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Hala Gorani Tonight
Prime Ministers Of Slovenia, Czech And Poland Visit Kyiv; Biden To Attend NATO Extraordinary Summit; Russian TV Journalist Who Protested Ukraine War On Air Turns Up In Court; Kyiv Starts 35-Hour Curfew As Russians Advance; Interview With Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze On The Situation On The Ground In Ukraine; Russian Journalist Found Guilty Of Administrative Offense; Man Charged In Brutal Attack On Elderly Asian Woman In New York; Caretakers Trying To Keep Surrogate Babies Safe In Kyiv. Aired 3-4p ET
Aired March 15, 2022 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:00:00]
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello, everyone, live from CNN in London, I'm Christina Macfarlane. Tonight, as Russia intensifies its
strikes on Kyiv, prime ministers of three neighboring countries have just arrived in the capital to meet the Ukrainian government in an unprecedented
show of support. In the last few hours, we've learned the U.S. President will attend a NATO extraordinary summit a week from Thursday. And after
this moment of bravery live on TV, the Russian journalist and very public protester seen again in court.
Around the clock, curfew is now in effect in Kyiv until at least Thursday, as Ukrainian officials warn the capital faces a difficult and dangerous
moment. Russian is intensifying attacks on civilian targets, striking several residential buildings today, at least, four people were killed as
firefighters rush to put out the flames. Rescue workers helped evacuate residents using cranes and ladders. The mayor of Kyiv toured the
devastation, vowing never to give in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR VITALI KLITSCHKO, KYIV, UKRAINE: We never seem to leave, it's our home. We defend our children, family, our buildings, our city and our
future. Future of Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, three EU leaders have just arrived in this war zone, risking their own lives to show solidarity with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Poland's Prime Minister accompanied by his Czech and Slovenian counterparts said, quote, "it is our duty to be where history is
forged."
And moments ago, he tweeted, "it is here that freedom fights against the world of tyranny." President Zelenskyy today asked a founding member of
NATO to do more to help protect Ukraine. He got a standing ovation when he virtually addressed Canada's parliament.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE (through translator): Can you imagine when you call your friends, your friendly nation and you ask,
please close the sky. Close the air space. Please stop the bombing. How many more missiles have to fall on our cities until you make this happen?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: But all across Ukraine, people are doing whatever they can to try and fend off Russia's invasion. Our Ivan Watson visited the area around
Vinnytsia in the central Ukraine to talk with local volunteers who are preparing the front lines there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): This is a village outside of the city of Vinnytsia. And we're getting a sense during
our visit here of how the local population has been mobilized by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So, all of this has been erected in the last two
weeks, and it's all homemade, just kind of concrete blocks, spare tires, sand bags, you know, just kind of metal rebar that's been kind of welded
together, netting here that locals have sewed here.
And we're going to spin around and you can get a sense of what the guys who are volunteering here, they have their Molotov cocktails at the ready, and
this is entirely a voluntary effort. I've been speaking with some of the guards here, one of them is a fireman, one of them is a retired police
officer, another one is an electrician, all an example of how the local population has mobilized here.
A local official I talked to, he estimates that about 20 percent of a population of more than 12,000 people in these villages have gone into the
Ukrainian army, have gone into the Ukrainian territorial defense.
He estimates maybe 10 percent have fled, and the rest he says are very active in the volunteer effort, in the war effort. That means people who
help out with humanitarian assistance that's been brought in from Europe, and that is collected here and then is loaded into other trucks and shipped
back out to frontline cities where people are in such tremendous need right now. You know, Vladimir Putin, one of his objectives by invading Ukraine,
he said, was to demilitarize this country.
We are seeing the exact opposite result, John, which is an entire population that is being mobilized in the defense of their homeland. I want
to bring in a local official here that I've been talking to, Vladislav Kaveschka(ph), thank you.
[15:05:00]
Who is just 23 years old, he is the district head of three villages. You have not seen ground-fighting here yet. Are you ready if the Russian
military reaches this region?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you know, we are ready. And it is -- all the situation is a quintessential of human unity, of unity in Ukraine, in
Ukraine population. And here, we have 20 percent of mobilized people to the army, to the --
WATSON: Territorial defense --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Territorial defense and local defense.
