Hospitalizations just yesterday, marking the 12th consecutive day of more than 100,000 people in the hospital. The second event unfolding moments from now, the Electoral College will confirm president elect joe bidens win, sealing President Trumps fate again, no matter what he says or which conspiracy theories he pushes. Electors from all 50 states in d. C. Will today follow the constitution and affirm what the voters decided on november 3rd. It is a process that is formally, well its normally a formality, but with an active attack to undermine democracy by the president and his republican allies well show you the vote from each state but first, we want to begin with the vaccine rollout. 189 boxes of vaccine vials are expected to arrive in all 50 states today. We have correspondents at hospitals across the country to watch who is getting the nations first doses and when. Sara murray is outside George Washington University Hospital in d. C. Where alex is aa czar and Jerome Abrams will observe the vaccinations with some Front Line Health Care workers later today. What you can tell us about the distribution plans across the country today . Reporter well, look, i think what were seeing play out at g. W. Is what well see the hospitals across the country. The first box of 975 doses actually already arrived here this morning. There were some Health Care Workers that came out, they were clapping. That gives you just an indication of what a relief it is around the country to finally have this vaccine shipping out especially to these Front Line Health Care workers. Well talk to some drlz octors the hospital later how theyre planning to stagger their workforce. 975 doses is a blessing for these Health Care Workers. Its not going to go nearly far enough to be able to vaccinate all the Health Care Workers we need in this area. Later this afternoon, members of the Trump Administration here at g. W. Expecting to see secretary of health and Human Services alex astar and the Surgeon General to oversee some of the first vaccinations in their area and anderson, this is a huge deal for the Trump Administration, as much as they have mismanaged so much of this pandemic response, operation warp speed they feel has been a huge victory and of course they want to be here to see some of the Front Line Health Care workers get their vaccinations. It is an extraordinary effort that has gone under way from all aspects of society in order to get this precious vaccine out to people into peoples arms. Sara murray, appreciate it. Shipments of the vaccine are expected to arrive in a few moinz minutes at ohio state University Hospital in columbus, where we find martin savidge. How soon before the first shots are given . Reporter they anticipate they could get it or at least start to administer it within an hour to an hour and a half after receiving. At this point out, the anticipation is very high right now after this truck moves. As they anticipate that at any moment this arrival can happen. The u. P. S. Truck which is what is expected will come down from the road thats behind us here, and then it will make its way over were told to loading dock number ten, there is a gathering of some hospital diplomats. The governor of ohio mike dewine is also there and present to watch as they receive the 975 doses they will be getting here, as we already said, it will take approximately maybe an hour, hour and a half until they can begin to administer that to the 20 to 30 Front Line Health Care workers that have already been predetermined here. There is a little bit of processing. You have to thaw out the vaccine and of course there is some diluting that has on it done. Its just step one, but it comes at a time in this state, about to become the deadliest month of the pandemic in ohio. This vaccine cant get here soon enough. There is some sort of eloquence to the fact that its a u. P. S. Driver who is going to be bringing it, given its u. P. S. Folks delivery people who have really saved so many of us throughout this pandemic, and made it possible for people to stay at home as much as they have, made it possible for people to keep functioning and getting packages delivered. I hope somebody told this u. P. S. Driver what theyre bringing, because theyre going to be very surprised theres all these cameras there and government officials waiting for him or her. Reporter we thought about the very same thing. There is sort of a humble aspect that u. P. S. Is a brown truck that were used to seeing in our neighborhoods but now the significance of this particular delivery, it cant be overstated. I will point out all of these boxes have a gps monitor on them, so they are likely not to get lost and they have a monitor for the temperature. As we stated many times, keeping this vaccine, the Pfizer Vaccine at a specific cold temperature is so vitally important to maintaining that it works properly here. The other thing is, once they thaw it out, once you get it to Room Temperature, it only can last for two hours. You have to be careful and the amounts that youre going to thaw out and also as to how long youre going to keep it, and they practice all of that here, at the Ohio State University Medical Center. This is what they call a soft opening, if you will, in other words 20 to 30, the first day doesnt sound significant but tomorrow will be more and day after that day, it will continue to grow. The process is relying not