
John Sipher
Former senior CIA clandestine service officer with extensive experience on Russia, multiple tours as chief of station, and co-host of the podcast Mission Implausible; provides expert analysis on Russian intelligence and the Epstein files.
Top 5 podcasts with John Sipher
Ranked by the Snipd community

123 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 1h
127. Was Epstein A Russian Spy?
John Sipher, former CIA Moscow station chief and Russia expert, weighs in on Jeffrey Epstein’s tangled Russia links. They explore Epstein’s Russian contacts, banking and trafficking ties. The conversation unpacks how Russian intelligence operates, kompromat dynamics, and whether Epstein’s networks could have been useful to Moscow.

Dec 27, 2025 • 35min
FTA: What're We Getting in Return for All of Trump's Gifts to Russia?
John Sipher, a former intelligence officer and national security commentator, joins the hosts to dissect the troubling dynamics between Trump and Putin. He explains how Trump's actions undermine trust in intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and disrupt global alliances like the Five Eyes. The conversation dives into Trump's persistent favoritism toward Russia and its geopolitical implications. They also explore the risks of a power-only foreign policy and question whether appeasing Putin will ever yield any benefits for the U.S.

Dec 28, 2023 • 1h 43min
Chatter Archive: Spy Movies with John Sipher
Former senior intelligence officer, John Sipher, discusses his transition to Hollywood, his favorite spy movies, and the fine line between espionage and action-adventure genres. They also delve into creating authentic spy stories, making movies based on books and real-life events, and the challenges and joys of the movie-making business.

Oct 27, 2023 • 33min
Target Moscow
Former top CIA Russia Hand John Sipher talks about spying and sabotage ops against Vladimir Putin, challenges faced by intelligence officers in Moscow, the significance of intelligence support in military operations, concerns about US involvement in Israel and the Middle East, Israeli politics and US support for Ukraine, and the implications of Russia's nuclear weapons.

Jun 30, 2023 • 40min
CIA’s RUSSIA CHALLENGE
Former CIA Russia hand, John Sipher, discusses the challenges faced by CIA personnel in Moscow amidst political uncertainty. They explore the importance of surveillance agents and all-source intelligence, as well as the quality of US intelligence analysis on Russia. The podcast also covers operations against Russians outside of Russia and the increasing appetite for spy stories in entertainment.