WATSON: What kind of message would you like to send the rest of the world? We were seeing the aid that was sent in, humanitarian assistance, food,
clothes, what kind of message would you like to send from your region?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, the highest point of my message would be, please, close the sky. This is the most important thing that we need,
because here, on the ground, we could fight, but in the sky, we need to close the sky.
WATSON: All right, thank you. Again, a call that we've heard from the president of Ukraine for a no-fly zone which President Biden of course has
ruled out, arguing that, that would be the beginning -- the beginning of World War III. Now, this is just one village, John, I drove in from Moldova
into Ukraine yesterday, and everywhere on the side of the main road, you saw similar fortifications, similar defenses, a sign that communities are
ready to defend themselves from this invasion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Wow. That was Ivan Watson speaking to my colleague, John Berman earlier in the day. Now, the city of Kharkiv in far eastern Ukraine
has been under almost relentless bombardment since the conflict began These images show just a bit of the damage. Local officials say Russian shells
hit Kharkiv 65 times on Monday alone, they say some 600 residential buildings have been destroyed along with schools and hospitals.
A mayor in a nearby town says there's no electricity, water or food, and people are dying for lack of medicine. He says there is no one to bury the
dead. Well, let's head to the south, in Mariupol on Ukraine's southeastern coast which refuses to surrender despite constant shelling and bombardment
which has left much of the city in ruins. This shocking video shows some of the wide-spread destruction to apartment houses, supermarkets and dozens of
other buildings.
A Ukrainian militia group fighting alongside the army shot these images from a drone, even though some 200 cars slipped out of Mariupol on Tuesday,
officials say 350,000 people remain trapped in the smoldering city. And its deputy mayor tells CNN, Russia is holding hundreds of doctors and patients
hostage in the basement of an intensive care hospital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR SERGEI ORLOV, MARIUPOL, UKRAINE: The Russian army use doctors and patients as hostages in this building. So we do not have any access to
them, and, of course, it's war crime in any way. It should not happen, but I cannot even count how many war crimes, in cases -- in the site, Russia
made in my city.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, we take you now to the further west in Ukraine, to Lviv. The mayor there is grappling with how to protect the city while coming --
while welcoming the influx of displaced people arriving every day. CNN's Hala Gorani has this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Meet the mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, if you can keep up with him. From a morning meeting with the
Polish mayor of Lviv's twin city and a Ukrainian aid organization, we follow him at a fast-pace into a waiting van. And it's off to the main Lviv
train station to check on Ukrainians evacuating to Poland. He has five free minutes so he calls the mayor of besieged Mariupol in southeast Ukraine. No
answer.
A quick call to another friend, the mayor of Mykolayiv.
MAYOR OLEKSANDR SYENKEVYCH, MYKOLAIV, UKRAINE: Hello. (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
MAYOR ANDRIY SADOVYI, LVIV, UKRAINE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
GORANI: At the station, a lightning visit, handshakes, hellos to some of the people in line for trains to Poland and an update on the situation from
volunteers. Sadovyi is a war-time mayor now, his city hosting hundreds of thousands of displaced Ukrainians.
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SADOVYI: People happy about peace city.
GORANI (on camera): I think one of the ladies said I'm happy to be alive, she said.
SADOVYI: Yes.
GORANI (voice-over): We finally catch up with him long enough to ask a few questions on the station platform, Not as packed as in the first days of
the war with chaotic scenes of Ukrainians fleeing the bombing. They have a system to evacuate people now, he tells me.
(on camera): What do you think your responsibility is today?
SADOVYI: It is my responsibility arrive every one citizen like my mother, my father.
GORANI: You're convinced, you told me earlier that, this will end in victory for the Ukrainian people.
SADOVYI: I believe in our victory 100 percent. It is.
GORANI: You have no doubt?
SADOVYI: Right.
GORANI: No doubt?
SADOVYI: No. Never give up. Only victory.
GORANI (voice-over): Shortly after the station visit, it's on to a church for the funerals of three of the service members killed in Sunday's attack
on a training facility in Yavoriv in western Ukraine, not far from his city. Mayor Sadovyi touches the casket of a fallen soldier while reciting
a prayer and bows in gratitude to troops attending the funeral service. But the moment of reflection doesn't last long.
