▲ U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe has visited Russia, U.S. broadcaster CBS News reported on the 25th local time.
Citing sources, CBS reported that Director Ratcliffe is currently in the Russian capital of Moscow for meetings.
Earlier, a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft was spotted by media at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, along with U.S. diplomatic vehicles.
The transport aircraft departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C. on the 23rd, stopped in Riga, the capital of Latvia, and then headed to Moscow, Reuters reported, citing flight tracking data.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that he had no information regarding the aircraft, while the CIA and the U.S. Embassy in Russia declined to comment.
CBS explained that this visit appears to be Director Ratcliffe's first confirmed trip to Russia by the media.
The broadcaster also noted that Ratcliffe's visit takes place as negotiations over the Russia-Ukraine war remain deadlocked.
Ratcliffe's predecessor, former Director William Burns, visited Moscow in November 2021 during the Joe Biden administration, at which time he met with President Vladimir Putin and warned him against invading Ukraine.
This high-level U.S. official visit to Russia is the first since Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with President Putin in Moscow last January.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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