so much on how many people want to get this vaccine, its how much vaccine can the Medical Center get, and that is dependent of course on those that are producing it and later in the week, were expecting moderna to come online with their vaccine, getting approval so well have to see. Right now, all eyes focused on the road and the u. P. S. Truck waiting for that delivery and yes, of course, we hope the driver knows just what hes going to run into here. Anderson . Im sure they do. Martin savidge, appreciate it. Sara sidner is at the university of michigan hospital in ann arb arbor. What is the plan today for where you are . Reporter we just got to see the vials coming in at 8 45 a. M. This morning, right on time. U. P. S. Brought them had heere. They have already gone in. This is the ultra cold freezer that has to stay at least negative 6 to 70 degrees celsius in order to keep the vaccines safe and ready to be administered. It came in this box here, and if you look down in there, our photographer leon will give you a look, thats dry ice, very important to make sure when its shipped, that this dry ice, that is there to make sure they call it the bunker, thats what operation warp speed was calling it the bunker, where they put these vials. There were two cases of vials and lets show you the tape. It happened seconds ago. Lets show you what happened. The manager of the pharmacy here open it up easily, pull out each packet. If you see those packets there, each one has about 150 vials inside so theres about 300plus vials that are inside. Each of the vials can give five doses, so were talking about more than a thousand doses that have been brought to the university of michigans Medical Center, and they are all here. Folks from operation warp speed that you see here, folks from the state department of health, there are folks from the cdc and of course the university and University President is here. I want to give you a quick look just over here, im going to scoot through here. This is how theyre going to be moving the vials out to spaces where theyre going to be able to inject folks outside of the hospital. But as we understand it, the first people who will get this will be those front line workers, the people who have exhausted themselves taking care of these patients for months, and we have talked to them all across the country, and to be very clear, every single time i speak to a nurse or a doctor, who has been dealing and helping covid patients, they say they are beyond their breaking point, beyond exhausted and for the first time, there were cheers here today. There were people clapping here today. They were so excited to see something that is going to help them through this, not only have the Health Care Workers had to worry about their patients surviving but they they have to worry about themselves and their families surviving and their colleagues surviving and we know that so many people have gotten this virus because they have working with patients, but again, this was the best Christmas Present that you can imagine, hanukkah present that you can imagine today. They did get these vials and talking 390 that are in each of those two cases, and so this is the beginning hopefully of the end, anderson. Its extraordinary to see, i mean, you know, just comes in a box like we all have received packages, even with dry ice. So it immediately goes into that freezer, and then how quickly from when theyre taken out of the freezer, how quickly do they have to get it into a form that it can be injected and get into somebody . How long can it be outside for . Reporter yes, it has to thaw out for a bit. Each vial, which is incredible, its five doses each vial and so those might look like tiny packages, but indeed they do, they can get quite a bit out of them and so its really important. Let me just quickly ask you, can i ask you how long it would take for these to get into a human being, how long as far as defrosting them, if you will . If we take them right from the ultra cold freezer, they will take at least a half an hour to come to Room Temperature, and it has to come to Room Temperature before it can be reconstituted. It could actuallien y be up to hours if its a whole tray. Reporter thats lindsay park. Shes wonderful, the manager here at the university of michigan Medical Center and shes the one that got the honor of opening this up and putting this away and taking care of this, and this is going to mean so much. About half an hour its got to sort of, its so cold, negative 70 degrees celsius, and so it has to sort of get to a point where it can defrost and then human beings can then take it in their arms and you know, weve all had immunizations. You remember when you were a kid. This is not a scary thing. It is something that is going to help stop this, and so many people have lost their lives and so many people have gotten sick, and this is finally a day where we can all smile. Anderson . Its just incredible to see. Sara sidner, thank you very much. Coming up next well talk about who gets the vaccines first and how they work, plus the former director of the cdc joins us live on a new prediction Many Americans will have access to the vaccine perhaps by late february. Thats surprising. And the Electoral College set to begin voting just a short time from now, confirming abouteded abouts win and putting another official end to the president s baseless challenge. Your ring