An air raid siren goes off outside the church, and the mayor and his staff return to city hall and down to the basement shelter where they discuss
housing for Ukrainians displaced by the war. A priority for the mayor of Lviv, whose city has already welcomed more than 200,000 people, with the
expectation that 100,000 more could join them. But there's no time to linger on that thought too long. Mayor Sadovyi has no time to waste. Hala
Gorani, CNN, Lviv, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: We can go live now to Lviv where CNN correspondent Scott McLean has the latest on the ground there. Scott, I know you have been
keeping an eye on this extraordinary display of unity from these three NATO-member countries who have been traveling at great risk to Kyiv today.
What do we know of where they are right now and what they hope to achieve when they get on the ground?
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Christina, so we understand, according to a tweet from the Polish prime minister, that they are in Kyiv,
they have managed to arrive. We understand that they left by train from Poland earlier today, this is the prime ministers of Slovenia, Czech
Republic and Poland, that train journey takes minimum, 7-8 hours, the trains don't move all that fast these days because of obviously, the risk
to track damage and also in part because they load them up with so many people, just because of the need.
There's probably not as many people going into Kyiv, though, so perhaps, they were able to make better time. But it does seem like it took them the
better part of the day. The question, obviously, that most people are asking is, why on earth the prime ministers of any country going into an
active war zone especially given what we've seen in Kyiv just in the last day or two with heavy shelling, artillery fire into apartment complexes and
residential areas.
It is a really terrifying place to be. We understand they are there to meet with the president of Ukraine, President Volodomyr Zelenskyy, and to make
sure it is clear Europe's support for the Ukrainians. They also plan to unveil a package of aid for Ukraine that comes the same day that European
finance ministers had approved a package of sanctions that they called historic. And I just want to read you something that the Polish prime
minister wrote on his Facebook page earlier today, which is sort of explaining his rationale for being there.
He said, in part, "it is our duty to be where history is forged because it's not about us, but about the future of our children who deserve to live
in a world free from tyranny." Christina?
MACFARLANE: And Scott, there has been sort of notes of optimism coming out of these ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine in the past couple of
days that there might be, you know, some results on the table. Is there any hope of negotiation at this point? What are you hearing where you are?
MCLEAN: Yes, so this is the fourth round of talks. The first three were held in Belarus just inside the border. This one was held by a video link
which perhaps makes it easier for the talks to be more ongoing. So, we understand that they're going to be talking on a daily basis now. The talks
didn't break off yesterday, they were paused, which is perhaps a good sign that there was much more to discuss. They wanted to go back to their
respective sides, clarify some things, clarify some definitions and then come back and talk again.
We don't have the exact details about what each side's proposals might be or what exactly they've talked about, both sides have said previously that
they don't want to have these negotiations out in public.
[15:15:00]
So they've been trying their best to respect that fundamental principle while also trying to give at least a little bit of information to the
public who is obviously anxious for there to be some kind of a break- through. Previous to this round of talks, both sides had actually expressed some level of optimism.
The Russians saying that they had already made significant amounts of progress, even leading up to these talks, the Ukrainians saying that the
Russians were actually more sensitive to -- or the Russians were more sensitive to the Ukrainian position, which is not something that you hear
every day.
And so, there was some hope that there would be some kind of written agreement drawn up that might help things along. Again, not clear what that
might contain, but the thing that they really need to get right at this stage of the game at the very least is these humanitarian corridors. They
had agreed previously on several occasions for the need for these corridors, they have agreed at times on the specific details of when and
where, but in some places, they simply are not working very well.
Mariupol is one of those examples where we're just not probably seeing the level of coordination that is needed in order to get the estimated 300,000-
plus people out of that city who are living in very desperate conditions with no heat, no power, running out of food, running out of water. And so,
if at least, that can be achieved from these talks, it will be somewhat of a success, but obviously, a lot of people hoping for a lot more. But for
now, we wait and see.
MACFARLANE: Scott McLean in Lviv, thanks very much, Scott. Well, 3 million, that is how many people have fled Ukraine to get away from this
war according to a U.N. Migration official, and that's in only about 3 weeks time. The refugees continue to be mostly women and children, in fact,
the U.N. says about half of these refugees are children. And we've learnt that more than 100 buses taken thousands of civilians out of hard-hit city
of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine. The International Committee of the Red Cross says the massive group is headed south to a safer zone.
