lester >> keir simmons back in moscow tonight, thank you. >>> a major development this evening as backlash continues against the school police force in uvalde, texas, almost five months after a gunman killed 19 students and 2 teachers at robb elementary school. priscilla thompson has details. >> reporter: tonight, the uvalde school district is suspending its entire police sing it made the decision after recent developments have uncovered additional concerns with department operations. >> they finally did the right thing. >> reporter: kimberly rubio has been fighting for accountability since her daughter lexi, 18 other children and 2 teachers were gunned down at school >> my children are still in the school district i want to feel safe. i want to feel heard, and i don't right now. >> reporter: the district did not cite a specific reason for today's suspension or say how long it will last it comes just days after the release of body camera footage obtained exclusively by cnn from the day of the massacre >> if my son had been in there. >> yeah. >> i would not have been outside >> reporter: sh

nbc news chief international correspondent, keir simmons.>>> coming up next, key moments from last night's gubernatorial debate in the state of michigan. we'll bring them to you when "morning joe" comes right back. "morning joe" comes right back for the all-new subway series menu the new monster has juicy steak and crispy bacon. but what about the new boss? it looks so good it makes me hangry! settle down there, big guy the new subway series. what's your pick? new projects means new project managers. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. when you sponsor a job, you immediately get your shortlist of quality candidates, whose resumes on indeed match your job criteria. visit indeed.com/hire and get started today. it's the greatest sandwich roster ever assembled. next is the new great garlic. the tender rotisserie style chicken is sublime and the roasted garlic aioli adds a lovely pecan flavor. man, the second retirement really changed you. the new subway series. what's your pick? life... doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every m

we've seen the traffic jams of young men fleeing the country to avoid it keir simmons spoke with some who have left >> reporter: tonight, as russia's president putin attempts to force ukrainians into capitulation with deadly drone strikes, he is under pressure at home, with many russian men deciding to leave we traveled to kazakhstan to meet some of the thousands who came here to escape the partial draft. >> i don't want to kill people. i don't want to die. >> reporter: with their possessions on their back, these men, not wanting their faces on camera. this is the bag that you left russia with >> yes. >> reporter: just this >> yep. >> reporter: dimitri, not his real name, is homeless and heartbroken. >> i feel very sad about it because i feel a connection with my motherland. >> reporter: you love your country. >> of course of course i love i love russia. >> reporter: we met a group of russian artists putting on street performances as a thank you to the people of kazakhstan for welcoming them alexander's friend got his draft papers, and they decided to leave that same day, just grab an

the russian leader has never faced such pressure lester >> keir simmons in moscow tonight thank you. >>> and these are also anxious days in iran the weeks-long anti-government protests only seem to be growing with oil workers now joining in we get the latest from nbc's ali arouzi, the only western broadcast journalist in iran >> reporter: protests and violence continue in iran, where for weeks demonstrators have been taking to the streets, erupting into anti-government slogans. iranian security forces and militia clamping down, firing shots and tear gas, beating back protesters today workers at refineries joined the protests, sparked by last month's death of 22-year-old mahsa amini, taken into custody by the morality police for failing to fully adhere to the country's strict dress code she died three days later. officials deny any wrongdoing and claim she died of a pre-existing condition. the flames of anger show no signs of ebbing, as international condemnation grows against iran as several governments discuss sanctions. the uk is joining the u.s. in sanctioning senior security offi

keir simmons in moscow. than the past few years. that is due to the general return to normalcy after two years of covid. we have dr. natalie azar with us. dr. azar, good to see you. break this down for us. why are doctors concerned this year will be more severe than the past? >> i know, guys. good morning. it is always difficult to predict what kind of a flu season we will have here in the united states, but experts often look to what's going on in the southern hemisphere to give us a little bit of a lens into our season. unfortunately, and particularly australia had the worst season its had in the last five years. it peaked early and it peaked quickly. we typically peak between december to february here in this country. that is why experts are concerned if we peak earlier, we could see flu circulating in the next couple weeks. guys. >> dr. azar, with so many folks locked in their homes over the last couple years, that meant they were neglecting the flu shot. who is most at risk this season? >> that's right,

keir simmons is in moscow where he spoke exclusively with a top russian official >> reporter: less than five days since the explosion damaging that key bridge linking russia to crimea, russia's security service arresting eight people here, releasing a picture they say is the truck that carried explosives from ukraine. the russian president today calling the ukrainians terrorists. president biden overnight describing president putin as a rational leader who acted irrationally in ukraine. i put that to russia's deputy prime minister. >> president biden describes president putin as a rational actor who's made a miscalculation [ speaking in non-english >> reporter: i don't know what president biden is talking about, he said we see that our president makes his decisions based on the country's security, he told us. alexander novack was part of negotiations with opec plus countries that resulted in a cut to global oil production that could push up prices at the pump a move seen as a snub to president biden who made that controversial visit to saudi arabia asking them to increase oil production

