Judy Woodruff:

So how does today's event look to someone with extensive experience in the U.S. intelligence community and with Russia?

For that, we turn to John Sipher. He had a 28-year career in the CIA and was based in Moscow during the 1990s.

John Sipher, welcome back to the "NewsHour."

So, as someone with long experience in intelligence, how did you read what you heard today?