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CIA Director Ratcliffe Secretly Visits Moscow on C-17

8/26/2026

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Left

Ratcliffe Visits Moscow

CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Moscow on August 25, 2026, arriving aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft.
Washington told Kyiv to suspend long-range strikes on Moscow during the visit, citing concerns that Russian air defenses could not protect civilians.
The CIA has previously arranged prisoner swaps between the United States and Russia.
Earlier this month Russia freed a former U.S. Marine who had been detained since 2022.

Right

Ratcliffe Secret Trip

CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Moscow on August 25, 2026, arriving on an Air Force C-17 transport plane for meetings with Russian officials.
The visit was kept secret, using the military’s largest aircraft, sparking public jokes that Moscow was under attack.
U.S. and Russian officials declined comment; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware.
Filmed the C-17, joked “We are under attack!”, and saw a diplomatic convoy in Moscow.

Center

Ratcliffe Visits Moscow

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow, Russia, on August 25, 2026, arriving on a U.S. military C-17 transport plane for meetings with Russian officials.
The trip is tied to stalled Ukraine peace talks and U.S. sanctions on Iran, suggesting discussions about Russia’s aid to Iran and the war.
Flight-tracking data show the C-17 left Joint Base Andrews, stopped in Riga, Latvia, and landed at Vnukovo Airport around 9 a.m. local time.

Blindspot

Blindspot

U.S. officials said Washington notified Kyiv in advance of the CIA director’s visit and asked Ukraine to suspend long-range strikes on Moscow, arguing the pause was needed because Russian air defenses might not protect civilians.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning and Right-leaning coverage.

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Ratcliffe Visits Moscow

CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Moscow on August 25, 2026, arriving aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft.
Washington told Kyiv to suspend long-range strikes on Moscow during the visit, citing concerns that Russian air defenses could not protect civilians.
The CIA has previously arranged prisoner swaps between the United States and Russia.
Earlier this month Russia freed a former U.S. Marine who had been detained since 2022.

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