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i want to bring in international correspondent keir simmons. keir, what is president putin saying about these attacks? >> reporter: well, president putin was pretty open in a televised address this morning here in russia saying that these were retaliation for what he listed as alleged attacks by ukraine can which he called terror attacks, including over the weekend the attack on russia and crimea that is being investigated and says was down to ukrainian special forces. now, of course the ukrainians would dispute that. they themselves called the russians terrorists. i think it is notable after that attack over the weekend, president putin appointed a new general to oversee the ukrainian operation. and, chris, this is a general who was the commander on the ground in syria when aleppo was leveled. he is somebody who back in 1991 was accused of ordering the killing of pro-democracy protesters during a coup at that time. he has a hard line of credentials if you want to put it that way. they are circling around president putin. this morning, what pres

senior international correspondent keir simmons joins us. keir, what else is putin saying?escribed these attacks this morning, jose, as a massive strike in the television address where he was opening a meeting of his security council today. he also listed a series of accusations against kyiv, claiming those meant that kyiv, in his words, were equivalent to a terrorist formation, international terrorist formation. and that clearly is president putin's justification for these horrifying strikes this morning. he also gave a chilling warning suggesting that, in his words, if there were more attacks on russian territory, there will be reciprocal action once again. there are some questions about that. russia does not have an endless supply of cruise missiles. it isn't necessarily able to carry out the kind of barrage that it carried out today again and again and again. i think another question, jose, is about how much pressure president putin is under here in russia. he is under the most pressure he's been under for 20 years. all through the weekend russian television showing pic

and coming up, we're going to go live to moscow where nbc's keir simmons just spoke to a top russian n's state of mind. plus. >> i wonder how that went. >> is keir reporting from the streets or prison. >> plus, we'll get expert analysis on the state of the war in ukraine from a former cia officer. we're back in just a moment. a fa officer. we're back in just a moment. shingles. some describe it as an intense burning sensation or an unbearable itch. this painful, blistering rash can disrupt your life for weeks. it could make your workday feel impossible. the virus that causes shingles is likely already inside of you. if you're 50 years or older, ask your doctor or pharmacist about shingles. [acoustic soul music throughout] [acoustic soul music throughout] [acoustic soul music throughout] i was always the competitive one in our family... 'til my sister signed up for united healthcare medicare advantage. ♪wow, uh-huh♪ now she's got a whole team to help her get the most out of her plan. ♪wow, uh-huh♪ with coverage that's better than ever for dental... ...vision... ...prescription drugs an

. >> let's go to moscow, and senior international correspondent keir simmons, keir, it is notable there'sising tide of criticism against russian officials, but vladimir putin and other leaders are not cracking down on that dissent. right now, they are allowing that dissent. what can you tell us, perhaps, about that strategy? >> joe, i think it tells us something very very important. i think it tells us that pruitt -- president putin is under pressure from his hard liners. the member of his inner circle, dmitry peskov has denied that president putin was directly confronted. it was a member of president putin's inner circle. that could be anyone. we don't know the name. the idea that there are divisions in the inner circle, that is not news. it could be the former head of the fsb, now the secretary of the security council. it could be achemesov who was with president putin in germany in the kgb, and runs the military company here in russia. i mean, frankly it could be anyone. his rivalry with shoygu, the defense minister goes back years, is well known. the idea that one of those members of

joining us is keir simmons. russia's foreign minister was asked about possible negotiations today.be -- that russia would be willing to have under certain conditions vladimir putin talk to president biden about ukraine. the position has always been no peace talks without ukraine involved. is that putting the u.s. on the defensive? >> reporter: i think russia is searching for options, if you like. certainly, sergei lavrov, the foreign minister had a lot to say, about the possibility of in negotiation, maybe peace talks and opening up the possibility between president putin and president biden at the g7. russian officials told me they haven't decided whether president putin will go to the meeting. there was a meeting between president putin and president erdogan. lavrov suggests they might have a conversation about turkey host something talks. lavrov, the russian foreign minister, saying they have not had any serious proposals from the americans, which of course might be for the rush sla russi make a proposal, you might argue. that sets out there is always this rhetoric from the russ

nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons has the latest. >> reporter: this morning, moreacks following what president putin called his massive strike across ukraine yesterday, potentially marking a new escalation in the conflict. with his reretaliation for the attack on his prized russian crimea bridge, he responded to internal pressure to hit back. the dramatic attacks on civilian centers signaling an uptick in virus as russia aims to turn the tide after military setbacks. the u.s. concerned. president biden speaking with president zelenskyy, pledging to provide support, including air systems. today president putin will meet with the head of the u.n. nuclear watchdog traveling to russia after meeting with president zelenskyy, trying to negotiate a demilitarized zone around a nuclear power station. while president zelenskyy is set to speak in an emergency meeting of the g-7. on the agenda, is this a new phase in russia's offensive? russia is drafting 300,000 men. at a mobilization station 100 miles outside moscow, this man says he's sending his 22-year-old grandson to fig

thinking. >> keir simmons, we appreciate you being there for us. thank you. >>> joining me onset, white house correspondent mike memoli and peter baker, correspondent for "the new york times." also former moscow bureau chief for "the times." he's co-author of "the di provideer." so mike, the question everybody immediately had, i got this information before 11:00 last night. why was the president saying this and why now? we're getting new guidance. >> we're at this unique moment. the better ukraine is doing on the battlefield, the fear is that the more provocative that russia could get. we goat goth an important indication in the last few minutes, the white house press secretary saying the extents were not based on any new intelligence, but there's been no change to our nuclear posture. others are i saying what the president said at this fundraiser in new york certainly raised some eyebrows, but the substance really mirrored what he's been saying publicly. >> but the framing of it. >> i have to say when reader these comments, i had the same reaction

. >>> let's bring in keir simmons on the ground for us in moscow. , putin spoke this morning to his security council justifying the strikes, pinning the bridge attack on ukraine. what's the reaction been like in russia? >> reporter: well, putin's address was another long list of rhetoric and retribution, accusing kyiv of being -- specific targets by the ukrainians, just as the ukrainians call the russians terrorists, the russians calling the ukraine terrorists. i think one of the key indicators of president putin's mind set was his appointments to oversee the whole ukraine operation of a general who is known to have been the commander on the ground in syria when it was threatened. he was jailed for killing prodemocracy protestors during the famous coup back here in russia. he's a man who's been a hard liner for a long time. the crucial point is that president putin is surrounded by hard-liners. even the former president and prime minister and longtime ally of president putin who shared burgers with president obama, he was putting out a message today

. >> let's bring in keir simmons from moscow today. it feels like the russian aggression has been ramping up. we've seen it the last couple of nices. what do we know about the decision making in moscow that is behind what we're seeing on the ground. >> reporter: it certainly does. and we do know that for example in the past week president putin has been under pressure from what you call his hardliners here in moscow demanding this kind of action. over the weekend he brought in a new general to command the operation in ukraine. and then we've seen these strikes. i mean, keep in mind, this is a renewed offensive by russia in the air, on the ground is a very, very different picture. and it is because of that that this is taking place. president putin is threatening more if, as he puts it, there are continuing ukraine terrorist attacks on russian territory. kyiv would not describe those attacked in that way. and just part of the conflict, kate. >> and keir, even while these missile launches happen, russia is still talking about diplomacy,

keir simmons, thank you for that. jamil jaffer, back with me now.round in iran, there are new sanctions leveled against the iranian government. they have not worked before. you see the incredible motivation, the bravery of these iranian people day in and day out, 40 days since the killing of mahsa amini. what else does the global community need to be doing to support these iranian protestors? >> that's a great question, yasmin. one of the biggest challenges, as you point out correctly, we have seen repeatedly sanctions on iranian senior officials don't work. they aren't going to change the policy of that country. what we need to do now is be very clearly in support of the protestors. we need to provide them as much funding as possible. if that means getting capability into irans, so be it. they have active operations in iran. the united states and western allies need to support the protestors directly and help protect them from the attack that is have taken place against them. we've seen 180 people already killed since the protests began. 40 days is

keir simmons is reporting from moscow and has the latest on that. >> reporter: russia's promised revenge coming this morning with those rocket attacks on major ukrainian cities, striking back after another setback. in the past hour, the russian leader on television calling the attacks retaliation. last night president putin branding this explosion on his prized bridge between russia and crimea a terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure. the bridge a crucial military supply line and symbol of russian strength quickly reopened, but the destruction in plain sight. while ukraine has not publicly admitted responsibility, russia is blaming ukrainian special force for the explosion that happened almost exactly midway across the bridge just after 6:00 a.m. saturday. the russians say this truck carrying fertilizer was the epicenter of the blast. on a parallel rail bridge, a locomotive filled with fuel tanks caught fire. while some explosive experts think the detonation was under the bridge. last month an unmanned ukrainian drone boat capable of attacks from the sea washed up on a beach. blogge

