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New Day

New Explosions Rock Ukraine's Cities as Russia Intensifies War; Ukraine Says, Russian Attempting Corridor Near Kyiv to Block Routes; Will Smith Hits Chris Rock on Stage in Shocking Oscars Moment. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired March 28, 2022 - 07:00   ET

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

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OLESYA MATIUSHENKO, FLED KYIV, UKRAINE: My daughter wakes up morning, opens the curtains, wipes the dew from the windows and looks out at the view, she tells me. Yes, she loves it here. It's calming. I feel lighter. And I start to believe everything is going to be okay.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER (voice over): For these families, this feels like the safest place in a country where it seems everywhere is a frontline.

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ABDELAZIZ (on camera): John, it was just so rare to hear that word, I feel safe. And as we were coming down the mountain, it was Saturday, we were live on the air, and that's when missiles started striking Lviv and people were hearing explosions and they were going underground. Really, everywhere in this country feels like it could be the frontline. And that's why this is rare, just this tiny little corner of Ukraine where people think they can find shelter away from the bombs and the bullets.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN NEW DAY: Salma Abdelaziz, a terrific report. You're work here has been wonderful, showing us this different side what's happening in this country. I really appreciate it.

And New Day continues right now.

Good morning to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. It is Monday, March 28th. I'm John Berman in Lviv, in Western Ukraine. Brianna Keilar is in Washington.

Breaking overnight, Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, coming under heavy fire. Our CNN team on the ground there reports hearing several explosions. An adviser to President Zelenskyy warns that Russia is increasing its missile strikes across the country and Vladimir Putin is trying to wipe Ukraine off the face of the earth.

We're also getting reports of powerful explosions in the last few hours in the western city of Zhytomyr. A Ukrainian military official says a fuel depot was hit by a missile fired from Belarus. So, with a new round of peace talks set to begin in Istanbul, President Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to accept what he calls neutral, non-nuclear status under certain conditions.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Our priorities in the negotiations are known. Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt. Effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory. Our goal is obvious, peace and restoration of our normal life in our native state as soon as possible.

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BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN NEW DAY: We are seeing new evidence of the scope of the destruction in Ukraine. Kharkiv is in ruins. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces are now firing at a nuclear research facility in that city.

And in Mariupol, Ukrainian officials claim 40,000 residents have been forcibly taken from the city into Russian territory and placed infiltration camps. Then in the western city of Lviv, where Berman, just 50 miles from the Poland border, explosions, the Russians hit a fuel storage center with at least one cruise missile not far from the downtown area. And now, Ukraine's military chief says that he believes Vladimir Putin is seeking to split Ukraine in two, using the post-war division between North Korea and South Korea as his model.

This morning, Ukraine is vowing to conduct an immediate investigation after video had surfaced of soldiers shooting Russian prisoners in the knees.

BERMAN: I want to go to Kyiv and bring in CNN's Frederik Pleitgen. Fred, I know you had a busy, eventful night there with all kinds of explosions. Give us the latest.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, John. We were up well until 5:00 or 6:00 A.M. this morning, hearing those explosions, hearing air raid sirens quite frequently as well, very large firing that we were hearing, not sure whether it was outgoing or incoming. And, actually, right now, as I am speaking to you, we are once again hearing some pretty loud thuds.

And I was checking just a couple of minutes ago before we went to air there's huge plumes of smoke now over the northwestern outskirts of the capital of Kyiv. That's where we have seen a lot of fighting, especially around the suburb called Irpin. That is a name that we've mentioned so much over the last couple of weeks, really, with some pretty heavy fighting going on. The Ukrainians saying they control about 80 percent of that district.

What we are seeing on the ground and what we are hearing the entire day and the entire night meshes with what the Ukrainian military said just a couple of minutes, a spokesman for the Ukrainian army saying that Russian forces were trying to advance on the capital of Kyiv, were trying to break through, as he put it, taking streets and small villages. He said, so far, the Ukrainian forces are managing to confront them and managing to hold them back. Of course, the Ukrainians in the past couple of days have launched a counteroffensive of their own.

