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Isa Soares Tonight
U.S. Officials Say Kyiv Hit Weapons Storage Facility In Russia; Putin Updates Russia's Nuclear Doctrine; Ukraine Marks 1,000 Days Of War; U.S.-Made ATACMS Hit Russia; Two Internet Cables Cut In The Baltic Sea; Biden's Potential Last Appearance With World Leaders; Trump Picks Howard Lutnick For Commerce Secretary; Suicide Survivor Receives Face Transplant; Italian Village Seeks Americans. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired November 19, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ERICA HILL, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: Hello, and welcome, I'm Erica Hill in New York in for Isa Soares. Tonight, we begin in Ukraine with some fast-
moving and potentially significant developments that could mark a dangerous new phase in this war. For the first time, Ukraine has fired U.S.-made
longer-range missiles similar to those seen here.
Fired them at targets inside of Russia, according to two American officials, the missiles hit a weapons arsenal. Following that attack,
Russian President Vladimir Putin updated his country's nuclear doctrine to say that Moscow will now consider aggression from any non-nuclear state,
but with the participation of a nuclear country, a joint attack on Russia.
This comes as Ukraine marks a somber milestone, 1,000 days since Moscow's full-scale invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has so far
declined to confirm the attack inside Russia, but says that Ukraine does plan to maximize its use of those long-range capabilities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE (through translator): Ukraine has long-range capabilities. Ukraine has long-range drones made in Ukraine. We
now not only have the long Neptune missile, we now have the ATACMS, and we will use them, all of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Oren Liebermann is at the Pentagon with more details for us. Oren, so not confirming there on the part of Ukraine, but this is a significant
development.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It is very much so. Russia said they would consider it a new phase of the war. That's something we
have heard from the Russians before. Now, at this point, there are very few publicly-acknowledged details from either Ukraine or the U.S.
But as you pointed out, we have had two U.S. officials confirm that Ukraine has used the longer-range ATACMS missiles with a range of about 200 miles
to strike deeper inside of Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry claims that six of these missiles were fired, they say five were shot down and there
was no damage or injuries caused as a result of the attack.
That's something we have not been able to backstop yet. Russia, of course, making some of its own claims about the effectiveness of Ukraine's use of
this weapon and many other weapons. It was just a few days ago that the U.S. had acknowledged that it had given permission to Ukraine to use these
longer-range ATACMS missiles to hit targets deeper inside Russia.
Russia says that target was an ammo depot in the Bryansk region, which is north of Kursk. That is where we expected to see Ukraine using these
missiles to effectively buttress their own offensive into Russian territory, where they have seized some Russian territory. Russia has
amassed a force of some 50,000 troops in what appears to be an attempt to retake that.
[14:05:00]
So, Ukraine using these missiles, it seems, to try to hold off that attack, to try to weaken it. And perhaps, the purpose of that, the expectation that
President-elect Donald Trump will push for negotiations if Ukraine can hang on to that region, it allows Ukraine to have a stronger position in the
negotiations themselves.
So, that perhaps the reason we're seeing this attack, seeing it try to target Russian forces in this area. Russia had publicly signaled for a bit
of time that if this attack did happen with longer-range missiles, they would update their nuclear doctrine to say that if a non-nuclear state
attacked with the assistance or weaponry of a nuclear state, they would consider that a joint attack.
U.S. officials unsurprised by the change they're seeing in that. Crucially, though, they haven't seen any change in Russia's nuclear posture, so, no
change to how it is employing or preparing its own nuclear arsenal. That, of course, a key point there, one the U.S. will keep watching. This is a
crucial spot here, it is worth noting, Erica, that Trump himself has not yet weighed in or made any public announcements on the U.S. change of
policy that allowed Ukraine to carry out these missiles. But that is certainly something we will be watching very closely.
HILL: Yes, absolutely, Oren, appreciate it as always, thank you. Well, as we just heard there, Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov is now
addressing these U.S.-made longer-range missiles, saying that Moscow will view such launches as a new phase of war by Kyiv's western allies. My
colleague Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow with more on that front. Fred?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Erica. Yes, the Russians certainly very angry about the Ukrainians now using these
ATACMS, U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. It was quite interesting Oren was talking a little about that attack in the
Bryansk area.