All right, still to come tonight, a diplomat, show of support. Key eastern European prime ministers have arrived In Ukraine to meet President
Zelenskyy. We'll bring you that in just a moment. And a veteran photo journalist is killed while covering the war in Ukraine. We'll discuss the
dangers journalists face reporting on conflicts around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:20:00]
MACFARLANE: NATO leaders have scheduled an extraordinary summit next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, The White House says the U.S. President Joe
Biden will attend the gathering in Brussels as well as a scheduled European Council Summit. The talks are expected to focus on support for Ukraine and
sanctions against Russia. Let's go to our CNN's Natasha Bertrand, she's in Brussels with more on this.
Natasha, this hugely symbolic move coming at this point in the war, however, this happening in nine days time. Might that be a little bit too
late in Ukraine's eyes for this meeting to happen?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, as you said, and rightfully, I think this is a very symbolic meeting. It is an extraordinary
meeting of the NATO leaders and they will be coming together to discuss that ongoing support to Ukraine in the face of this Russian onslaught
there. But ultimately, the decisions that they make in that meeting if any actually come out of it, are going to revolve around the NATO alliance.
They are not going to revolve solely around that military aid to Ukraine. They are meeting because they are weighing the potential consequences of a
Russian attack on NATO territory. What if something like that were to happen? What if a Russian missile were to land in NATO territory? All of
these contingencies are really things that they have to be considering at this moment, especially given the Russian airstrikes that we saw so close,
about 10 miles from the Polish border earlier this week.
So, they will be meeting to discuss, really, how they can shore up those eastern flank NATO countries, how they can reassure those countries that
the U.S. and the NATO alliance are squarely behind them in the face of this Russian aggression against Ukraine. And in the meantime, they will
continue, the NATO members will continue to provide that military support to Ukraine, and of course, they have not given Ukraine everything that
President Zelenskyy has asked for.
They have not given S-300 surface-to-air missiles for example, a long-range missile system that could perhaps help Ukraine take back control of its air
space. And they have not given Ukraine those additional fighter jets that they have been asking for. But they say that they have been providing the
military assistance that they believe can be extremely helpful to Ukraine in this conflict. And next week, I think what we expect to hear and to see
from these leaders including our President Joe Biden who will be in Brussels next week is really just a reiteration of the U.S. and NATO and
the EU support for Ukraine in the face of this Russian aggression.
And the fact that they stand squarely behind their aspirations to become a member of the European Union, that they do see them as part of the west
here, and that, that integration is a goal that they can help Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians get to once this war is over. But of course, it will be
mostly symbolic meeting, and I think it will mostly, you know, center around what the NATO alliance as a bloc itself can actually do to protect
itself.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and as we know, a lot can happen in nine days in this war. So that might be a few extra things added to that list for that
meeting. Natasha Bertrand, thank you very much. Well, on the backdrop of the war, diplomacy continues today in Kyiv with the arrival of leaders from
Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. They're meeting in person with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a show of support for the European Union comes at
great personal risks to these prime ministers, as Russian attacks on the capital intensifies.
And please, we're now joined by Slovenian Defense Minister Matej Tonin. Minister, thank you for joining us.
MATEJ TONIN, DEFENSE MINISTER, SLOVENIA: Good evening and thank you for having me --
MACFARLANE: Before I get to the purpose of this visit, minister, I just want to say, this is, by any standard, an incredibly brave and risky trip
for your prime minister to take into, you know, an active war at this time, alongside, of course, the ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland. Can
you give us an update on how that trip into the country was for them? We understand it was some 15 hours for them to get there. How difficult was
it, where are they right now?
TONIN: We were communicating with the prime minister today, so everything went as planned and they are already in Kyiv. And as you said, this is
important to show solidarity with the Ukrainians, that they are not alone, that they are not just a military aid, aid in materials, in words, but they
are physically there and showing a true support for Ukraine. I think this is the strongest message --
MACFARLANE: Yes --
TONIN: How Europe can deliver it.
MACFARLANE: Yes, and obviously, that show of solidarity is in evidence. But what other concrete goals are there that they want to get out to this
meeting? What other things are being discussed by way of support for President Zelenskyy?
