. earlier, we mentioned vladimir putin claiming, quote, success in mariupol and saying the russians are, and again, his words, liberating the besieged port city. he also said if the remaining defenders were to lay down arms, russia guarantees their lives and decent treatment in accordance with the relevant legal acts. we can t independently verify that. president zelenskyy said today russia is not engaged in war in mariupol, it was more like a, quote, terrorist operation. i m joined by david remnick who spent much of his career covering russia and author of the book, lenin s tomb. we saw putin today in this obviously choreographed meeting with the defense minister, announcing the so-called liberation of mariupol.
some talk the defense chief was pushed aside because of what happened. but putin has this event. he s talking about what they call the liberation of mariupol. that s for his domestic consumption. you just mentioned we don t know if biden breaks through to putin personally or certainly doesn t break through on russian television. putin clearly is trying to convince the people back home, who may be feeling more and more the impact of sanctions, things are okay. you know, it s also, though, it s a portrait of a dictator who is completely indifferent to human life, to truth and to even convincing his own people. it s got the trademark putin slouch as he can hardly sit up straight in order to dictate fake orders to the defense minister. and you see this almost palpable disdain for the people that it just oozes out of putin ins they conversation. and the lies. the scale of death and