>>> BACK WITH ME, NOLA HAYNES,
MALCOLM NANCE, AND JASON
JOHNSON.
WE DID GET THE GUIDANCE FROM THE
STATE DEPARTMENT THAT EVERYONE
IN AMERICA, OR EVERYONE IN
RUSSIA, EVERY AMERICAN IN RUSSIA
NEEDS TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.
I'M GOING TO BRING IN JOSH
LEDERMAN NOW, OUR REPORTER, HE'S
COMING TO US FROM BRUSSELS.
HE'S GOING TO JOIN US BY THE
PHONE AND TALK US THROUGH THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HUSTLING
TO GET THROUGH THIS.
WALK US THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE
HEARING.
>> Reporter: WE SHOULD POINT
OUT, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN URGING
AMERICANS FOR WEEKS NOW TO
CONSIDER LEAVING RUSSIA.
SO A PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IT
BUILDS ON WHAT THE U.S. HAS BEEN
SAYING FOR SOME TIME, THERE ARE
RISKS RIGHT NOW TO AMERICANS WHO
ARE REMAINING IN RUSSIA AND THAT
IT COULD BECOME MORE AND MORE
DIFFICULT TO GET OUT, BUT THE
PREVIOUS TRAVEL WARNINGS FROM
THE STATE DEPARTMENT USED
LANGUAGE THAT SAID AMERICANS
SHOULD CONSIDER LEAVING, SHOULD
URGENTLY LOOK FOR OPTIONS TO GET
OUT OF THE COUNTRY THAT DO NOT
INVOLVE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT.
TODAY, THIS UPDATED TRAVEL
WARNING IS SIGNIFICANTLY
STRENGTHENING THAT LANGUAGE.
THERE'S NO CONSIDER, THERE'S NO
LOOK INTO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
SAYING NOW U.S. CITIZENS WHO ARE
IN RUSSIA SHOULD LEAVE
IMMEDIATELY, AND PART OF WHAT
THEY ARE LOOKING AT IS NOT ONLY
THE FACT THAT GIVEN THAT THE
U.S. AND THE EU HAVE NOW BANNED
RUSSIAN AIRPLANES FROM THEIR
AIRSPACE AND VICE VERSA, MEANING
IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO GET A FLIGHT OUT, BUT ALSO THE FACT
FLIGHT OUT, BUT ALSO THE FACT
THAT THE U.S. HAS ADMINISHED DIM
DIPLOMATIC
DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE, WE CALL IT
PERSONA NON GRATA, BUT
ESSENTIALLY KICKING OUT EACH
OTHER'S DIPLOMATS, THERE'S NOT
AS MANY U.S. DIPLOMATS ON THE
GROUND TO ASSIST U.S. CITIZENS
SHOULD THEY GET INTO TROUBLE T
SHOULD THEY NEED TO LEAVE THE
COUNTRY, AND SHOULD THEY HAVE
SOMETHING AND NEED CONSULAR
ASSISTANCE.
UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW IF AN
AMERICAN CITIZEN WERE TO BE
DETAINED IN RUSSIA, FOR EXAMPLE,
THE RUSSIANS WOULD BE EXPECTED
TO PROVIDE CONSULAR ACCESS,
MEANING A U.S. DIPLOMAT WOULD BE
ABLE TO GO VISIT THEM, HELP THEM
TO A CERTAIN DEGREE TO
COORDINATE LEGAL SERVICES OR
OTHER HELP THAT THEY MIGHT NEED,
BUT THAT IS A DIMINISHED
CAPACITY THAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT HAS.
AND THIS BUILDS ON REPORTING WE
PUT OUT A FEW DAYS AGO THAT
SEVERAL U.S. OFFICIALS WERE
TELLING US THAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT
THE POSSIBILITY THAT RUSSIA
COULD DETAIN U.S. CITIZENS WHO
ARE IN RUSSIA AS A RESPONSE AND
RETALIATION FOR U.S. SANCTIONS
AND STEPPED UP PRESSURE,
PARTICULARLY THAT THERE WAS A
CONCERN THAT THEY COULD DETAIN
U.S. BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO ARE
OPERATING IN THE COUNTRY WHO
COMPLY WITH THOSE U.S.
