i pressed dmitry peskov on that. take a listen. . >> she was coming to take part in sport in russia, effectively trying to build bridges through sport. it's a terrible message, isn't it, that she should be arrested and held and face potentially a jail time? >> well, it's also a message to breathe some forbidden essences and materials to this country. while trying to be -- to build some bridges. and is persecuted by russian loss. and russia is not a single country in the world that have quite as strict laws in that sense. there's a number of countries where you cannot enter with any drug. actually, it is prosecuted by law. so, we can do nothing about that. >> a special presidential envoy for hostage affairs is now leading the u.s. efforts to secure brittney griner's release. so, the u.s. government is now approaching this as a hostage situation? >> i would strongly disagree with that. we cannot call her hostage. why should we call her hostage? >> what about -- >> she violated russian law. and now she's being prosecute

really extraordinary exclusive, extraordinarily wide reaching and keir really prepped dmitri peskov on some of the questions we history and we followed up with the human rights lawyers that we have been speaking up, and what keir pressed peskov on and are you treating them as p.o.w. and you heard part of the answer, he said they are not ukrainian army, they are not subject to the geneva convention. now keir pressed him again, that is just not true. and you don't have to be enlisted, you don't have to be a member, you don't have to have a contract necessarily with the ukrainian army to be protected under the geneva convention. all you have to do as a fighter here in a conflict according to the geneva convention is to be fighting openly, wearing a uniform, and fighting in unit, under a responsible command, so the fact that peskov is saying they are not members of the ukrainian military, clearly that is worrying for the human rights lawyers and the international community watching. >> and molly, we received word overnight that a second american has been killed while fighting in ukraine. w

>> no, no i don't have any information about that. >> reporter: and dmitry peskov is telling me that the men, though, will not be in russia's view protected by the geneva conventions as prisoners of war. and that does have serious implications for the prospects, i'm afraid. so, pretty bleak comments for all of those american families. it was an extensive interview. we did cover a wide range of topics, including, i asked him about the question about the shortage of food caused by the crisis in ukraine. he denied that russia had any responsibility in that. or that russia's actions in ukraine was fuelling inflation in the u.s. and in the western europe. clearly, leaders like president biden would disagree. >> keir simmons in moscow, thank you so very much. >>> still ahead, soaring inflation is changing the way people spend their money. we're going to go live, see how small businesses are being affected. you're watching "jose diaz-balart reports." diaz-balart reports. ness. wooo! i'm a momma 24/7. seriously with the marker? i'm a bit of a foodie. perfect. but not much of a chef. yes! ♪

peskov, president vladimir putin's press secretary, about the americans' fate and we'll note tha russia is cracking down on journalists and limiting what they could say under the threat of imprisonment. >> reporter: tonight, the kremlin's first comments after two american veterans on the front lines in ukraine captured by pro-russian forces russian tv broadcast interviews wit two americans captured in ukraine. alex drueke and andy huynh where are they and who's holding them and what's next? >> they are soldiers of fortune, an they were involved in illegal activities on the territory of ukraine. they were involved in firing and shelling our military personnel. they were endangering their life they should be held responsible for those crimes that they have committed. >> reporter: in an exclusive intervie i asked the kremlin spokesperson peskov about the two british nationals and the moroccan captured by separatists rebels in ukraine now sentenced to death >> can you guarantee that these americans will not face the same fate >> no, i can't guarantee anything it depends on the investigation

kremlin spokesman said they won't be dmitry peskov told nbc's keir simmons that they won't be treated as prisoners of war. >> they are not the ukrainian army. so they are not a subject to geneva convention. it will be investigated. >> you're trying to establish -- >> geneva conventions cannot be applied. >> reporter: he offered no proof they were mercenaries. their families say they were volunteer soldiers. he says his assertions that captured americans are not entitled to p.o.w. status is wrong. the white house today expressing outrage at peskov refusing to rule out the death penalty as a possible sentence for the americans. >> it's appalling that a public official in russia would even suggest the death penalty for two american citizens. >> reporter: officials today also addressing brittney griner who's detained in russia and the wnba star's attempt to call her wife. the u.s. embassy in moscow failed to connect the call. >> it is a mistake that we have worked to rectify. >> reporter: according to the state department griner's call has been rescheduled. now human rights watch also add

it comes as kremlin spokesman dmitry peskov today refused to rule out that two captured americans could face the death penalty. the white house quick to respond. >> it's appalling that a public official in russia would even suggest the death penalty for two american citizens that were in ukraine. >> reporter: alexander drueke and andy huynh, both from alabama, are reportedly being held in the donetsk region of eastern ukraine. also tonight, david, u.s. attorney general merrick garland was in ukraine today pledging u.s. help to investigate and prosecute those responsible for alleged war crimes and other atrocities in this war. david? >> all right, james longman, with us from ukraine again tonight. thank you, james. >>> and when we come back here, the dangerous heat wave from dallas to chicago. and in the east, severe storms set to move in, so rob standing by to take us through this. covid-19 moves fast, and now you can too by asking your healthcare provider if an oral treatment is right for you. oral treatments can be taken at home and must be taken within 5 days from when symptoms first

