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Israel Readies Retaliation Plan Against Iran; Harris Pressed On Immigration In First Fox Interview; Trump Claims He's Father Of IVF At All-Women Town Hall; Relatives of Missing Ukrainian Soldiers Rally in Kyiv; Police in France and Italy Bust Alleged Wine Fraud Ring; Liam Payne Dies at 31 in Argentina. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired October 17, 2024 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:23]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom. Kamala Harris goes head-to-head with Fox News sitting down for an interview that turned combative almost as soon as it began. No longer a question of if, but when, American officials reportedly believe Israel is ready to strike Iran before the U.S. election.

And CNN gains exclusive access to an elite Ukrainian battle unit tasked with striking targets deep behind enemy lines.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We begin with a major media blitz from Donald Trump and Kamala Harris with U.S. Election Day now just a few weeks away. The Vice President appeared on the conservative Fox News channel for the first time ever. Her sit down with host Bret Baier got testy at times. Early in the interview, he brought up the hot button issue of immigration and erupted her into -- repeatedly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRET BAIER, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: How many illegal immigrants would you estimate your administration has released into the country over the last 3-1/2 years?

KAMALA HARRIS (D) UNITED STATES DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, I'm glad you raised the issue of immigration, because I agree with you. It is a -- it is a topic of discussion that people want to rightly have. And, you know what I'm going to talk about.

BAIER: Yes. But do you -- just a number, do you think it's one million, three million?

HARRIS: Bret, let's just get to the point.

BAIER: So your Homeland Security Secretary said that 85 percent of apprehensions. HARRIS: I'm not finished. We have a -- we have an immigration system.

BAIER: It's a rough estimate of six million people have been released into the country. And let me just finish. I'll get to the question, I promise you.

HARRIS: I was beginning to answer.

BAIER: And when you came --

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: May I please finish? May I finish -- may I finish responding, please?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, during a town hall with Spanish language television, Univision, former president Donald Trump doubled down on lies by Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating cats and dogs, here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This was just reported. I was -- I was just saying what was reported. That's been reported. And eating other things too that they're not supposed to be. But this is -- all I do is report. I have not -- I was there. I'm going to be there. And we're going to take a look and I'll give you a full report when I do, but that's been in the newspapers and reported pretty broadly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Trump also attended a separate all women town hall hosted by Fox News. Here in the swing state of Georgia, during which he inexplicably claimed to be the father of IVF in vitro fertilization. The audience for this town hall was packed with Republican women, that's a fact Fox News chose not to disclose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I want to talk about IVF. I'm the father -- I'm the father of -- I'm the father of IVF. I got a call from Katie Britt. A young -- just a fantastically attractive person from Alabama. She's a senator and she called me up like emergency, emergency because an Alabama judge had ruled that the IVF clinics were illegal and they have to be closed down. We really are the party for IVF. We want fertilization and it's all the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Well, CNN's latest poll of polls gives a razor thin edge to Harris, but the race obviously remains too close to call. Now, you have to keep in mind, you're looking at the average of national polls. That's the Electoral College, not the popular vote that determines who becomes president.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Vice President visited the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania, which makes up a huge part of the so-called Blue Wall that Joe Biden won four years ago and Trump won in 2016. This year, Harris has a lot of Republican support. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez explains.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Vice President Kamala Harris focusing her efforts on Wednesday on Republicans going to Pennsylvania where she was joined by Republicans who are now supporting her candidacy. In those remarks, the Vice President trying to make clear the choice Americans have between her and the former president. But not focusing on policy.

Instead, the Vice President focusing more on what she called country over party and upholding the Constitution. Again, trying to reach those disaffected Republicans who campaign officials think may be willing to vote for her and support her because they are fatigued or unwilling to support former President Donald Trump. So, the Vice President in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania who focusing again on targeting those voters and remarks that were focusing on country over party.