keir simmons, we'll be talking again. thank you so much. >>> brittney griner's appeal in a russian court denied. what happens now? a legal expert who served at the u.s. embassy in moscow joins me next. as pressure mounts for putin in ukraine, the surprise personal criticism against putin. we're in kyiv ahead. >>> plus, doctors sounding the alarm about that potential tri-demic. you're watching "chris jansing reports" only on msnbc. e 3 syst, know your glucose and where it's heading. no fingersticks needed. now the world's smallest, thinnest sensor sends your glucose levels directly to your smartphone. manage your diabetes with more confidence and lower your a1c now you know freestyle libre 3. try it for free at freestylelibre.us. covid-19. some people get it, and some people can get it bad. and for those who do get it bad, it may be because they have a high-risk factor. such as heart disease, diabetes, being overweight, asthma, or smoking. even if symptoms feel mild, these factors can increase your risk of covid-19 turning

joining me from moscow is keir simmons. what are you hearing on the ground?nobody likes the idea of a nuclear war or the use of a low-grade nuclear weapon. it doesn't whether you're american or russians. so out on the streets of moscow today when we asked people whether they were fearful of the nuclear threat that are now being made, there was i think in many ways a sense of disbelief. people are saying i don't believe it's going to happen. i don't think this will happen, i don't believe that president putin would do this. saying think think it's muscle talk if you like and they think it's posturing. now, there is a lot of tension here in moscow now. i mean, we've just arrived back here after some months. i was stopped at the airport, questioned for an hour, my phone was gone through, now here on the streets, there are billboards with pictures of military heroes along the streets. so there's certainly more tension here and i suppose that is to be expected, given some of the rhetoric that we've been hearing from the kremlin. we did, though, too, speak today to

joining me now from moscow is nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons.nything changed from vladimir putin in the way that he is talking about these attacks and what they're going after? >> reporter: well, i think what changed, katy, is that it has ramped up, if you like, and last week, we had president biden speculating about how president putin might find an off-ramp. frankly it is the opposite what has happened today, hasn't it? and both sides have been drumming things up over the weekend. we had that blast on that bridge from russia to crimea, and that clearly infuriated president putin. there are suggestions today that this missile bombardment this morning across ukraine was actually planned earlier than that bridge alleged attack. having said that, in his statement this morning, president putin had a whole list of different attacks on which he said russian territory, quoting them terrorist attacks, that were his reasons for carrying out this onslaught. so, you know, i mean it's more than tit for tat, it's getting really very, very risky in the sense

joining me now from london is nbc news chief international correspondent keir simmons. days. it's showing no signs of slowing down. lots of women now are just refusing to wear their head scarf. what can you tell us about what's happening inside that regime? i know it's hard because so few journalists are allowed in. >> reporter: yes, it is so hard, you know, katy, they closed down the internet according to reports, in that hometown of mahsa amini, so news trickles out of iran. but you're right, listen, if folks are watching, thinking, i seem to be seeing these same kinds of pictures every day, that's the point. it's extraordinary. 40 days is the traditional end of mourning. it is tradition for people to gather, but what we're seeing, once again, the stunning protests. katy, let's just show that picture again that you showed of that woman standing on the car, with the lines of cars standing with her back to the camera, and it is really very little i can say, i can tell you that for example, the official news agency, in iran, says around 10,000 people are there, probably

joining me from lnden is chief international correspondent keir simmons.ious what the mood is like. i was talking with molly hunter earlier today and joking that the prime minister is now a seasonal job in the u.k. >> reporter: yes, and it has become very seasonal. it feels like the storm here that we've been seeing the last two months. and it is worth keeping in mind, because while the list, it is quite an amazing number of attributes if you like that rishi sunak has, that he brings with him, when he gets ready to walk through the door behind me, the world famous door, as the new prime minister of britain, it is worth remembering all of the challenges and faces as well. because at a time like this, in a week like this, when there is a new leader, it feels fresh, it feels different, there are of course hugs and cheers, and i think quite a good deal of relief amongst the conservative party when he was announced as the new leader today. but that can all change very quickly, can't it? and you know, the reality is that he himself has talked about needing to pu

