Donald trump again comparing his treatment by u. S. Prosecutors to imprisoned, torture and martyred russian Freedom FighterAlexei Navalny. Its a horrible thing. Its happening in our country, too. We are turning into a communist country in many ways. If you look at it, im the leading cant i never heard of being indicted before. A form of navalny, a form of communism or fascism. House republicans are pushing on with their Impeachment Inquiry into the president. Today interviewing his Brother James, even after the key witness, an exfbi informant, was charged with giving false information against the bidens fed to him by russian intelligence. Good day, everyone. Im Andrea Mitchell. Another american is in custody in russia. A 33yearold los angeles ballerina is a Russian American Dual Citizen detained on suspicion of treason for allegedly donating 51 to support ukraine. They released this video showing her being led into a courtroom where a judge denied her bail. Her family is begging for her release. She is not safe there. If we do not help her, she will spend the rest of her life in jail. This as the State Department is again warning americans not to travel to russia and telling u. S. Citizens living or traveling in the country to leave immediately. The white house preparing to announce new sanctions against russia following death of russian Opposition LeaderAlexei Navalny. Joining me now is Peter Alexander and richard engel, who is in ukraine for us today. Richard, what else do we know why she was detained . Reporter it seems like this is politically motivated. This is a move by russia to show power, to show that it is not intimidated by the United States, that it is almost an affront to the u. S. The u. S. Said its going to impose these sanctions on friday. Today, the European Union and the uk imposed more sanctions on russia. The eu imposing them on nearly 200 individuals and entities. The uk specifically sanctioning officials at the penal colony where navalny died. I think were seeing russia respond that its not taking all of this lying down. It is stepping up its attacks in ukraine. Not sure if you can hear it. Its a little far away. There are Air Raid Sirens where i am right now. There are Air Raid Sirens in many places where you travel to in Eastern Ukraine right now. This whole area is under i dont want to say constant attack, but frequent attack. There tend to be concentrated attacks on specific towns and villages that russia wants to take over. The way they do that is by bombing them relentlessly, trying to drive out the people, put the ukrainians on their back foot, because the ukrainians are not in a position right now to fire back. Sometimes they are being outgunned five or ten to one. Once the ukrainians are driven out of the destroyed area, the russians move in. That is the strategy that they are pursuing. I think you can only see this womans arrest for 51, not something thats going to change the tide of a war in any way, in a political framework. You are so exactly right, richard. Secretary blinken has been complaining about this. Theres a policy of just picking up americans for money, for hostage, for trade as a matter of policy, of getting people out of jail they want out from their people who have been arrested. Go ahead, richard. Reporter it does seem like she was picked up for trade, for stock as is a very ugly word but sometimes used in this context, where you pick people up in case they can be useful to trade for somebody you want. The latest, Peter Alexander, victim of the strategy of Vladimir Putins is this young woman, along with evan gershkovich, who just had another Court Hearing this week and was told he is not going to have another hearing until march 30th. So that will be more than a year since he has been a reporter accused of spying unfairly. To be there for a year, a full year. Peter . Reporter you are exactly right. Now we heard, as the president confirmed, there will be the announcement of a major sanctions package coming up this friday. Saturday is the twoyear anniversary of russias brutal invasion into ukraine. The president on saturday is going to be speaking to his g7 colleagues in a virtual meeting. On friday, you and i and our colleague Carol Lee Have new reporting about what we anticipate will be a part of the new sanctions, this new major package. Its still coming together. A Senior Administration official tells us, but its likely to include something as it relates to a strengthened cap on russias oil revenues. You remember, more than a year ago, the g7 and the European Union had imposed a 60 per barrel cap on russias oil. Obviously, a big source of money that russia takes in from around the world. Initially, it did have some impact, an effort to try to starve Vladimir Putins war chest. But over time, due to loopholes, it hasnt had the same impact. I anticipate that, based on our conversations, is likely to be a part of it. Also, two u. S. Officials telling nbc news that the sanctions are likely to target some entities related to Alexei Navalnys causes, among them one official noted to us the issue of anticorruption, another official noted the topic of Alexei Navalnys imprisonment, which is notable because the United Kingdom earlier today announced sanctions on the Prison Chiefs in that brutal prison camp in siberia where Alexei