The Russians claiming that of the six ATACMS missiles that were fired, they were able to shoot five of those down and that the debris from one of those
missiles then landed on a military installation there. They didn't say what kind of damage was caused. Now, of course, we don't know the Ukrainian side
of that story. However, what we're seeing here play out in Moscow is a lot of anger and some serious steps by the Russian federation. Here's what
we're learning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(ARTILLERY FIRE)
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Ukraine not wasting any time striking deep into Russian territory using U.S.-supplied ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles,
only days after getting the go-ahead from the Biden administration, the U.S. confirms. Ukraine's President coy when asked about the strikes. "We
now have ATACMS and we will use them", he said.
Moscow up in arms claiming Ukraine targeted military installations in southwestern Russia overnight. The Foreign Minister ripping into the Biden
administration. "The fact that ATACMS were used repeatedly tonight in the Bryansk region is of course, a signal that they want escalation and it's
impossible to use these high tech missiles without the Americans", and Putin has spoken about this many times, and now Putin has reacted.
Breaking news on Kremlin-controlled TV after the Russian President signed an order changing the country's nuclear doctrine. "The use of western
missiles for strikes into the strategic depths of Russia means direct involvement of NATO in the war", the host says, and now Moscow's hands are
untied. Among the changes, the Russians now consider attacks by non-nuclear nations like Ukraine with the help of nuclear nations like the U.S. worthy
of a nuclear response, at least on paper.
(on camera): The spokesman for the Kremlin says the reason why the Russians decided to update their nuclear doctrine is so potential adversaries of
Russia know that retaliation will be inevitable if Russia is attacked. (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) --
PLEITGEN: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
PLEITGEN: Do you think that the threat of the use of nuclear weapons has increased now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think they will do it. It sounds like mad people, no. They are not mad people. They're very clever, not mad.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Russia's move to change its nuclear posture comes exactly on the 1,000th day of the war in Ukraine as the U.S. is trying to
help keep the badly-outgunned Ukrainians in the fight, now allowing Kyiv to --
(ARTILLERY FIRE)
PLEITGEN: In the most powerful weapons they've been given.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: So, you see there, Erica, the view here from Moscow. And you know, the politicians that we've seen here and those in power, haven't said
exactly what their reaction is going to be. Of course, you do see a lot of angry here on the part of a lot of government officials. One thing that the
spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova said -- she said in any case, Russia's response as she put it will be felt here. Erica.
HILL: Appreciate it, Fred live there from Moscow. And now for more of the perspective from Ukraine, I'm joined by Andriy Zagorodnyuk, the former
Ukrainian Defense Minister and a distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center.
[14:10:00]
It's good to have you with us. So, in light of what we are seeing here and picking up really where Fred left off there, this threat from Vladimir
Putin updating the nuclear doctrine. Is that all bluster in your mind or does this race significantly more concerns for you in terms of the use of
nuclear weapons.
ANDRIY ZAGORODNYUK, DISTINGUISHED FELLOW, ATLANTIC COUNCIL'S EURASIA CENTER: No, it doesn't. It's simply to talk about that. It's simply to
raise this in information space, and that's pretty much it. Putin is not using nuclear weapons, not because of the provisions of his doctrine.
Putin is not using nuclear weapons because they will not help him to win the war, and they will create him immense problems with the rest of the
world including the countries which he depends upon. And also the western nations sent him a very clear messages that the consequences will be
disastrous for Putin, and that's why he is referring from the use.
It's nothing to do about the doctrine, he can change it every day if he wants to. So, this is done in order to show to the Russian people, to the
world that he still can -- he still can do something frightening, he can still somehow bring closer the -- you know, discussions about nuclear and
so on and so on. In reality -- in reality, this is purely like information operation or probably information campaign, and that's it.
HILL: So, you see, it's just an information campaign. We also heard from Sergey Lavrov who said this is a new phase of war. What does that say to
you? What are you expecting in terms of this, quote, "new phase of war"?
ZAGORODNYUK: The new -- what may be a new in this phase of war is that Ukraine will finally be able to do something which NATO countries would do
from the day one of the war. It means striking to the enemy's territory and destroying their high value targets, such as command and control, valuable
logistics, valuable fire support, and other high value targets.
So, this is why -- this is what for the tactical missiles such as ATACMS were developed. They absolutely -- that capability of striking those
targets in the depth is absolutely critical for the modern warfare, and Ukraine has been asking for that opportunity since literally the first
months of the war.
But unfortunately, we got them only now. That will -- significantly should reduce, especially if combined with other strikes, it should reduce the
ability of Russians to accumulate forces and to prepare the forces for the battle. And yes, it may change, change the tide. However, it shouldn't be
just ATACMS. It should be a combination of weapons able to create that sort of pressure in the depths.