TONIN: Definitely, they will discuss further steps to stop the war.
[15:25:00]
That is the main goal, and there are some additional options which were still not used. Definitely, we can use additional sanctions, sanctions are
definitely working, and with the heavy material support to Ukraine. They will need support and Europe is giving support in different ways to
Ukraine.
MACFARLANE: We have heard President Zelenskyy calling time and time again, even again today, to the Canadian parliament for a no-fly zone. Does
Slovenia in any way -- are Slovenia in any way reconsidering their position on a no-fly zone?
TONIN: We stated many times that we definitely understand Ukrainians. But NATO is clear, it doesn't want to involve in direct fights with Russia, but
there are other possibilities, and other means, how we can reach the similar results as a no-fly zone, especially with the special equipment,
with the anti-air defense system, that is the way how we can help Ukraine to secure their skies.
MACFARLANE: How certain do you feel that President Putin will not simply stop at just invading and taking over Ukraine, and that your country and
other eastern European countries will be next?
TONIN: Look, in those days, there were many initiatives, let's stop the war, let's negotiate, but it is clearly President Putin doesn't hear us,
and obviously doesn't want to solve the war with a diplomatic means. That's why we have to use severe sanctions to stop Putin's war machine. A thing
that is war is very expensive, is devastating, and only way how to stop the war is to impose severe sanctions which will stop this war machine.
And besides this, we have to help to support brave Russians who are protesting and showing their attitude against the war.
MACFARLANE: But Ukrainians will say -- and we've been speaking to many Ukrainians, you know, ministers this week, that sanctions, as good as they
are have not been enough, and they have not happened fast enough to help Ukraine. I mean, we saw another tranche of sanctions today from the
European Union. So, when you talk about other solutions, what else is there that you can provide that will help more immediately?
TONIN: The sanctions are one thing, and I think they are working. Look at what is going with the Russian economy, It is in free-fall, and that will
have consequences. But on the other hand, if war stops now, Ukraine is, let's say, destroyed country. And we need to help them, and that's why
Slovenia together with Poland have a special initiative that Ukraine should be accepted in the European Union through the fast track.
I think this is the strongest and the best way how we can help Ukraine. It's like the new marshal plan for Ukraine after the war, with all those
funds, with all those means, we can rebuild Ukraine, and that's why it is important to accept Ukraine in the European Union.
MACFARLANE: We know that there's this NATO extraordinary meeting happening next week. I just wonder how much you are readying yourself for the
prospect that Russia could hit NATO territory soon, imminently.
TONIN: You know, I think that they won't attack NATO territory because we were 100 percent clear that we will defend every inch, every centimeter of
a NATO territory. This is the strongest message and Russia definitely hear us.
MACFARLANE: Oh, I hope you're right, minister, thank you so much for joining us this evening.
TONIN: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: All right, still to come tonight, the attacks are meant to terrorize civilians. An apartment building in Kyiv on fire after intense
shelling. We'll speak to a Ukrainian member of parliament about her city and her country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:30:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MACFARLANE: The city of Kyiv is under a 35-hour curfew as Russian forces intensify attacks on the Ukrainian capital. At least four people killed as
Russia targeted apartment buildings. To the south, in Mariupol, a local official says 350,000 people remain trapped, most without food, water or
heat.
On the diplomatic front, three European leaders have arrived in Kyiv, the Prime Ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia, will meet
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who's received a standing ovation after giving a virtual address to Canada's parliament a few hours ago.
And U.S. President Joe Biden will join an extraordinary NATO summit in Brussels next week.
Joining us now from Kyiv is Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. She's a Ukrainian member of parliament and a chair of the committee on Ukraine's integration
into the European Union.
Ivanna, thank you for joining us.
IVANNA KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE, UKRAINIAN MP: Thank you for inviting me.
MACFARLANE: Now you have said, Ivanna, that the West have been far too slow to respond to the war in Ukraine and that Ukraine are actually now in
a worse position because of that. Just explain what you mean by that.
KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE: I actually was saying that I think Western countries are undergoing tectonic changes in their policy toward Ukraine and in their
understanding and necessary pushback against Russian Federation.