[02:05:05]

Now of course there was symbolism as well and where she was delivering those remarks and a part of Pennsylvania, not far from where George Washington crossed the Delaware with his troops, of course that was a major turning point in the American Revolution. So some symbolism there, similar to what she did a few weeks ago in Ripon, Wisconsin, which was the birthplace of the Republican Party, where there she was joined by Liz Cheney.

But the Vice President, also concluding her day with an interview on Fox News. Of course, Fox News is widely watched by Republicans. Vice President trying to take her message there, but she was also asked repeatedly about what has been a political vulnerability for Democrats. That being the issue of immigration in what was at times a quite tense exchange between her and Bret Baier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAIER: You said repeatedly that the border was secure. When in your mind did it start becoming a crisis?

HARRIS: I think we've had a broken immigration system transcending, by the way, Donald Trump's administration even before. Let's all be honest about that. I have no pride in saying that this is a perfect immigration system. I've been clear. I think we all are. That it needs to be fixed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now the Vice President has at times taken a more hawkish stance on border security. Again, saying that there should -- the border security bill should be passed, should she win in November. Of course, that bill including some of the toughest measures in recent memory. But the Vice President also making clear where she may be different than President Joe Biden. Of course, that being a question still on the top -- on the mind of voters, according to polls.

So, navigating the questions there with Fox News again, hoping, the campaign hoping that the increased exposure will help them in the final stretch to Election Day.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

BRUNHUBER: And I want to bring in CNN Senior Political analyst Ron Brownstein who's a senior editor at The Atlantic and he joins us from Los Angeles. Good to see you again.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Jim.

BRUNHUBER: So, listen, now let's start there with that Fox interview --, feisty interview, as you might expect with Fox. Harris trying to put a little distance between herself and Biden. What stood out to you?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, I feel like I've learned more about Fox today than about either of the candidates. I mean, the absurdity of treating Fox as a, you know, genuine news organization, I thought was really underscored both by what they did at the town hall. And then, by the way, Bret Baier did that in particular, editing out the Trump interview where he again repeated his language about the enemy from within being a threat to America.

I mean, it's just indefensible. Getting past that and talking about, look, for Harris, I mean, this was, I think, a twofer. On the one hand, she wanted to try to reach some Republican voters who are disaffected from Trump. You know, there's mostly independents rather than hardcore, Republicans. But also, I think she wanted to show toughness, right? I mean, I think she -- and to a large extent, she succeeded in that by pushing back very hard at the Fox, you know, host when he was essentially repeating Republican talking point, but also asking some legitimate tough questions.

The town hall during the day, you know, just kind of another example of kind of Fox washing and it's just -- it was a very -- for anyone who had any confusion about what Fox is I thought it was a very clarifying day.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. No question about that. I'll come back to the town hall in a second, but sticking with the -- with the Harris interview. As we heard immigration, of course, a big topic, one of the top issues for voters but she was also pressed a couple of times about whether she supported taxpayer dollars for gender affirming care. I mean, this seems like such a niche issue, but the GOP have poured millions of dollars into anti-trans ads, for instance, you can't turn on a T.V. here without our social media, without seeing them.

Why so much focus on this when on the -- on the list of top voter issues it ranks pretty far down, but there's -- strategists aren't stupid. I mean, they must really think that this will help them. BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, that issue in this election is filling a slot that has to be filled by something in every election. And it is doing so effectively and that slot is, an issue that tells culturally conservative voters, particularly whites, but not exclusively whites that the Democrat is not one of you, does not share your values. You know, I mean, in many ways, this is reminiscent of the campaign that George H. W. Bush ran against Michael Dukakis in 1988.

I'm not sure Harris's answer tonight, was, sufficient on that. And I -- all, you know, there are Democrats who are worried that this ad in particular, the various versions of it are in fact, is in fact doing damage to her in the swing states with voters who are uneasy about reelecting Trump but didn't know a lot about her and are thus being introduced to her around the idea that she is an ideological extremist.

