Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Kremlin Responds After Ukraine Launches Major Attack on Moscow; U.S.-Iran Talks in Switzerland Delayed as Israel Strikes Lebanon; Water Rescues as Rains, Floods Batter Southeast and Gulf Coast; Team USA Takes on Australia in Group D. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired June 19, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, the mayor of Moscow says Russia has downed more than 30 Ukrainian drones in just the past few hours. This comes a day after a major attack on the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(VIDEO OF DRONE ATTACK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: You just saw that remarkable video there. The attack from Ukraine blew the cap of an oil refinery clean off. And these images really just show Ukraine bringing the conflict deep into the heart of Russia.

Let's get the very latest. CNN's Sebastian Shukla joins me this morning. Sebastian, what are you learning?

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, good afternoon, John. Those cataclysmic images that we saw coming from Moscow yesterday have really sent shockwaves -- or will be sending shockwaves around Moscow and hopefully resonating towards the Kremlin, too, that the Ukrainians have really upped their game when it comes to being able to target long range facilities with these drones that they have managed to develop. What we are hearing in the last few hours or so was those another wave of drones that you mentioned, some 30 others being launched towards Moscow have been down.

We have yet to really see whether they've had the same impact as yesterday. But President Putin's spokesperson has been talking recently and has said that, "The Kyiv regime is continuing its policy. This is not a policy of negotiations. The Kyiv regime is in a very difficult situation." The situation, "... on front lines will soon become completely catastrophic for the Ukrainian side. That's what all this is about."

[08:35:00]

I think there would be a degree of conjecture that coming from the European leaders and from the White House, too, because over recent times, we've really seen the Ukrainians being able to extend this war beyond its own borders and try to move the messaging back to the Russian people. And the idea here, the message behind these attacks, albeit attacking critical infrastructure, is also to remind the Russian people that despite what President Putin is telling them in their newspapers and on their televisions, there is a major war that they are likely at the moment not really winning. And that is the message that we've seen coming out of the G7, where the president took part in just this week and the message coming from other European leaders who were meeting for a Heads of European Summit, this ending later today.

They feel that the Ukrainians are the ones who have the upper hand here. Neither side is particularly prepared to force the Ukrainians to say you need to go and make a deal with the Russians right now. In fact, a couple of sources I've been talking to have been saying the opposite.

Now is not the time to talk to the Russians. Let's double down. Let's support the Ukrainians even more to hurt the Ukrainian economy, to remind President Putin that he is the one who has to sue for peace almost.

And as we saw with the war in Iran, with the ink still drying on this deal, there is hopefully a feeling now across Europe and European capitals that the Iran war -- with the Iran war in the rearview mirror, the president's attention may turn back to resolving this conflict, which is obviously, John, been going on far longer than the Iran war.

BERMAN: Yes, these images are remarkable and vivid and tell quite a story. Wondering how they will be received by the Russian people here if they're seeing the same thing. Sebastian Shukla, thank you very much for your reporting on this -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, new details overnight showing that talks with Iran are already deteriorating. Vice President J.D. Vance was supposed to be in Switzerland today, but that trip was abruptly postponed. It may well have to do with Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon and Iran- backed Hezbollah exchanging gunfire with the Israelis. A diplomat says Iran wants assurances that the fighting in Lebanon will stop before talks with the U.S. resume. A source says the U.S. has relayed to Iran that Israel will not escalate attacks any further.

Joining me now, CNN political and global affairs commentator Sabrina Singh and CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas. Thank you both for being here. I mean, first to you, Sabrina, can the U.S. make the promise that Israel is going to stop striking Lebanon and there's going to stop being this back and forth with Hezbollah? Because clearly, Prime Minister Netanyahu knows that Trump wants him to stop, but intense fighting continues there.

SABRINA SINGH, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: The short answer is no. This MOU that was signed was just between the United States and Iran to cease all hostilities, including in Lebanon. That was the first point. The problem here with that MOU is that Israel is not a party signer to it. So while the United States and while President Trump says that, you know, Netanyahu is going to do what I tell him, that's not the reality on the ground. And you've seen those conflict and those clashes continuing in the last few days between Israel striking targets in Lebanon.

So as much as this administration wants to take a win, that there is a ceasefire and that we're moving towards a peace deal, the reality on the ground is very different. And I just you know, the United States has a lot of leverage when it comes to Israel. But you have to remember, Netanyahu is also in a political fight and is facing an election later this year.

And so it is also in Netanyahu's political interest to continue that war, continue that fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

SIDNER: Alex, to you. The talks are also supposed to bring about the permanent end to this conflict, and there are 60 days they've agreed on to get a deal kind of sorted out. Is that enough time here?

