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Connect the World
One Dead, 13 Injured in Blasts at Russian Air Base in Crimea; Trump says he Declined to Answer Questions in Probe of Company; Police Arrest Suspect in Deaths of Muslim Men; Kremlin Recruits Russian Prisoners to Fight in Ukraine; U.S. Authorizes move to Stretch Monkeypox Vaccine Supply; Beluga Whale Stranded in France's Seine River Dies. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired August 10, 2022 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello, I'm Lynda Kinkade in Atlanta. Welcome back to "Connect the World". Well, Russia's war in Ukraine
must end with the liberation of Crimea. Ukraine's President making that bold statement on a day of a series of explosions which ripped through a
Russian airbase on the next Peninsula.
These blasts killed at least one person and injured 13 others Tuesday. They were so powerful they blew out windows and nearby town. Ukraine is not
saying if its forces attacked the base. But Ukraine's Air Force says nine planes were destroyed.
Russia is downplaying the blasts claiming they were caused by mishandled ammunition. Meantime, Russia launched deadly strikes in Central Ukraine.
Local officials reporting 13 people killed as 80 rockets landed in residential areas these images showing destruction from the recent attacks
there.
Well, a Senior Ukrainian Commanders said that military's goal is to liberate the occupied Kherson region by the years' end. I want to bring in
David McKenzie who's tracking all the developments from Kyiv and joins us live.
Good to have you with us. So David, these explosions, which happened in Crimea, controlled by Russia, took out nine Russian warplanes but Ukraine
not claiming credit for it. Just talk to us about the significance of these blasts.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're very significant. Of course, the big question is who caused these blasts several of them ripping
through that airbase on Tuesday afternoon, even as Russian tourists sunbathed on the Western Crimea and coast that area has been occupied by
Russia since 2014.
And as you suggest, Ukrainian officials say that that's the end game of this war for them not just to take over the parts of Ukraine that had been
attacked by Russians in this conflict, but reoccupied reclaim Crimea, that was taken in 2014.
Now, the big question, of course, was this Ukraine, they're being very coy about these explosions, and they have no information. But people are
speculating if this was, well, then does it show that Ukraine has much more significant Ottomans missiles that can do surface to surface attacks from a
much longer reach than they have previously in this conflict.
So this will have a very important impact both on the psychology of the war and potentially in the long term on the war as we go forward. President
Zelenskyy didn't deal with this specifically but he did say that Crimea is extremely important in their battle plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine started with the occupation of Crimea. Russia
transformed our peninsula, which was always one of the best places in Europe into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought to
Crimea, massive repression economic problems an economic dead end and the war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: So the best case scenario, of course, is for Ukraine to take over the Crimean Peninsula but as you described, there's ongoing heavy shelling
in the East, Central Northeast of the country and in the important southern theater of this conflict.
KINKADE: And David, I want to ask you about the Russian response, because in the past and Moscow had one that any attack in Crimea would trigger
massive retaliation. Even the Former President Dmitry Medvedev warning that it would be doomsday including attacks on Kyiv in response. What response
have you seen so far from Russia?
MCKENZIE: Well, there hasn't been any direct response to Kyiv or the region around where I'm standing. Of course, we would report that but the Russians
did say that this would be drawing a response. But you have to remember this likely caught them by surprise.
[11:05:00]
MCKENZIE: A senior Ukrainian official sharing a satellite images showing that there were important Russian assets on that airfield, including
fighter planes. Russia has used that as a jumping off point for attacking Ukraine through the course of this war.
We will see if there is this response in the coming hours and days. But Russia itself has not wanted to speak about this. They've said that this
was a munitions accident effectively, because it will be deeply embarrassing for the Russian military and for the Kremlin if it is the case
that Ukraine was able to strike so far outside of its territory of control.
Those details might come in the coming hours and days, but this could be if not a game changer, a very significant moment Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, potentially a turning point. David McKenzie for us in Kyiv thanks very much. Russian forces have unleashed some of their most brutal
attacks in Eastern Ukraine. Russia's goal to capture the entire Donbas region, and despite the constant fighting the frontlines have barely moved
in weeks. Our Nic Robertson tells us that those who remain behind face appalling conditions and the risk of death every day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice over): In Siversk, civilians are buried where they fall. No time any safety for a
cemetery sends off. No bomb too big, no building in this Eastern Ukrainian town, seemingly off Russia's target list in their slow but relentless push
westwards.