[02:10:21]

Obviously appearing with Republicans and Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger is an attempt to rebut that. But I think there is a view among Democrats that this ad, as much as any other single factor, is why Donald Trump has had some momentum in the battleground states over the past two weeks even as Harris has maintained that national lead of about three points in national polling.

BRUNHUBER: Hmm. That's interesting. It's such a cultural touchstone in a way, even though the issue itself isn't all that important.

BROWNSTEIN: Right.

BRUNHUBER: Let's --

BROWNSTEIN: It's just a signifier.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, exactly, exactly right. So, let's go back to the Donald Trump town hall. Again, he doubled down on the false claims about Haitians eating pets. What stood out to you about what he said leaving aside the forum?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, first of all, the quality of the questions from the Univision audience was really high and, you know, kind of searching and pressing. I mean, they were -- they were -- they were good, strong, substantive questions. I think, you know, it reminded me of, you know, when Trump is someone who is most comfortable existing within a kind of conservative media sphere and energizing his base through the tropes that work in that sphere.

Tonight, when he was trying to talk to a general -- a more general audience, he really couldn't reach much beyond those arguments. I mean, he doubled down on, you know, he claimed not only that Haitians are eating pets, but this is what is being reported. And he's just repeating what's being reported when, in fact, what's being reported is a litany of officials from the mayor to the governor to the police department saying it's not true.

He referred to the January 6th rioters as we, you know, and called it a day of love which I would be surprised if it doesn't end up in a Democratic ad at some point. And at various points during the evening, you could see kind of the stunned look on the face of the audience. He was most effective at the beginning and basically making the argument that will explain, I think, why he is probably on track to improve among Latino voters.

The very first question, why do groceries cost so much and what can you do about it? I mean, there are a lot of Latino families, like a lot of working-class white families and a lot of working-class black families that feel they are worse off at the end of the Biden administration than they were at the beginning. And that is a real opening for Trump, and that is a structural challenge or headwind that Harris faces.

But what we saw in 2022. Was that there was an unusually large number, maybe an unprecedentedly large number of voters who were dissatisfied with the economy, but still voted against Trump's style candidates because they viewed them as unacceptable on other grounds, a threat to their rights, their values, and to democracy. And I think you saw some of that again there tonight.

This is the push and pull on the last few points of voters. They're dissatisfied or disappointed in the outcomes they've gotten under Biden, but they remain reluctant to return Trump to power for all of the reasons that he has put on rather vivid display in the last few weeks talking about Haitians eating pets and the enemy from within that he is willing to use the military against.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. So many twists and turns still as we sprint towards the finish. Ron Brownstein, great to talk to you again. Thank you so much.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks for having me.

BRUNHUBER: And we're following new developments in the Middle East where U.S. B2 bombers have struck Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. U.S. defense officials tell CNN weapons storage sites, including underground facilities, were the target. Houthis have repeatedly attacked commercial shipping and navy assets in the region since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

One official says the U.S. strikes were carried out by B2 Spirit bombers. Now, those are much larger fighter jets that carry heavier bombs than the U.S. has used against the Houthis so far. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the employment of U.S. Air Force B2 Sprint long range stealth bombers demonstrate U.S. global strike capabilities to take action against these targets when necessary, anytime, anywhere.

A source tells CNN Israel's plan to respond to Iran is ready. American officials expect the retaliation before Election Day here in the U.S. November 5th. Iran launched a missile barrage at Tel Aviv and Israeli military bases earlier this month. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly told the U.S. Israel will target Iranian military sites, not oil or nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, a horrific humanitarian crisis is worsening in northern Gaza. [02:15:08]

The emergency service chief in Jabalia says Israeli forces are destroying everything. People are showing signs of starvation. And stray dogs are eating dead bodies in the streets.