ALEX PLITSAS, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: By historical precedent, it would be virtually impossible. But, you know, what we're hearing is that there were some sort of secret agreements in the background that were unsigned to at least get a tacit high level agreement on a number of issues. But the Iranians could very easily renege on most of those.

And, you know, speaking to a couple of our colleagues on our national security team, some of whom have been involved in those previous discussions, and then also talking to regional officials, there's concern for disruption not only inside of Iran by the IRGC, who has been problematic in terms of disrupting the civilian leader's ability to negotiate, and concern that some of the terms of these agreements may be, you know, more than they're willing to stomach.

And then also, Sabrina just correctly characterized the issues we have, you know, potentially with Lebanon as a flashpoint. Hezbollah has been launching projectiles into northern Israel since October 7, and 1 percent of the Israeli population remains displaced. In addition to the political establishment wanting to see this war through to its conclusion with Iran.

So we've got different political objectives in Israel, even if the IDF and the U.S. military are more aligned on the Iranian military's degradation.

[08:40:00]

So Sabrina's 100 percent right.

SIDNER: Sabrina, President Trump said something that piqued interest, if not raised eyebrows. He said that it is unfair for Iran to not have ballistic missiles because other countries have them. Were you surprised to hear that, especially after you heard from, for example, you know, the defense secretary saying that they had obliterated their capabilities? SINGH: Yes, it was not just a surprising statement. It was quite shocking. I mean, one of the main objectives that this administration laid out at the beginning of this war was going after Iran's ballistic missile program so they could not threaten regional allies and Israel.

And I remember Secretary Marco Rubio also saying that Iran cannot have the missile and ballistic program and capabilities that they retained pre-war. So the fact that the president said, well, you know, Iran can retain some of that, I think just shows how much that even though while our U.S. military conducted incredible action in Iran, they were not able to degrade Iran's capabilities in what they projected to the American public. And I think that line that the president gave is conceding that issue, that Iran maintains and will retain some ballistic and missile capabilities along with their drones.

And of course, we haven't even gotten to address their nuclear program, which we'll see what happens with these talks that were now canceled. Let's see what happens if they get rescheduled.

SIDNER: Yes, Alex, I just have to sort of also let you touch on this, because with a statement like that from President Trump, that it's unfair for Iran not to have ballistic missiles like everyone else. What if Iran made that same argument about nuclear weapons that other nations have them? So why shouldn't we?

Do you worry about a slippery slope here?

PLITSAS: So I think there's some nuances to all of this. And in meeting with regional media, there was shortly before the war kicked off, what the U.S. had originally proposed was a limit on the range for the ballistic missiles of something like 500 kilometers, which they laughed off because that's not even anywhere close enough to strike Israel, which they saw as their main foe. So then that shifted into, well, if you can't touch the range, perhaps the number of missiles altogether, because where this started out, obviously, with the protests accelerated everything.

But what the Israelis said afterwards, which they were correct, is that Iran was continuing to build ballistic missiles on a monthly basis. And this literally was just a math game at some point versus their missile production, versus the ability to intercept them as an existential threat to the state of Israel. So what they learned during the 12 day war last year before Midnight Hammer, which was our new strikes on the nuclear program, they spent all this money and been sanctioned for decades over the new program because they wanted some form of deterrence.

Then they realized their ballistic missiles could serve as a form of deterrence because they were able to stop the war without an unconditional surrender because of ballistic missile attacks on Tel Aviv. Now, in this part of the conflict, they've learned that they can hold the Straits of Hormuz at risk with low cost drones and projectiles without having to put mines in the water to close it all together. So they do feel that deterrence is out of whack.

And that's the that's the position that the Iranians have. They don't like the fact that Bibi could strike at will, but that's part of the profound stupidity that came out of October 7th. In addition, those atrocities, the dominoes basically eroded the deterrence factor across the region and the Iranians feel incredibly vulnerable and they won't give up the program willingly.

SIDNER: Alex Plitsas, Sabrina Singh, thank you both for that analysis. Appreciate you -- John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, a wildfire is burning in Riverside County, California, about an hour east of San Diego. It has burned more than 3,000 acres so far. The good news is, is it's about 78 percent contained, which is good if that's 78 percent contained, imagine what it was at its height. So far, no injuries have been reported.

Happening now, we're monitoring rescues across the southeast after intense flooding. New video of a man there being pulled to safety from his camper.

And then an early dismissal from a school in Colorado. The rattlesnake, the one that's dismissed, got to go home early.

[08:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, we're just getting new video in of crews in Mississippi conducting a swift rod or rescue. You can see it right there. They're pulling a man from that -- it looks like a trailer right onto that boat.

