Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly awarded a posthumous Soviet-era honor to the son of a high-ranking CIA official who was killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The award, the Order of Lenin, was allegedly given to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to be passed on to Juliane Gallina, the CIA’s Deputy Director for Digital Innovation.
The individual at the center of the story is Michael Gloss, a 21-year-old American citizen and the son of Juliane Gallina. Gloss was killed in April 2024 while serving in the Russian military. According to multiple news reports, he had traveled to Russia after becoming disillusioned with U.S. foreign policy and capitalism. His father, an Iraq War veteran, told the Washington Post in an interview earlier this year that Michael struggled with mental health issues for much of his life and that his parents were unaware he had enlisted in the Russian military.
The Order of Lenin, a civilian award from the Soviet era, was reportedly presented to Witkoff during his recent trip to Moscow to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict in Ukraine. The Kremlin has not publicly acknowledged the award, and spokespeople for the White House, the CIA, and Witkoff have not responded to requests for comment. The CIA previously released a statement in April confirming Gloss’s death, describing it as an “unimaginable personal tragedy” for the family and stating that it was not considered a national security issue.
This latest development comes as President Trump and President Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska next week to discuss the war in Ukraine. The incident is a stark reminder of the complexities and personal tragedies intertwined with the ongoing geopolitical conflict.