Now the war in Lebanon is also taking a heavy toll on civilians. UNICEF says approximately 400,000 children are among the 1.2 million people displaced by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Israeli military operations in Lebanon are showing no sign of slowing down. Wednesday marked yet another day of deadly airstrikes in Lebanon. The Israeli military killing at least 16 people in multiple strikes in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatea. 52 others were injured, according to the Lebanese health ministry. One of those who was killed was actually the city's mayor.

He was killed when one of those airstrikes hit a government building in the heart of that city. The Israeli military says that they were going after a Hezbollah compound that they say was underground belonging to Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces and they accused Hezbollah of using Lebanese civilians as human shields. But the Lebanese prime minister is accusing the Israeli military of deliberately striking that government building at a time when local officials were holding meetings about emergency relief operations in southern Lebanon.

No immediate comment from the Israeli military on that allegation. Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, we are continuing to watch as the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza is continuing to deteriorate. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza now in the crosshairs of that deteriorating situation. Also, of course, in the crosshairs of Israeli bombardment and fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants in Jabalia.

One of those key cities in Northern Gaza. This is, of course, the fourth time that we have seen Israeli troops carry out a major ground operation in Jabalia but this time they are also calling on hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate northern Gaza, forcing many to flee, but others have been trapped amid the bombardment. And the humanitarian situation is simply worsening, with United Nations now calling the situation in northern Gaza catastrophic.

The U.N. Human Rights Office said it took one of their teams 10 tries on Wednesday to actually be able to reach hospitals in northern Gaza where they were delivering fuel and supplies. Meanwhile, of course, we're seeing the United States putting major pressure on Israel to improve the humanitarian situation. Some steps have been taken, according to the U.S. State Department, but it's clear that much more still needs to be done.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem. BRUNHUBER: There's been an outpouring of shock and grief from musicians and fans around the world over the untimely death of Liam Payne, an English singer who was part of One Direction, one of the bestselling boy bands of all time. He was 31. Police in Argentina say the singer fell on Wednesday from the third floor of the hotel room where he was staying in Buenos Aires. Hotel staff had requested urgent police assistance in the moments before Payne fell.

The hotel manager said they were concerned about the wellbeing of a guest who was tearing apart the room and staff couldn't enter. Payne's fans gathered outside the hotel and set up a makeshift memorial to pay their respects.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Payne rose to fame as a teenager in One Direction. The group formed in 2010 and became a global pop sensation. They were the first group to have their first four albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. They sold more than 50 million albums, embarked on world tours, became teen idols before they went on hiatus in 2016. In the years since, Payne released a debut solo album and said last year he was excited about working on new music.

Tributes for Liam Payne have been pouring in from around the world. American singer Charlie Puth posted this photo of the two of them and said he's in shock right now, writing, "Liam was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I cannot believe he's gone."

Anne Twist, Payne's former bandmate, posted this image of a broken heart with the caption, Just a boy. And Dermot O'Leary former host of the T.V. show X Factor shared this photo writing I remember him as a 14-year-old turning up to audition on the X Factor and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing. He was always joy had time for everyone. Polite, grateful and was always humble.

Well, decades after being convicted in their parents' murderers, Lyle and Erik Menendez are back in the spotlight as relatives urge authorities to review the case. We'll have the details ahead. Stay with us.

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[02:22:11]

BRUNHUBER: After more than 30 years in prison, relatives of the Menendez brothers are calling for their release following new evidence in their parents' murders. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole in 1996. They've long claimed they had suffered years of physical and sexual abuse from their father. In a newly released, undated leather shared by the L.A. County District Attorney, Eric Menendez writes he's, "been trying to avoid dad" and adds that I never know when it's going to happen, and it's driving me crazy.

You get more on this case from CNN's Jeanne Casares. Beverly Hills Emergency? Yes, please.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE CASARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lyle Menendez made the original 911 call.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the problem?

LYLE MENENDEZ, SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KILLING HIS PARENTS: Someone killed my dad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pardon me?

