Vladimir putin gave to the US President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff the Order of Lenin, intended for the CIA deputy director for digital innovation Juliane Gallina. Her 21-year-old son, Michael Gloss, who suffered from mental disorders, was killed in 2024, fighting in Ukraine on the side of russian troops.
This was reported by CBS News sources familiar with the situation. The order was presented to Witkoff during his last visit to Moscow on August 6. The further fate of the award remains unknown.
This move could be part of a subtle psychological game by putin, known for his desire to find vulnerabilities in opponents. The gesture was probably designed to create uncomfortable questions in the American establishment and emphasize that the son of a CIA employee fought on the side of russia, writes CBS News.
In April, CIA officials said Gloss's death did not pose a threat to US national security. Two sources said there was no evidence that the deceased American was recruited by russian intelligence services, and the Kremlin was likely unaware of Gloss's ties to Gallina when it repatriated the body. One source said Michael Gloss did not work for the CIA.
Gloss had posted material on social media in support of russian troops.
Michael Gloss, the deceased son of CIA Deputy Director for Digital Innovation Juliane Gallina. Photo: Michael Gloss/via Facebook.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, russian media reported his death in April. At the time, the CIA expressed condolences to the family, calling what happened an "unimaginable personal tragedy."
According to the obituary, Michael Gloss "tragically died in Eastern Europe" on April 4, 2024. His father, Iraq War veteran Larry Gloss, told The Washington Post that neither he nor Gallina knew about his son's stay in Ukraine and his service in the russian army. "Our biggest fear was that Moscow would guess who his mother was and use it in propaganda," Larry Gloss admitted.
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