HILL: Do you think this will be enough for Ukraine to hold on to the Kursk region?
ZAGORODNYUK: Most likely, it's just -- if we're just taking ATACMS, depending on their number, we don't know when that number is going to be
provided. It may be significantly helping, but unless we support that with the other long-range firepower, no, it's not going to be enough. Because
there's no single weapon which is like magical key, you know, to the victory. It's a combination. It combines arms approach. But certain
capabilities are critical, that's one of them.
HILL: You had noted in recent days that the over-cautious approach in your words of the Biden administration, this sort of reactive, piecemeal
strategy that this delay really led to not only further Russian escalation, but further Ukrainian losses. What does this change now moving forward?
Because to your point, this needs to be part of a larger strategy in your view.
ZAGORODNYUK: Absolutely. You mentioned two key words right now. One of them is reactive, and the other one is a piecemeal. So reactive, it means that
the decisions are made as a reaction to some Russian decisions. What would we want to have, and what would be normal to expect is to have a strategy,
have a campaign plan and then deliver the weapons to the complained plan with the strategic goal.
And unfortunately, we never could agree with that, with the Biden administration. We've been still -- we've been constantly discussing this,
with this being like sort of ambiguous strategy approach. And yes, a piecemeal means like, we have no idea why this decision must have waited
for that long.
I mean, we are almost three years in the war, and only now we're able to strike with the substantial weapons onto the enemy's territory. Any NATO
General would never even think about fighting the war like that. And that's what we're going through. Yes, we're buying this time with lives of our
soldiers.
HILL: We will see how this plays out in the next 60 or so days, of course - -
ZAGORODNYUK: Right --
HILL: That's left in this Biden administration and what changes once Donald Trump is sworn into office. Andriy Zagorodnyuk, really appreciate you being
with us tonight. Thank you. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking a short time ago from inside Gaza. He was there on a visit with
his Defense Minister, saying that Israel has not given up on finding the remaining hostages.
[14:15:00]
Official numbers show about 100 hostages remain unaccounted for. They of course, were taken by Hamas on October 7th of last year. Prime Minister
Netanyahu also said that Hamas would not rule Gaza once the war ends.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): Hamas won't rule Gaza. We are dismantling its military capabilities in a very
impressive manner. Those who return hostages, we'll find a safe passage to them and their families, and we will pay $5 million U.S. for every hostage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: And that's with the situation on the ground in Gaza. Gaza's Health Ministry now reporting some 44,000 Palestinians have been killed since the
October 7th attacks, 50 in the past 24 hours. Still to come here tonight, the first convicted felon ever to be elected U.S. President. Could the
conviction though be tossed out? Breaking news in Donald Trump's so-called hush money case.
Plus, the President-elect turning up the pressure on Senate Republicans to back his pick for Attorney General. We'll show you how he's pulling out all
the stops to get Matt Gaetz confirmed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Donald Trump's hush money case now in uncharted territory. In just the last hour, the Manhattan District Attorney agreed to postpone
sentencing. It had been scheduled for next week. It is postponed now until the appeals process plays out. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts
last May for falsifying business records in an effort to conceal a sex scandal with adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.
That, of course, though, was followed by an unprecedented turn of events. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision this Summer to grant some immunity to
presidents under certain circumstances. And, of course, Donald Trump becoming the President-elect throws more questions into this legal case
here.
To be clear, prosecutors say it doesn't mean that they are dropping the case, whether it still moves forward, though, that is now in the hands of
Judge Juan Merchan. For more of these developments, senior crime and justice reporter Katelyn Polantz joining me now. So, we're waiting on the
judge, but what does it mean, practically-speaking at this point, Katelyn?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME & JUSTICE REPORTER: Yes, so, there is a sentencing still on the calendar. The judge hasn't taken it off the
calendar for next week. Donald Trump convicted of those 34 criminal counts for falsifying business records in New York. But there are two things that
are happening here.
One, there's challenges to the case itself. What was presented to the jury, what was presented at trial. The prosecutors want those challenges to be
heard, and that, the case to stay on the books.
[14:20:00]
But, the big but is, will Donald Trump be sentenced next week or in the time before he takes office of the presidency? By the minute is looking
less and less likely. That's because both the defense team, so Trump's own lawyers, as well as the prosecutors who brought this case, won this case
against Trump, they are in agreement that we probably shouldn't have the President-elect being sentenced.