should shine the same way you do. Shop exclusive styles from our collections, including vera wang love, enchanted disney, endless brilliance and so much more. Shop online with a virtual consultant. Exclusively at zales. The diamond store. Intronew advil dual action. The world of pain relief shop online with a virtual consultant. Advil targets pain at the source. Acetaminophen blocks pain signals. New advil dual action with acetaminophen. So this aveeno® moisturizer goes beyond just soothing sensitive skin . Exactly jen calm restore oat gel is formulated with prebiotic oat. And strengthens skins moisture barrier. Uh i love it aveeno® healthy. Its our nature. ™ we look at how much youve saved, how much youll need, and build a straightforward plan to generate income, even when youre not working. A plan that gives you the chance to grow your savings and create cash flow that lasts. Along the way, well give you ways to be tax efficient. And you can start, stop or adjust your plan at any time without the unnecessary fees. Talk to us today, so we can help you go from saving. To living. Talk to us today, cenbut they pack a punch. L, with over 20 essential vitamins and minerals they are the most complete mini multivitamin. So you can focus on punching above your weight. No matter how high you set the bar. Try centrum minis. Any moment new York Governor Andrew Cuomo will speak live about his states first vaccinations. Tens of thousands of doses are already in new york city. Soon the most atrisk front line workers will be among the first new yorkers vaccinated. Lets listen in and see what theyre going to do. Good to see you, michael dowling, president and ceo of northwell health, which is the Largest Health system in the state of new york. Its very good to be with you. Dr. Chester, pleasure. Good morning. And to you, the person who is going to take the first vaccine in the state of new york, maybe the first vaccine shot in the united states, sandra lindsay, an icu nurse. Its a pleasure to be with you. You are in long island jewish Medical Center, which is in a borough of queens. Good things come from queens. [ laughter ] let me start by saying thank you. Thank you, doctor, thank you, nurse, thank you, mr. Dowling. Thank you for everything youve done for all new yorkers through this pandemic. I know how horrific it was. It was a modern day battlefield, and thats why the word heroes is so appropriate for what you did. You put your fear aside and you stepped up every day to serve others, and did you it magnificently well. I cant thank you enough. This vaccine is exciting because i believe this is the weapon that will end the war. Its the beginning of the last chapter of the book, but now we just have to do it. Vaccine doesnt work if its in the vial, right . So new york state has been working hard to deploy it, get it out. We have trains, planes and automobiles moving this all over the state right now. We want to get it deployed and we want to get it deployed quickly, and were here to watch you take the first shot. So michael dowling, dr. Chester, sandra lindsay, were all with you. Thank you. Thank you so much, governor, and let me also express our thanks to you for your extraordinary leadership during this whole pandemic over the last number of months and obviously today, and the fact that you committed to science and data to guide your leadership is actually extraordinary and as you said, we are in Eastern Queens and as you know, queens was the epicenter of the covid a number of months ago, where it hit the hardst and this facility in long island jewish was right at the center and here at northwell, weve seen well over 100,000 covid patients, and at one point, back in april, we had over 3,500 patients in our hospitals, and as you said, we are the Largest Health system in new york, and we are very, very proud of our front line staff and of course the front line staff and all of the hospitals across the region. As we said, they are the real heroes. Its a pleasure to be here with sandra and dr. Chester, and i dont think we need to delay any further, because this is a special moment, a special day. This is what everybody has been waiting for, to be able to give the vaccine and to hopefully see this is the beginning of the end of the covid issue. But i just would like to say something, though, that just because were giving out the vaccine is no excuse for the public out there not to continue wearing masks, not to social distance, et cetera. You have to continue to comply with safety standards, even though the vaccine is going to be distributed over the next couple of months. You have to do both, if were going to be successful here, as you know very well. So again, governor, we thank you. Thank you for your extraordinary leadership and with that, let me turn it over to dr. Chester, and then with sandra here. Sandra is a Critical Care nurse, has been on the front lines all during the crisis, is a director in Critical Care. She has seen a lot, and she is very happy to be here to receive the vaccine, and dr. Chester is a director of our Employee Health services, so with that, dr. Chester, well turn it over to you. Thank you. How are you feeling today . Im feeling great. [ cheers and applause ] you didnt flinch. I take it dr. Chest hearsay a good touch . She has a good touch, and it didnt feel any different from taking any other vaccine. Great. Dr. Chester, it all worked, the k