MENENDEZ: Some killed my parents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were they shot?

MENDENZ: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were shot?

MENENDEZ: Yes.

CASARES: A wealthy Beverly Hills couple dead in their home. It was 1989. Their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez were 21 and 18 at the time. Law enforcement was working to track down who committed this horrific crime. When Erik's therapist mistress said she knew the truth, she overheard Erik confess to the crime. And all of it was on tape.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I planned the perfect murder. I carried out the perfect murder. Do you remember telling Diane Sawyer that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

CASARES: Law enforcement got the recorded therapy sessions and in March 1990, Erik and Lyle were taken into custody. Three years later, it went to trial.

LESLIE ABRAMSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I want to see him walk down a street, not in chains, not in shackles, and not with a deputy sheriff standing next to him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were human beings and they had the right to live.

CASARES: The brothers admitted they killed their wealthy parents with shotguns one night as they were watching television at home.

MENENDEZ: I ran around and shot my mom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where did you shoot her?

MENENDEZ: I reached over and I shot her close.

CASARES: But they alleged it was after years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their father. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, do you recall the first time that he wasn't nice during the sex?

MENENDEZ: Yes. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you were 11.

MENENDEZ: I was 11.

CASARES: The jury deadlocked during deliberations. A mistrial was declared.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are still unable to reach unanimous decisions.

CASARES: The retrial began in 1995. Lyle chose to not testify this time, but Erik did, saying the brothers had been repeatedly raped by their father for years. But Erik and Lyle were both convicted.

DOMINICK DUNNE, JOURNALIST: Both brothers, guilty of murder in the first degree. There was no weeping of -- that was at all, divisible or audible.

[02:25:10]

CASARES: They each got two life sentences without the possibility of parole, and so far have served more than 30 years.

DAVIN CONN, PROSECUTOR: We felt all along that it was a strong case and eventually they would be convicted of first-degree murder. I felt satisfied that they were sentenced to life prison for the rest of their lives.

CASARES: Appeals have gone nowhere, but now the defense asks that this verdict be looked at with a fresh set of eyes.

MARK GERAGOS, MENENDEZ ATTORNEY: I think we're at a point now where any reasonable person taking a look at this case believes they should be out.

CASARES: Jeanne Casares, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Friends and family members have bid their final goodbyes to the victims of a fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria. The country held a mass burial Wednesday for at least 147 people killed in the incident the night before. Seventy others were injured. Police say it happened after a fuel truck crashed and overturned, spilling gasoline in a village in northern Nigeria. As residents rushed to scoop up the fuel the truck exploded.

Now fuel truck explosions aren't uncommon in Nigeria and with gas prices skyrocketing since last year residents often brave danger to scoop fuel from fallen tankers. Nigeria's vice president says fuel transportation protocols will be reviewed in the wake of this incident. A clandestine military unit working in the shadows to strike the enemy where it least expects. Still ahead. An exclusive report about a Ukrainian drone unit doing damage deep inside Russian territory. It's coming up. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM. The U.S. has announced a new 425 million military aid package for Ukraine. On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the American people during a phone call with President Biden. The aid includes armored vehicles, air defense systems, and long-range weapons, but doesn't include permission to strike deeper into Russia.

President Biden says he'll host a virtual meeting of the Ukraine defense contact group next month to discuss additional assistance for Ukraine. Now, in the coming hours, President Zelensky will try to convince the E.U. and NATO to back his victory plan for the war against Russia. He'll speak to lawmakers at the European Council Summit in Brussels before meeting with NATO defense ministers.

A cornerstone of the plan, according to Zelenskyy is Ukrainian membership in both NATO and the E.U. which allies have signaled they're not quite ready to accept in the midst of the war. Now, on Wednesday, Zelenskyy presented his plan to Ukrainian lawmakers in Parliament, He says it will provide Ukraine with stronger bargaining tools to use to end the war.