And so, the filing that came in, that has really shifted the expectations on a sentencing over the past couple of hours, Erica, it is a filing from
the prosecutors writing to the judge, saying that we respect the office of the presidency, we also understand and want to respect the jury's decision
in this case.
But this is such an unprecedented circumstance that they don't have any issue with putting off Trump's sentencing until after his time as President
is over. So, we're looking to see what the judge does next. Does he formally say Donald Trump will not be sentenced until he's out of the
office, done serving his time as President? And then also, what does the judge do about the rest of the case? Do opinions --
HILL: Yes --
POLANTZ: And other challenges continue on. A lot to be watching here. It really was the only remaining case with any ongoing activity against Donald
Trump. And of course, his spokesperson Steven Cheung quickly put out a statement after we got the prosecutors' letter here saying this is a total
and definitive victory for the President-elect.
HILL: It is not a definitive victory yet, though, we should be clear. But it has shown, you know, Elie Honig, our dear friend called it a crazy law
school hypothetical come to life earlier today. The fact that we're looking at this and how it will play out. But to your point, we are waiting on the
judge, it is amazing that there would be a suggestion that the sentencing could actually be pushed until after his term. So, 2029, is there any sense
that, that is a realistic outcome?
POLANTZ: It's plausible. I mean, if you look in the court system, this does happen sometimes. People who are cooperators and plead guilty in the
federal system, they'll sign up to cooperate and cooperate for years before they can be sentenced. And so, put it -- closing the book on a case with a
sentencing is one thing, letting the case even move forward on other challenges, that's a different thing.
And so, the prosecutors are taking two different positions. You know, here are the challenges to the case in court judge, while Trump may even be in
office. But as far as the sentencing goes, reaching that final judgment of the consequence, a person who is convicted of crimes should face, they are
saying we have no issue with that, waiting until he's done serving as President.
There is a long history of there being deference to the presidency, making sure that things don't disrupt the man or woman that we have not had yet in
the presidency, letting that person serve, so that they're not facing anything that would really take away their responsibilities to the United
States.
HILL: Yes, Katelyn, really appreciate it, thank you. Well, the co-chair of Donald Trump's transition team is expected to be his pick now for Commerce
Secretary. Howard Lutnick is a Trump loyalist, he's the CEO of the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, and supports the President-
elect's call for higher tariffs.
He would be Trump's latest cabinet choice after of course, in recent days, tapping former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy as
Transportation Secretary, that happened just yesterday. Meantime, sources tell CNN, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is joining Trump and Matt Gaetz
in a bit of a pressure campaign, as they try to convince key Republican senators to back Gaetz for Attorney General.
For more on these developments, CNN's Kristen Holmes joins us now from West Palm Beach, Florida. So, the pressure campaign is on, two more picks, I
think, since I last spoke with you yesterday. Where does everything stand today?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, when it comes to that pressure campaign, we are told that Donald Trump is all in on Matt
Gaetz. He has been making these personal calls to senators, obviously, as you just mentioned, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance is basically going to
parade Matt Gaetz through the halls of Capitol Hill in the next couple of days, trying to meet with senators as well.
We have just learned that Gaetz himself has been trying to have conversations, calling up these senators to try and encourage them to give
him a chance. Now, all this is coming as we're hearing publicly from Republican lawmakers who say they want to see that ethics report. So, how
that plays into this does seem likely at some point whether it is on the record released or at least on background, that we're going to see some of
what's in that ethics report and how that plays with Donald Trump remains to be seen.
Now, in terms of who he has named since then, he hasn't quite named Howard Lutnick, the head of commerce yet, but we are told that, that is coming.
Just a reminder, he had been in an intense battle, Lutnick for Secretary of Treasury with Scott Bessent.
[14:25:00]
We have been told yesterday and the day before that Donald Trump himself was kind of annoyed at Lutnick the way he was handling it. Lutnick was co-
chair of the transition team, Bessent was all but a done deal when it came to Treasury, and then Lutnick threw his name in the mix, and it caused
people to really walk on eggshells, particularly because of his relationship with Donald Trump.
Now, the other person that you mentioned, Sean Duffy, what's so interesting about him being the head of transportation that goes to, Erica, what we've
been reporting for the last several days, which is Donald Trump is looking for people who he believes will be, quote, "effective communicators".
That means good on television when it comes to Donald Trump. He wants people who are going out there and essentially defending his message,
defending his administration, and then the plan is, and this is across all agencies to kind of beef up the next layer of these underlings with people
who are actually going to do the day-to-day work.
