The son of one of the CIA’s top officials was killed fighting in the Russian occupation army against Ukraine.
According to an investigation by “Important Stories“, 21-year-old Michael Gloss, the son of CIA Deputy Director for Digital Innovation Julian Gallina Gloss and Iraq war veteran Larry Gloss, signed a contract with the Russian armed forces and later died at the front.
While studying at an American college, Michael participated in protests for women’s rights and climate protection. His friends considered him a pacifist. In 2023, he embarked on a trip to a number of countries, including Turkey, where he helped with earthquake relief efforts.
In August of that year, he arrived in Russia and later settled in Moscow. There, Gloss began to show interest in Soviet symbols, joined groups on the VK social network dedicated to Lenin and Stalin, and posted videos with Vladimir Putin. He also bought a Soviet flag.
Despite the fact that his visa was coming to an end, on 5 September 2023, he appeared at a Moscow recruitment centre to be selected for the army along with foreigners from Nepal and China. He was enlisted in the 137th Ryazan Regiment of the Russian Airborne Forces. Michael explained to his family that he was in Russia, ostensibly for work, to raise money for a trip to Africa.
He posted videos from his place of service on his pages on Russian social media. Around December 2023, Gloss found himself in the Donetsk region as part of the Russian occupation forces. According to the investigation, he died on 4 April 2024, probably during the fighting in the Bakhmut area. The burial took place only in December. His parents did not specify the cause of death in the obituary, only that it was tragic.