But at the same time, unfortunately, they are several major steps behind Russian Federation and its brutal actions against Ukraine, with actually
getting their policies and with their -- getting their act together and providing Ukraine with everything we need, starting from air defense,
starting from planes and massive numbers of other different weaponry that is needed in order for us to be able to protect our country.
And also, I would like to see more of the coherent and coordinated sanctions against Russian Federation that would really have this
comprehensive nature, because we see that, unfortunately, there is also this synchronizing between the U.S. sanctions, Japanese, Australian,
Canadian and the E.U. sanctions.
[15:35:00]
And I think Putin is going to use these differences in order to find the ways out for him or for his closest circle.
MACFARLANE: I just wanted to get your perspective on -- we've been reporting on the three NATO allies, traveling into Kyiv today at great
personal risk.
What do you make of that show of solidarity?
How important is that to you and of this massive, as we said, fourth tranche of European Union sanctions that were announced today, how
important is all of that?
KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE: I deeply, deeply appreciate the visit of the prime ministers to Ukraine. I think it has very serious, both political,
symbolic, psychological meaning for Ukrainian people.
I also believe that, for example, our parliamentary seating today in person, meeting of the parliament and us passing some 20 laws today in the
parliament, in the center of Kyiv, also has a very similar message to Ukrainian society, that the parliament is working and we are making sure
that we are more and more efficient in our fight against Russian Federation and our common resolve to ensure we are regaining our sovereignty,
territorial integrity and full independence.
But definitely there are a lot more steps that can and should be done in this particular moment, in order to support people of Ukraine.
And that starts from sanctions, that starts from, again, air defense, from anything, you know, starting from nutrition to ammunition and also in terms
of humanitarian aid. We need additional backup from our partners in the West.
MACFARLANE: Yes. I just want to get your thoughts on the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. We've talked of notes of optimism
earlier this week, that there would be results coming from this.
But we then saw Putin today speaking to the European Council president, basically playing down the prospect of any sort of diplomatic solution
here.
Is there anything at this point that Russia could put on the table in the negotiations that Ukraine would accept?
KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE: I did not have any expectations to any the realms of these talks that have been held between Ukrainian delegation and
representatives of terrorist state of Russia.
The only thing that I was hoping for, maybe to have agreements on some smaller parts of ceasefires, where we would have -- we would ensure having
humanitarian dream (ph) corridors for the people to leave besieged cities, like the city of Mariupol, which is being pounded, badly pounded for
already two weeks by the Russian Federation, and the cities left without heat, without electricity, without food, without water, without basic
medicine.
And Russians are not allowing people to leave that city and not allowing us to bring in humanitarian aid to the city. I think that that just shows,
once again, the brutality and atrocities of Russian Federation, that they brought to the civilian population of Ukraine with this war they have
started against us.
MACFARLANE: Ivanna, you were there in Kyiv; as we've been reporting today, the Russian troops getting closer; the bombardments getting bigger, louder,
more dangerous.
What is the situation like for you where you are?
And how are you preparing?
MACFARLANE: This particular moment, the sirens are still on in Kyiv and Kyiv region. And, you know, one can hear the pounding also a little bit
further from where I am. But I can hear that. And that definitely does not give you, you know, any possibility to get to sleep or to get to bed or to
get relaxed or to just wait for another day with hope.
So unfortunately the city is becoming like, look like a fortress, a lot of people, a lot of Kievites have left the city. But a lot of others are
staying. They are coordinating efforts with territorial defense and territorial defense is working together with the armed forces of Ukraine in
order to protect the capital of our free country.
[15:40:00]
Well, we, of course, wish you the very best and thank you so much for coming on and giving us your perspective this evening, Ivanna Klympush-
Tsintsadze, thank you.
KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Now FOX News is reporting the death of its long-time photojournalist, Pierre Zakrzewski. The network says he was killed while
reporting in Ukraine, outside of Kyiv. He was with correspondent Benjamin hall, who was injured.
The network says their vehicle was struck by incoming fire. Oliver Darcy joins us now from New York.
Oliver, what details do we know of what happened here?
And how is this journalist being remembered?
OLIVER DARCY, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a horrible, horrible incident. FOX is confirming the death of their long-time
war photographer, video journalist, Pierre Zakrzewski.