ROBERTSON (on camera): This town is on the fringes of what Ukrainian government controls. They're surrounded on two sides by Russian forces to
the east and to the north about five miles eight or 10 kilometers away.
ROBERTSON (voice over): Shelling here an ever present danger. Among the ruins people are surviving 2000 have a pre-war 11,000 clinging on. Valeria
barely seems to notice another shell exploding.
ROBERTSON (on camera): How hard is it to live here now?
ROBERTSON (voice over): I don't realize it but she's about to teach me how hard. She is not kidding. She comes back with a sore and floorboard
scavenges from a blown building.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Everyday, everyday so let us. OK, so this is hard. What why do you - yes, good muscles. Why do you stay here? If it's so hard
why do you stay?
ROBERTSON (voice over): Valeria's lesson for me? Yes, life here is very hard. But this is home and leaving would be harder--
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My house.
ROBERTSON (on camera): But it's so dangerous there. There are bombs and explosions and nothing--
ROBERTSON (voice over): Someone has to stay her says, we go in the basement when they're shelling.
ROBERTSON (on camera): OK, I'm coming.
ROBERTSON (voice over): She leads us to the basement.
ROBERTSON (on camera): So you're sleeping in here. You're living down here.
ROBERTSON (voice over): We've been sleeping down here for more than three months she says down here. Her cheerful sparkle is gone. We have no gas,
electricity, water or communication she says I have nowhere to go. There's more she wants to show us.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Here look at this. Smashed--
ROBERTSON (voice over): Velaria's neighbors like her cooking outside.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Hello.
ROBERTSON (voice over): She's brought me to what's left her friend's house.
ROBERTSON (on camera): It's all destroyed. The people who were here done they survive?
ROBERTSON (voice over): God saved them she says but now they've left. By local standards the shelling this day less than usual this elderly lady
venturing out for food she tells us the food handout she needs hasn't arrived. The shelling getting closer we go. Not so lucky those who leave
behind. Nic Robertson, CNN Siversk Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Meanwhile, U.S. officials tell CNN that Russia has started training on drones in Iran. The intelligence on the training has recently
been declassified. It's a latest sign that Moscow intends to buy the systems from Tehran as it continues to wage war on Ukraine.
Well, that's according to U.S. Security Adviser Jake Tapper - Jake Sullivan rather. And satellite imagery obtained exclusively by CNN. Well, CNN's
White House reporter Natasha Bertrand joins me now. Natasha good to have you with us! So what can you tell us about the quality of these drones?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, well, obviously it's still unclear how these drones would actually perform in Ukraine because the
Russians have not actually deployed them yet on the battlefield.
[11:10:00]
BERTRAND: But in other situations across the Middle East, across battlefields in the region, the Iranian drones have been pretty effective.
The Iranians have a pretty robust drone production system that they have been homing for many decades now. And the drones that they have been
producing are, are proven to be pretty capable in things like surveillance.
And of course, the drones that the Russians have been examining over the last several months, according to U.S. officials, are also capable of
carrying precision guided weapons. So regardless of whether or not these performed perfectly on the battlefield, they could provide Russia an edge
that it has not had over the last several months as its drone stocks have been dwindling, particularly in the area of surveillance.
The Russians have been losing a high number of drones and unmanned aerial vehicle vehicles over the last several months of war, just because they
have been repeatedly shot down. They have crashed, and drones have been a very key part of the conflict really on both sides.
So the fear in the U.S. by the Biden Administration is that the Iranians could actually sell the Russians hundreds of these drones giving the
Russians an advantage over the Ukrainians who have also been struggling to replenish their supply of drones, Lynda?
KINKADE: Yes. Do we know where it's supplying Ukraine supply of drones come from? And what does this all say about Russia's arm supply if, as the U.S.
says it's now intending to buy these drones from Iran?
BERTRAND: Yes. Well, it suggests that Russia is really becoming increasingly desperate here because of, again, how this war has been
grinding on? The Russians did not anticipate that it would last beyond a couple of weeks.
And of course, because of the Western sanctions, which have really crippled Russia's ability to produce new systems, given the sanctions that have been
imposed on its technology sector.
