According to CBS, which cited sources familiar with the matter, CIA Chief John Ratcliffe reportedly traveled to Moscow for discussions on Tuesday. This travel is noted as potentially his first known trip to Russia while serving as CIA Director, although he has previously maintained contact with Russian intelligence counterparts.
The reports emerged against a backdrop of other activity at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport. Earlier reports indicated that a US military aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster III with the registration RCH4555, had landed there in the morning. Publicly available radar data allegedly supports this sighting. Additionally, a column of US diplomatic vehicles was observed on the ground. The aircraft reportedly originated in the USA, having departed from Riga, where it only made a brief stop.
Initially, the Kremlin stated it had no knowledge of this activity, and CBS could not provide further details at first.
Ratcliffe’s diplomatic engagement in Russia carries known precedent. The CIA has played a role in recent prisoner exchanges between the United States and Russia. For instance, the agency was involved in the release of Russian-American dual citizen Ksenia Karelina in April 2025, a negotiation Ratcliffe allegedly handled personally, according to the report. Furthermore, the agency was part of the 2024 exchange that secured the freedom of “Wall Street Journal” reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan.