kit from your end . Everything worked perfectly. Thank you. Youre feeling well . Im feeling well. I would like to thank all the workers, all my colleagues who have been doing yeomans job despite the pandemic, all over the world. Im hopeful, i feel hopeful today i hope this marks the beginning of the end of a papful time in our history painful time in our history. I want to instill Public Confidence that the vaccine is safe. Were in a pandemic so we all need to do our part to put an end to the pandemic, and to not give up so soon. And we still continue to wear our mask, to social distance. I believe in science, as a nurse, my practice is guided by science so i trust that. What i dont trust is that if i contract covid, i dont know how it will impact me or those who i come in contact with, so i urge everyone to take the vaccine. You said it very well, sandra. We trust science here in the state of new york. Federal government approved the vaccine. We then had new york state have a separate panel that also approved the vaccine, and weve been following the science all along. I hope this gives you and the Health Care Workers battling this every day a sense of security and safety and a little more confidence in doing your job with the second vaccine, has been administered. In new york we prioritized Health Care Workers at the top of the list to receive the vaccine, because we know that you are out there every day putting your lives in danger with the rest of us so we want to make sure were doing everything we can to keep you safe and the point about new yorkers and americans having to do their part, and take the vaccine, because the vaccine only works if the American People take it. They estimate we need 75 to 85 of americans to take the vaccine for it to be effective. So every american has to do their part, and your point is right. Its going to take months before the vaccine hits critical mass. So this is the light at the end of the tunnel, but its a long tunnel, and we need people to continue to do the right thing and the smart thing, all through the holiday season, and hopefully when we get to about june, they estimate the vaccine can hit critical mass, but the Health Care Workers will get it first, because we know that youre super stressed during this holiday season. God bless you. I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what you do. Everybody knows it. Everybody knows how brave you are and skilled and talented, and selfless. We use the word heros. We dont mean that lightly. We mean it deeply and sincerely. What you do, showing up every day you really are heroes and wish you and your families a blessed holiday season. Michael doulg, thank you. We will beat this, thank you. When my time comes i want dr. Chester. I like her style. No problem. See you. [ laughter ] thank you guys. Thank you very much. Thank you, governor. [ applause ] so you have just seen the first person in new york state to get the Coronavirus Vaccine from pfizer, an icu Critical Care nurse. Dr. Sanjay gupta joins me live. Doctor, its interesting, theres a part of me that looks at this and says wait we aptly watched someone get a flu shot. Like something that we get every time but we were glued to it and i think it was so important, she made the point, this isnt any different than any shot shes ever gotten. It felt completely normal. That was the whole point to show people how normal and safe it is. Yes, look, weve been sort of dealing with this pandemic for so many months now. There has been hope on the horizon in the form of vaccine and as a result this mystique and all that surrounds it, some of it for good reason. The scientific sort of achievement behind this, erin, as weve talked about is truly remarkable. When scientists described this vaccine as the Infectious Disease equivalent of the moon shot, i dont think thats being hyperbolic. I didnt think wed be conversation this conversation this year but to your point in practice terms its a shot that feels very much like a flu shot or any other shot that they would have received. You got the vaccine. It was diluted. It was thawed, may have felt a little bit cold, just because of the cold storage. Im sure. But besides that, sandra just got that shot, which by the way, this is another point, will fairly quickly within a week or so start providing her some protection. This is called the prime shot, and then the next shot, the booster shot three weeks later will get her up to that 94 or so protection against covid19. So it looks very unremarkable in the scheme of things, which is what it should look like but everything behind it, the story of this pandemic, the story of the scientific achievement, the scientists working not just this year but for over a decade on the idea of mrna technology is really remarkable. I could talk about it all day, erin, but it is a remarkable moment and i hope people get to take a breath and just take this in. It is pretty incredible when you think about it and also there is technology involved, right . This isnt some of the tried and true technologies. These are new technologies and the other vaccines coming, mrna, Pretty Amazing to think of such innovation most people until recently was staid and thats not the case here. So sanjay, while youre with me i want to bring in former cdc director dr. Tom frieden. He led the cdc during h1n1, ebola and zika emergencies as well. Interesting new york chose to do it that way. We dont know if thats the first vaccine around the country but for something so mundane important to do like this is a significant statement. This is a wonderful first step on a very long road to immunity from vaccination. It is a triumph, a scientific triumph. Its amazing that we have a vaccine thats this effective and appears to be this safe. But were not out of the woods yet, and for the next few months, we really need to double down on protection protocols, so that there arent avoidable deaths while were waiting to get the vaccine rolled out. And sanjay, that is the great tragedy. 