CIA in Russian media: coverage and portrayal tracker

Friend or foe of Russia

30 mentions over the last 7 days in

27%Hostile to Russia8 articles
70%Neutral21 articles
3%Friendly to Russia1 article

Which side of Russia each article places CIA on. Neutral includes articles that do not relate CIA to Russia at all. Method

0.2%of all news mentions CIA30 of 14,320 articles in the last 7 days

8 : 1Hostile to friendly8 articles hostile to Russia, 1 friendly

10.0%cast as a threat, the most common role3 of 30 mentions

Daily Activity

Mentions of CIA per day, newest first

How Russian media writes about CIA

Written by a language model on 21 September 2026, only from the articles and ratings collected here. It describes the coverage; it does not vouch for what the outlets claim. Method

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) featured in Russian coverage of Ukraine diplomacy, Western military support and US investigations. Life.ru, EADaily and other outlets relayed Trump’s statements that CIA Director John Ratcliffe was involved in Ukraine negotiations. EADaily reported Ratcliffe’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and, alongside Moskovsky Komsomolets, reported a subpoena for former CIA director John Brennan. Several outlets carried former CIA chief David Petraeus’s appeals for Western support for Ukraine.

Coverage also drew on former CIA analysts as commentators. Komsomolskaya Pravda relayed Larry Johnson’s praise of Russian military production and claims that sanctions would fail. Lenta.ru and other outlets repeated Ray McGovern’s claim that Trump no longer portrayed Russia as a threat.

Of 37 articles over the last 30 days, 28 presented the CIA neutrally, eight as hostile to Russia and one as friendly. It was cast as a threat in three articles, a partner in two, successful in two, declining in one and a victim in one. Hostile portrayals appeared most often in Lenta.ru, with three, followed by Life.ru and EADaily with two each, and Moskovsky Komsomolets with one.

How is Russian media covering ?

Friend or foe of Russia

Daily Activity

How Russian media writes about CIA

Recent Articles

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo to discuss Iran, Gaza, Sudan and Gulf security.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said US weapons failed to shift the Ukraine war and predicted Russia would prevail as fighting continues.

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis said Western policies toward Russia are reckless and urged a return to diplomacy, arguing Europe could not counter Russian drones and missiles in a full-scale conflict.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said Russia should take control of Kyiv, Odesa and territories between them, predicting a Russian military victory in Ukraine.

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern said Donald Trump, unlike Joe Biden, does not describe Russia as a threat and wants Europe to pay for US weapons for Ukraine.

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern said Donald Trump differs from Joe Biden by not portraying Russia as a threat and seeking to reduce US involvement in Ukraine.

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern said Donald Trump has dropped Joe Biden’s rhetoric about a Russian threat and wants Europe to bear more of Ukraine’s defense costs.

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern said Donald Trump, unlike Joe Biden, does not describe Russia as a threat to Europe and signals a US withdrawal from Ukraine.

Cuba’s national power grid suffered a complete outage on September 18, the Energy Ministry said, with restoration protocols activated.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said CIA Director John Ratcliffe may have visited Moscow to retrieve bodies of deceased CIA agents.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said Russia produces more artillery in a month than all NATO countries do in a year.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said Western sanctions against Russia were doomed because of the country’s size and natural resources.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said the United States should learn from Russia’s clean cities, teamwork and coexistence among religious groups.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson said Russia will prevail militarily in Ukraine and must take control of Kyiv, Odesa and territory between them.

James Gandolfini would have turned 65 on September 18, 2026. The article recalls his acclaimed role as Tony Soprano and colleagues’ descriptions of him as kind and generous.

TV host Irena Ponaroshku said she has used Botox injections for up to two years and has resumed eating meat after years of vegetarianism.

Poland's defense minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said neither he nor his ministry had seen a CIA report on alleged Russian threats cited by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Retired Canadian general Scott Clancy said NATO is effectively at war with Russia but is not prepared for an open armed conflict.

Kurt Volker said Russia’s alleged strike near a train carrying Boris Johnson and other Western politicians was a warning to the West.

CNN reports Russia provided Iran satellite intelligence before its March 27 strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which injured 12 US personnel.