The deputy defense minister also saying that she believes the Russians are trying to create corridors what he calls corridors around the capital of Kyiv, which obviously seems to mean that they are trying to encircle the city still. Once again, the Ukrainians saying that they are able to hold the Russian forces back.

One thing, John, last -- yesterday, we managed to go to the north of Kyiv, to, really, a place that's now deemed as one of the most dangerous around the capital.

[07:05:04]

And there, the people also told us that the Russians haven't been able to advance much at all over the past couple of weeks, but they are taking massive shelling in those areas. We were at a completely destroyed house, obviously completely unsafe for the citizens who still remain there, as that war, obviously, very much still in full swing.

Again, the Ukrainians saying they believe right now they have the Russians on the back-foot, but, of course, they understand it is still extremely big and dangerous army that is on the gates of the Ukrainian capital. John?

BERMAN: So, Fred, it's interesting that Ukrainian officials say the Russians are still trying to cut Kyiv off in a way, create these corridors around it, because, in some ways, it seems that the Ukrainians are relaxing some of the protective measures that they have had there. I know kids are going back to at least online learning today. I know that the curfews have been shifted. And I know we have seen people who are headed back to Kyiv and I know you say that people are out and about a little bit more. So, what's the situation?

PLEITGEN: Yes, you're absolutely right. I do think that there's a bit of -- I wouldn't call it normalcy, but at least people going out more than they had been over the last couple of weeks. I think that that initial fear has died down somewhat, but as I talk to you, I'm really hearing some pretty heavy thuds in the not too far away from where we are now. So, certainly still a very dangerous situation.

At the same time, though, you're absolutely right. We got a message this morning from the Kyiv mayor's office, Vitaly Klitschko saying that the curfew had been reduced by two hours. It goes into effect an early later and ends an hour earlier. So, all that seems to indicate that the folks who are in the city are trying to find some way back into a life, obviously, not a normal life, certain things are reopening.

And it certainly also seems to shows that the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian authorities are confident that they are going to be able to hold the Russians off, to fend the Russians off. If you go here through the city, John, we have to say it is an extremely well fortified city right now. It's absolutely on a war footing. But it certainly seems as though with these territorial defense forces, they really have set up barricades in a lot of places. They say they are very well prepared should the Russians try to make any more moves on to the city, John.

BERMAN: Well, Fred Pleitgen, as you continue to hear explosions there, please stay safe, keep us posted. Thank you, Fred.

KEILAR: Officials are imposing an emergency curfew in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. The typically busy streets of the Southern Ukrainian city completely empty, cleared for police to monitor potential threats from Russian forces.

CNN's Ivan Watson is in Zaporzhzhia, Ukraine, with more.

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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a checkpoint at the entrance to the eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. But this is an unusual day. The government has imposed a citywide daytime curfew. Traffic is not being allowed in or out. And we are getting a look with the local police force at how they are enforcing this emergency curfew.

I'm getting a tour of the city with two local police inspectors. We have passed many deployed Ukrainian soldiers. We cannot show them or film them for their safety, given that there is a full-fledged war taking place in this country.

What is striking about this daytime curfew is that a city of nearly a million inhabitants, it is now a complete ghost town.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a Ukrainian. I serve in police for over six years. I like my work. I am proud of my work.

In the territory of city only policemen and some military men. Every car which goes to the city is checked.

WATSON (voice over): The police say it is easier to maintain security search for suspected Russian collaborators when the city is locked down.

How far away is the Russian army right now from where we are?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Russian army is several fronts. But the nearest place where Russian tanks are just located is maybe 30 kilometers from this place.

WATSON: A half hour by car?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you're right.

WATSON: Would you defend Zaporizhzhia if the Russian army comes here. I mean, you're not soldiers. You're police. Would you fight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a man. I'm a Ukrainian man. As for me, it is very ashamed for men not to protect his family, not to protect his house, not to protect his life.

WATSON: People here know what happened to other Ukrainian cities and towns that have been attacked by the Russian military.

[07:10:04]

They don't want that to happen here. But they say if it does, they're ready.

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KEILAR: Ivan, and there we see you in Zaporizhzhia. Tell us what it is like now. I see people appearing to shop behind you.

