CIA plan to overthrow Putin revealed.

The U.S. is still planning to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin and replace him with figures backed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), investigative journalist Wayne Madsen told Iran Press TV.

Is the CIA secretly backing forces seeking to overthrow Putin? - Photo: Reuters

"There are still Americans who dream of overthrowing Putin and replacing him with oligarchs like Mikhail Khodorkovsky, or some Russian gang backed by the CIA and George Soros," Press TV quoted Wayne Madsen as saying on July 5.

Billionaire George Soros is accused of using money to fund the overthrow of governments in several countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, according to Press TV.

Meanwhile, Khodorkovsky is a tycoon who was once ranked the richest man in Russia by Forbes magazine, and is associated with the nickname "Putin's number one enemy".

"The latest manifestations of this are, of course, what the CIA is backing as the so-called European Democracy Support, similar to the CIA's National Democracy Support Fund that has been removed from the U.S.," Madsen said.

Madsen, described as a conspiracy theorist, also argued that "the US is currently inclined to isolate Russia, weakening the Moscow regime," and that despite Russia's expressions of goodwill, a similar response from the US is unlikely.

He continued: "It will be very difficult for President Putin to get any significant response from the U.S. regarding the peace intentions he has clearly expressed to President Obama."

Journalist Madsen, owner of the Wayne Madsen Report blog, shared his views in an interview on the occasion of the US Independence Day. He said: "President Putin was right to say that he and President Obama need to sit down together to negotiate on the Iranian nuclear issue as well as other issues."

Recently, President Putin unexpectedly called President Obama to discuss common issues amidst strained Russia-US relations. Putin also sent a congratulatory message on the US Independence Day, emphasizing cooperation for mutual benefit, despite earlier in a meeting with the Russian Security Council where he asserted that "hostile forces are seeking to isolate Russia."

According to Reuters/TNO