Washington — Russian President Vladimir Putin gave President Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff an award to cross alongside to a senior CIA official whose son was killed in Ukraine whereas preventing alongside Russian forces, in response to sources acquainted with the matter.
The award, the Order of Lenin, was meant to be handed off to Juliane Gallina, whose 21-year-old son, Michael Gloss, was killed in 2024.
Gallina is presently serving on the CIA as deputy director for digital innovation. It couldn’t be instantly decided what was accomplished with the award.
The gesture by Putin, identified for thoughts video games and makes an attempt to reveal adversaries’ factors of weak spot, was probably meant to lift unhelpful questions and spotlight {that a} CIA official’s son fought for Russia within the conflict.
On this pool {photograph} distributed by the Russian state company Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin greets U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff previous to their talks in Moscow on Aug. 6, 2025.
GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP through Getty Pictures
Putin’s transfer comes at a delicate time, as Mr. Trump has expressed rising frustration with the Kremlin and has vowed secondary tariffs beginning on Friday, whilst negotiations are underway for a potential summit.
The Order of Lenin is a Soviet-era award meant to spotlight excellent civilian service. It has been given to high-level spies, together with the U.Okay.’s Kim Philby, a double agent for the Soviet Union. Gallina’s son was by no means an worker of the CIA, in response to an individual acquainted with the matter.
Putin, a former KGB operative, has met 5 instances with Witkoff, who left actual property improvement to turn into Mr. Trump’s envoy for delicate peace missions. Witkoff’s reliance up to now on Russian authorities translators throughout high-stakes diplomacy has drawn scrutiny.
Mr. Trump described the Wednesday assembly in Moscow as “highly productive.” The White Home mentioned the Russians have been desirous to proceed partaking with the US and mentioned that secondary sanctions have been as a consequence of be carried out on Friday. Nevertheless, as of Friday afternoon, no such sanctions had been issued.
An obituary for Gloss mentioned he was “tragically killed in Eastern Europe” on April 4, 2024.
Gloss’s father, Larry Gloss, an Iraq Battle veteran, advised the Washington Publish in an interview that he and Gallina didn’t know their son was in Ukraine or that he had enlisted within the Russian military.
“Our biggest fear while we were waiting for him to be repatriated was that someone over there [in Moscow] would put two and two together and figure out who his mother was, and use him as a prop,” Larry Gloss mentioned.