110,000 people hospitalized, new cases at a record. Deaths the cdc said will run 2,000 to 3,000 per day for the next 90 days, a tragedy so much of this was avoidable had behavior been changed. Sanjay, what do you think is put out there as people mull over the vaccine what theyre going to do . Some said you should give everyone one dose and give everyone a dose and give as much immunity as you can and then not worry about that second dose until everybodys had the first and then do a booster. Do you think that makes any sense, given that the vaccine is obviously not been tested in such a way . Ive asked so many people about this, albert bourla, the ceo of pfizer, talked to the fda about this, dr. Fauci. I dont know if we have this graphic that basically shows how much protection people seem to be getting after a single dose. But regardless, what you hear from just about everybody is that what the data sort of points to is the efficacy of two doses. A threeweek time period between the first and second dose so its hard to read too much into this. Dr. Ferieden, you hear the governor of new york say next . Summer and dr. Azar implying it could be csooner by february. How quickly does this actually provide the vaccine induced herd immunity . Well first off, the top priority here in addition to Health Care Workers are people who work or live in nursing homes, because thats where 40 of the deaths are, and if we can rapidly get people in those communities vaccinated, we can really knock down the number of deaths in the coming months. But remember, its one vaccine, a second vaccine three or four weeks later and then maybe a beak or ten days after that, the kind of protection that were seeing thats encouraging. Theres a lot of bumps in the road that can happen, production problems, supply problems, distribution problems, there may be signals that make people worried about it, acceptance and its going to be many months before this pandemic begins to be over but todays first step is a great one. Its worth celebrating but we should celebrate being even more careful so that people dont get it avoidably and die just as a vaccine that can prevent it is so near. One last thing thats so important, Congress Must act. Billions of dollars spent to make this vaccine but no money allocated to make sure people get it. Thats got to be in the next bill in congress, or it will be a tragedy, because even a vaccine thats 100 effective will be zero percent useful if people dont get it. Thats the thing, you need the Public Relations campaign information. Thank you very much, dr. Frieden, dr. Gupta. Anderson, back to you. Erin t is just so extraordinary to watch this. Thank you. The president threatening states and Election Officials just before the Electoral College is set to vote, that is the other big story today. Plus michigan closing its capitol for the vote after Credible Threats of violence. Well take you there. Why the president reversed a plan to vaccinate white house staff. Anythings possible. Even fast delivery on the perfect last minute gift from your walmart store. Really fast. Really perfect. Lets end the year nailing it. Teeth sensitivity as well as gum issues. Does it worry me . Absolutely. Sensodyne sensitivity gum gives us the dual action effect that really takes care of both our teeth sensitivity as well as our gum issues. Theres no question its something that i would recommend. Theres no question its something if ththen im not a real potato reciidaho potato farmer. Shes, genuine idaho potatoes not just a side dish anymore. Always look for the grown in idaho seal. And through the woods this holiday season. Remember, safe drivers save 40 with allstate. Saving is easy when youre in good hands. Call a local agent, or 1800allstate for a quote today. Get way more. So you can bring your vision to life. D for small prices, you can build big dreams. Spend less, get way more. Shop everything home at wayfair today. But with walmarts low prices, you still know how to do it up. And keep costs down. Lets end the year enjoying more. You are all i need baby baby to get by electors in all 50 states and washington, d. C. , are getting ready to gather today, to seal President Trumps fate as they cast their ballots which will confirm joe biden as the next president and Kamala Harris as the next vice president. John berman is with us and tracking it down. Have a constitutional explainer on how all of this is going to work today. What youll see today anderson is the process laid out in the constitution. Article ii section one of the constitution which says each state shall appoint in such manner as the Legislature Thereof May direct a number of electors equal to the number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the congress. What does that mean . Take michigan for instance, they have 14 house