the joining us from moscow is senior international correspondent keir simmons.scow, the divisions within president putin's inner circle are spilling out in public, signs of tension not really seen during putin's 20-year leadership. as president biden warns of this danger of nuclear escalation. a stark warning from president biden about president putin's repeated nuclear threats. biden saying, we have the direct threat of the use of a nuclear weapon, if in fact, things continue down the path they are going. the president making the comments off camera at a democratic fundraiser adding we have not faced the prospect of armageddon since kennedy and the cuban missile crisis. that was 60 years ago. 1962, one of the most dangerous confrontations of of the cold war. president putin, who turns 70 today, has threatened to use any means at his disposal and says the u.s. created a press debit by using nuclear weapons in japan. president president bidenen saying he's not joking when he talks about the use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons. there

let's bring in nbc news chief international correspondent keir simmons now. he is in moscow for us today. how is the kremlin explaining the strikes that were made in ukraine and what may come next? >> reporter: aaron, the kremlin is saying that the strikes are retaliation, and frankly, they are what hard-liners around president putin have been calling for for some time for a response, for a bombardment. as horrifying as this one was this morning, they say that that was the right thing to do, and they have been celebrating it this morning. and today at the same time, russian people on the streets i've been speaking to, frankly, they are anxious. >> do you find the atmosphere has changed in moscow? >> yes, a lot. >> how? >> the atmosphere has extremely changed. >> why? >> people are worried about the situation in the city and in the country. and they became more sad. >> reporter: the tactical plan set out by president putin is quite simply to try to intimidate. he warned in his televised address this morning that if ukraine launched when he called more terroris

keir simmons joins us now. this is continuing, it's gaining strength.now that i have seen from groups that we have long known in iran about unions getting involved, the oil and gas industry getting involved which those were critical now, joining what had been a predominantly women-led protest which is spreading. >> reporter: yeah, and this is the end of the traditional period of mourning, the 40 days, for mahsa amini. it isn't a surprise to see large amounts of crowds gathering in her home crowd. as you rightly say, what is surprising, stunning, frankly, is these continuing protests despite one rights group today saying that live rounds are being fired, tear gas is being used to try to disperse those protestors. just the images that we are seeing emerging from that northern part of iran showing those lines of cars showing once again, female protesters, some not covering their heads, so the protests continue despite the crackdown. and global news developing this hour in iran and there, andrea, with the announcement of more than a dozen iranian officials

joining me now from moscow is nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons. on what is happening there. >> we spoke many times, haven't we, in the past days and weeks, about those expecting an u-turn if you like from president putin and once again, here is the evidence of that. it is a declaration of martial law in these annexed areas of ukraine, and it is a sign that frankly president putin is doubling down. despite his own military describing the situation as difficult, as you mentioned, it means that the russian military are now in charge, rather than, if you like, the leaders that were installed by president putin, and he is also giving them more powers. and this all s-all about a battle over the crucial city of kherson in ukraine. thousands of civilians are being removed from that city, by the russians, as the training forces bear down on it, and you know, we had a televised interview with the general there, who is the general who president putin put in charge of what russia calls its special operations in ukraine, and he, the way that he spoke, frankly,

keir simmons in moscow, thank you very much. thank you for being there. >>> let me bring in nbc news white house correspondent monica alba, we heard from keir, and a camera offcamera at the gala, the president has been consistent on this issue and it is a factual statement, monica, to say that president biden is going beyond what any member of his administration with any credibility has said in the past about the nuclear threat posed by russia here. help us understand how the white house is trying to square that circle. >> certainly, and of course, you can search for whether president biden has used the word armageddon in the last couple of months, talking about this, and we can absolutely say that that is not the case. last night was the first time he raised this prospect of a perhaps world-ending nuclear war, when talking about the conflict in ukraine, and what russia is capable of. and we do need to remind everybody that the president said these comments on the record, they weren't on camera either, and it was to a group of do

facts on the ground, what is happening on the ground, that is what is making history right now. >> keir simmonsompelling photo. i appreciate you walking through the latest developments from here. >>> vladimir putin today overseeing annual drills by russian nuclear forces, and war gate, meant to simulate a massive nuclear strike according to officials there and repeating a claim from senior russian officials, and without evidence, ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory and the u.s. and allies saying that is not truce, false, and a pretext for putin on escalate even more in ukraine. ukraine for its part saying russian forces are doing secret work at europe's biggest nuclear plant. cal perry is in kyiv for us. let's be clear here. these drills, these nuclear drills, planned in advance and russia notified the others beforehand and given the tinder box in ukraine, this is an incredibly tense time to go through with this. >> reporter: anyone living in this country is desperate for any information they can get about the possible threat. and the way that it played out today on