[02:30:05]

Here he is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I want to be frank with you on certain behind closed-door communication with Ukraine. We hear the word talks from our allies much more often than the word justice. Ukraine is open to diplomacy, but to the fair one. That is why we have the peace formula. It's the guaranty of negotiations without forcing Ukraine to injustice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: While Zelenskyy was addressing parliament, family members of missing Ukrainian soldiers were rallying in Kyiv. They gathered in Independence Square to demand the release of prisoners of war still held in Russia and the return of the bodies of soldiers who died in Russian-occupied territory. Many at the rally believe Ukraine's government and the country's allies aren't doing enough, and they're skeptical about talk of 'Victory Plan' or negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SVITLANA CHERNIAK, MOTHER AND SISTER OF KILLED SOLDIERS (through translator): To sit at the peace talks table? Then tell me, what did all those boys die for? They died for our freedom, for us to be independent and not hold hands with the enemy. To announce peace talks is to give Russia a chance to strengthen and gather forces to attack us again.

PAVLO PLYAS, PROTESTER (through translator): To be honest, I do not believe that this Victory Plan will get us closer to the victory anytime soon. Everything depends on our soldiers that are crafting this victory and making titanic efforts to make the victory closer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Now, to the Ukrainian military unit whose job is to take war into Russian territory, CNN has gained exclusive access to one of the country's long-range drone units which strikes important targets deep inside Russia. As Fred Pleitgen reports, its operations are carried out in absolute secrecy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Ukrainian drones attacking southwestern Russia, sowing panic among local residents. Russian air defenses frantically trying to take them down before they slam into their targets. This massive drone strike carried out in late September by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency, the GUR.

And they granted CNN unprecedented access to the entire mission. Their target, a Russian ammo depot, the Ukrainians say, is storing missiles supplied to Moscow by Iran, even though Tehran vehemently denies giving Russia ballistic missiles.

PLEITGEN: All of these missions have to move extremely quickly. They have to be very precise because, obviously, if they get discovered by the Russians, the Russians want nothing more than to kill everybody around here.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): When you're as badly outgunned as the Ukrainians, even strategic airstrikes become hit-and-run operations. The launch location, totally secret; the mission run in near complete darkness. We can only identify the unit commander by his call sign, 'Vector'.

PLEITGEN: How fast do you guys have to be able to do all this now?

VECTOR, LONG-RANGE UAV UNIT, UKRAINIAN DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE GUR: I hope it will be in 20, 40 minutes.

PLEITGEN: OK. Tell me how much the Russians want to kill you.

VECTOR: They want very much. Because we are the -- one of the major goals for them. Because these UAVs, which going up to 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers, these UAVs move the war inside their country and they're afraid of that.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): After installing the warheads and punching in the flight path, they push the drones to the takeoff area, the pilots going through final checks. Then, they get the go.

PLEITGEN: The launch is always one of the most difficult and most sensitive parts of the mission. They have to follow the UAV very fast with their cars to make sure it gets into the air all right.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): The drones disappear quickly into the night sky. The GUR has been behind hundreds of long-range missions into Russia, they say, including this September attack on an ammo depot between Moscow and St. Petersburg, causing massive explosions visible for miles. The Ukrainians believe they hit hundreds of missiles and explosives.

PLEITGEN: Operational security is extremely important for this team. So, we're on our way to the next secret location right now. They remain on the move almost all the time. Right now, we're going to a place where they're going to do the detailed planning for the flight paths and where we'll see the actual drones.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): The weapons depot is about 400 miles from the Ukrainian border in the southwestern Russian village of Kotluban -- a major problem, a mesh of powerful Russian air defenses guarding the area.

PLEITGEN: How good are the Russian air defenses and how difficult is it to overwhelm them?