members, two senators, they get 16 electoral votes today. How were those 16 electoral votes appointed . Well, it happened in that election we had a month ago. Remember that . The one that joe biden won in the state of michigan by 154,000 votes. Now, its interesting. Nothing in the constitution which requires any state to hold an election. Theres nothing in the constitution which guaranties we get to vote for a president which is crazy when you this by it. Since 1864, every state has chosen their electors through elections. Who are these people exactly . Well, lets look at the state of delaware for instance here. Well get a sense of, i cant get delaware up here. Lets look at the state of delaware to get a sense of who these people are. They tend to be party people, party officials, theyre either chosen by party convention, party committee, Party Leaders and this is a good cross section. This is joe bidens home state. You can see the three electors there a former state party chair, former candidate for state house and marla blunt carter the cyst of the one house member from the state of delaware. These are the three people that will be voting for joe biden later today. These people are picked by the party a month, two months often before the actual election day. They are picked for their loyalty, for their record of history, for their record of achievement with the party. Anderson . John berman well be following this throughout the day, even as the Electoral College gets ready to vote and affirm billiondollared abouts victory, President Trump is not giving up. Hes been pressuring state officials to throw out the Election Results and declare him the winner. John harwood is live at the white house with details. John, lets talk about the president s latest Pressure Campaign against states. Reporter look, the president s not giving up, even though the outcome is clear. Weve had the Supreme Court thrown out that ridiculous case that the state of texas and 17 other states brought. Electors will vote today. January 6th the congress certifies the results of the electoral balloting that occurs today in the state capitals and january 20th is when you have the inauguration. I would expect right up until january 20th, the president will keep making noise. The question is, how many people are going to be listening . I would think that today will be a significant pivot point for a significant number of people in the congress, perhaps even mitch mcconnell, the Senate Republican leader, but youll have members of the house, you already have who are threatening to try to contest the Electoral College results on january 6th, when the congress is supposed to certify. The president out today calling Georgia Governor Brian Kemp a fool for not taking a step, which the governors already taken but the president is baselessly attacking him anyway, linking the fate of his contest of the state of georgia with the two senate runoffs. Its a mess and much of the Republican Party is going along with it. The question is whether today marks a turn in the road that takes us in a significant way toward the acceptance of the transition to joe biden, transition is going to take place anyway. The question is, does a Republican Party accept it and at the end of the day today, think well have a little bit clearer picture of how much and how rapidly they will. John harwood, appreciate it, thank you. Developing story, hackers believed to be from russia targeted multiple federal agencies in a major cyber attack. The Commerce Department confirmed to cnn there was a data breach in one of its bureaus and the Washington Post reports russian government hackers also targeted the Treasury Department and other government agencies. Joining us is former cia director dr. John brennan and author of the new book undaunted my fight against americas enemies at home and abroad. Director brennan, can you explain the significance of the breach . This was going on before the public knew about it, going on for a while and before the agencies that were being attacked knew they were being attacked. Anderson we need to learn details about what happened but sounds like it was a significant breach of the email networks of several government agencies. This is a major, major accomplishment for foreign Intelligence Service. Even though these networks are probably the Unclassified Networks they contain a treasure trove of information that is useful and sensitive, and so therefore im sure that government, cyber experts are skirting to find out exactly what was stolen, but also how to stop this very, very unfortunate breach. In your new book undaunted you talk about your concerns regarding President Trumps approach of Vladimir Putin. We know the president s been reluctant to criticize russia for anything. What should the president be doing or saying in regard to this situation . Well, again, we dont know who is behind this. It could be the russians certainly and the sbr, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service engages in these espionage activity so i think what donald trump needs to do immediately is to ensure that all of the cyber experts in the u. S. Government are actively working to contain this very unfortunate breach of the networks. At the same time, i think he needs to send clear signals to russia this activity is not going to get his approval. Unfortunately he has been too much willing, too willing to