Also, we should note that, of course, the Russians reached out to the Chinese early on in the war, even just before the war began asking for
additional help and support in getting supplies, equipment and weapons to support its invasion of Ukraine and the Chinese according to the U.S. have
really not shown any signs that they're willing to support the war as it continues so now the Russians have had to go to the Iranians according to
the U.S. again, in order to try to get these systems. It's really according to the U.S. a sign that they are becoming increasingly desperate here for
this equipment as the war grinds on Lynda.
KINKADE: Alright, Natasha Bertrand for us in Washington, D.C. thanks very much. Well, don't forget you can get all the latest Iran and Middle East
news straight delivered to your inbox just subscribe to our daily "Meanwhile in the Middle East Newsletter", you can do that by going to a
website that is cnn.com/mideastnewsletter.
We got some news just in to CNN, up to 50 people are missing after a migrant boat sank off the Coast of Greece. The Greek Coast Guard says 29
people have been rescued so far. The boat sinking early Wednesday morning it had left Turkey and was traveling to Italy. Bad weather is complicating
the rescue efforts. And we will bring you more on this developing story as details become available.
Well, prosecutors in New York finally got Donald Trump to sit down to testify about his company's business practices. But if they were hoping for
answers, they were probably disappointed. And police make an arrest in the murders that put an entire community on edge coming up we'll look at the
effects of those deaths and what they had on the New Mexico Muslim Community?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
KINKADE: Multiple investigations into former U.S. President Donald Trump are heating up at the same time. Today he faced questions in New York about
his business practices says he declined to answer them.
It comes as other probes are escalating, including Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 election and the handling of White House documents. A
source telling CNN the FBI search Trump's Florida home Monday because investigators believed he and his team were withholding documents with
national security implications. CNN's Kara Scannell is following today's deposition. She joins us from New York.
Good to have you with us Kara. So Trump faced the deposition, the New York Attorney General has been looking into a decade's long pattern of
misreporting financials. In the past Trump has said that not answering questions would be a sign of guilt. Did he answer any questions today?
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lynda, we learn that even though the former president said that very common in 2016 was he was out on the
campaign trail today behind closed doors in the building behind me.
He said he was not going to answer any questions invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. So the former president was
ordered by a judge to appear here today after he was subpoenaed.
He arrived around nine o'clock about two hours ago, New York time and he's been in there now. He says he's not answering questions because this is a
witch hunt and also because of the FBI search on his private home Mar-a- Lago in Florida on Monday.
It's unclear how long this deposition will last because they can continue to ask him questions even if he refuses to answer them. One of his sons
Eric Trump in 2020 was deposed; he was asked more than 500 questions and asserted that Fifth Amendment right not to answer them.
Interestingly, his other two adult children Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump were recently deposed by the New York Attorney General's part of the
same investigation.
Sources tell CNN that they answered questions as part of that deposition that this investigation as you noted has been going on for more than three
years. The New York Attorney General said that she needed to talk to former president and his children to understand who was making the decisions about
how these financial statements came to be how they were prepared and what values were put on different properties with the former president today not
answering questions.
This investigation will be wrapping up soon. And we could see a decision about enforcement action in the near future. Lynda?
KINKADE: As Kara, given that the former president refused to answer any questions today. What are the legal risks for Trump right now?
SCANNELL: Well, if the New York Attorney General does sue the Trump Organization and the company this would be a civil lawsuit. If it goes to
trial, the jury could use take this refusal to answer questions and apply an adverse inference to it.
That means that they can actually hold it against him and it could factor into what kind of verdict they would reach and what kind of judgment in
terms of finds that the former president in the Trump organization would be required to pay if found liable.
But it does save him from potential exposure in a parallel Criminal Investigation being conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
That investigation is looking to the same type of conduct and the DA well; he said that the investigation is ongoing.
He said that if there's any testimony is part of the civil investigation, it is something that he would take a look at.
KINKADE: Alright, Kara Scannell, we will stay on this story. Good to have you there for us in New York. We do have some news just into CNN now. The
U.S. Justice Department has just announced criminal charges against a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard for allegedly trying to
orchestrate the assassination of John Bolton.
You will remember that Bolton served in senior national security positions during both the Trump and the Bush Administrations. Well, I want to bring
in our Kylie Atwood. And Kylie, obviously the story just unfolding now an Iranian charged with a plot to murder John Bolton, what more can you tell
us?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, pretty remarkable information that we're getting from the Department of Justice with this
announcement that there are these criminal charges against this Iranian citizen who was a member of the IRGC for allegedly trying to orchestrate
this plot to kill John Bolton. Now he is former national security adviser to President Trump, he's also been an ambassador.