We are also told that about Matt Gaetz, for example, that he would be the bomb thrower, and then Todd Blanche, who was the deputy Attorney General,
or at least has been nominated to be that, would be the one doing the actual work. So, we are expecting to hear more names later tonight, but we
don't know what they're going to be potentially, commerce, potentially treasury, since that has been going on now since two weeks ago.
They've been trying to fight through that battle. Education is still missing, labor, and we'll see how all of these picks play into the ultimate
look of the cabinet and the administration.
Absolutely, Kristen, appreciate the reporting. Thank you. Well, the United States is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials
in the wake of the mass sentencing of pro-democracy activists. More than 40 of Hong Kong's best known pro-democracy leaders have been sentenced to
prison terms of up to ten years until subversion charges.
It is the largest single prosecution under Hong Kong's Beijing-imposed national security law, but of course, was enacted four years ago. Countries
around the world are condemning the sentencing. The U.S. Consulate says the defendants were, quote, peacefully participating in normal political
activity, protected under Hong Kong's basic law.
Beijing hit back, accusing, quote, "some western countries" of interfering in China's internal affairs. Still to come tonight, Russia is accusing
Ukraine and its allies of beginning a new phase in the war. What we're learning about how longer-range U.S.-made missiles are playing into Kyiv's
strategy. Plus, European officials warning about a possible act of hybrid warfare after two internet cables under the Baltic sea were cut. Those
details ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:35]
HILL: Welcome back. Half past the hour here. More now on our top story, a major escalation of the war in Ukraine. The U.S. and Moscow both say Kyiv
has fired U.S.-made ATACMS missiles into Russia for the first time. According to U.S. officials, the strike hit a weapons arsenal in Russia's
Bryansk region. Russia's foreign minister says the attack marks, in his words, a new phase of war started by Ukraine and its western allies.
Speaking earlier, Ukraine's president declined to comment on the strike, but did say Kyiv plans to use all the long-range weapons in its arsenal.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noting Ukraine will keep working with all of its partners to get their support for Kyiv's strikes into Russia.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Melissa Bell joining me now from Paris. As we're watching all of this play out, as we just heard there,
Zelenskyy also noting not just U.S., but other allies that he will continue to push there.
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He will. And he's been pushing for some time, President Zelenskyy, that this change in
policy, allowing these long-range missiles to be sent from Ukrainian soil deep inside Russia was necessary. He's been arguing with his partners, the
United States, the first to allow those strikes. Those six ATACM him long- range missiles, we understand, aimed towards the Briansk region with five, according to Moscow, stopped on route.
But an important escalation from the point of view of Moscow, certainly, and that's what we've been hearing over the course of the day from Sergey
Lavrov, the foreign minister, speaking on the sidelines of the G20, but of course, from the Kremlin itself in the shape of this revised nuclear
doctrine, lowing the threshold for when Moscow believes it is entitled to reply to -- with its nuclear arsenal. Those threats taken seriously, but
follow a pattern, of course, Erica, that we've seen over the last couple of years, the brinkmanship that has led to so many changes in the policy of
the western allies supporting Ukraine.
Again, this time, to your question, the United States has led the way. We understand that London and Paris have signaled their intention of making
that change and allowing Kyiv to use their long-range missiles on Russian soil. It is Berlin, the most recalcitrant. And again, Olaf Scholz, the
German chancellor, has been speaking to this again at the G20 of the fact that he believed it was a mistake and could represent an escalation too
far.
He's -- we've also been hearing from President Zelenskyy himself today, Erica, who's been speaking to the European Parliament about not just the
fact that he hopes that 2025 will be a time for peace, but speaking to the presence of those North Korean soldiers that we understand was such an
important part of the American decision to change its policy so far.
President Biden made that decision on Sunday, the missiles were launched two days later. It was the presence of those North Korean troops estimated,
Erica, to have been around 10,000 strong. Well, President Zelenskyy told European lawmakers today was that he believes that that presence could rise
as far as 100,000. Extremely worrying to those who expect a fresh counteroffensive in the Kursk region on the part of those Russian and North
Korean troops in the coming days and weeks, Erica.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. Melissa. Appreciate it. Thank you. Another development that Europe is watching very closely, two internet cables in
the Baltic Sea have been cut. Some European officials say this was an act of hybrid warfare by Russia. One of the cables, we'll show you on a map
here, runs between Lithuania and Sweden. The other between Finland and Germany.