. >> nbc news chief international correspondent keir simmons is joining us now live from london.itician if you will. because he is already very wealthy. he will become incredibly powerful as prime minister. i think he has more money than king charles coming into this year, and he is inheriting a mess. why would you want this job right now? >> reporter: yes, i would want to fact check, i know that is being talked a lot about, that he has more money than king charles, king charles has a lot of money and a lot of money you don't necessarily see. i don't know. that being said though, here's a fascinating thing -- people are saying it. you're not the only one. >> he's got loads of cash and now take this job on here. >> reporter: that's right. and it is a good point, because he is having to try and tell this country, people who are dealing with soaring mortgages and soaring fuel bills, and facing tax cuts and tax rises and spending cuts, that they are going to have to buckle down just at the same time of course being a politician, as you say, he's very, very wealthy, and at least in th

joining me now from there, is nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons. how is this being received over there? and what can you tell us about what it is like in moscow right now? >> reporter: well, when we talk to people on the streets of moscow, they are as frightened as anyone, any american would be, by the idea of, of some kind of a nuclear armageddon or nuclear war or the use of a nuclear missile. it is tense here on the streets, more so than i have experienced it this year. when i flew in yesterday, i was stopped at immigration for an hour, i was questioned, they went through my phone, and that has happened before, but it just gives an indication of the anxiety if you like. and one of the things that is fueling that anxiety is the question of the nuclear escalation fear, if you want to put it that way, but also the fact that this draft of 300,000 russian men is reaching into families, to sons, and husbands, and fathers, and of course, that really brings home what is happening in ukraine, to people living in russia. so there is all of that. and we did

. >> joining me now is nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons. what is the reaction within russia to president biden's interview? >> reporter: well, i sat down with russia's deputy prime minister just a few hours ago, i asked him about that, and tried to identify president biden, and president putin'sish rational act, and he insisted that in fact that president putin is making decisions on behalf of russia, the right decisions for russia, and just to let you know, president putin today, speaking, accused ukrainians of being terrorists, who he says, and ukraine has not said that, has not admitted this publicly, they say in fact it is nonsense. president putin says that terrorists attacked ta bridge between russia and crimea, and today, the fsb, the successor of the kgb, announced they had less than eight people, including five russians. i asked the russian deputy prime minister about another aspect, president biden saying that there would be consequences for saudi arabia because of that cut in oil production, agreed by opec +, including russia. ta

keir simmons spoke with him exclusively. >> reporter: tonight, after bombarding ukraine, russian president vladimir putin suggesting he could cause more destruction. there's no need for massive strikes, he said, at least for now. as for the future, we'll see. we met a key kremlin ally, belarus president alexander lukashenko who insisted his crews also film our exclusive interview but with no restrictions on questions. do you think president putin would use a nuclear weapon? >> translator: if you put a person or a country in a corner, there's only one way out from there, to move forward. as far as the subtext of your question is concerned, never. putin and the leadership of russia never set the goal of using a nuclear weapon in ukraine. >> reporter: how would you describe putin's state of mind. >> translator: what you think in the west and the united states, he's an absolutely adequate, healthy, athletic man. >> reporter: president lukashenko was supported by president putin after a widely discredited election in 2020, and this week, lukashenko supported russia at the u.n. civilians being t

areas of ukraine's southeastern city of zaporizhzhia killed at least 13 and wounded 89 others our keir simmons starts us off >> reporter: it's on russian television president putin branding this blast that hit his prized bridge to crimea a terror attack aimed at the destruction of a critically important civilian infrastructure brief by the lead investigator, putin asks are you sure the perpetrators are the special services of ukraine? the investigator agrees, helped by citizens of russia and foreign countries, he says ukraine not publicly admitting responsibility and in his video address, president zelenskyy saying cryptically "it was cloudy in crimea." russian television offering continuing coverage, suggesting a truck bomb, showing parts of the road collapsed, and traffic moving, but slowly the bridge consists of a highway and a parallel railway the blast happened halfway across when a car and a truck loaded with fertilizer ordered on the internet according to russian reports passed a train full of fuel tanks the explosion seconds later. but some western explosives experts suggest it came fr

as keir simmons reports, the strikes are the most intense in the capital since russia abandoned an attempt to capture it in the early week of the war. >> reporter: here in moscow, president putin is preparing for a meeting of his security council after appearing on russian television last night stern faced announcing that russia believes that ukrainian special forces were behind an explosion on his prized bridge to crimea. and branding it a terrorist attack. ukraine has not said it had anything do with the blast, but there have been reports that ukraine was connected to it and in ukraine there have been celebrations. there are not celebrations here in moscow. the fear is that under pressure from hardliners, president putin is preparing to ratchet up his attacks on ukraine. i'll have the latest coming up on "today." >>> 6:04. and new this morning, three more people waking up though bell prize winners. ben bernanke, douglas diamond and phillip dytvig were announced as winners in the economics category. u.s. based economists are credited with making discoveries that improve how society deals