Apparently that trailer got swept away in floodwaters. As many as 10 million people are under flood watches today across the Gulf. Let's get right to meteorologist Derek Van Dam tracking all the latest for us.

Derek, what do you see?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, John, seems as if no one was spared or safe from the floodwaters, including these pigs that were moved to higher ground in the floodwaters that struck southern and central portions of Louisiana. This is just a drop in the bucket of the examples in the videos that we've seen. I've seen pictures and videos of kittens being rescued from home. So got to remember our animals as well.

Look at this coming out of southern Mississippi, many flooded homes. There were reports of over 150 homes that were flooded just in the state of Louisiana alone. But there was states of emergency that were declared from the governor.

This is a significant situation that's unfolded over the past week. Remember, this is a multi-day event kind of being triggered by the very moist and warm environment but also fueled by the rainfall from what was Tropical Storm Arthur. So you're looking at rainfall totals through the first parts of the week since Sunday. But I'm going to focus in on this location and then show you what's happened over the past 24 hours. So as we zoom in -- again, this is a 24 hour radar rainfall accumulation.

You can see the heavy rainfall that struck southern Mississippi into Alabama. But now focus your attention across south central Louisiana. This area here, some of the radar accumulation, you can see the heavy rainfall that struck southern Mississippi into Alabama.

But now focus your attention across south central Louisiana. This area here, some of the radar observed rainfall totals exceed two feet in these locations. So there's the potential here that we are rivaling state records for 24 hour rainfall accumulation.

That's significant. Now, none of that's been confirmed, but it is a real problem when you get that amount of rain in a saturated environment that sits so low to the ground. That's why we have flash flood warnings.

There were flash flood emergencies, the rarest and most significant type of flash flood warnings that are out there issued by the National Weather Service. You can see the flood alerts impacting those 10 million people that John talked about.

So, Arthur, that really was the culprit. It is moving just offshore. But notice this kind of a trailing edge of moisture that streams into central Alabama and Mississippi. This is going to meet up with another frontal boundary just to the north.

So when those two work together and the ample amount of moisture in the atmosphere, it's going to squeeze out all the available rainfall. So we're focusing in, unfortunately, on some of the same areas that have our greatest risk of flash flooding today. That's a level three or four.

Remember, we had a level four of four yesterday for this location. I don't want to diminish the threat here. This is a significant event.

There are major flood stages forecast for many gauges across this area, including many of the rivers that flow into the Gulf. I mean, just look at this future radar, John, just ringing out all the heavy rainfall and some of these hardest hit areas from the past couple of days. We could exceed another half a foot.

BERMAN: Yes, that's some pretty bad imagery there in that radar. People need to stand by and listen to the forecast. Derek Van Dam, thank you very much for all that.

All right in Maine, a car nearly hit a woman walking right on the sidewalk. You can see it right there. I mean, really, just barely missed her.

City officials say a floor mat in the car slid forward and became stuck under the accelerator pedal. That's really an issue. You got to make sure that doesn't happen.

You got to make sure that floor mat is tightly in. Luckily, no one was injured.

In Houston, authorities are looking for a woman accused of breaking into a mausoleum with a toddler at her side. Surveillance video shows her using a tool to break in and take jewelry and other valuables. You can see there. Investigators say this might not be the first time.

Officers in Colorado were called to a local high school after someone saw a rattlesnake there. They caught it. They put it in the back of the patrol car and they drove it to a nearby field for what they call rehoming.

And then one of the scariest phrases in the English language, a beer shortage in Boston. The cause was the influx of Scottish fans for the World Cup games in Foxborough, which is about 45 minutes from Boston.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About 150 kegs of tenants, so about four left, I think, right now until tomorrow. So that's pretty impressive. Changing kegs about one every three or four minutes.

We sold just last week over 3,000 pints of Boston lager, equaling like 70 kegs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: It's Boston lager spelled L-A-G-E-R, not L-A-G-A, despite what he said. The Boston Beer Company says the bar typically stocks -- yes, they sold about four times what they normally stock for a long weekend.

They have since upped delivery. Scottish fans, they have one of the best nicknames out there. The Tartan Army.

Scotland plays Morocco tonight in Foxborough -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John. We are just hours away from kickoff of the second U.S. men's national team game at the 2026 World Cup. Their first one was amazeballs. The men in red, white and blue are coming off of their strongest World Cup performance ever, taking down Paraguay four to one last Friday. CNN's Coy Wire has a preview of what the team has to do to come out victorious against Australia today in Seattle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, the U.S. and Australia going toe to toe in Seattle with first place on the line, and there is growing concern for American fans not knowing just how fit their star Christian Pulisic might really be as he's dealing with a calf injury. He suffered in the opener. Regardless of the team's physical readiness, Tim Weah says Coach Pochettino definitely has their minds right. Listen to this.