WATSON (on camera): Yes. I mean, the curfew is over and the city has just come back to life. It's such a dramatic change. The streets are full. People are walking around. And it's all the more remarkable when you consider how close the invading Russian army is to this city, that there are Russian tanks a half-hour's drive away, Russian military that has decimated other cities and that life still seems to go on. I think it reveals how people can become accustomed -- can adapt to the most bizarre situations, Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, and taking these moments of safety where they can get them to have some normalcy in their lives. Ivan, thank you so much for that great report. I really appreciate it.

BERMAN: It is fascinating to see all those people out there in Ivan's report. What a wonderful story that was. I will say, things can change, though, in an instance. The situation in so many places in this country are still dire.

This morning, I spoke to Oleksandr Slobozhan, the executive director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities. He and his family, they were trapped in Bucha. This is a city that has been under siege and now very much under Russian occupation.

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BERMAN: Oleksandr, you were trapped in Bucha for weeks with your family, really with no food, no water. Tell us what that was like?

OLEKSANDR SLOBOZHAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATION OF UKRAINIAN CITIES: On the 24th of February, I was doing some work, and we got trapped under the shelling. And, basically, I was trapped in Bucha until the 12th of March. And we were lucky to escape due to the humanitarian corridors, which were set up.

It was the first try to try to evacuate local civilian population. At first, we tried at least to look for some sort of human life. And during the shelling, we were sitting indoors. We didn't have any water, so we were just basically melting the snow. We didn't have any gas or any central heating. And due to the humanitarian aid that we were receiving the first days, and it was very difficult to deliver the humanitarian aid in the far-reaching regions of that particular part. BERMAN: What's the situation in Bucha right now?

SLOBOZHAN: Now, Bucha is under Russian occupation. All the infrastructure is in ruins. Water supply, heating doesn't exist. All the houses are basically a pile of rubble. Part of the local authorities, including the local mayor, they are is still there in Bucha. They're trying to supply the local population with all the necessary.

[07:15:00]

And the Ukrainian army is conducting all the operations to liberate that particular area.

Well, you know, due to the lack of food and some other necessary bits, there were some cases of looting in the area.

BERMAN: Do you feel that the Ukrainian forces can take cities like Bucha and other cities in the east?

SLOBOZHAN: Yes, we are totally, totally convinced they will do it. Some smaller villages in the area, Ukrainian Armed Forces, meter by meter, they are liberating them now.

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KEILAR: All right. Thank you so much for that interview.

And unforced error or a moment of honesty? The White House forced to scramble after President Biden goes off script.

And speaking of unscripted, this is not how Will Smith, we expect, wanted to be remembered the night that he finally won an Oscar. We're going to break down the slap heard around the world, next.

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KEILAR: I think we can already say that this is going to go down as one of the most shocking moments in Oscar history, Will Smith hitting Chris Rock in the face after Rock made a joke about Will Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Here it is.

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CHRIS ROCK, OSCARS HOST: Jada, I love you, G.I. Jane II, can't wait to see it, all right?

Wow. Will smith just smacked me.

Wow, dude.

WILL SMITH, BEST ACTOR WINNER, 94TH ACADEMY AWARDS: Yes.

ROCK: It was a G.I. Jane joke.

SMITH: Keep my wife's name out your mouth.

ROCK: I'm going to, okay. Oh, okay. That was the greatest night in the history of television.

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KEILAR: All right. So, if you think that was dramatic, Will Smith then goes on less than an hour later to take the top award of the evening. He won best actor finally moments later.

Joining us now is CNN Correspondent Stephanie Elam. She was there in person at the Oscars last night.

Okay. Tell us what happened, Steph, but also there's so much context here, right? I mean, this is -- I didn't know this but I found out that Jada Pinkett Smith has dealt with alopecia. She's dealt with an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss, which is part of the reason, as I understand it, that she has a short haircut. And so this was something that, with that knowledge, you're hurt on those syncs (ph) listening to the joke that he made. And then they also have further history over the years.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's so many things to unpack that, of course, all started. And for anyone who thinks, Brianna, that that was a bit, I can tell you everyone in the Dolby Theater thought the same thing. But all you have to do is look at Lupita Nyong'o's face right behind Will Smith when he is yelling from his seat after just slapping Chris Rock. You can see her face like going from all the changes. No one knew what was going on.