we haven't received any serious offers of contact. >> keir simmons for us there in moscow thank you. >>> we turn to the high stakes midterms election day exactly four weeks away and the balance of power on capitol hill is at stake there are key races to watch from coast to coast. nbc national political correspondent steve kornacki is here along with the big four to show us where things stand. let's set the table first. four weeks out from election day. nothing less than control of congress from both houses is on the ballot >> democrats come into this with control of both chambers but barely >> take a look at this, 50/50 in the senate remember kamala harris as the vice president breaks the tie for the democrats right now. on the house side the democrats, this is their majority, 222-213. it means the republicans if they can just pick up five seats in the house, republicans would flip it and would have control of it. >> let's talk about the president's approval rating. usually in a midterm election the party in the white house loses seats. what does the approval rating tell us about thi

while putin ally and president of belarus, sat with keir simmons for a warning. >> if you drive a country into a corner, there's one way out, that is to move forward. that's why red lines should not be crossed. you just shouldn't cross him. >> reporter: that red line, he says, an attack on russian soil. >> translator: russia hads outlined its position, if there is to be god forbid an attack on the territory of the russian federation, in that case, russia can, if necessary use all kinds of weapons. >> reporter: here in the ukrainian capital, with threats from moscow, many near nuclear weapons can be used at any time. >> we can't do anything about the nuclear war but we can lead our lives as we want. we don't want to be afraid. we just want to live happy. >> you have to be ready just in case, but you have to live your life, and like go on as usual. >> reporter: for ukraine, it's not just the threat of nuclear weapons. the government accusing russia of nuclear terrorism. occupying the largest nuclear power plant in europe and torturing the ukrainian staff. >> it's very hard for them to opera

keir simmons, thank you very much. ahead on "morning joe," elise jordan joins us with more on her focus groups from pennsylvania. with pennsylvania voters there, the eye opening comments from trump voters about the january 6th attack on the capitol. >>> plus, we are taking a look at a far right event on that featured former national security adviser michael flynn, former president trump's son eric and some qanon programming. we'll explain all of that ahead. "morning joe" is coming right back. t ahead. "morning joe" is coming right back when you're through with powering through, it's time for theraflu hot liquid medicine. powerful relief so you can restore and recover. theraflu hot beats cold. for adults with generalized myasthenia gravis who are positive for acetylcholine receptor antibodies, it may feel like the world is moving without you. but the picture is changing, with vyvgart. in a clinical trial, participants achieved improved daily abilities with vyvgart added to their current treatment. and vyvgart helped cli

and joining us now live is keir simmons. first he has to create a cabinet. is he going to lead? >> reporter: that's right, andrea, and cabinet is the first, and it's like dÉjÀ vu, and it feels like we have been here a couple times in the last eight weeks, and what is happening behind me is the political theater of lawmakers arriving at the historic house, 10 downing street behind me, going in to find out if they will be made as members of the governor, and breaking news, james will be the leading foreign minister here, and that will be important news, of course, for the white house over there in the u.s. and then the new prime minister's job, first of all, is to try and heal the divisions. very, very difficult to do. his party is incredibly divided, and one of the ways he tried to do that today is by praising the past prime minister, liz truss. take a listen. >> i admired her restlessness to create change, but some mistakes were made. of ill will or bad intentions. quite the opposite, in fact. but mistakes, nonetheless. >> reporter: those sentiments did not

our chief international correspondent, keir simmons, is in moscow sharing this. >> reporter: this is the front page of russia's government newspaper with a picture of vladimir putin and the headline, no one should have any doubts. >> earlier in the white house, top adviser, john kirby, weighing in on this moment in the war. >> we don't know what the steps are here for mr. putin, but can you see from the reaction of the ukrainian people over the course of the weekends, they are not backing down and they are not slowing down. >> the fog of war escalating tensions and no clear signs of an off-ramp are obviously a dangerous combination for a country with nuclear weapons. we will get insight from a member of ukraine's parliament. >>> plus, here at home, the political drum beat to the midterms is growing louder, and herschel walker will be getting an assist from big-name republicans as a new ad takes aim at his family scandals. later with the economy a big issue for voters, the stark new warning from the head of the nation's largest bank about an economic crisis looming on the horizon. >>>

bring in nbc news chief international correspondent keir simmons live from moscow. at more do we know about these arrests today? >> reporter: well, it's an announcement by the fsb here in russia, which, of course, is the successor to the kgb wrapping up or at least extending their investigation very quickly. surprisingly quickly, some might say. and announcing just before major speech here by president putin in moscow that they have traced to the root of a truck they say was responsible for the explosion sayings explosives were wrapped in plastic. saying that the main director, intelligence director ukraine's defense ministry was behind it. that the truck went by a circular route around the black sea then into russia from a vessel in ukraine and then crossed that bridge and then that explosion. not to say ukrainian official, ukrainian television this morning describing that explanation as nonsense. again, the fsb making this announcement just before a major speech by president putin here in central moscow. that intelligence agency, the security agency here in russia,

