WEBVTT - He Hasn't Seen The Queen Yet! - Felix Light Talks With A&G

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<v Speaker 1>Boris Johnson resigned as the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

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<v Speaker 1>He'll stay on until they get somebody new, but he's done,

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<v Speaker 1>so that little era is over all. I hope is

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<v Speaker 1>that whoever becomes Prime Minister is as committed or more

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<v Speaker 1>to defending Ukraine against the Russian onslaught. At the very

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<v Speaker 1>beginning of the war, we started talking to Felix Light

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<v Speaker 1>when he was still in Moscow reporting on it. He

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<v Speaker 1>has since left there and is now in London. CBS

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<v Speaker 1>Radio News. Felix Light joins us now on the Armstrong

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<v Speaker 1>Getty Show. Hey Felix, Hey, how's it good. How long

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<v Speaker 1>were you in Moscow? When did you leave? And why

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<v Speaker 1>did you leave? Oh? Well, I was in Moscow for

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<v Speaker 1>about a little under five years, I think its total.

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<v Speaker 1>And I left a week into the war, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>so that's about something like a third or the fourth

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<v Speaker 1>of March this year, so a good sort of well

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<v Speaker 1>four months ago now a little bit more, uh know,

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<v Speaker 1>and and just sort of it had become very clear,

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<v Speaker 1>I think sort of back then that you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>situation was looking you know, pretty negative. You know, we

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<v Speaker 1>were there were sort of not just sort of the

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<v Speaker 1>Russian side bringing in laws against you know, essentially kind

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<v Speaker 1>of criminalizing anyone actually like reporting the war accurately. But

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<v Speaker 1>also you know, you had sort of you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>Western sanctions would have meant that essentially I didn't have

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<v Speaker 1>any money. You know, my bank cards were going to

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<v Speaker 1>be cut off, my credit cards, so you know, it

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<v Speaker 1>was it was a very difficult time. You know, a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of people I think made a lot of staff

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<v Speaker 1>decisions back then. So that first week of the war, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I actually remember we're talking to you about that, and

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<v Speaker 1>that made a lot of sense. Do you feel like

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<v Speaker 1>the sanctions haven't hurt Russia as much as we were hoping?

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<v Speaker 1>Do you know what I actually like depends? You know,

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<v Speaker 1>the Russian economy is a bit of a joke kind

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<v Speaker 1>of in objective terms, but it's run by some very

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<v Speaker 1>smart people who you know, what to do it sort

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<v Speaker 1>of you know, policy terms, you know, in this kind

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<v Speaker 1>of crisis. But you know that being said, I think

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<v Speaker 1>there are a lot of places when where you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the the ordinary Russian really is hurting. You know, if

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<v Speaker 1>you look at sort of a lot of these you know,

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<v Speaker 1>like a lot of towns, a sort of Soviet style

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<v Speaker 1>industrial towns, you know, sort of like Detroit style places,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, big car manufacturing centers. These places are almost

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<v Speaker 1>shutting down. You know, the supply chains are just completely

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<v Speaker 1>busted with sanctions. So I think, you know, if you

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<v Speaker 1>get a little bit out, a bit outside Moscow and

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<v Speaker 1>maybe you know, get under the hood and sort of

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<v Speaker 1>get away from the top line figures of the economy,

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<v Speaker 1>I think a lot of people in Russia are suffering

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<v Speaker 1>right now. You know, if you look at auto sales

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<v Speaker 1>in Russia, it's down something like Center Online crazy statistics.

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<v Speaker 1>And then you know, this is sort of you know,

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<v Speaker 1>this is this is not something you'll see in sort

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<v Speaker 1>of you know, like deficit figures or you know, inflation

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<v Speaker 1>or unemployment, but it is it's a really good indicator

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<v Speaker 1>of sort of how actual Russians are feeling, you know

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<v Speaker 1>what I mean. Yeah, well, I feel bad for the

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<v Speaker 1>average Russian who probably if they knew what was actually happening,

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't support this war in any way. But I hope

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<v Speaker 1>the pain gets bad enough that, you know, put some

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<v Speaker 1>pressure on putting to want to go a different direction. Absolutely, absolutely, so,

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<v Speaker 1>I know you're reporting on this grinder woman. She is

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<v Speaker 1>a w NBA star who has grabbed in Russia because

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<v Speaker 1>she allegedly had drugs in her bag. She has now

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<v Speaker 1>pled guilty. I'm guessing that's something our government suggested. She

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<v Speaker 1>talked to Joe Biden yesterday. What's the latest on that story. Yeah, so,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, this was about day three of the Grinder trial.