He died while traveling in a car with a FOX News team on Monday. As you know, Benjamin Hall, the correspondent, was injured and he's seriously
injured and in the hospital.
FOX has also, just moments before coming on with you, they're confirming the death of another person that was traveling in the car, a crew member.
Her name Oleksandra Kuvshynova and FOX is confirming her death as well. She was 24 years old, they said, and helping the crew navigate Kyiv.
Earlier today, Suzanne Scott, the CEO of FOX News, she put out a statement remembering Pierre, the long-time camera man. And I want to read part of it
to you.
She said, "His talents were vast and there wasn't a role that he didn't jump in to help with in the field, from photographer, to engineer, to
editor, to producer and did it all under immense pressure with tremendous skill.
"He was profoundly committed to telling the story. And his bravery, professionalism and work ethic were renowned among journalists at every
media outlet."
Indeed they were. Not only have tributes been pouring in from the people who worked with him at FOX but other correspondents, people -- you know,
it's a small community, these international correspondents, people who met him on the road, whether it was in Afghanistan or Syria or Iraq. They're
also remembering him today as well.
MACFARLANE: It really is heartbreaking. As you say, it is a small community for journalists working out there in the field. And, of course,
we know working in a war zone is never completely safe.
But this particular conflict does seem to raise a lot of difficulties for journalists operating, because there is no obvious front line here.
How challenging is it for journalists in the region at the moment to stay safe?
DARCY: It's very challenging and this is something that has been of great concern to press advocates. The Committee to Protect Journalists has come
out repeatedly and denounced this violence targeting journalists.
We saw earlier this week, on Sunday, another journalist, an American journalist die in Ukraine while reporting there, another American
journalist injured. We saw earlier this month, a Sky News team be violently ambushed as they were reporting.
So this is something that is happening. Journalists are finding themselves in the crosshairs of fire.
Usually it's been blamed, if not entirely on Russian forces attacking these journalists and it's something that really highlights the danger and how
committed, I think, these journalists are to delivering the news to people, risking their lives and often sacrificing their lives to get that news to
the public.
MACFARLANE: Yes, it really is so important but at such cost. Oliver Darcy, thank you so much.
DARCY: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Now the Russian antiwar protester, who crashed a live newscast on state TV says she was questioned for more than 14 hours. Journalist
Marina Ovsyannikova originally went missing after interrupting a broadcast and holding a sign that said, "Do not believe propaganda. They tell you
lies here."
She was later found guilty of organizing and unauthorized public event. Ovsyannikova reportedly recorded this video before her protest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA OVSYANNIKOVA, RUSSIA CHANNEL 1 EMPLOYEE (through translator): What's happening now in Ukraine is a crime. And Russia is the aggressor country.
And their sensibility to put this aggression lies in the conscience of only one person. This man is Vladimir Putin. Go to the rallies and do not be
afraid. They cannot arrest us all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, CNN's Nic Robertson joins us live in London.
And Nic, I mean, it's great that we can see her, the eyes of the world are on her.
But what is the hope for her now that she's done this so publicly?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, the Kremlin has warned anyone going out to protest, there's people on the street, we know
15,000 have been arrested so far since the war began, that an arrest and a conviction -- and she's had both now -- can blemish the rest of your life.
And this was all said by the Kremlin as a warning to stop people protesting. What's interesting here is that they have charged her with an
administrative offense. She's getting a 30,000 ruble fine, about $280.
[15:45:00]
But earlier in the day, the state body that oversees journalists, the investigative committee, said she could be charged under these new
draconian laws that forbid you to sort of, as they say, you know, make up fake news, report negatively about Russian forces.
And it appeared they were going down that track and that could have been a maximum 15 years. So it appears, at the moment, that the Kremlin is sort of
going with a lesser option, one should say, the judiciary.
But I think the two things are very clearly connected in Russia -- are going in a gentler direction, because, if they were to make a big case out
of this, they would have to rebroadcast what she's done. So this appears to be the trajectory that they're on.
MACFARLANE: And we've also seen that another presenter, I believe from another network, has fled the country, too.
How meaningful are these cracks that we're beginning to see in state media in Russia?
ROBERTSON: It's hard to judge. I mean, you really need -- would expect to see more momentum if there's going to be an adverse effect to the Kremlin,
if it's going to introduce a course correction. There's no evidence of that at the moment.
