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New Day

German Galushchenko is Interviewed about Ukraine; Ukrainian Refugees Start over in Romania; Tornado Threat Across U.S.; Zelenskyy Calls out Nestle. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 22, 2022 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: A message for Russia.

Plus, after working nonstop for nearly four weeks, a sudden and dramatic development from the staff at the Russian-controlled Chernobyl nuclear power plant. We will talk to Ukraine's minister of energy, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: New signs that the Ukrainian resistance is holding this morning. More than holding in some cases. Just west of Kyiv, Ukrainian forces regained control of Makariv after days of heavy fighting. Russian troops reportedly retreating and Ukraine's state flag now raised once again over that city.

Joining me now, a member of President Zelenskyy's cabinet, the minister of energy of Ukraine, German Galushchenko.

Mr. Minister, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

[06:35:01]

I know it's not your portfolio exactly, but I'm wonder if you have any information or can tell us about Ukrainian forces retaking this town.

GERMAN GALUSHCHENKO, MINISTER OF ENERGY OF UKRAINE: Well, that is official information that the Ukrainian forces have retaken this town and now it's under control of our army. And I believe that today and tomorrow and the nearest future and other -- and other cities would be under control of our army till the (INAUDIBLE).

BERMAN: Do you feel that Ukraine is now on the attack?

GALUSHCHENKO: Of course, it's shelling even in Kyiv here. So it's -- we have this alarm almost once an hour even more often. So, that's the feeling of war, it's everywhere.

BERMAN: Chernobyl, we got word over the last 24 hours that the staff there had been able to rotate out. Give us a sense of the situation there. GALUSHCHENKO: Yes, that's -- that's true. The staff is partly rotated.

And you could imagine this -- the feeling of these people, which were there under occupation from the first time of war. And until only several days ago they had the chance to rotate the staff. So the people are absolutely exhausted, I mean mentally and physically exhausted. And that is the true. But the situation is still difficult because we have no access to this object. So it's under Russian occupation still.

BERMAN: Do you trust that it will be safe?

GALUSHCHENKO: It's really hard to say. So, of course -- of course we have communication with all international forums responsible for our nuclear safety. And we ask permissions to come to our nuclear objects, which is really very important. It's not only Chernobyl. We have one of the biggest in Europe, NPP (ph), which is now under occupation of Russia, which is Zaporizhzhia, and we also need some missions (ph) from international forums to be sure. But the fast (ph) and what is worrying for them, that Russia soldiers should leave the nuclear object. That is the first condition to speak about safety.

BERMAN: We do understand there have been some fires, which happens every year, forest fires, brush fires, around Chernobyl of late. Normally it's Ukrainian firefighters that go put them out, but they're not able to get there? What's this current situation with that?

GALUSHCHENKO: That's true that we see these fires from photos from the space. And that's -- so now we are -- we are monitoring the situation. Where we can, of course, we reach this -- this -- we -- our firemen could do this, I mean could stop the fire. But now we just see how it goes.

BERMAN: Is Russian oil still coming through Ukraine, through the pipelines? And, if so, why?

GALUSHCHENKO: Oil -- oil is not. So we -- we could speak only about the gas, transit of gas. But now we have the full embargo on oil to come from Russia.

BERMAN: All right, Mr. Ambassador, German Galushchenko, thank you so much for being with us. Please stay safe.

GALUSHCHENKO: Thank you.

BERMAN: Nearly 3.5 million Ukrainians have fled this country since the beginning of the Russian invasion. CNN's Miguel Marquez talks to one family who was forced to start its life over again, next.

Plus, tornado threats increasing across the southern United States this morning.

And just in, stunning new video of a truck flipping over during a storm in Texas. We'll show you what happened after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:43:23]

KEILAR: More than 3.5 million Ukrainians pouring into neighboring countries as Russia's invasion intensifies. With Romania actually receiving the most refugees after Poland. Many are both relieved to have escaped the violence, but also heartbroken as Russian shelling has left some of their hometowns unrecognizable.

CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Ludmyla Zhidik, her two teen daughters and her father arrived last night.

Our beautiful parks, our beautiful squares, she says, everything is ruined.

From Kharkiv, a city punished by Russian artillery and rockets, a schoolteacher, Zhidik, has some savings, but not much. Their three-day journey brought them to this shelter run by the city of Bucharest.

I'm shocked war is possible in 2022, she says. Everything was good. I could walk with my friends. I love my home city. It was very difficult to leave.

Sofia's sister says, it's hard to believe their lives have been thrown into such enormous uncertainty.

ANASTASIA ZHIDIK, FLED KHARKIV: I really miss my house, my country, my city. And I hope that this war is going to finish.

MARQUEZ: Andrei Tesmann, a furniture maker, had his own business. He's here with his wife, kids. In all, a family of eight, and their chihuahua Bruno (ph).