[11:20:00]
ATWOOD: He's a high profile national security official here in Washington. And what this Department of Justice information gets into with the
unsealing of this information is they talk about remarkable detail, how this person was trying to pay people in the United States $300,000 to carry
out this murder, talks about taking screenshots and the like, there's a lot of detail in here.
And I will say that folks here in DC have noticed that John Bolton has Secret Service protection with him that isn't normal for a former U.S.
official to have that secret service production.
And a source that I spoke to who's familiar with this matter said he got that protection in December of last year, December of 2021. The Biden
Administration gave it to him it was when he was notified about these threats and about these increasing threats, which actually began in 2020,
after the assassination of Soleimani.
Now, John Bolton is coming out today thanking the Department of Justice, thanking the FBI and the Secret Service. He's saying there's not much more
detail that he can get into. But of course, we will continue to watch this.
And we should note that this comes in the context of continued Iranian threats against Americans. And so that is, of course, one thing we will
watch, we'll watch how this information impacts any potential future threats to Bolton or other U.S. officials.
KINKADE: So Kylie, what more can you tell us about the suspect? Do we know where he is? And if he faces trial, what could he face in terms of a
conviction and prison time?
ATWOOD: Yes, so he is actually still in Iran. So that complicates things here. If you were here in the United States, it would be a much different
picture, the fact that this person is still in Iran makes it complicated.
The United States would have to work with Iran to get him in the likelihood of that is extremely low. So we are not expecting anything in that realm.
But of course, this is a person who is now under intense scrutiny from the U.S. government, so rest assured that wherever he travels, he will be
followed in some way shape or form by the U.S. government.
And, and I'm not sure exactly, you know, what kind of time he would serve, but that would, of course, come to the fore after any type of arrest, which
we're just not expecting at this time.
KINKADE: All right, Kylie Atwood staying across this developing story from Washington, DC. Thanks very much. Well, the people of Albuquerque New
Mexico are likely breathing a little easier after police arrested the man they believe killed four Muslim men.
Investigators have charged this man, Muhammad Saeed with two of the four deaths and call him the primary suspect and the other two. They believe
Saeed knew the victims and are trying to find a motive for the murders.
Well, my next guest is the man in the Albuquerque area. He tells the Guardian that he's not afraid of being in the spotlight during incidents
like this thing. I'm supposed to give people power, we should never let evil dictate our life.
We're joined now by Dr. Mahmoud Eldenawi, minor of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. Thanks very much for joining us. Obviously --
MAHMOUD ELDENAWI, IMAM, ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW MEXICO: Thank you, it's my pleasure.
KINKADE: This has been such a shock, no doubt to the community four Muslim men killed in the space of nine months, in an area that has one of the
smallest Muslim communities in the U.S. How unusual is this?
ELDENAWI: First of all, this - the Elohim, the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. This is something that we never seen
before. I'm here in America for about like seven years before coming to Albuquerque, I was on the Arkansas, and really the people they were great.
They are very friendly. I've been to many churches, welcomed everywhere. And I have been here in Albuquerque for about 10 months now. I never faced
anything like that. This is something maybe never happened in that state particularly before. So I cannot comment or explain why should this happen.
But this is an evil person. This is something that all religions, all laws, all traditions, reject. Nobody on Earth can accept something like that
nobody on earth has the right to end another person's life.
KINKADE: And this, of course, is still early in the investigation, but police do believe that these men were targeted because of their race and
religion. What's the feeling in the community right now?
ELDENAWI: I mean, the news just were released yesterday so, before that crime happened all people were scarred, had a lot of concerns and people.
[11:25:00]
ELDENAWI: A lot of them they stopped coming to the congregation because they are that they have a kind of panic in a way. And maybe they have the
right. But I use like my last Friday sermon or speech.
I gave them a kind of power saying that we should never, as you said in the beginning, we should never let evil dictate or take control of us. We
should continue our life, go to work, do shopping, but try to avoid going during the nighttime or evening time try to finish everything during the
daytime just for more safety and more security.
KINKADE: There are some questions as to whether this is a Sunni - Shia crime. Is there any history of Sunni-Shia sectarian tension in Albuquerque?
ELDENAWI: Never, never. We listen, last Friday, we did funeral for two people. The amazing thing that one of them was Sunni and other one was
Shia, we went to the burial ground all of us together.