I would say, anecdotally, from talking to people on the street, at least a quarter of them would be angry with what the Kremlin has done, would be
against the war.
And while a lot of people are prepared to come out on the streets and risk arrest and risk an overnight detention, it's another thing to really be in
a high-profile position as a state broadcaster, working for a state broadcaster.
We also know there's been a top football player in Russia as well, who's requested not to be called out by the national team for training because
his family are Ukrainian. That's a massive commitment.
And it -- I don't think there's a big momentum for that yet. And the Kremlin is very, very efficient at stifling the opposition voices. And
their antenna, I think, are very keenly tuned to, if it becomes dangerous for them. I don't think we're at that moment.
MACFARLANE: All right, Nic, thank you for that perspective.
Still to come tonight, surveillance video catches a shockingly brutal attack on an elderly Asian woman in New York.
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MACFARLANE: More of our coverage of Ukraine in just a moment but first some of the other news we're following.
China's health authority warns it's becoming increasingly difficult to contain the current COVID-19 outbreak. China reporting more than 5,100
locally transmitted cases Monday. That's the highest number since the original outbreak in Wuhan.
Police in New York say a man violently attacked an elderly Asian woman after calling her a racial slur. They said the 67 year-old victim was
punched more than 125 times and stomped on seven times by the man who followed her into an apartment building.
Police have charged the 42-year-old suspect with attempted murderer and assault.
[15:50:00]
An Iranian official says Iran will release two detained British citizens Wednesday after a deal was struck. They include British Iranian aid worker,
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who's been held in Tehran since 2016, and Anoosheh Ashoori, who's been held since 2017 on charges of spying.
Still to come tonight, we'll show you how brave nannies in Kyiv are caring for the babies of surrogate mothers, as Russians inch ever closer.
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MACFARLANE: As Russian troops inch closer to the Ukrainian capital, a few brave people are risking their lives to protect surrogate babies in a
basement beneath Kyiv. CNN international correspondent Sam Kiley has their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is precious cargo: not cash in transit but week-old baby Lawrence, in transit
to a new life.
Born to a surrogate mother under bombardment in Kyiv, he is raced through the Ukrainian capital to a nursery in the southwest of the city. It's
perilously close to Russian troops and easily within range of their artillery. This is a gantlet his new German parents will have to run when
or if they come here to collect him.
For now, he'll be among 20 other surrogate babies destined, it's hoped, for new lives in Argentina, China, Spain, Italy, Canada, Austria and the U.S.
Parting from the child she carried as a surrogate, Victoria is inevitably tearful, her pain intensified by uncertainty.
VICTORIA, SURROGATE MOTHER (through translator): It is even harder that he is in a place where there is shelling.
And when will his parents get to take him away because of it?
It's really hard.
KILEY (voice-over): This missile struck about 500 yards from the nursery while we were there.
KILEY: There are constant explosions we can even hear in the basement and the Russian military is reportedly consolidating and planning to push in
further into the city from the east. So the future of these children is even more in doubt.
How long will it be before it's impossible, completely impossible for their new parents to come and rescue them?
KILEY (voice-over): The nannies here cannot join the exodus of civilians from Kyiv. These babies may be tiny but they're the heaviest of
responsibilities.
[15:55:00]
Antonina's husband and daughter have already traveled to safety 130 miles south.
ANTONINA YEFIMOVIC, NANNY (through translator): These babies can't be abandoned. They're defenseless. They also need care and we really hope that
the parents will come and pick them up soon.
KILEY (voice-over): An Argentine couple collected their child the day before but a combination of the pandemic and now war has meant that some
have been stuck here for months.
IHOR PECHENOGA, PEDIATRICIAN, BIOTEXCOM (through translator): It all depends on the strength of the parents' desire. I met with parents who came
to Kyiv to pick up their baby. They had tears in their eyes. They had waited 20 years for their baby and there are such couples who are afraid
because there's a war going on here.
KILEY (voice-over): These infants are oblivious to the doubts over their future and the dangers that they've already survived. There's abundant hope
that it stays that way -- Sam Kiley, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: What an extraordinary story.
Thank you for watching tonight. I'm Christina Macfarlane. Stay with CNN. "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" is up next.
END