. >> thank you so much, keir simmons, for that report. >>> despite talks from world leaders and big announcementsrisis is getting much worse. greenhouse gases are at their highest levels ever. three gases responsible for climate change hit record highs in 2021. the levels of one of them, methane gas, is at its highest rate since the measuring started 40 years ago. the report comes just two weeks before world leaders are set to meet at the united nations climate change conference in egypt. >>> republicans making a big push with minority voters. how they're spending millions in attempt to move the needle in elections across the country. fascinating story coming up next. ♪ what will you do? ♪ what will you change? ♪ will you make something better? ♪ will you create something entirely new? ♪ our dell technologies advisors provide you with the tools and expertise you need to do incredible things. because we believe there's an innovator in all of us. announcer: type 2 diabetes? discover the power of 3 in the ozempic® tri-zone. in my ozempic® tri-zone, i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. an

joining me from london is keir simmons.for my mixed metaphor, my friend, but tell me what he said todays and how th country reacted. >> reporter: i love the mix a metaphor. how about this for a mixed up message today. kind of in a split screen here, on the one hand, you have frankly among many, just glee in the indian community and back in india that a man of indian heritage, the first person of color to walk through that door behind me as prime minister, a really historic moment. the president of his home hindu temple describing it as britain's obama moment. so you have that, then as you mentioned, the extraordinary challenge that he now faces. being frank saying there are going to be tough choices. they are very tough choices. billions of dollars hole in the british budget. britain known for its stability and steady financial planning, this the past few months in chaos. and now you have a prime minister with a party that is divided and isn't liked that much by the british people. you have to make all these very, very hard

richard haass will join us with expert analysis, and keir simmons will be joining us live from moscow away. from moscow. "morning joe" just a few moments away coricidin is the #1 doctor recommended cold and flu brand. specially designed for people with high blood pressure. be there for life's best moments. trust coricidin. there's a different way to treat hiv. it's every-other-month, injectable cabenuva. for adults who are undetectable, cabenuva is the only complete, long-acting hiv treatment you can get every other month. cabenuva helps keep me undetectable. it's two injections, given by my healthcare provider, every other month. it's one less thing to think about while traveling. hiv pills aren't on my mind. a quick change in my plans is no big deal. don't receive cabenuva if you're allergic to its ingredients or taking certain medicines, which may interact with cabenuva. serious side effects include allergic reactions post-injection reactions, liver problems, and depression. if you have a rash and other allergic reaction symptoms, stop cabenuva and get medical help right away. tell

. >> okay, appreciate the live reporting from moscow for us, keir simmons. that's going to nbc josh lederman whose following the president in delaware. so josh, the explosion comes just a day after president biden had warned about the nuclear armageddon. i don't the last hour you, so the white house is not making public comments on this but internally, is a white house preparing at all for that possibility? >> will not anymore than they were when we can go alex. which is to say that the u.s. military certainly always has preparation plans for all kinds of scenarios, nuclear and otherwise. certainly the president and the white house in the past several months have raised concerns about some of the saber rattling front president putin over a nuclear, potential nuclear weapons. hughes has said that they are doing everything that they need to do to have plans in place to respond to any range of scenarios. and that is the contacts that korean jean-pierre, the white house press secretary is trying to put these private comments from president biden. they say look h

for more on this, we go to keir simmons. >> reporter: good day to you.re incredibly impactful images out of iran today. in the city northwest iran, protesters targeting buildings and throwing stones and there seems to be tear gas once again on those streets. those videos posted by a kurdish group that says a number of government buildings have been taken over, and that all of this today surrounds the funeral of a man who was shot dead during the protests yesterday. a powerful image seen around the world a young woman, not wearing a head scarf, stands on the roof of a car, hands in the air, as crowds attempt to reach the grave of mahsa amini, near the cemetery, this video from an independent kurdish human rights organization captioned the resistance is glorious. huge numbers across iran, determined to mourn, and to protest the death of the 22-year-old. marking 40 days after she died in the hospital, the morality police, targeting her for allegedly violating the country's strict clothing code. in the capital of tehran, clashes with the security forces, and