Jake Tapper Describes ‘Blood Staining the Sidewalks’ After Ukraine Train Attack, Media There to ‘Bear Witness’ Against Kremlin Lies
WARNING: Video contains graphic content
Reporting from Lviv, Ukraine on Friday, CNN host Jake Tapper got emotional when covering a tragedy in Ukraine earlier in the day that left at least 50 people dead.
Tapper gave viewers a warning before airing a graphic video showing the aftermath of a train station being attacked by Russian forces. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said more than 100 were injured in the missile attack.
“The sheer panic, bodies being dragged away from the chaos, blood staining the streets,” Tapper said, describing the video of panicked families scrambling after the attack. Many of the families targeted in the train station missile attack were attempting to flee Ukraine as the conflict between the country and invading Russian forces has intensified.
As they so frequently have, Russia once again denied involvement in the strike and even claimed Ukraine could be behind attacking their own people, a claim the Kremlin has tried making before.
Tapper suggested such fantasies could be better sold if it were not for the media covering the conflict firsthand.
“Our CNN reporters are spread across this country to bring you the ugly truth of this war,” he said.
He later added, “Frankly, if we in the press were not here to bear witness to what the Ukrainians are being subjected to by the Kremlin, who would be?”
The Ukraine Defense Ministry said in a statement that the civilians were “deliberately” targeted with “cluster munitions.” There were thousands at the station at the time of the attack, according to officials.
At a White House press briefing on Friday, Department of Defense Press Secretary John Kirby condemned the attack and reiterated support for Ukraine, saying the U.S. commitment to the country is “ironclad.”
“We want the Ukrainians to win this war, and we want to see Ukraine not have to fight for its own sovereignty as it has been for eight years,” Kirby said.
Watch above, via CNN.