TIM WEAH, FORWARD, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM: You have that bit of edge that we didn't have before, and it's been wonderful. I think the maturity level, we're much older now. I think, you know, after you get that first World Cup experience, the second one is always a bit easier.

Just from a nervousness standpoint, the mentality that that coach Pochettino has brought to the team, it has been amazing.

WIRE: Now, we already know that Folarin Balogun or Flo is already looking to take more upon his shoulders, or shall we say foot.

[08:55:00]

His brace in the opener was a huge coming out party on the biggest stage, and there are plenty of other playmakers we may see stepping up as well, like Tyler Adams, the vocal leader of this team in his second World Cup. But first, as a dad, I caught up with him at the team's training grounds and asked about how becoming a father has impacted him both on and off the pitch.

TYLER ADAMS, MIDFIELDER, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM: It's special. I think it just puts everything into perspective about what really matters. You know, for me, being able to focus and find a balance in my family life and raising kids has allowed me to find a different motivation and discipline on the fields as well.

So I think it's helped me grow tremendously. I'm extremely blessed that I got a wife that is amazing and takes care of the two kids while I'm able to do what I do best. But yes, it's definitely changed my perspective.

WIRE: I told him he knows what real pressure is now changing dirty diapers. And he and all the guys, quite frankly, certainly had this calm, steady demeanor, despite the huge expectations. They told me it's in no small part because of their leader, Mauricio Pochettino.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: All right, I am live from Chicago today is the first day the public can get inside of the brand new sprawling Obama Presidential Center. Now, it is sold out until November, by the way.

But the campus grounds where you can see, for example, Mrs. Obama's garden, you can access that from six to nine every single day without a ticket. Now, Thursday, though, was the official opening ceremony of the center. It was meant to spread a message of hope and love and change, a message very familiar to those who followed the Obamas.

And to that end, on stage were four living former presidents and first ladies, the Obamas, the Clintons, the Bushes, the Bidens at points singing and dancing together. The guests and performers included some of the nation's biggest stars, really, of our time. Also, it included residents of the South Side of Chicago. And there was the most well-known comedian on the planet there, Dave Chappelle. Now, Dave doesn't do politics. He doesn't even like chatting about politics.

But I kind of made him. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Give me a sense of what it felt like being here, being invited here and then listening to the speeches and the music.

DAVE CHAPPELLE, COMEDIAN AND ACTOR: It was a -- it was like medicine for me because the time seemed so dark and, you know, politics is like, you know, I never wanted to know this much about anything, especially politics. But now today was a celebration of culture and community. And I saw friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.

There were some of which were performing on stage. It was just joyful. It's good to be in Chicago.

I've never been in this neighborhood before. It's good to be in this neighborhood. See this community rally around a national figure.

And you realize, man, this guy came from like from like the regular places. And now there's this monument to a political and cultural moment that I think the country could be very proud of. You know, you don't feel however they want to feel about politics.

But it's exciting that our country can do this.

SIDNER: It is the quintessential American dream and beyond. I mean, this this person became the president. And now we're looking at this monument here.

I do want to ask you something that President Barack Obama said. He talked about the saying where the universe bends towards justice.

CHAPPELLE: Yes, the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice.

SIDNER: The moral arc of the universe bends towards justice.

And he's like, look, Martin Luther King Jr. used that a lot, but it actually was from a minister in Boston. And it was during the time when it looked like abolitionists were losing and losing the fight. Do you feel like we're in a similar scenario right now where things are being rolled back, rights are being rolled back, especially for Black folks, voting rights?

CHAPPELLE: I think that there's always going to be people that resist certain inevitabilities. And the abolition of slavery was an inevitability. People demand to be free and you can't keep them enslaved forever.

And I think there's always going to be someone who's just going to buy as much time as they can to satiate their greed or whatever it is inside them that makes them behave like that towards other humans. SIDNER: You are, I would argue, one of the funniest people on planet. But it's true. And that's also a medicine.

So the healing of just sort of laughter. And there was a lot of it, including -- I just wanted to know what you thought about the joke about the tan suit, because a brother wore a tan suit and then said, I think it looks pretty good.

CHAPPELLE: I thought that was very funny. And I think people long for the days where the scandal was as deep as the tan suit. So it's gotten so much worse.

But today also made me hopeful. And politics is sometimes life is like weather. You just got to push through it and eventually the clouds will break, you know, not to disparage the current president.

But these are tough times, you know. And today reminded me of times that weren't as tough. But we didn't even know they weren't as tough.

I'm looking at Bush today like, man, I can't believe I used to not like that guy. And I'm like, you know, I mean.