We buried both of them together. And our masjid and our mosque, Sunnis and Shia's pray at the same place. I go to some mosques. Sometimes also Shia's,
so there is nothing at all, I don't see that as in history of hatred, or enmity or something like that between the two groups here.
KINKADE: So in terms of the victims, I was reading at least three of the victims attended the same mosque, or what more do you know about the
victims, what they have in common and where they were killed?
ELDENAWI: To be honest, I know those who come regularly for the daily prayers, but on a Friday, for example, sometimes we have like 400 to 500
people. So I don't know all of them. You know, yes, they used to come to the mosque. And people speak often about them, but I don't know them
personally.
Because in front of you, when you are giving your speech, you got in front of like four to 500 people. I don't think anybody can know all of them.
KINKADE: Is there some sort of sense of relief that at least right now there's a person in custody, charged with two of the four murders and
suspected of the other two?
ELDENAWI: I have no idea actually.
KINKADE: And in terms of collaboration between the Shia and Sunni sects, you say that there's a history of collaboration. What more can you tell us
about that?
ELDENAWI: Well, I can I in England between 2000, 2006 and getting my PhD.
I remember a very good friend of mine, he is Shia and his wife is Sunni. And he and I see like maybe four families, they marry one of them sometimes
the husband Shia, sometimes the wife is Sunni, sometimes the opposite.
And I, so I have some Shia friends as well, so I never we never have any kind of hatred or any kind of bad feelings towards each other because Islam
is one religion. Islam calls for unity.
Islam says that all people, even those who have different faith, we are friends, humans, we are supposed to be kind to all humanity, regardless of
the religion anybody follows or anybody adopts.
KINKADE: Absolutely. All right, Mahmoud Eldenawi, we appreciate your time. And thanks so much for joining us.
ELDENAWI: Thank you so much, thanks.
KINKADE: Well still ahead making ugly choices during an ugly War, Russia recruits prisoners to join the fight in Ukraine, or the Kremlin is
promising and why many awaiting the offer?
Plus some of the tourists trapped on a Chinese resort island now allowed to leave but for those who live on the island, a strict lockdown is impacting
life for millions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade, you're watching "Connect the World". I know the key day for U.S. economic data new numbers raising hope
that inflation has finally begun to plateau or even slow.
Just a short time ago the U.S. reporting that headline consumer prices rose at year over year rate of 8.5 percent last month, still near 40 year highs
but easing from the more than 9 percent levels we hit back in June.
This pricing pullback was expected due at least in part to a recent dip in U.S. petrol prices. As Russia's of war on Ukraine grinds on and casualty
numbers mount the Kremlin is turning to unlikely recruits to join the fight.
It's calling on prisoners to take up arms in Ukraine promising them freedom and riches if they do so. As our Nick Paton Walsh reports it seems many are
taking up the offer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Camera is in the unsteady hands of a prisoner. But the apparent scene is
still startling. Convicts in a southern Russia penitentiary are being recruited to fight the Kremlin's war in Ukraine according to a witness.
It's an offer being made in cramped prisons across Russia. One prisoner, like many in this murky underworld, it's rare to glimpse inside wanted his
identity hidden as he explained the deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Rapists, pedophiles, extremist, terrorists are not taken. Murderers are accepted.
WALSH (on camera): Like Kharkiv-Slovakia contracts, what are the terms of the contract?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Amnesty in six months.
WALSH (on camera): Still didn't come up shouts, what kind of money are they promising?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Somebody talks about 100,000 rubles, somebody about 200,000.
WALSH (voice over): Russia's small victories in this war have come with huge losses. And after about six months, regular soldiers had been hit
hard, with up to 60,000 Russian dead or wounded troops say Western officials.
So now Russia is making ugly choices. And it's ugly wall sending convicts to fight. But for this prisoner with years left on a drug sentence, joining
up swap certain incarceration for a slim chance of freedom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): If it's real, then I'm all for it. It's either been in prison for nine years or get out in six months if you're
lucky. But that's if you're lucky. They can promise one thing. But in fact, everything will be different. This is Russia.
WALSH (voice over): Since the start of July, from multiple crowded prisons inside Russia, like this one whose dank cells are shown in activist video,
inmates have told relatives of an almost identical offer made by apparent private military contractors.