kremlin spokesperson dmitry peskov has said the men were mercenaries and are not subject to the geneva conventions. the russian journalist dmitry muratov has auctioned off his nobel peace prize for over $103 million to raise money for ukrainian child refugees. muratov, who won the nobel last year, spoke prior to the auction. >> my country invaded the rritory of another state, ukraine. there are n 15.5 million refugees and how one must deal with this is completely incompetence of a. we got for along time but what we could do, what each individual could do, and we thought everyone should give away that which was dear to them , important to them. amy: in march, muratov closed his newspaper novaya gazeta after receiving a warning from a russian state censor over its coverage of the invasion of ukraine. israel appearso be headed to its fifth election in three years after prime minister naftali bennett announced he would soon resign and dissolve parliament. foreign minister yair lapid will soon take over to lead a caretaker government until the election is held. a new vote could result in be

in an exclusive interview with nbc news the kremlin spokesman dmitri peskov says the u.s. military veterans from alabama who volunteered to fight russia, well, they're going to be treated as criminals and mercenaries, not as prisoners of war. >> where are they? who is holding them, and what happens next >> well, so they are -- they're soldiers of fortune, and they were involved in illegal activities on the territory of ukraine. and they were involved in firing and shelling our military personnel. they were endangering their life they are not a ukrainian army. they are not subject to geneva convention >> now, it's unclear exactly where those two americans are right now. russian state media has aired video of them speaking under duress the interrogator in the video claims they are in the donetsk region of eastern ukraine. earlier this month vladimir putin's puppet government in eastern ukraine sentenced two british citizens and a moroccan to death for fighting alongside the ukrainian. the kremlin spokesman told nbc news he could not guarantee the captured americans won't fac

peskov says two american veterans cap toured in ukraine will be held responsible for the crimes they've committed. nbc news senior international correspondent keir simmons spoke exclusively with peskov. we should mention the russian government is cracking down on journalists and limiting what reporters can say under threat of imprisonment. keir, what else did he tell you about these men from the united states and the ongoing war? >> reporter: chris, he didn't give many details about where they are, whether they are still in ukraine, for example, or here in russia. we have no suggestion that they have been moved in that way. we don't know, for example, whether they're being held by russian forces or by pro-russian forces. it was, though, the first time that the kremlin has confirmed that it is aware that the men are being held captive and his message -- it will be a very difficult message for these men's families to hear, his message was uncompromising in terms of the way they would be treated, as he put it, legally, because as he sees it, the reasons why they were apprehended. take a li

i was unable to speak to his spokesman, to dmitry peskov. he said that certainly means the russians want to take all of donbas. they say these are the republics of donbas, they could possibly have a referendum. but in the end they want to have that territory. and i asked them, does that mean they're going to stop if they, if they manage to get those, those territories? and he wouldn't commit to that. he said maybe or maybe not, that that was up to the military. so certainly right now the russians feel more confident in their military operation, but they do, of course, still understand there is substantial world powers who are up against them. that's why you see vladimir putin trying to push his economy or move his economy more towards orientation towards countries like china and also, of course, trying to make it more autonomous from things like western technology. it's a huge task. it's not clear whether or not it's going to work, but certainly the western nations would be making a mistake if they believe that vladimir putin was in any way

russian president putin's spokesman, dmitry peskov, said russia can't guarantee they won't face the death penalty. >> they're soldiers and they were involved in illegal activities on the territory of ukraine. and they were involved in firing and shelling our military personnel. they were endangering their lives, and they should be responsible. they should be held responsible for those -- for those crimes that they have committed. >> according to russian state media, the fighters were captured last week and are being held by russian backed separatists in donetsk. sam kiley is in kharkiv tonight with the latest. what more are we learning about the americans who are being held? >> reporter: well, it's a very sorry tale. according to the descriptions that they've given, a serbian tv station that interviewed them, and the interviewer let slip they were in donetsk. that's the first confirmation they were in this break away republic in the east of ukraine. alex drueke said that he had been captured, as indeed did andrew huynh on their first day in combat. they said that they were both fighting f

here's kremlin press secretary dmitry peskov. translation: in fact, these attempts will amount to outright theft, - and these us claims about default are devoid of any legality. russia made the required bond payments and currency due in may. and the fact they had been blocked by euroclear and didn't come to the recipients is not our problem. in this case, there's no reason to call the situation a default. well, for more, i'm joined by yannis manuelides. he's a senior council with the law firm allen and overy. he's an expert in these matters, thanks very much indeed forjoining us. so help us understand a little further if russia has the money, why is it the sanctions prevent that money from being given to the creditors? sir, can you hear me ok? doesn't seem that he can. that's a shame, we'll try and clear up the sound because clearly we can see our guest but we can't... can you hear me ok? i guest but we can't. .. can you hear me ok? ., , , ., guest but we can't. .. can you hear meok? ., me ok? i hope you can hear me as well- good