VECTOR: Unfortunately, especially last year, it's really good. It's really good. Not -- maybe not perfect, because we are successful guys and we find the windows in this work, in these techniques.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): These are the actual strike drones. The Ukrainian-made Antonov An-196 named ' Liutyi,' Ukrainian for fierceness or rage. They carry up to 500-pound warheads and fly around 1,300 miles, and they fit into the back of these nondescript trailers for covert deployment.

[02:35:00]

The Ukrainians say they get good results with the Liutyi drones, but what they really need is permission from the U.S. and its allies to use Western-supplied, longer-distance weapons. So far, the U.S. is not allowing Ukraine to fire American-supplied weapons deep into Russia, as Russia has escalated its own aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, using heavy guided glide bombs, cruise missiles designed to take out whole aircraft carrier strike groups, and nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

All the Ukrainians have are their little drones, launching them in swarms to even have a chance to penetrate Russia's air defenses. They blast the Ukrainian folk song, "Hey, Falcons," as the GUR's own birds take to the skies. Back at base, it's crunch time. Russian social media starts exploding with reports of an attack on the Kotluban weapons depot.

(LAUGH) PLEITGEN (voice-over): The GUR operatives sometimes chuckling as they listen in. While the Russians claim to have shot down the drones, Ukrainian defense intelligence showed CNN the unblurred version of this video, now heavily blurred for operational security reasons, and it shows 11 blasts coming from the same place, they say, so large, they're confident they hit their targets.

CNN was also able to independently verify through a source what seems to be a direct hit on the facility. We're not publishing the image to protect the source's anonymity, but it showed an explosion at the facility and what seems to be wreckage scattered around. A Maxar image shared with CNN shows the same heavily-damaged building with some debris still lying on the floor, signs that the Russian military may have cleaned up the site. A small, but important victory in their ongoing covert war against a powerful enemy.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Police in France and Italy have broken up a crime ring that allegedly sold counterfeit wine for more than $16,000 a bottle. Italian police searched more than a dozen properties and found large amounts of wine, counterfeit stickers from top French vineyards, and machines to recap bottles. Italian officials say the sophisticated operation bottled inferior wine from Sicily using meticulously reproduced labeling and it was exported for sale at inflated prices around the world. A French national and a Russian national are among those facing fraud and money laundering charges.

We'll be right back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: The global music community is remembering Liam Payne, the former One Direction member who died on Wednesday at age 31. Stefano Pozzebon has more on the life of the late pop star.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR:

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many nights does it take to count the stars?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Music fans around the world are mourning the tragic death of British singer Liam Payne. Payne spent half of his short life as a pop music superstar. Just 16 when he became a founding member of the boy band, One Direction, a product of reality TV show, "The X Factor." Payne quickly became one of entertainment's most recognizable faces, finding near-unrivaled global stardom with One Direction bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.

LIAM PAYNE, SINGER, ONE DIRECTION: When you go outside and there's people screaming and running down the street after your car and stuff, I don't want to touch you. Now when people are running after your car and stuff, it's a bit like -- that's a bit mental for us to adjust to as it were [ph].

POZZEBON (voice-over): Together, One Direction sold millions of records, toured the world, and built a legion of devoted fans. The band's biggest hit, "That's what makes you beautiful" became an anthem of early Gen Z culture. One Direction went different ways in 2015 and went on to solo careers.

In 2017, Payne became a father to Bear Grey Payne with then girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy, a former judge on "The X Factor UK". Less than three years later, Payne released his first solo album, "LP1." He also opened up about struggling with his mental health and substance abuse.

PAYNE: It was only until I saw myself after that I was, all right, I need to fix myself.

POZZEBON (voice-over): In March, Payne released what will be his last single, an emotional work titled "Teardrops." He described this song as about the vulnerability of a heartbreak. Millions of his fans will be feeling just that. Liam Payne was 31. PAYNE: The feelings that these chords and different things give me in every one of these songs is a story from my life.

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BRUNHUBER: All right. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Kim Brunhuber. "World Sport" is next, and I'll be back in 15 minutes with more "CNN Newsroom".

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