Military experience is not essential and monthly pay can be up to $3,500. A six month tour leads to an amnesty your pardon. But first there's usually
two weeks training in southern Russia and then often, there is silence.
[11:35:00]
WALSH (voice over): As the prisoners disappear in Russia's gray zone of expendable contractors.
VLADIMIR OSECHKIN, FOUNDER, GULAGU.NET: Now we have information that they want to recruit about two or 3000 of prisoners. And for example, if they
will die in this war, they pay, they will pay 5 million rubles to the family of this prisoner. There is no really contract. There is no really
guarantee to protect the rights or the health or the life.
WALSH (voice over): Sometimes the author comes with fanfare, this helicopter flying recruiters to one prison activist said, these are
convicts. Yes, but they still face agonizing choices, weighing a shot at freedom against violent death. One prisoner explained his decision to his
brother in these texts.
I'm going don't tell mother either way, it's better that way. Or else she'll worry a lot and react to every piece of news. That's it. We will
react to every news. If you tell us where you are, what you're doing, we will be calmer as at least we will know where to look.
Even I don't know that everything will be decided on the spot. I do know we're going to the 12th prison and once gathered there to Rostov for two
weeks where there's a center and then to the territory. I'm willing to go. Lots of options, but there's only one. That's why I agreed.
Another prisoner's sister describes how he almost vanished after receiving the offer.
OKSANA, STEPSISTER OF ST. PETERSBURG PRISONER: There's no definitive proof he's in Ukraine. He rang his mother on the 10th who said he was in Rostov.
And to all of her questions he replied, mother I can't talk. Before she was glad he should go as he would get money.
But now when I talk to her she's afraid, all have the same scenario, their men ask them to send their passport details so we can get their salaries.
And then there is silence.
WALSH (on camera): Well, contact there has been has been darker still, two wives of prisoners sent to the front from one St. Petersburg prison. So
they've been contacted and told that their husbands lie injured in a hospital in separatist controlled Luhansk.
And there are a total of 10 prisoners from that one prison alone are now dead or injured. Another a mother has said that she's been contacted by an
anonymous individual and told that she can soon collect her son's wages in cash.
WALSH (voice over): Russia's regard for the norms of war, or even prison long gone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Our Nick Paton Walsh joins us now with more on the recruitment scheme. A fascinating piece, Nick, what does that suggest about the
desperation in Russia right now to build their military ranks using untrained unqualified prisoners?
WALSH: Yes, I mean, we don't have a precise number as to what the goals for this scheme are. There are suggestions of thousands. Obviously, the prison
system itself contains tens, if not hundreds of thousands of potential candidates for this.
But there are concerns certainly, given the latest estimates by the Pentagon that possibly 80,000 Russian people who fought on the front line,
I will say service member.
Often these were regulars too, they may be dead or injured or no longer able to fight. That's an extraordinarily high number and would suggest
great pressure upon Russia to replenish those ranks.
I should say we have reached out to the Ministry of Defense and the Russian penal system for comment. And over a week, they simply did not respond to
us.
There are suggestions by analysts that the criminals are essentially reluctant to order the general mobilization that would open up a
significant pool of potential labor for this ongoing war, possibly because they don't want the possible popular backlash from such a move.
Or maybe they might feel that if they made such a bold, strident gestures, simply bringing in normal Russians into the army after brief training and
that didn't spark a significant turn in the war in their favor, then that could also be potentially quite embarrassing for Moscow, Lynda.
KINKADE: And Nick for the prisoners who were sent to the frontlines, what more can you tells us about what awaits them and what follows from there?
WALSH: Yes, look, I mean, it's exceptionally brutal war, predominantly, artillery jewels. I mean, very rare to see street fighting that's happened
in Sievierodonetsk that's happened in Mariupol when Russia's moved in to take from Ukraine key population centers.
But most of this is just joules back and forth. And in fact, you saw in that report of Vladimir Osechkin from Gulagu, he believes that in fact
these prisoners are an actually used as a form of baits, he speculated that they're put forward by the Russian military to attract fire from the
Ukrainian military.
[11:40:00]
WALSH: And then the Ukrainians give their position away allowing Russian regular soldiers to focus on attacking those positions. It's clearly
exceptionally brutal because of the number of losses on the front lines.
We've begun over the past week to see bits more of evidence of some of the prisoners whose relatives we've spoken to merging on the front line. I saw
a picture of one on top of a tank unclear where that tank was.