allow Vladimir Putin to i think have his way with the united states. Weve obviously seen hacks before. This seems sophisticated. How difficult is it for a government, for anybody to guard against this . Well, it is very difficult, because Intelligence Services find ways to be able to penetrate the cyber defenses that the networks have, and so therefore, whether its spear phishing atacks or other attacks, they try to get individuals who have access to the networks to access certain links and do things theyre not supposed to do, which then allows these foreign Intelligence Services to get into the systems networks, Access Databases and bring out from those systems Important Information that the governments will use against us so therefore, this is a very significant breach it sounds like and therefore the government needs to contain it immediately. John brennan, appreciate it. Thanks for your time. Investigation by the group uncovered evidence the elite team specializing in nerve agents that followed a trailed Alexey Navalny for years. Navalny was poisoned with novichok in august, nearly died. Cnn chief International Cor understand soient clah ris ka ward are working the story and spoken with navalny himself and cl clarissa is in moscow. Reporter august 20th on a flight to moscow, a passenger captures the wails of Alexey Navalny, the russian Opposition Leader has suddenly fallen ill and he knows exactly why. I get out of this bathroom, shown over to the Flight Attendant and said i was poisoned. Im going to die, and then i laid down under his feet and to die. Reporter you knew in that moment that youd been poisoned. Yes. Reporter quick thinking from the pilot saves his life. Instead of flying on to moscow, still three hours away, the plane diverts to omsk. Two days later the German Government announces he has been poisoned with the nerve agent novichok. Now an exclusive investigation can reveal a Top Secret Mission tracking navalny, involving experts in chemical weapons who work for the fsb, the russian successor to the soviet kgb. This nondescript building on the outskirts of moscow was the headquarters of the operation. Were staying in the car, because we dont want to attract any attention, but this compound is part of the institute of criminalistics of the fsb, russias security service, and beyond that fence an elite team of operatives has been tracking navalnys every move for more than three years. Cnn has examined hundreds of pages of phone records and flight manifests that reveal the backgrounds, communications, and travel of the group. The documents were obtained by online investigative outlet bellingcat, which two years ago identified the russian intelligence agents sent to england to former russian spy sergei skripal. The toxins team was activated in 2017 days after navalny announced he would run for president in the election the next year. The teams leader, stanislas makshakov, an expert in chemical weapons. Several of the team are doctors but they werent recruited to save lives. I just wanted to show you some photographs here, and ask you if you recognize, if youve ever seen any of the men in those photographs. No. Reporter you dont recognize them . I dont recognize any of them. Reporter would it surprise you to learn that some of these men went on more than 30 trips with you this is absolutely terrifying. I dont know if terrifying is a good word. Reporter i think its a pretty good word. Yes, but the well, i understand how system work in russia. I understand that the that putin hates me. And i understand that these people who are sitting in the kremlin, they are ready to kill. Is it your contention that Vladimir Putin must have been aware of this . Of course. 100 . It could have not been happened without direct order of putin, because its well, its big scale. Reporter in the weeks before he was poisoned. Navalny and his wife took a short vacation to a resort. Our investigation has uncovered that the fsb team followed. The security cameras inside the hotel were mysteriously turned off while they were there. Navalny said his wife felt uncomfortable. She took videos and photos of men she believes were following them. This man i also dont recognize she says. Hours after the fsbs toxin team left, ulia suddenly felt sick. She said, well, i feel really, really bad. Is it hard, no. Is it stomach, no. Is it head, no. Could you describe it, no. And then we approach restaurant and she said, well, i feel like worse in my life. I never felt it before, but unfortunately and, of course, i couldnt connect this dots. Now i realize how bad she was. Reporter she recovered, but the fsb unit was apparently not done with the navalnys. Cell phone data shows several senior fsb officials were in contact with a lab in this compound. Its called the signal institute and cnn has established that it has been involved with resear researching and developing novichok. Navalny travelled to siberia, at least five fsb members made the trip on different flights. We retraced his steps on the night he was poisoned. This is the room that Alexei Navalny was staying in, and it looks like my room was right next door. According to navalny he went to bed at around midnight after drinking a cocktail with his team. The fsb unit was not far away. Using a ping from a cell phone away e weve been able to place one of the operatives just blocks away on the night of august 19th, the night the nerve agent