MARQUEZ (on camera): Do you know when you will go home?

[06:45:02]

ANDREI TESMANN, FLED IRPIN: Big question.

MARQUEZ: Big question.

MARQUEZ (voice over): A friend sent video of what their home now looks like.

MARQUEZ (on camera): This is your home?

TESMANN: Right, it's my home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is from (INAUDIBLE).

TESMANN: It's -- it's my room. Bedroom. MARQUEZ: Bedroom.

TESMANN: Yes, it's my bedroom.

MARQUEZ (voice over): Unlivable. The entire neighborhood destroyed by possibly a rocket or artillery fire. Nothing to go back to.

MARQUEZ (on camera): At 60 years old, are you starting over again?

MARQUEZ (voice over): I don't want to, he says, but I have to.

His son is in Florida. The family has inquired about visas to travel to the U.S., but so far --

We haven't tried to apply for visas, he says. His wife adds, my son sent several messages to embassies and to people in Washington, D.C. The message they got back, America does not accept refugees for now.

The Biden administration looking for ways to speed up applications. For now, World Vision is helping these refugees and tens of thousands more in Romania alone. Their needs, deepening.

ANDREEA BUJOR, WORLD VISION, ROMANIA: The people that are coming now, these people really, really need help. And there are a lot of people. We were at the border, and I was at the border. And I talked to a lot of people that didn't have any money, any plan.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Who's that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mommy.

JULIA MULIARCHUK, REFUGEE FROM KYIV: Momma.

MARQUEZ (voice over): Julia Muliarchuk and her eight-year-old son David, named for David Beckham, from Kyiv, arrived two weeks ago.

MARQUEZ (on camera): And when you decided to leave, how long did you have to pack?

MULIARCHUK: Well, I had around three hours to pack.

MARQUEZ: Three hours?

MULIARCHUK: Yes, yes, yes.

MARQUEZ (voice over): A few bags, documents and family photos.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Who is this?

MULIARCHUK: It's me and my husband ten years ago.

MARQUEZ (voice over): She calls her mother in Kyiv every morning.

MULIARCHUK: It's always like, hello, mom, are you OK? And we talk and talk. And she's saying, yes, it seems like it's been quiet night. And then speaking to my husband and my friends. MARQUEZ (on camera): It's like a full-time job.

MULIARCHUK: Not a full-time job, but you -- you have -- you have to be sure that everyone is OK because it's nothing for sure now. Nothing.

MARQUEZ (voice over): She wants to go home. But when?

MARQUEZ (on camera): When do you think you can go home?

MULIARCHUK: Oh, only God knows when. Nobody knows.

MARQUEZ (voice over): Miguel Marquez, CNN, Bucharest.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: The clumsy and disorganized defensive from Russian forces have U.S. officials wondering who exactly is in charge. We'll be talking to the Pentagon ahead.

Plus, John Berman will speak with a family that escaped the horrors of Mariupol as the Russians intensify efforts to capture that city. You'll hear their dramatic story and what they think of Vladimir Putin.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:17]

KEILAR: A line of severe storms causing some very serious damage this morning in Texas. Take a look at this unbelievable video. That truck just getting tossed around by high winds. Amazingly managing to drive away there. More than a dozen tornadoes reported in Texas and Oklahoma yesterday.

This morning, a new tornado watch in effect for more than 8 million people in parts of Texas, Arkansas and also Louisiana.

So, let's get the latest here from Chad Myers.

Unbelievable video.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Yes, and some of the tornadoes yesterday were pretty unbelievable, too. I'm sure we're going to get reports that they were larger than EF-3s in some spots.

Here's your tornado watch right now, all the way from Houston, all the way up into Arkansas, as you said.

This weather brought to you by Servpro, like it never even happened.

Well, this is happening right now. There is the line of weather. Lots of lightning. We even have a very large cell headed toward Houston, with a severe thunderstorm warning on it.

Now, this storm earlier did have a tornado warning, but right now it's a severe thunderstorm. Making wind, hail and the possibility of a tornado for sure because you are still under that tornado watch.

This is the area of greatest risk. This area in the hatch. That's the area of greatest risk of big tornadoes today.

So, this is what the computer thinks the radar is going to look like later today. A line of weather, a squall line. And, yes, we're going to see wind and we're going to see lightning with that.

What we're concerned about today, Brianna, are the storms that fire here in the warm sector. Those have the chance to be super cells. And they could rotate violently today. And then even toward tonight. And the problem is, some of this does go into the overnight hours. Those overnight tornadoes are twice as deadly as daytime tornadoes.

Now, this is all gone as we work our way 48 hours from now. We still have a lot of rainfall to come and the potential for some flash flooding exists already this morning.

Brianna.