But I think slowly over the weeks ahead, as families begin to learn the fate of inmates their loved ones, still criminals, though, we'll learn more
about exactly how widespread this deployment is.
But it is a startling reflection, frankly, of the manpower losses that Russia has already experienced and the depths of what it's prepared to go
to continue fighting this war.
KINKADE: Yes, really is. Nick Paton Walsh for us, a really interesting pace, thanks so much for joining us. We want to get you up to speed on some
other stories on our radar right now.
And falling water levels have given rescuers hope they can enter a collapsed mine in Mexico. They're trying to locate 10 miners trapped in a
flooded mine since August 3.
An underwater drone revealed the water was too high to enter that may fall in the coming hours. Cuban officials say the worst fire in the island's
history is now under control. It started Friday when lightning struck Cuba's main fuel storage facility and the flames quickly spread.
At least one firefighter died and 14 others are missing. The damages raising concerns about the nation's power supply, with Cuba facing frequent
blackouts and gas shortages.
China says it has successfully completed its military exercises around Taiwan, but a spokesperson says it will regularly conduct more patrols in
the direction of the Taiwan Strait.
China began live fire drills around Taiwan last week following the U.S. House speaker's visit to the island. And as several Chinese provinces
report upticks in COVID cases, local authorities in the resort islands of Hainan have begun to let some tourists to leave.
Sudden COVID locked down last week trapped tens of thousands of tourists, our Selina Wang reports.
SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In zero COVID China, vacations can easily turn into nightmares. Starting from this weekend, some 80,000 tourists were
trapped in Sanya City on Hainan Island, often called the Hawaii of China.
Now some of those tourists are finally getting some relief. Authority said they're starting to fly back some of the trapped tourists, but it's unclear
how many are able to go home and when the rest will be able to get out.
But COVID cases on Hainan Island are still increasing with more than 570 new COVID cases reported on Wednesday. That counts as a major outbreak in
China where the country is still trying to stamp out every last case with quarantines, lockdowns, and mass testing.
But it's not just Hainan that is struggling to contain new outbreaks. Tibet, which had been COVID free for 920 days has now reported 22 new COVID
cases since Monday.
In response Tibet is rolling out mass testing. Meanwhile, China's far western region of Xinjiang reported more than 100 new COVID cases.
Xinjiang's capital has locked down six major districts and Xiamen city in the southeastern province of Fujian, which is opposite of Taiwan.
They reported seven COVID cases, residents and parts of the city are now banned from leaving their communities. The highly infectious Omicron sub
variant is putting China's harsh zero COVID policy to the test.
These lockdowns are continuing to also put major pressure on China's economy. And still most major cities across China require recent COVID
tests in order to enter any public place, including here in Beijing.
And our lives here are still dictated by our health codes. We have to scan a code on our phones in order to enter any public area allowing the
authorities to contact trace, but also surveil in a very detailed way where virtually all 1.4 billion people are. Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.
KINKADE: Well still to come health authorities around the world are fighting another virus, monkey pox. Ahead on the show how U.S. authorities
are trying to stretch the vaccine supply and why it's still may not be enough.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
KINKADE: Welcome back to the battle against monkey pox. Healthcare providers in the U.S. are now authorized to give the monkey pox vaccine in
such a way that we'll be able to give five doses out of a standard one dose file.
But officials caution that this will not be a panacea and that this move may still not meet the high demand there is right now. Let's get to our
Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. She joins us from New York.
Good to have you with us, Elizabeth. So the FDA has changed how a monkey pox vaccine can be given basically trying to stretch out the supply. Can
you describe how they're doing it?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so this has been sort of something that's been done with vaccines before at least sort of on
an experimental basis. People don't realize this. But vaccines can be given in several different ways. Let's take a look.
If you look to the far left of the picture that we're about to show you, usually for a flu shot or a COVID shot, it's given by intramuscular
injection. You can see that needle goes all the way into your muscle that's deep.
It's a very easy injection to give you just sort of point and push and you just go basically, as far as you can. Subcutaneous injections are less
common, and you don't go as far you do a slight angle, and you get it not all the way into the muscle, but into the subcutaneous tissue that exists
underneath your skin.
The most difficult one to do and the most unusual one is an intradermal injection. You can see it goes in the skin but not all the way to the end
of the skin to the bottom of it.