Navalny lost his life. Those are some of the issues that were going to focus on over the next several days ahead of the announcement. As you have been reported, there are conversations about the potential effort to try to seize russias assets. There are divisions within the administration about whether to do that, what impact it could have if russia were to try to do the same in the future. Theres about 300 billion in seized assets right now. The u. S. Controls 10 of them. Thats another one of the issues that is on the plate as the u. S. Considers this effort. Richard, lets talk briefly about the situation for the ukrainian troops as we approach this anniversary. They lost some ground. Are they retreating . Are they just reinforcing defenses . They are clearly outmaneuvered or at least outweaponed by the russians. Reporter what happened in avdiivka was a bad sign. They tried to retreat. As they were retreating, the russians were still advancing. It turned into a very chaotic retreat. The ukrainians broke rank, were forced to leave quickly in a disorganized way. There were prisoners taken by russia. Others have gone missing. It was a terrible strategic retreat tactically disastrous for ukraine. The concern is that once you start losing territory avdiivka is not a big place. Its 20, 30,000 people. Most americans couldnt find it on a map. Ukrainians didnt know it before the war. Once you start losing territory, like ukraiians lost avdiivka, the concern is losing other territory. To flip the scenario, as the ukrainians were advancing, when they would take territory from the russians, the russians didnt just lose one town or two, they started losing small amounts and it snowballed and they lost large chunks. Thats the concern here, that this could be a precursor for deeper losses to come, unless they get fresh supplies of weapons and ammunition. Peter alexander, richard engel, thanks to both of you for starting us off. Joining us now is the Founding Editor and chief of russias only independent tv channel. He is the author of the book war and punishment, putin, zelenskyy and the path to russias invasion of ukraine. Thanks for being with us. My condolences to you. You worked so closely with Alexei Navalny. You got an email from him just before he died. What did he write to you . That was not an email. It was a physical letter, handwritten. It was a very long one. We used to discuss everything starting from russian literature. Most importantly, it was very energetic, very cheerful. He was trying to support funny enough, he was trying to support me and convincing me to support all other russian immigrants. We were discussing actually my next book about the collapse of soviet union. He wrote its a tragedy that we lost our historic opportunity to become a democratic country. He wrote that its crucial not to lose the next opportunity to make russia a democracy once putins regime is going to collapse. We all saw the video of him in court the day before he died looking relatively healthy, given the circumstances of his imprisonment. He was healthy. What do you think happened . I think he was killed. I think im scared to think of the way, how he could have been killed, because obviously it was decision made by putin. Im not surprised that they do not release his body to his parents. Im afraid probably we will never see the body, because i have very deep concern. Im very concerned about the way how they were killing him. I can suspect that he might have been tortured or something worse. Once they decided to kill him, i think everything might have been possible. Do you think that they are holding his body so long and not turning it over to his mother because they are trying to Detox Detoxify his body . I think thats the best case scenario. Its not so its not torture. Im afraid something worse could have happened to him. The United States, President Biden is preparing to sanction russia on friday, announce new sanctions. Some of the sanctions, we are told, might be for individuals, for people involved in that prison system. Do you think theres any way they will be held accountable, including Vladimir Putin . I hope. Thats what yulia said, that shes sure one day there are going to be they will be accountable for that. I hope to see them in court. I think the personal sanctions are needed. Thats something he has appealed for. Unfortunately, we have to face the truth that in general, most of the sanctions implemented during the last two years are not working. Russian economy is in rather good shape. Theres no catastrophe. Russian elite thinks that putin is winning, unfortunately. Russian big business, all those people who were strongly gain in the beginning of the war were somehow pushed back to russia. I think that was some kind of mistake to Push Back Russian big business and to make it support Vladimir Putin. Finally, i know the last thing on your mind is probably american politics. The leading candidate for the republican nomination, donald trump, who flies around on his own jet and lives in a mansion in florida and another mansion in new jersey and all of that, a penthouse in new york, he is saying that he is a victim of the American Court system, the prosecutors, the way Alexei Navalny is a victim. How does that comparison strike you . I think it doesnt matter what we think. What American