Germany's defense minister says investigations are ongoing, but that no one believes the cables were severed by accident. Anna Stewart is following
these developments for us from London. And there have been some warnings actually from the U.S. that there could be some sort of similar activity.
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I don't think this news actually came as much as a surprise as maybe you would think. The first cable was cut on
Sunday. The second one was on Monday. These cables are really critical infrastructure. 95 percent of the world's digital traffic goes through
undersea cables. Fortunately, countries aren't overly reliant on any single link and these things can be repaired.
So, already, the conversation is moving on from what disruption has been caused and what caused the disruption in the first place. Who is the
culprit? Because clearly, from the German government, they don't think this was an accident. And as you say, they are linking this to a broader attack.
Take a listen to the foreign minister.
[14:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNALENA BAERBOCK, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We are now also experiencing this in Germany, geographically at the heart of the
European Union, so to speak, with cyberattacks, observation, and spying on critical infrastructure. Suddenly, parcels that are supposed to be
transported in airplanes are exploding. And yesterday, as you mentioned, a data cable between Finland and Germany, and probably also affecting Sweden,
broke down. None of this can just be a coincidence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Russia was not explicitly named there as a perpetrator, but it has been accused of attacking undersea cables in Europe before. And as you say,
we heard from U.S. officials very, recently in September, and they said that Russia was more likely to carry out sabotage operations. And they even
told us that Russia had beefed up dedicated secretive marine units.
Now, of course, if Russia is behind this, it could be linked to what is known as hybrid warfare. All sorts of different, almost random attacks on
the west from arson to election interference to disinformation, you name it. Hybrid warfare, of course, very hard to prove necessarily who's behind
it and also to have an idea of what would be next. Erica.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. Anna, appreciate it. Thank you. So, how is Russia responding to these developments? Again, hasn't explicitly been named, but
there are a lot of questions. Nathan Hodge is CNN's former Moscow bureau chief and joins me now from London. You know, as Anna was just pointing
out, of course, the hybrid warfare, it's hard to pinpoint, it's hard to tack down, but the fact that there were these recent warnings from the
U.S., that these Russian units were seen sort of in the area of critical infrastructure recently. Signs do point toward Russia. Is there a sense
that we will, in fact, know who the perpetrator is soon?
NATHAN HODGE, CNN FORMER MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Erica, I mean, the first thing I think to point out here is that the main operative word of
the day here is talk of escalation, right? You know, the fear because of the Biden administration's decision to allow Ukraine to move forward with
striking or using U.S. supplied weapons to strike more deeply inside of Russia. And we've heard the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, saying
that this would constitute, you know, a step on the escalation ladder. That's similar, sort of, to what we've even heard from the incoming
national security advisor for President-Elect Trump, that this would also be, you know, an escalatory step.
Now, what Russia has done today, basically, by publicly tweaking and confirming changes to its nuclear doctrine is, it seems to me a way of kind
of maintaining credibility that is in its own deterrent. As has been pointed out before, the Russians have constantly made gestures, not only
nuclear saber rattling, but have constantly warned about red lines that they think would be crossed if, say, for instance, you know, F-16 fighter
aircraft are supplied to Ukraine or if Patriot missile batteries are allowed to be delivered to Ukraine to help protect Ukrainian skies or
western tanks that are provided, right? All of these red lines, in many instances, have sort of incrementally been crossed with each new
development.
Of course, Russia likes to repeat that warning that the west is acting as an opponent, is taking an active role in the war -- in the Ukraine war. And
in order for Russia to sort of maintain credibility, you know, we have moves that I think are quite clearly directed not only at, you know,
western policymakers but, you know, the western public as well, basically saying, you know, we are willing to revise our nuclear doctrine to lower
the bar, lower the threshold at which we would be considered justified in using nuclear weaponry.
So, a lot of this is in the larger context where Russia is facing an incoming Trump administration about which it is still very uncertain.
Trump, to them, is still very much a wild card. Even -- you know, despite sort of the record of, you know, Trump's admiring statements about Putin,
certainly, they are quite uncertain about how in fact, Trump would plan to end this war. He has said that he could end it in a day. They certainly do
not know if, for instance, you know, they are going to have a less predictable Trump administration, whereas the Biden administration, I
think, in their view, they have seen sort of through the lens of this very cautious escalation management sort of scenario.
