Russian state media amplify ex-CIA analyst’s false claims to promote pro-Kremlin narratives

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russian state media have cited Larry C. Johnson in hundreds of news articles and TV reports. They frequently present his views on the Russian-Ukrainian war and the West’s role, referring to him as a former CIA analyst, despite his short tenure with the agency more than 35 years ago. The Kremlin uses Johnson’s often false and misleading claims to promote pro-Russian narratives and improve its image.

RIA Novosti

RIA Novosti is a Russia’s major domestic state news agency with a website audience of upwards of 10 million daily users. From August 1, 2023, to September 12, 2024, Ria.ru published 403 materials citing Johnson’s statements.

On August 8, 2023, RIA Novosti — citing Johnson’s interview with YouTube channel Redacted — reported that “U.S. intelligence agencies are planning to assassinate Zelenskyy.”

Thirteen months later, the Ukrainian president is alive and well and regularly travels to the front to personally award troops of the nation’s armed forces.

On April 22, 2024, RIA Novosti, quoting Johnson’s interview with the YouTube channel Dialogue Works, stated that by “end of summer, maybe sooner,” Ukraine will lose the war to Russia and the Ukrainian city of Odesa, which he called Russian, will come under Moscow’s control.

In reality, Ukraine not only didn’t surrender but also launched a successful counteroffensive, capturing nearly 1,300 square kilometers of Russia’s Kursk region.

As for Odesa allegedly being a Russian city, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a similar false statement on December 15, 2023. Voice of America debunked Putin’s claim.

Odesa was founded in the 14th century as the Tatar fortress Khadzhibey and passed through Lithuanian, Polish and Turkish control before Russia took it by force in 1792. Russia renamed it Odesa in 1795 and ruled it for 126 years.

For the past 105 years, Odesa has been part of Ukraine. Contrary to Russian imperial myths, the city was never predominantly Russian; by 2001, Ukrainians were the majority, and as of 2015, 68% of residents were ethnic Ukrainians.

Sputnik

Sputnik is another Russian state-run news agency, and since August 8, 2023, it has published 280 materials with quotes from Johnson.

On March 31, Sputnik, citing Johnson’s interview on the YouTube channel Judge Napolitano – Judging Freedom, claimed that the March 22, 2024, terrorist attack at Crocus Concert Hall in Moscow was allegedly organized by Ukraine through an intermediary, with the U.S. and Great Britain as the masterminds behind the entire “operation.”

This false statement by Johnson coincides with the Kremlin’s information campaign blaming Ukraine and the West for this terrorist attack.

Russia ignored the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for the attack, which included evidence such as video footage of the terrorists in action. Instead, the Kremlin intensified its propaganda efforts following the IS claim.

Other major Russian media outlets

The state-owned broadcaster Russia Today, or RT, has published 163 articles with Johnson quotes and videos.

On August 29, 2023, RT, citing Johnson, reported a pro-Kremlin hoax that “Zelensky very well could be ousted in a coup within the next three to four weeks because of the great disgruntlement among troops on the eastern front.”

Pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia published 359 articles citing Johnson.

On August 8, 2023, Izvestia reported that, according to Johnson, Ukrainian air defenses had been almost completely destroyed, “so that Russian aircraft can now fly unhindered or almost unhindered throughout the territory of Ukraine.”

In fact, in August 2023, Russian aircraft were avoiding entering Ukrainian airspace to stay out of range of Ukraine’s air defense systems.

The Russian government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta had 299 news items with Larry C. Johnson’s name.

On June 16, 2024, Rossiyskaya Gazeta published Johnson’s unsubstantiated prediction, aligned with Kremlin narratives, stating: “If the West rejects Moscow’s peace plan, the Kyiv regime could soon lose control not only of Odesa but also of the capital.”

Lenta.ru, a mainstream news site owned by the Russian government through a subsidiary of the Sberbank state bank, published 445 articles containing statements by the “former CIA analyst.”

In January 2024, Johnson gave an interview to Channel One, a Russian state-owned TV channel, in which he promoted narratives indistinguishable from Kremlin propaganda: Ukraine has no chance in a war with Russia, Ukraine’s air force and air defenses are destroyed, Russia is an industrial giant, and the West cannot compete with it.