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<v Speaker 1>She did plead guilty. And you you think that this

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<v Speaker 1>is because basically, I think the hopes of the U. S. Government,

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<v Speaker 1>probably the hopes of Grinder herself, are basically on some

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<v Speaker 1>kind of prisoner exchange. You know, even in the last

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<v Speaker 1>few months, you know, during this war, we've had a

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<v Speaker 1>few quite surprising moments where actually, you know, some pretty

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<v Speaker 1>uh you know, I don't know if you were Trevor

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<v Speaker 1>Read the U. S. Marine who was jailed in Russia.

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<v Speaker 1>He was released a couple of months ago in a

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<v Speaker 1>prisoner exchange for a Russian jailed in the US. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>there is a little bit of this ongoing. But I

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<v Speaker 1>think kind of, you know, in a Russian court way,

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<v Speaker 1>you know that the outcomes, if you don't mind me saying,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, pretty pretty sort of effectively determined in advanced sure,

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<v Speaker 1>I think you know, a guilty plea was kind of

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<v Speaker 1>necessary almost to get that sort of standing with the

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<v Speaker 1>Russian government to try and you know, get in there

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<v Speaker 1>with a prisoner exchange. Really, you know, that's certainly what

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<v Speaker 1>I think to the Russians. For Deputy Foreig Minister, who

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<v Speaker 1>was discussing the case yesterday, pretty heavily alluded to you

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<v Speaker 1>know that, uh almost the U. S. Government needed to

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<v Speaker 1>stop talking about it, and they they you know, they

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<v Speaker 1>do they do a prisoner exchange when it suited. That

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<v Speaker 1>I think was the message. Yeah, Well, it was interesting

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<v Speaker 1>for me to find out that we have a number

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<v Speaker 1>of American citizens being held in Russia against their will,

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<v Speaker 1>and some of them have been there for years, and

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<v Speaker 1>some of their family members are wondering, hey, my my

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<v Speaker 1>husband or whoever who's being held in Russia is not

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<v Speaker 1>a w NBA star, and the President hasn't called us,

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<v Speaker 1>and nobody's like bending over backwards to trying to get

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<v Speaker 1>you know, my family member out of there. That's that's

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<v Speaker 1>a bit of a troubling situation. Well, yeah, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>The other and is another a lot of former marine

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<v Speaker 1>I think a guy called Paul Wheeler, who I think

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<v Speaker 1>Joe Biden has been sort of intervening with for some time,

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<v Speaker 1>and I think Trump before him was also sort of

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<v Speaker 1>pursuing this case, you know. But you know, the Russian

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<v Speaker 1>sort of justice system, the Russian criminal system, it's it's

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<v Speaker 1>it's a very sort of murky world, and you only

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<v Speaker 1>really sort of know what sort of incentives are going on,

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<v Speaker 1>why they're sort of acting in the way they are

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<v Speaker 1>really when you're inside it. And I think very few

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<v Speaker 1>people to really understand why they would see this NBA

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<v Speaker 1>star or this X marine. You know, it's it's a

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<v Speaker 1>very very curious world, toxic. Talking with Felix Light and

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<v Speaker 1>uh CBS News radio News and the Moscow Times, and

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<v Speaker 1>he lived in Moscow for years and we got to

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<v Speaker 1>Felix through the whole war in Ukraine story. But the

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<v Speaker 1>fact that you're in London, I can't help but ask.

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<v Speaker 1>Just a few hours ago Boris Johnson resigned. What kind

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<v Speaker 1>of an earthquake is that? As far as a news

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<v Speaker 1>story there in London, Yeah, it's pretty pretty extraordinary, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we we almost don't really whether he's really resigned,

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<v Speaker 1>because he sort of said he's going to resign. But

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<v Speaker 1>to resign as a UK premnisty you actually have to

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<v Speaker 1>go to see the Queen Right of course, of course

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<v Speaker 1>you do. Why wouldn't you have to go see a

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<v Speaker 1>queen if you want to elected to face on the

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<v Speaker 1>step down? Makes sense to me exactly. But Johnson has

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<v Speaker 1>not gone to see the queen, so you know, he's

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<v Speaker 1>holding that final cards sort of very close to his

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<v Speaker 1>chest there, you know, so we will see what happens

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<v Speaker 1>with that. But I think it was it was extraordinary,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I don't you know, the the this sort

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<v Speaker 1>of scandal, the one that really broke him, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>there's been so many Boris Johnson scandals. Was you know,

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<v Speaker 1>he sort of fled up last week, you know, related

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<v Speaker 1>to sort of covering up for an MP who had

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<v Speaker 1>been involved in sexual harasson It was extraordinary that it

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<v Speaker 1>was actually someone else's scandal that any end broken, and

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<v Speaker 1>not an actual Johnson scandal, because there's been so many,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's such a sort of you know, colorful character

