The Russian government, we think, is planning to stage a fake attack by Ukrainian military or intelligence

forces against Russian sovereign territory or against Russian-speaking people to therefore justify

their action.

As part of this fake attack, we believe that Russia would produce a very graphic propaganda video, which would

include corpses and actors that would be depicting mourners and images of destroyed locations

as well as military equipment at the hands of Ukraine or the West.

Good morning and welcome to Morning Joe.

The United States accuses Russia of planning to film a fake attack video and use it as

justification for invading Ukraine.

We'll discuss whether Russia really thinks that would work.

That as Russian President Putin meets this morning with the leader of

China reaffirming their alliance. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a warning to U.S. athletes who are in

Beijing competing in the Winter Olympics. Your free speech doesn't travel with you to China.

We'll play for you what she said. Also this morning, new signs

of ex-President Trump's hold over the Republican Party. Today, the RNC will vote on censoring two of

the most vocal critics of the former president, Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinsinger. We'll read for you

their preemptive responses. We'll get to that and much more

on this Friday, February 4th, along with Willie and Me. We have the host of way too early

and White House Bureau Chief at Politico, Jonathan Lemire, former aide, the George W. Bush,

White House and State Department, Elise Jordan. And President of the Council on

Foreign Relations, Richard Haas, is with us along with the host of MSNBC's Politics Nation and

President of the National Action Network, Reverend Al Sharpton. Joe has the morning off. And Willie,

...