But what we don't know is whether or not Chris Rock actually knew that Jada is dealing with alopecia. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. You can argue that Will Smith knows the stress that this has been for his wife. And if you haven't dealt with alopecia, if you don't think that your identity is somehow connected to your hair, I would disabuse you of that thought, because it really does matter for people to go through this. She has been public about it, and that is why her head is shaved. So, you know that.

Then you also have the 2016 Oscars when Chris Rock hosted, and this is when it was Oscars so white. And so there were people who were saying -- there were people saying that they were going to boycott that show. And he said Jada Pinkett was going to boycott and he went in on a joke about that because saying it didn't really matter if she was there or not because she wasn't invited.

So, there's some of the context, Brianna. Now, let's look at how Will Smith, as he was widely expected to win. There's been so much goodwill for Will Smith this awards season. He won the SAG Award. We were pretty sure he was going to win the best actor, the first Oscar win for him, a big moment for him, obviously completely tainted by what just happened beforehand. Listen to how he handled it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SMITH: Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. I'm being called on in my life to love people and to protect.

I want to apologize to the academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees.

I thank you on behalf of Richard and Orasine, the entire Williams family. Thank you. I hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And you could feel the energy there, everyone in the Dolby Theater so quiet when he got up there to speak, because everyone wanted to see how this was going to be handled.

And also it's worth noting that he did apologize to his fellow nominees and to the Academy but not to Chris Rock.

[07:25:04]

You did see during the commercial break, we could look down and see that Denzel Washington was up. He was talking to Will. You saw him kneeling down, talking to Jada as well. We saw the producer of the show, Will Packer, come out. We also heard Sean Diddy Combs when he was on stage, saying, hey, Chris And Will, we're going to work this all out like family. So, there was definitely this energy, of like we're going to squash this quickly.

I don't know how quickly that happens, but there are a lot of people who are upset by this, some saying that, hey, Will defended his wife's honor, others saying, I will never watch a Will Smith film again.

KEILAR: There's so much going on. And, look, you can't unslap someone. I think we talked, Stephanie -- you understand in a way some of Will Smith's emotion but this is violence that we witnessed. And I think it was interesting that Denzel Washington went and spoke to him and that he sort of -- he alluded to that, right, in his speech.

ELAM: Oh, for sure. He talked about how Denzel told him, he's like when you're in your moments of greatness, that's when the devil can come in, or something along those lines. He definitely spoke to that.

And also there has been so much love for Will throughout this award season, and not just because of this award. In Hollywood, there is a lot of love for Will Smith. And so we've seen him on the carpet. He's been open. He's been talking to people. He's been out there.

And I do think that it's possible that your defenses are down because you're receiving so much love, that when something else comes up, you don't know how to react. And maybe he didn't -- I mean, this is a split-moment decision and one where he could have reacted differently. Obviously that's not how this played out and that is all people remember.

I keep feeling so sorry for Questlove, who won best documentary right after that. That is why Chris Rock was on stage. And he was flustered and emotional about winning. But everyone was so distracted inside the Dolby Theater. And I don't know if that read that way. So, there are a lot of people who just felt like this could have been handled in different ways and he still could have defended the honor of Jada Pinkett.

But it would seem that there needs to be some sort of kumbaya moment between Will and Chris. Because if this is some built-up anger and tension over years of Oscar shows, it's time to handle that.

KEILAR: Yes. Look, I didn't like the joke. I think her appearance is totally off-limits, especially when you put the context in there. But it is, to your point, Stephanie, that moment just overshadows so much achievement, and not just Will Smith. It robs a lot of people of recognition that they certainly deserve.

Stephanie, thank you so much for being there and reporting on this. I do appreciate it.

And also, I should mention, we're going to be talking about this in the next hour. I know that if you were talking with your co-workers today, that is a story that you're going to be talking about.

So, separately, Russia is laying out why it believes that it could be entitled to use its nuclear arsenal. How the rest of the world should respond, next.

Plus, the western city of Lviv, Ukraine coming under fire this weekend, but as the residents there tell us our John Berman, they refuse to be afraid.

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