SANCTIONS, SO THAT INCREASES THE
URGENCY FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
IN WANTING TO MAKE SURE
AMERICANS GET OUT WHILE THEY
STILL CAN.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYING IN
THE RECENTLY TRAVEL WARNING A
FEW MINUTES AGO, LIMITED
COMMERCIAL FLIGHT OPTIONS ARE
AVAILABLE.
THEY ARE NOT DIRECT FLIGHTS TO
THE U.S., THEY'RE NOT DIRECT
FLIGHTS TO THE EU. OSTENSIBLY PEOPLE IN RUSSIA
OSTENSIBLY PEOPLE IN RUSSIA
COULD FLY VIA DUBAI, TELL AVIV.
THE GOVERNMENT AT THIS POINT
SAYING AMERICANS SHOULD FIND
THEIR WAY TO ANY COUNTRY OTHER
THAN RUSSIA.
>> THAT'S QUITE FRIGHTENING,
JOSH.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTING.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION
TO, WE BROUGHT BREAKING NEWS
LAST SEGMENT, BRITTNEY GRINER
A WNBA PLAYER HAS BEEN DETAINED.
SHE HAS SOME HASH, I BELIEVE A
HASH CARTRIDGE FILLED WITH OIL.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS
COMPOUNDING WITH WHAT WE'RE
HEARING ABOUT HER BEING DETAINED
THERE AS WELL.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE WILL
BE NO ASSISTANCE TO HELP THE
AMERICANS FLEE RUSSIA, IF THAT'S
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> Reporter: NOT EXACTLY.
THE REMAINING U.S. DIPLOMATS WHO
ARE WORKING IN RUSSIA AS WELL AS
THEIR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE OUTSIDE
OF RUSSIA WHO ARE IN NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES OR AT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT IN WASHINGTON ARE
STILL GOING TO DO EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO HELP AMERICANS, BUT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS WARNING
THAT THEIR ABILITY TO DO THAT IS
SEVERELY LIMITED AND IS
DIMINISHING, SO THAT MEANS THAT
EVEN IF THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND
ITS DIPLOMATS WANT TO HELP AND
TRY TO HELP, THEY MAY NOT BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE THE KINDS OF
ASSISTANCE TO AMERICANS WHO
EITHER WANT TO LEAVE OR WHO GET
INTO SOME TYPE OF AN ISSUE IN
RUSSIA THAT THEY WOULD UNDER
NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> AND JOSH, I JUST WANT TO BE
CLEAR.
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE SAYING
BEFORE THAT THERE WAS
ENCOURAGEMENT, STRONG
ENCOURAGEMENT TO LEAVE, THE
STARK CONTRAST TODAY IS TO LEAVE
IMMEDIATELY.
I KNOW YOU SPOKE A LOT ABOUT IT
BEFORE, IS THERE SOMETHING, A
MAJOR THING THAT HAPPENED THAT
PROMPTED THIS CHANGE IN
GUIDANCE.
>> WELL, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY,
BUT I THINK THAT THE SIGNS HAVE
BEEN MOUNTING THAT THERE ARE
INCREASING CONCERNS ABOUT
AMERICANS IN RUSSIA.
MOST RECENTLY, THERE WAS THE
ANNOUNCEMENT IN RUSSIA THAT
JOURNALISTS WHO REPORT IN A WAY
THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
DOESN'T FEEL AS FACTUAL COULD BE
SUBJECTED TO UP TO 15 YEARS IN
PRISON.
WE HEARD FROM THE RUSSIAN TOP
DIPLOMAT, SERGEY LAVROV TODAY
SAYING THAT LAW NEEDS TO BE
IMPLEMENTED, HE NEEDS TO
ACTUALLY ACT ON THAT LAW.
THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE KIND
OF GROWING REASONS THAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT IS SEEING TO BE ABLE
TO NOW MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION
THAT ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO
ARE IN THE COUNTRY SHOULD LEAVE.
>> QUIET FRIGHTENING, JOSH.
WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP OUR EYE
ON THIS, BEFORE I LET YOU GO,
ONE QUICK QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE A LOT OF JOURNALISTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY IN RUSSIA, HELPING
TO BRING THIS VERY IMPORTANT
STORY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROTESTS
HAPPENING IN RUSSIA, OVER A
HUNDRED PROTESTS IN DIFFERENT
RUSSIAN CITIES INCLUDING
VLADIMIR PUTIN'S HOME, CITY OF
ST. PETERSBURG, WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN FOR JOURNALISTS WHO ARE
THERE HELPING TO TELL THESE
IMPORTANT STORIES?
>> WELL, ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT,
YOU KNOW, THERE IS THAT NEW LAW
THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT CERTAINLY
HAS CAUSED SOME CONCERN, AND WE
KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF WESTERN
NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE
BBC, AND OTHERS HAVE ANNOUNCED
THAT TEMPORARILY THEY WILL NOT
BE BROADCASTING OUT OF RUSSIA
WHILE THEY EXAMINE THIS NEW LAW
AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR IT.
>> JOSH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BRINGING ALL OF THIS BREAKING
NEWS TO US.
THIS IS QUITE THE DEVELOPING
STORY.
WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP OUR EYE
ON IT ALL MORNING, AND WE ARE
GOING TO BRING IN OUR PANEL INTO
THIS DISCUSSION NOW TO TALK
ABOUT THE GREAT REPORTING THAT
JOSH JUST INFORMED US, MALCOLM,
I WANT TO TURN TO YOU ON THIS.
THIS IS YOUR LANE, MY FRIEND,
YOU ARE SUCH A VALUE TO THIS
NETWORK RIGHT NOW.
WALK US THROUGH WHAT YOU JUST
HEARD JOSH SAY.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR
AMERICANS WHO ARE STILL THERE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
GENERAL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS WHO ARE WORKING
OVERSEAS OR WHO MAY BE DUAL
NATIONAL CITIZENS.
WE SAW THIS IN AFGHANISTAN.
WE TRIED TO GET OUT EVERY
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
THERE WERE MANY WHO DIDN'T WANT
TO LEAVE.
THIS IS THE EXACT SAME
CIRCUMSTANCE.
WE DO HAVE LIMITED CONSULAR
CAPABILITY.
WE TEND TO RELY ON OTHER
EMBASSIES WHO MIGHT HAVE
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS A
RUN UP TO A COMPLETE AND TOTAL
DIPLOMATIC BREAK WITH RUSSIA.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS VERY DIRE THE
WAY THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IT.
BUT AGAIN, LIKE WE SAW AT THE
WNBA PLAYER, THIS IS A
CIRCUMSTANCE THAT RUSSIA CAN
EXPLOIT THROUGH A HOSTILE
GOVERNMENT DETENTION.
BY THE WAY, CAN I MAKE A QUICK
POINT ABOUT THAT, BY ARRESTING
AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, THE
CHARGE SHE'S GOING TO BE DONE
WITH, IS THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO
ZIP HER UP AS A U.S. DRUG DEALER
BRINGING DRUGS, AFRICANS
BRINGING DRUGS INTO RUSSIA, AND
THEY ARE GOING TO GET HER TO
CONFESS TO SOMETHING, AND IT'S
GOING TO HURT.
IT'S GOING TO HURT EVERY OTHER
CITIZEN WHO REMAINS INSIDE OF
RUSSIA, SO PEOPLE, IF YOU CAN
LEAVE, LEAVE.
>> VERY VERY FRIGHTENING INDEED.
NOLA, THIS IS ALSO YOUR LANE.
HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS
MORNING.
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS LATEST
GUIDANCE OUT OF RUSSIA?
THE NEW LAW IN RUSSIA THAT, YOU
KNOW, PROTESTING COULD LEAD TO
10 TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON, YET
THE PEOPLE PERSIST.
THEY'RE STILL PROTESTING.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?
>> THE FIRST THING IT TELLS ME
IS THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE DIDN'T
WANT THIS.
THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT
TO WAKE UP TO WAR.
WE ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE
THINGS ARE ESCALATING, AS I'M
WATCHING THE FOOTAGE, LISTENING
TO THE REPORTING, THE ONLY THING
I COULD THINK OF IS WE'RE GOING
TO BE DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.
I JUST GOT REALLY SCARED AND
REALLY NERVOUS BECAUSE THIS HAS
REALLY CHANGED THE CALCULUS.
YOU ARE NOW DETAINING AMERICANS,
AND THEN LIKE I SAID, MY WORRY
IS, LIKE MALLCOLM JUST SAID THAT
BRITNEY WILL BE EXPLOITED AND
THE WAY IT'S GOING TO
REVERBERATE BACK RE, PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO WANT THE U.S.
PRESIDENT TO DO SOMETHING TO GET
HER OUT OF THERE, AND IT'S GOING
TO CAUSE MORE FRICTION, MORE
INTERNAL FRICTION HERE, SO IN
TERMS OF STRATEGY, I'M SEEING
HOW THIS IS GOING TO PLAY OUT,
AND I AM GETTING NERVOUS.
THIS WOMAN WILL BE EXPLOITED AND
NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER
AMERICANS WHO ARE THERE, BUT HER
RACE AND HER GENDER HAS A LOT TO
DO WITH IT, AND I AM JUST REALLY
NERVOUS FOR WHERE THIS IS GOING
TO GO AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY
WANT TO IMPLORE IS THAT RIGHT
NOW, AMERICA, WE NEED TO BE MORE
UNITED THAN EVER BECAUSE THE WAY
THAT THESE CAMPAIGNS ARE GOING
TO WORK AGAINST US, WE'VE SEEN
IT HAPPEN TIME AFTER TIME AFTER
TIME, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST
GOTTEN REALLY REALLY SERIOUS,
AND RIGHT NOW DIVISION IS NOT WHAT WE NEED.
WHAT WE NEED.
>> COMPLETELY AGREE, JAYSONSON,
SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS,
I WONDER WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO
HAVE DIRECT ENGAGEMENT FROM THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAVE OUR CITIZENS, THEY
WANT AMERICA TO LEAVE WHARKS DOES
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
DOMESTICALLY.
>> THERE'S JUST A PRACTICAL
ISSUE HERE.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO LEAVE
TOWN AT THE LAST MINUTE, IN THE
UNITED STATES, THAT'S NOT EASY.
THIS ISN'T CHEAP, RIGHT, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT PRICE INFLATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 6, $700 TO
GET IN AN UBER.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY FOR
THE AMERICANS WHO WANT TO LEAVE.
NOT EVERYBODY THERE IS RICH.
AND I WANT TO ALSO SAY THIS, WE
TALK ABOUT EXPLOITATION, HOW
PEOPLE ARE TREATED BY DIFFERENT
GOVERNMENTS.
SHE ISN'T JUST A BLACK WOMAN, A
WNBA PLAYER, SHE'S A QUEER
WOMAN, AND WE KNOW THE KINDS OF
ISSUES AND HOW THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY IS TREATED IN RUSSIA.
WE DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S WITH HER
SPOUSE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS COULD BE A VERY DIFFICULT
SITUATION, AND ONE THAT WOULD
PROBABLY REQUIRE THE UNITED
STATES TO GET INVOLVED.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST
STORY LIKE THIS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEBODY IN
HOUSTON, AUSTIN, SCREAMING,
GOING ON FACEBOOK SAYING I NEED