CIA Director Held Covert Moscow Talks With Russian Intel Chiefs As Relations Sink Deeper Into "Crisis"
by Tyler Durden
Wednesday, Aug 26, 2026 - 11:01 PM
Summary:
- CIA Director Ratcliffe Met With Senior Russian intelligence officials, Not Putin
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Says Meeting Focused On Repairing Bilateral US-Russia Relations In "Deep Crisis"
- CIA Director Ratcliffe On USAF Cargo Jet Flight To Moscow
- US Air Force C-17 Makes Mysterious Visit To Moscow
New Details On Ratcliffe's Trip To Moscow
CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on a US Air Force C-17 transport jet on Tuesday morning for meetings with Russian intelligence officials, according to CBS News.
The outlet cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who confirmed Wednesday that Ratcliffe met with senior Russian intelligence officials but not President Vladimir Putin.
Putin was later briefed on the talks, according to Peskov, who cautioned that it was too early to determine whether the meeting could help pull bilateral US-Russian relations out of their "deep crisis."
The visit marks Ratcliffe's first known trip to Russia since becoming CIA director, though he has maintained contact with Russian intelligence counterparts, CBS noted.
CBS continued:
Ahead of his trip, the US told Ukrainian officials that a senior delegation would be traveling to Moscow and asked Kyiv to suspend strikes until the delegation's departure from Russia, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
The secretive trip comes as US-mediated peace talks remain stalled and Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have stoked a refined-products crisis that is spreading worldwide in the form of diesel shortages. We must note the energy crisis has been compounded by tanker transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
CIA Director Ratcliffe On USAF Cargo Jet Flight To Moscow
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was onboard the U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster lll that landed early Tuesday at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, in order to attend several high-level meetings with Russian officials, according to CBS News.
CBS News Senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs has provided some clarity on the mysterious US Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft that flew to Moscow earlier today.
Jacobs said, "Scoop: CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Russia aboard a C-17 for meetings in Moscow today, sources told @Olivia_Gazis @JimLaPorta and me. @CBSNews."
Scoop: CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Russia aboard a C-17 for meetings in Moscow today, sources told @Olivia_Gazis @JimLaPorta and me. @CBSNews
US Air Force C-17 Makes Mysterious Visit To Moscow
A US Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft landed at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport on Tuesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The C-17 arrived from Riga, Latvia, where it landed on Sunday, according to Flightradar24 data. Flight data show that the military transport plane was recently at Camp Springs, Maryland, home to Joint Base Andrews, which supports presidential and senior US government travel.
"An unusual visitor to Moscow this morning. A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III flew from Riga to Moscow Vnukovo Airport," Flightradar24 wrote on X early Tuesday.
An unusual visitor to Moscow this morning. 
A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III flew from Riga to Moscow Vnukovo Airport
flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/
A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III flew from Riga to Moscow Vnukovo Airport
flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/
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