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<v Speaker 1>and very prone to scandal that it was almost seems

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<v Speaker 1>to these are that, you know, with someone else's wrong

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<v Speaker 1>doing accord him in the end. Yeah, well, I think

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<v Speaker 1>it was just a you know, he was warned by

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<v Speaker 1>his own people, look not this guy, and he went

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<v Speaker 1>ahead and appoint him anyway, it's just like, all right,

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<v Speaker 1>you don't even care, do you You just don't care. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>it was pretty it was pretty pretty special. And then

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<v Speaker 1>he uh, I think about fifty ministers that's sort of

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<v Speaker 1>you know, govern Beneficials ended up resigning over the last

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<v Speaker 1>two days, you know, in an attempt to get him out.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, he appointed a new finance minister who don't

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<v Speaker 1>said actually, you know, thank you for appointing me, but

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<v Speaker 1>you should actually resign. It was an extor. It was

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<v Speaker 1>absolutely extraordinary couple of days in the UK, to be honest, Well,

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<v Speaker 1>bringing it back to your expertise, my only question around

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<v Speaker 1>who who's Prime minister right now is because I don't

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<v Speaker 1>follow British politics that well. Is I wanted to be

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<v Speaker 1>somebody who really really is supporting the people of Ukraine

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<v Speaker 1>against Russia. Are both parties at this point supportive, so

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<v Speaker 1>that no matter who wins, it's likely Ukraine will still

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<v Speaker 1>get support from Great Britain. Yeah, definitely. You know, I

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<v Speaker 1>think support for Ukraine is very much a kind of

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<v Speaker 1>a consensus position in the UK. You know, there's no

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<v Speaker 1>one serious who sort of says that we shouldn't be

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<v Speaker 1>doing it. And I think that also to be quite honest,

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<v Speaker 1>towards the end of Johnson's Climate Office, it was really

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<v Speaker 1>sort of, you know, that was almost the only thing

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<v Speaker 1>he was popular for, right, sort of very much approved

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<v Speaker 1>of that, and they sort of they enable he was

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<v Speaker 1>awful on everything else. So I think there's no danger

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<v Speaker 1>that UK policy will sort of change on Ukraine, although

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<v Speaker 1>I do think probably Zelenski and Kiev would have preferred

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<v Speaker 1>for Johnson to stay, just because, you know, I think

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<v Speaker 1>what Johnson showed he was able to do with Ukraine

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<v Speaker 1>would sort of make promises but also keep them. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>the UK was doing very well in terms of delivering

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<v Speaker 1>what it was saying it was going to deliver, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think there is a worried uh, you know maybe

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<v Speaker 1>amongst the Zelenski allies that you know, it's not the

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<v Speaker 1>UK won't abandoned Ukraine, but it might sort of it

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<v Speaker 1>might sort of think down to you know, below priority

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<v Speaker 1>if you like, Yeah, the UK actually delivering on what

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<v Speaker 1>they promised, as opposed to, for instance, Germany and France,

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<v Speaker 1>which is a completely different story. Hey man, if I

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<v Speaker 1>may ask before we let you go, how old are you, Felix?

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<v Speaker 1>You are really good. I would talk to you anytime

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<v Speaker 1>you are there there I I don't have a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of I don't know. There are a lot of young

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<v Speaker 1>journalists out there who well I won't say anymore, but

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<v Speaker 1>you are really really good and appreciate you coming on today.

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<v Speaker 1>I appreciate that Felix Light reporter in London. Now, he

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<v Speaker 1>was in Moscow for five years, so he's twenty eight.

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<v Speaker 1>He left Moscow, so he was He went to Moscow

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<v Speaker 1>when he was twenty three, lived there for five years,

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<v Speaker 1>became an expert in that and you just heard him. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>I love the journalists because a lot of Martlin this

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<v Speaker 1>way anymore. I love the journalists who just like are

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<v Speaker 1>really really interested in what they're doing. You can tell

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<v Speaker 1>that they like for their own enjoyment, are searching out

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<v Speaker 1>the background on all these different stories. So if you

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<v Speaker 1>get up off on a different topic like we just did,

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<v Speaker 1>he's got something to say about it. Um. We talked

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<v Speaker 1>to journalists all the time that they clearly have read

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<v Speaker 1>like the first paragraph of some story and they're not

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<v Speaker 1>really into it, and it drives me nuts. And part

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<v Speaker 1>it's because they get paid so little in the modern

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<v Speaker 1>world because of the Internet, in the way everything has changed.

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<v Speaker 1>But there's a guy who's really really good. It's not

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<v Speaker 1>like I'm his agent or something, but appreciate having him

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<v Speaker 1>on art strong and