novichok made its way into the hotel room. He left the next morning, boarded the flight feeling fine. Three hours later he was back to death. His team collects any evidence they can from his hotel room. Including water and shampoo bottles, a toothbrush and a towel. As they did, there was a surge in communications among the fsb unit and their bosses. If it was expected that navalny would die on the flight they were scrambling to now deal with a very different situation. After much back and forth, russian authorities allow navalny to be transported to berlin. What they dont know is that the items recovered from his hotel room were also on board. Some later tested positive for novichok. Back in moscow we went in search of the fsbs toxin team. Were here at the home of one of the fsb team and were going to see if he has anything to say to us. Reporter we enter a rundown Apartment Building where one of the operatives lives. Clarissa ward, cnn. Can i ask you a couple of questions . [ speaking russian ]. Reporter was it your team that poisoned navalny, please . Do you have any comment . He doesnt seem to want to talk to us. Toxicologists tell cnn that navalny is incredibly lucky to be alive and that the intention was undoubtedly to kill him. You said that you want to go back to russia. And i will do. Reporter youre aware of the risks of going back . Yes, but im russian politician. And even when i was not just in hospital, i was in intense, and i said publicly ill go back because im russian politician, i belong to this country. Which definitely i especially now when the actual crime is cracked open, revealed. I understand the whole operation. I would never give putin such a gift. Reporter now, to be clear, anderson, cnn has not established that the men in this fsb unit, who were tracking navalny, are the same people who actually poisoned him. We have, of course, reached out to the kremlin, to the fsb. Weve reached out, as you saw, to some of the members of the team. None of them have responded and we can only hope, according to the fsb, to get some kind of reaction, possibly in nine days. No criminal investigation, unsurprisingly, has been opened here, anderson. Clarissa, this is incredible. Im just stunned by your reporting on this. First of all, i mean, you went up to the door of a guy on this from this fsb team. This is just an extraordinary report and i hope everybody sees this. How would navalny like to see the u. S. Respond to the investigation . Reporter well, i think hes hes been very disappointed with the lack of what he would call a robust u. S. Response so far, from the uk from the European Union weve seen them call it an assassination attempt, come out with sanctions against the fsb leadership and kremlin leadership so he would like to see a robust response from the u. S. , he wants to see the u. S. Come out, quote, on the right side of history on this one, take a stance against the use of chemical weapons and see strong sanctions levied not just against the leadership but against the wealthy elites around president putin. You say in the piece the intent was to kill him, how do toxicologists know that . Tim lister has spent weeks talking to more than half a dozen of these chemists, and essentially it comes down to this. You cant dose a nerve agent like novichok outside of a laboratory, so the only possible intention is to kill. If you were seeking to inka spas at a time, you would choose a different nerve agent. And navalny was supposed to be on that airplane for another three hours. Everyone who we spoke to said the same thing, if it hadnt been for the pilot turning around, the medics on the ground, it would have been a very different outcome for Alexei Navalny. One of the things thats striking about the story is not just the extent of the operation tailing navalny and his wife, but also the russians seem clearly still developing chemical weapons. Surely thats in contravention of International Law. It is in contravention of International Law and in contravention of u. S. Law, 1991 legislation, weve already seen a Bipartisan Group of senators come out and presenting that legislation as a reason why the u. S. Should be taking firmer action and showing a firmer response to this poisoning. We have identified at least two, quite possibly more, laboratories here in moscow, and in st. Petersburg, other parts of the country, that continue to research, develop and produce novichok, not just novichok, other chemical agents too. The bravery of Alexei Navalny saying he wants to go back and his wife videotaping people she believes following them on their vacation and the bravery of you and your team is really just extraordinary. Thank you so much for this report, clarissa. Thank you. Erin, back to you. And im erin burnett alongside anderson. We welcome all of you joining us now, because this is our special live coverage of two Historic Events unfolding right now. In moments the Electoral College voting to affirm joe bidens win, sealing President Trumps fate. And under way the First Americans receiving a covid19 vooen. Vaccine. And that was the scene in new york state, the first icu nurse vaccinated at hospitals across the country Health Care Workers on the front line of the pandemics are the ones first in line to receive the Pfizer Vaccine. It cant happen soon enough. I want to go to Martin Savage at ohio state uit
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.