So, you know, it is coming against a background that's very complex in Europe with the Europeans wondering about what the future is going to be
like and whether they're going to have to go it alone if the U.S. withdraws some support for Ukraine or even starts to signal that it will support --
you know, withdraw from, possibly from NATO or scale back.
[14:40:00]
So, you know, certainly, I think the Russians are trying to keep that sort of uncertainty and strategic unpredictability in the mix, Erica.
HILL: Yes, absolutely. So, many unknowns at this point. Nathan, appreciate it. Thank you.
Joe Biden is making what could be his last appearance as the U.S. president on a global stage. Earlier in Brazil, Mr. Biden took his final group
picture with world leaders at the joint G20 Summit. He is there. You can see him, of course, in between Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and
Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi. It comes one day after Biden and Trudeau actually missed an earlier group photo.
Still to come tonight, a remarkable successful surgery. The man who received a face transplant after surviving a suicide attempt.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: Indonesia is home to some of the most expansive mangrove forests on Earth, but these vital ecosystems are under threat. This week in our Going
Green series, we're looking at ways to revive degraded ecosystems like the one in Kuberaya, Indonesia. Community-led, nature-based restoration efforts
there are helping to bring back the critical habitat. Julia Chatterley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADAM MILLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PLANET INDONESIA: Indonesia really is an amazing country. Indonesia has a lot of ocean and has a lot of coastline.
And most of that coastline is covered by an amazing tropical forest called mangroves.
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR, FIRST MOVE (voice-over): Recognized by their intricate root systems seemingly floating above the water, mangroves can be
found in equatorial areas around the world. These trees provide coastal protection, sequester carbon, and serve as a nursery habitat for many
aquatic species.
MILLER: Mangroves are one of the most special ecosystems on our planet. These are really nature's gift to coastal communities. They are also one of
the most at risk and heavily degraded ecosystems on our planet.
Places in Indonesia have experienced these massive levels of coastal development. We've also seen a boom in shrimp and other aquaculture
industries. These industries often replace mangrove forests with fish and shrimp ponds.
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Planet Indonesia was formed in 2014 to support frontline communities in their efforts to protect and restore tropical
ecosystems like mangroves.
[14:45:00]
MILLER: When we're thinking about mangrove restoration, there's a number of steps that we need to take. The first thing is mapping out mangrove
ecosystems. Where are the areas that can be conserved and also where are areas that are degraded and can be restored?
CHATTERLEY (voice-over): Planet Indonesia uses a restoration method called Assisted Natural Regeneration. This helps create the right conditions for
mangroves to grow back naturally.
MILLER: It's a fairly straightforward process. Generally, it requires some level of tree planting, some level of hydrological restoration, and then
monitoring that over time. Mangroves are quite unique because they actually grow very quickly and regenerate naturally very quickly, as long as the
hydrological flows are correct --
OKA PRANSISKA, ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COORDINATOR, PLANET INDONESIA (through translator): It is important to restore the mangrove forest's condition as
an effort to holistically restore the ecosystem. This is all to benefit the communities, as well as wildlife living in the mangrove areas.
MILLER: We've been working in mangroves in the district of Kuberaya for much of the past decade, these communities deeply recognize that you can
have no fish. You can have no crabs without a properly functioning mangrove forest.
CHATTERLEY (on camera): Adams says they've seen regeneration rates outpacing deforestation rates in the past seven years.
MILLER: My long-term vision is self-reliant, self-organized communities that are managing in such a way that protects livelihoods, protects
biodiversity, and also preserves these critical ecosystem services to these communities.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: For more stories from this series, just visit cnn.com/goinggreen. Thousands of British farmers brought parts of London to a standstill today
over a proposed inheritance tax. The Labour government's proposal, dubbed the tractor tax by critics, was announced as part of last month's budget.
The proposal would mean that inherited agricultural assets worth more than a million pounds, that's about $1.2 million, will be liable for 20 percent
tax. Now, farms had previously been exempted from inheritance tax. Labour has defended the move, saying the money is needed to fund public services.
Large protests also taking place in New Zealand over a contentious bill that reinterprets the 184-year-old treaty there with the indigenous Maori
people. Tens of thousands taking part in a nine-day koi or peaceful protest that traversed the nation's North Island and has now reached parliament in
the capital of Wellington. Opponents say the bill undermines the rights of Maori who make up a fifth -- about a fifth of the population. Proposed by
the ACT New Zealand Party, the bill is unlikely to pass into law.
