Russia will eventually regain control of Kyiv: Former CIA officer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that the Russian military should avoid attacking civilian sites, and if attacks are carried out, casualties should be kept to a minimum. He added that attacks on Russia by Western countries would motivate it to expand its security buffer zone even further.

FM Bharat

7/4/2026

MOSCOW: Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) intelligence officer Larry Johnson, commenting on Russia's recent establishment of control over Konstantinovka, said that "Russia will eventually regain control of Kyiv."

Speaking to the Russian news agency Sputnik, Mr. Johnson said, "Russia will also re-establish control over Odesa. Its forces will advance to the Dnipro River, and it is even possible that in some places they will move beyond it."

According to Mr. Johnson, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that the Russian military should avoid attacking civilian sites, and if attacks are carried out, casualties should be kept to a minimum. He added that attacks on Russia by Western countries would motivate it to expand its security buffer zone even further.

Mr. Johnson said that gaining control of Konstantinovka has placed the Russian military in a strategic position to encircle Sloviansk and Kramatorsk from all sides. He also said that the war has now entered a new phase, in which Russia is advancing more aggressively, while escalating actions by Western countries are further strengthening Russia's resolve.