If it's Monday, Russia and crisis, President Putin speaks out for the first time since the abrupt

end of the revolt that challenged his authority and had Russian mercenaries marching toward

Moscow.

Plus, NBC's first presidential poll since Donald Trump's federal indictment showing the

former president expanding his lead over his Republican rivals while the Santos standing

declines.

And our poll shows concerns growing among Democrats about President Biden's physical

and mental fitness for office as the White House faces a fresh set of headwinds and headaches,

heading into 2024.

Welcome to Meet the Press.

I'm Kristen Wilker in Washington.

We begin today with the latest dramatic developments after this weekend's aborted rebellion in Russia.

In the last weekend, President Putin's president and president of the group of Russian mercenaries

led his troops on a march toward Moscow in an unprecedented challenge to Vladimir Putin's

regime before abruptly turning around and seemingly agreeing to a deal sending him into exile.

Now, moments ago, Russian state media played comments from Putin, which it says he made from

the Kremlin, Putin calling the revolt blackmail and vowing revenge against those behind it,

but also praising the Wagner soldiers, calling the majority of them patriots.

The organizers of this rebellion cannot but understand that they will be brought to justice.

Everybody understands that.

This is criminal activity, which is aimed at weakening the country, which, and this was

a colossal threat from outside we are threatened.

...