that Russian forces are now regrouping. So how concerned are you about what the Russians now may be planning in terms of the capital city, on the capital city?

KLITSCHKO: In the next upcoming days, we're expecting significant attack on the capital. They are regrouping. They're trying to find different strategies and trying to find the right way and the right timing. So every hour counts, and then we're expecting to have this attack on the capital at any moment, especially, as I said, in the next upcoming days. Their target is the capital. We are standing strong, and we definitely need support. We're going to be taking care of ourselves. What we need. We need defensive military equipment to stand and hold away the Russian army.

MARQUARDT: Wladimir, how are the Ukrainian forces holding up? They have been fighting now for two weeks in and around the capital, both the Ukrainian military and the territorial defense, which you are a part of. They have been doing well, but how much longer can they hold out?

KLITSCHKO: The will of the people in Ukraine is strong. This is our home. This is our family, or families in this case. We stand for each other here against the Russian aggression, and we stand together against the Russians, and for the principles of freedom and our choice. That was our choice to be associated with European democratic held values. And we defend this as much as we can.

We have a lot of equipment, as I said, military equipment, and we do anything possible. We're trying to outsmart the Russian army as much as we can. I don't know how long we're going toing to hold up, but we're going to hold up as long as we can. What's really necessary is the international support. You guys need to isolate Russia and Russian economy, because all the money that Russia is getting are going to be used for the bullets and rockets that are destroying our cities, infrastructure, killing.

It is like genocide, killing our children and families and women. If you see these images where Russian rockets landing in the districts of a city where civilians are living, it has nothing to do with logical war or attacking some important infrastructure. They're killing civilians. This is completely --

MARQUARDT: Yes, are you concerned, are you concerned, Wladimir, that as the -- as Ukrainian forces on the ground have been having some success against the Russian convoys, against the Russian troops on the ground, we have seen Russia stepping up their aerial bombardment with artillery, with missiles, dropping bombs from the sky.

[08:10:05]

Are you concerned about that, as they change their tactic in terms of both the destruction on the city, but of course the civilians who are still in and around Kyiv?

KLITSCHKO: Of course. There are always concerns. And we just cannot rely on anything that possibly can come from Russian side. Whatever the reason for this war is, it is a complete lie. Ukraine was never a threat to Russia, ever. We never were in conflict against Russia, military conflict, or anything. And this is just complete attack on serenity and civilians.

And we're going to stand against this aggression, no matter what. Especially the city of Kyiv is as strong as ever, the spirit, the will is as strong as ever. So we're going to hold and stand here, and we're going to take care of ourselves, what we need. And this is important to understand, to the western world and our allies, to act now. We cannot wait for weeks or months for certain decisions. It is about hours and minutes. We need support -- financial, humanitarian, military equipment. We're going to take care of ourselves. Trust us.

MARQUARDT: Yes, the capital city very much standing strong now more than two weeks into this fight. But as you note, we have heard those calls for more support. Wladimir Klitschko, thank you very much.

KLITSCHKO: Thank you.

MARQUARDT: All right, well, new video is showing an explosion and a fireball at an airfield in Lutsk. That is here in the western part of Ukraine, and that is one of at least three major cities in Ukraine that has been under attack by Russian forces this morning.

And then coming up next, CNN has been on a NATO surveillance mission in the skies over Ukraine. What they found by tracking Russian airplanes. That's coming up.

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[08:15:54]

KEILAR: CNN was aboard a NATO surveillance flight on Thursday tracking Russian planes entering Ukrainian air space. NATO is finding that the vast majority of Russian planes that are entering this air space, they're actually from Belarus.

Let's listen.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do see activity coming from Belarus, going into Ukraine. We can't distinguish whether this is a Russian aircraft or Belarusian aircraft. Sometimes there are periods on the day which are not on a regular basis where we do have a lot of activity getting in, like a larger package with 10 to perhaps 20 aircraft coming in from the Belarusian air space into Ukraine.

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KEILAR: Joining us now is CNN global affairs analyst Bianna Golodryga to talk about this.

Can you just tell us about this role? It is so important, that Belarus is playing here.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yeah, Brianna, this is a relationship I've been looking at and focused on for a while now, leading up to Russia's invasion, into Ukraine, because, remember, there had been joint exercises, military exercises between Russia and Belarus, 30,000 troops stationed there. And obviously that's where we have seen this influx of Russian troops come into Ukraine, from Belarus, obviously, and parts of Russia and in the south here in Crimea.

And what is interesting is Alexander Lukashenko, the president -- I'll put that in air quotes, there was that disputed election in 2020, that really tied him closer to that Vladimir Putin, he right now is in Moscow, meeting with Vladimir Putin and has said that Russian and Belarusian troops have thwarted what he calls thwarted an attack that came from Ukraine and thus then proactively they launched attacks on Ukrainian troops there.

And what is interesting is that he, up until this point, has said that Belarus will not be involved in this war. But by tying this attack to both Belarusian troops and Russian troops, you're seeing a change in the language, also Belarus really gave up its nonnuclear status just a few weeks ago, and Lukashenko said he would welcome hosting Russian nuclear weapons there in the country, the country itself now is essentially a satellite nation to Russia after that disputed 2020 election.

