CIA Director Ratcliffe Makes Unannounced Moscow Visit

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, holding a series of meetings in what is believed to be his first visit to Russia as the head of the U.S. intelligence agency. The visit, first reported by U.S. media outlets, comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane, which departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington, was tracked flying to Latvia and then onward to Moscow. A U.S. diplomatic motorcade was also observed at a Moscow airport.