KEILAR: OK, so if I'm living in those warmer sector areas, what do I need to be doing today to make sure that I'm safe?

MYERS: You need to have an app on your phone or a Noah weather radio, something that will alert you when you get a storm approaching you. Without a question, you need more than one way or getting this warning, whether it's a tornado warning, a severe thunderstorm warning. Some of these severe thunderstorm warnings can have 100 mile- per-hour winds. That's a small tornado in itself, even though it's just wind damage. Especially if you're in a mobile home, if you see a storm approaching, get to your closest storm shelter.

KEILAR: Yes, you do not want to be in the middle of it.

MYERS: No.

KEILAR: We see the forces there on that truck.

MYERS: Yes.

KEILAR: A narrow miss there.

Chad, thank you so much.

MYERS: You're welcome.

KEILAR: Berman.

BERMAN: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy calling out Swiss food giant Nestle for refusing to leave Russia despite the invasion of Ukraine.

[06:55:04]

Nestle has stopped shipments of non-essential items to Russia but continues to sell baby food, cereal and pet food in the country.

CNN chief business correspondent Christine Romans joins me now.

So, what's Nestle doing here?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know, one foot in, one foot out. You know, a corporate mass exodus overall from Russia here, the likes we haven't seen since apartheid in South Africa, John. FedEx, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, American Express, Disney, Delta, Hyatt, some really big names to name a few. Four hundred companies now on that list.

But some companies like Nestle are not fully severing ties in Russia. Critics are calling this half exits. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, used Nestle's own slogan to scold the firm in an address to the people of Switzerland.

He said good food, good life in English in that -- in that clip there.

Zelenskyy went on to say of the Swiss company that they -- they refuse to leave Russia even now when there are threats from Russia to other European countries. Not only to us, when there is even nuclear blackmail from Russia.

Zelenskyy's plea sparked a social media #boycottnestle. Nestle claims it has significantly scaled back activities in Russia, stopping all imports and exports, as you mentioned, John, except for what it calls essential products. It's not advertising in the country. It says it's not making a profit there.

Koch Industries, by the way, that's the conglomerate run by conservative billionaire Charles Koch, it's also staying in Russia, operating two glass plants that employ about 600 people. Koch's president says, we will not walk away from our employees there or hand over these manufacturing facilities to the Russian government so it can operate and benefit from them. Doing so would do more harm than good.

Russian officials have indicated they will simply take over and nationalize any properties American companies leave behind. But at least on social media there is this backlash and they're calling them half exits. You know they -- some of these companies say it makes sense to keep a small presence there. Other companies are also paying their employees even while winding down their business, John.

BERMAN: Yes, different levels for sure. But you know the economic impact it has on Russia when these companies do decide to leave.

Christine Romans, thanks so much.

NEW DAY continues right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BERMAN: Good morning to viewers here. Well, good morning to viewers in the United States and all around the world. It is Tuesday, March 22nd. I'm John Berman, not in the United States, I'm in Lviv, in western Ukraine. Brianna Keilar, in Washington. Ukraine's defense of its capital is holding and this morning Russia's

war on Ukraine from the air and the ground has apparently reached a stalemate. In fact, just west of Kyiv, Ukrainian forces have regained control of Makariv after days of heavy fighting. Russian troops are said to be retreating. Ukraine's state flag raised once again over the city.

A member of President Zelenskyy's cabinet just told me Ukraine will take -- retake more towns and cities in the next few days.

Kyiv will remain under curfew until Wednesday morning. There is already so much devastation in the capital. This man you can see combing through the ruins of his apartment. The exterior wall blown completely off the building.

In Mariupol, a once vibrant port city, there is now mostly rubble. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says it is reduced to ashes, but he believes it will survive. The EU's foreign policy chief describes what's happening in Mariupol as a massive war crime.

One man who just escaped that city told me this about Vladimir Putin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I couldn't have imagined two months ago that something awful like this, such a crime, could take place. How is this even possible? He's a murderer.

How can a person feel when this is the only thing left?

I have absolutely nothing now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Russia's assault on Mariupol has been just relentless. This is drone video that shows an industrial compound in the city being bombed beyond recognition.

In Kherson, several hundred protesters gathered on Monday in Freedom Square, only to be violently dispersed by Russian troops.

Ukraine's military says the Russians used stun grenades and also gunfire on those demonstrators. At least one person was wounded. U.S. defense officials tell CNN that Russian military units across Ukraine are in disarray. They're often competing with each other for resources instead of coordinating their efforts. In fact, the Pentagon is not even sure who Russia's top field commander is.

President Biden is now warning U.S. business leaders to prepare for Russian cyberattacks.

BERMAN: Let's go to Kyiv and bring in CNN's Frederik Pleitgen.

[07:00:06]

KEILAR: All right. Sorry, Fred, we lost Berman there just for a moment.