In a shocking revelation that raises serious questions about loyalty and national security, the son of a high-ranking CIA official was killed fighting for President Vladimir Putin against American interests.
21-year-old Michael Alexander Gloss died in April 2024 while serving in the Russian military, despite being the son of CIA Deputy Director for Digital Innovation Juliane Gallina and U.S. Navy veteran Larry Gloss.
Gloss enlisted in the Russian military in September 2023, just months after his mother was appointed to her prestigious position at the CIA.
In December that year, he was deployed with assault units to the frontlines near Soledar, Ukraine, where he fought alongside mostly Nepalese citizens in Russia’s 137th Ryazan Airborne Regiment.
The young American’s journey from Virginia to fighting for a hostile foreign power raises alarming questions about radicalization and potential security breaches.
Despite his family connections to U.S. intelligence and military service, Gloss became increasingly critical of American policies and expressed sympathy for Russia in the Ukraine conflict.
His father attempted to explain his son’s shocking decision by attributing it to mental illness.
“One of the manifestations of his mental illness was grandiosity. He always cared about the environment. He always wanted to take care of those disadvantaged [and] less able,” Larry Gloss stated.
Surprisingly, the CIA has downplayed any national security implications of having a deputy director’s son fighting for an adversary.
A CIA spokesperson confirmed: “CIA considers Michael’s passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss Family [and] not a national security issue. The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss.”
Friends and acquaintances painted a picture of a young man who was radicalized through online content and conspiracy theories.
“He was usually watching videos about Palestine and was so angry at America,” said one acquaintance.
Gloss described himself as supporting a “multipolar world” and expressed anti-fascist sentiments on social media while criticizing Western media coverage of the Ukraine war.
Yet, the family’s obituary conspicuously avoided mentioning Russia or Ukraine, only stating he was killed in “Eastern Europe.”
According to reports, Gloss was one of more than 1,500 foreigners who signed contracts with the Russian military since February 2022.
His father claimed Michael wanted to become a Russian citizen to pursue environmental goals and saw military enlistment as a path to citizenship.
This narrative conflicts with his social media activity criticizing America and referring to Ukraine as a “proxy war.”
Ultimately, this tragic case highlights the growing threat of online radicalization and raises serious concerns about vetting procedures within the intelligence agencies.
While Americans fight and die to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, a CIA deputy director’s son fought and died for the enemy, and the intelligence community calls it merely “a private family matter.”