Still to come here, an Italian village doing everything it can to court Americans, saying, if you don't like the political climate, come over and
see us. An offer that maybe tough to refuse.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:00]
HILL: Some news just coming into us here at CNN. President-Elect Donald Trump formally announcing that Howard Lutnick is in fact his pick for
commerce secretary. This confirms, of course, CNN's earlier reporting. Lutnick has been co-chairing the Trump transition effort. He's currently
the chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald. In his statement, the president- elect saying that Lutnick would, quote, "lead our tariff and trade agenda." And he has, of course, said he supports the president-elect's call for
higher tariffs.
A really remarkable medical breakthrough to share with you. The survivor of a suicide attempt has received an innovative face transplant. It was hard
for him to breathe, to swallow, to smile, even to blink after a self- inflicted gunshot wound. It happened when he was a college student. After dozens of surgeries, he still couldn't speak clearly or properly chew food.
But thanks to a donor, he now has 85 percent of his face reconstructed. CNN's Jacqueline Howard joins me now. So, walk us through, Jacqueline how
this happened.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Erica, it is pretty remarkable. As you mentioned, when the man Derek Pfaff was in college about 10 years ago,
that's when sadly he attempted suicide and he shot himself in the face. After that happened, he did have 58 reconstructive surgeries. He says that
they were helpful, but his doctors recommended for him to look into getting a face transplant.
That's when he was connected with Mayo Clinic, located in Rochester, Minnesota, and that's where a team of at least 80 people performed a face
transplant surgery. This procedure lasted for more than 50 hours. It involved taking donor tissue, the face of a donor, and implanting it onto
Derek's face.
He can now, with his new face, smile. He can frown. He can make facial expressions. He can speak more clearly. He can chew. Here he is with his
parents on what the moment was like in the hospital when he saw his new face for the first time in the air.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEREK PFAFF, FACE TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT: (INAUDIBLE). I had a face, a nose, lips, cheeks. I saw that working, and I looked like a person again. It was
incredible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD: Erica, you said he looks like a person again and he is doing well as you saw since the surgery. He is on immunosuppressive medications to
make sure his body does not reject the donor tissue. He'll be on these medicines for the rest of his life, but he says that he wants to use this
moment to really raise awareness around suicide. And he wants other young people to know if they're ever feeling overwhelmed or stressed, reach out
for help. Here in the United States, you can call the 988 Crisis Lifeline for help. And that's what he sees this second chance as having. He feels
like he has a mission now to speak out.
HILL: Yes, which is quite a moment for him. And this face transplant itself, it is rare but has been done before. I mean, how many have been
done in the world at this point?
HOWARD: That's right. The very first face transplant was performed in 2005. So, it has been done before. There have been about 50 face transplant
procedures performed around the world. But I will say, Erica, every single one of those surgeries is innovative because every face is different. So --
and every injury is different.
So, any time we hear about a face transplant being performed, it is an advancement for science and medicine. And again, it's fascinating to see
how now this is an option for patients out there.
HILL: Yes, it really is something. Jacqueline, appreciate it. Thank you. A village on the Italian island of Sardinia is offering Americans reeling
from the presidential election an opportunity. How about a home for a dollar? Launching a website to attract would-be American expats to the
village of Ollolai. It happened shortly after the election result was announced.
The village has been trying to persuade outsiders to move in to revive its fortunes for some time now. Decades of depopulation really taking a toll on
the village. The mayor tells CNN he loves the U.S. and is convinced that Americans could be the best people to help revive his community. There you
go. Or even if you're not dismayed by the election, how about a home for a buck?
Meantime, an ominous discovery has been made in California again. The oarfish, which is also known as a doomsday fish, washed up on the shores of
Encinitas, just north of San Diego. The third time in three months that this species has been spotted in the state. And just to put that in
perspective, oarfish have only been spotted 22 times over the past century.
[14:55:00]
According to Japanese mythology, the sighting of an oarfish is a precursor to earthquakes and tsunamis. The fish was recovered for further study by
the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Could also be a sign that maybe you need to buy a house in a small Sardinian village. Just a thought.
The phrase, suspect on the run, taking on a new meaning for police in Tacoma, Washington when they were tasked with chasing down this pig. Police
were called into the residential area when reports kept coming in about a loose animal roaming around earlier this month. This hog, though, not going
down without a fight. It evaded capture before one officer was able to pin said piggy down. Police say the swine was unharmed and was returned to the
ranch where it came from.
Thanks for joining me tonight. I'm Erica Hill. Be sure to stay with CNN. Newsroom with Jim Sciutto is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
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