You don't want to get into the subcutaneous tissue or into the muscle, it is trickier to give that, it is most commonly given when you're actually
testing for tuberculosis. But it is possible to train people how to do it.
Now let's take a look at how this stretches things. When you give that shallow of an injection is actually more powerful. And that has to do with
some very powerful immune cells that live in your skin.
So in the United States right now there is a stockpile of vaccine that is sitting around ready for states to order it, you order it and you can get
it and here's what it's going to stretch out to.
So the CDC says that 1.5 million people in the U.S. are eligible for a monkey pox vaccine. Now many more wanted, but right now they've set the
eligibility to 1.5 million people, people outside of this eligibility want it but right now it's 1.5 million anyhow.
So with subcutaneous administration, that's the way it's been done. Up until now, you can vaccinate 220,000 people with that, with the amount
that's in the supply right now.
220,000 people with the amount that's available for order. If you give it intradermal, you can stretch it out, you use a much smaller dose, you could
actually vaccinate 1.1 million people, which is you know, you're really getting pretty close to the goal there with the number of eligible people,
you can stretch it out so much more. And that's what they're hoping to do, because there just isn't enough to go around. Lynda?
KINKADE: So I have to wonder just how effective is 1/5 of a regular dose. Is that as effective as it typically would be and how long would it last?
COHEN: So Lynda, if this was not a public health issue emergency, doctors would do a long elegant clinical trial. They would give some people a full,
the full dose. They'd give people the 1/5 dose subcutaneous, I'm sorry intradermal.
[11:50:00]
COHEN: And then they would study them and follow them and see you got sick and see you didn't. They say we don't have time for that. The government
saying we can't do that kind of a clinical trial.
We've checked and there are some studies that show that it's just as effective when you give vaccines this way, and no one's face safety issue.
So we don't think it's going to hurt anybody.
And it will likely be as effective based on the studies that have been done. Have they done all the studies they want to do? No, but the best sort
of educated guess at this point is that it really will be just as effective who wouldn't give him the new way?
KINKADE: Wow, we'll see how this plays out. We will talk to you again soon. Elizabeth Cohen for us, thanks very much.
COHEN: Thanks.
KINKADE: Well, still ahead. How did a majestic creature of the Arctic end up stranded in a French river, we'll look for the answers when we come
back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, France is bracing for a new heat wave this weekend. To make matters worse official says 63 percent of land in the EU and the UK are in
drought conditions covering an area around the size of India.
The climate crisis may also have contributed to the death of a beluga whale that was far from home. Belugas usually live in icy waters off the Arctic
this one ended up trapped in an inland River in France. Max Foster has this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): An unusual sight in France's Seine River, a beluga whale first spotted more than a week ago, trapped in
a freshwater lock about 43 miles, 70 kilometers downstream from Paris.
A rescue team of more than 80 people worked through the night. Tuesday into Wednesday, lifting the whale onto a barge designed to transport the
stricken passenger back to sea.
Veterinarians hoped the saltwater tank would revitalize the whales ailing health. In transit however, the whale had to be euthanized after its
breathing had deteriorated. It had lost significant weight and was refusing to eat. The prognosis for survival was poor .
GUILLAUME LERICOLAIS, SUB-PERFECT OF LISIEUX: Six veterinarians unanimously advised us to proceed with the euthanasia of the animal which was too weak
to be put back in the water. So it was a decision that we took collectively, and so I am sad to inform you of the death of the beluga.
FOSTER (voice over): In recent years, many species of marine mammals have been reported in France, far from their primary habitat. In May, a sick
orca separated from its pod died in the sin after attempts to guide it back to sea failed.
The all-white beluga normally live in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. Loss of sea ice in the Arctic has opened the area up to more shipping, fishing and
other human activities, all of which impact the beluga whale's ability to communicate and navigate.
Whilst it's impossible to say how this one lost its way finding food and the search for mates has become much more difficult for the species. Max
Foster, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Finally on "Connect the World" the U.S. chain that thought it could sell pizza back to the Italians admitting defeat.
[11:55:00]
KINKADE: Just seven years after Domino's opened its first outlets in Italy it's calling it a day. The firm says in the end competition from local
restaurants was too hot to handle. And it failed to capture the hearts and taste buds of a nation of pizza lovers. Well, thanks so much for being with
us today. I'm Lynda Kinkade, "One World" with Zain Asher is coming up live for you from New York, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