Voters think, that matters. If American Voters think that all those trials and indictments make him look like victim, that would matter. If all those trials increase his popularity, that would be a very bad sign. At the same time, i know that for people in russia, for Vladimir Putin, thats very important. I think that he thinks that the time is on his side. He is not willing to start another assault in ukraine, for example, because he thinks he doesnt need to do that. He is waiting for trump to be back in the white house. I think he will exchange all the american citizens, held like hostages, until the moment trump is going back to the white house. Thats his plan, unfortunately. Friend and close associate of Alexei Navalny, thank you very much. We have days to go. Reality check on nikki haleys chances in her home state this weekend. The strategy behind her decision to stay in the race. Thats next when Andrea Mitchell reports is back 60 seconds from now. You are watching msnbc. Questio. How do i clean an aioli stain . Use tide. Do i need to pretreat guacamole . Not with tide. Why do we even buy napkins . Thankfully, tides the answer to almost all of them. Do crabs have eyebrows . Except that one. For all of lifes laundry questions, its got to be tide. Some Migraine Attacks catch you off guard, but for me a stressful day can trigger Migraine Attacks too. Thats why my go to is nurtec odt. Its the only Migraine Medication that can treat and prevent my attacks all in one. Dont take if allergic to nurtec. Allergic reactions can occur even days after using. Most common side effects were nausea, indigestion and stomach pain. Now im in control. With nurtec odt i can treat a Migraine Attack and prevent one. Talk to your doctor about nurtec today. You need tmobile. Home internet with 5g. Wait tmobile has Home Internet . What a feeling to have tmobile now South Carolina is holding its republican primary in three days. Nikki haley is crossing the state as are surrogates for donald trump. Despite lagging nearly 30 points in the polls, Nikki Haley Says shes determined to stay in the race through Super Tuesday. Thats two weeks from now. Trump is getting a lot of attention, not for his appeals to South Carolina voters, but for, as we have been reporting, failing to condemn Vladimir Putin for the death of Alexei Navalny and comparing his own civil and criminal trials with what navalny went through, going back to russia after surviving an assassination attempt, being jailed and sent to a Siberian Prison where he was held in solitary, tortured, and likely murdered. Navalny is a very sad situation. Its a horrible thing. Its happening in our country, too. We are turning into a communist country in many ways. Do you see yourself as a potential political prisoner in the United States . If i were losing in the polls, they wouldnt be talking about me. I wouldnt have had any legal fees. Even if you appeal, you have to put up escrow money. Its a lot of dough. Its a form of navalny. Its a form of communism or fascism. Its torture. Joining me now is ali vitali on the trail in South Carolina, Washington PostNational Editor phil rucker and republican strategist susan del percio. Ali, you are back to interview nikki haley. I know you have to run. Shes made post South Carolina plans, heading into michigan. Whats her strategy since she is so far behind and is about to most likely lose her own home state . Reporter just keep campaigning. If you look at the campaigns plans, thats one of the questions that im going to ask her in the next few minutes when we sit down is, the conversation for haley had always been, im going to stay in through Super Tuesday. You see that in her travel schedule. Immediately after South Carolina voters going to the polls, shes heading to michigan and do a stunning tour of the United States through utah, colorado, virginia and others, trying to hit as many of those Super Tuesday states as she possibly can before that march voting day. Its also clear that shes starting to shift the goalposts there, too, saying in interviews she wants to stay in until the last voter votes. That could mean march, may march, april, may, june, starting to list the months means she might be thinking about this in a more longterm way than even those of us who have been out here open the Campaign Trail with her thought she might. You look at the fact the fundraising reports are coming out today. Shes bringing in a lot of money. They have money on hand to keep going. Where theres a will theres a way. Haley said yesterday she wants to be able to stay in to provide a trump alternative. They have the way, which is that they have a candidate who want to barnstorm the states. They have the money to do it. Of course, the landscape remains the same. The likelihood she loses her home state here, polls have consistently showed trump is ahead by as many as 30 points. She could lose here by a two to one margin. A lot of the Super Tuesday states, the margins between haley and trump are greater. Its going to be a slog for her on the Campaign Trail, no matter how determined she is to stay in. Run and do your interview and come back to us as soon as you can. See you later in the day. Thank you so much. Phil, lets talk about donald trump, comparing his legal troubles, how persecuted he is in his view by the prosecutors, t