Remember, there were massive protests in the streets of Belarus, there had been mass sanctions leveled at Belarus from Western countries. And the lifeline that was extended to Lukashenko from Vladimir Putin is the reason now you're seeing him so beholden to Vladimir Putin. The two were not as close as they are right now, but clearly he's doing this for survival, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yeah, he's going to pay all the same price economically as are his citizens as well.

Bianna, thank you so much for that. Really appreciate it.

He calls Russian crude blood oil. A top adviser to Ukraine's President Zelenskyy is going to join us live next.

And fear just over Ukraine's southwestern border. Could Moldova be Putin's next target?

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[08:22:56]

ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN ANCHOR: President Joe Biden is warning that Americans will feel the impact of the sanctions that his administration has imposed on Russia, but that President Putin will feel them of course even more. The president saying in a statement, quote, as I have said from the start, there will be costs at home as we impose crippling sanctions in response to Putin's unprovoked war. But Americans can know this, the costs we are imposing on Putin and his cronies are far more devastating than the costs that we are facing.

Joining me now to discuss Ukraine's economic needs in this time of war is the economic adviser to President Zelenskyy, Oleg Ustenko.

Mr. Ustenko, thank you for being with us today.

What do you make, first of all, of that statement that I just read from President Joe Biden about what he called crippling sanctions on President Putin and his regime?

OLEG USTENKO, ECONOMIC ADVISER TO PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: I think that it is very well-received here in Ukraine, in Kyiv. At the same time we are waiting for secondary sanctions to Russia because as you are very well aware, this bloody money with Russians, from gas and oil internationally are still feeding their army.

The killing of our people, the killings of our kids, almost 100 kids already killed, hundreds of civilians were killed, you know, people are still under the ground. People are trying to survive. You know, a couple of hours ago Russian troops bombed several airports in Ukraine. They also put their bomb into the special purpose hospital, in the eastern part of the Ukraine, where we have 330 elderly people.

So very much we are -- very much in favor to what was done already by the United States.

[08:25:03]

As I said, we are (INAUDIBLE) but we want more. Really, we need to cut off Putin and his regime from this bloody money, so we're waiting that the same one is going to be implemented in Europe as well. So, secondary sanctions are absolutely needed. This is a must.

MARQUARDT : What about -- it looks like President Biden today is going to be announcing another economic blow for Russia, revoking what is known as favored nation status for Russia. How much of an impact do you think that is going to have?

USTENKO: I think that everything, every -- each particular sanction is going to have an affect for Russian economy. In fact, Russian economy is still doing more or less okay in terms of they are still, you know, they still have this channel of financing the military machine.

So, whatever is done to stop the financing is very much welcome. And I know that United States is doing as much you can, guys, for now, but as I said, we are under attack. Our people are killed. We want really more. As much as possible should be introduced immediately.

MARQUARDT: You are, of course, part of the Zelenskyy administration, close to the president. And his inner circle. And in terms of what we should expect the Russians to do in and around Kyiv, what kind of attack are you expecting, what kind of change in tactics might you be expecting from the Russian forces on the capital?

USTENKO: As you understand, I am not eligible to comment on this military topics. So this is -- it is not my area of expertise.

But in my understanding, Russian troops are becoming really, really, you know, extremely aggressive. So. if at the beginning when they started they were bombing, you know, you know, immediately and very hard, but at least saying they're not touching civilians now, everybody under the bombing. As I said, you know, hospitals were destroyed.

I don't know whether you heard this story, but the maternity hospital with pregnant women who were about to have delivery, it was also destroyed.

So, Kyiv -- look, we have a number of reports saying that women are raped, something like 100 already reported that. So we are -- he has to be stopped. And you have to understand that basically we have two fronts now. One front that the troops are coming, at least are trying to get into the center of the city -- into the center of the country. On the other side we have another front, which is also extremely important, and this is an economic front.

And altogether we have to work on two fronts as it used to be in the Second World War. When we have two fronts, two united groups, one which was leaded by the United States. Now this is the same.

But the difference is only that instead of having Nazi Germany in the past, we have Nazi and fascist Russia, who is trying to get my country and who is trying to kill our people. And they do not care whether it is civilians or not. They are killing everybody.

MARQUARDT: All right. Oleg Ustenko, economic adviser to President Zelenkyy, thank you so much for joining us today. USTENKO: Thank you.

KEILAR: And joining me now have CNN national security analyst Beth Sanner. She is the former deputy director of national intelligence. And Ostap Yarysh, he's a reporter at the Ukrainian service of Voice of America news.

Let's put this point of the conflict into context, Beth, if we can, because now what we're seeing is more broadly long range missile attacks on cities all across Ukraine.

BETH SANNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yeah. Well, you know, I think we're at this point in the conflict where Putin has taken a war of choice and taken it take war of necessity for him. He has to win, and he has to get more gains to go to the negotiating table.

So, we're going to be seeing much more, I think, much more broad brush effort and then these continuing sieges. I think some of these strikes we have seen in the western part of Ukraine might be related to trying to prevent supplies, by hitting airports.

KEILAR: Nonetheless, Lutsk is close to Poland, very close.

OSTAP YARSH, REPORTER, VOICE OF AMERICA NEWS: Sixty miles from NATO country, right?

KEILAR: And so, what does that mean?

[08:30:00]