Latest news with #UkraineProxywar
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Was Michael Gloss mentally ill? Top CIA official's son killed while fighting for Russia, his father breaks silence
A CIA spokesperson claimed Friday that the son of a top official in the agency passed away last year in April 'while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine.' Michael Gloss, the son of CIA deputy director for digital innovation Juliane Gallina, lost his life, the spokeswoman stated, after a Russian news site stated that the 21-year-old American had enlisted in Russia's military. Gallina and her family 'suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy in the spring of 2024 when her son Michael Gloss, who struggled with mental health issues, died while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine,' according to the CIA spokesperson, NBC reported. However, Gloss's side of the conflict at the time was not mentioned in the statement. 'CIA considers Michael's passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss family — not a national security issue,' the spokesperson said. 'The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss.' 'Juliane and her husband shared that 'we adored our son and grieve his loss every moment. We appreciate privacy at this difficult time',' the spokesperson added. Last year, Michael Gloss posted on social media a picture of himself grinning on Red Square in Moscow and said he sympathized with Russia's military operation against what he referred to as 'the Ukraine Proxy war.' He said that news reports about the battle, which he referred to as 'western propaganda,' were hiding the truth about a struggle in which Russian forces were superior to a purportedly corrupt Ukrainian forces. Also Read: Was Virginia Giuffre suicidal? Her viral 2019 tweet resurfaces as angry netizens claim 'she didn't kill herself' Larry Gloss, the father of deceased American, stated that his was an anti-establishment activist who 'would not hurt a flea.' Speaking to The Washington Post, Gloss, a veteran of the Iraq War, that when the officials informed that their son had been killed, he and his family had no information about that he was fighting for Russia. Gloss further said Michael battled mental illness for the majority of his life. Larry Gloss told the Post that his son traveled to Georgia, a former Soviet country, where he participated a conference of the counterculture movement known as 'Rainbow Family.' The following month, he informed his parents that he had entered Russia to meet up with others from the group. His parents did not believe he would enlist in the Russian military, but they were dubious about the decision. After telling his parents that he intended to remain in Russia, Michael joined the Russian military in September 2023, according to iStories, which discovered a record of his enlistment in a Russian database. A Russian soldier in the 137th Airborne Regiment claimed to know Michael, who was deployed to the battlefront in Ukraine in December 2023 and allocated to an assault unit, according to IStories. Russian forces moved to seize the beleaguered fortress of Bakhmut, while the regiment's soldiers were positioned in the Donetsk region northwest of the city of Soledar. Citing the Russian death certificate, Michael's father stated that his son died on April 4, 2024, from severe blood loss sustained while attempting to assist a injured comrade during an artillery fire.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CIA official's son killed while fighting in Ukraine, spy agency says
The son of a senior Central Intelligence Agency official died last year 'while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine,' a CIA spokesperson said Friday. The spokesperson confirmed the death of Michael Gloss — who is the son of Juliane Gallina, the CIA's deputy director for digital innovation — after a Russian news site reported that the 21-year-old American had signed up to serve with Russia's forces. The CIA spokesperson said Gallina and her family 'suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy in the spring of 2024 when her son Michael Gloss, who struggled with mental health issues, died while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine.' But the statement did not say which side Gloss was fighting for at the time. 'CIA considers Michael's passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss family — not a national security issue,' the spokesperson said. 'The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss.' 'Juliane and her husband shared that 'we adored our son and grieve his loss every moment. We appreciate privacy at this difficult time.'' the spokesperson added. In social media posts last year, Michael Gloss shared a photo of himself smiling in Moscow's Red Square and expressed sympathy for Russia's war effort against what he called 'the Ukraine Proxy war.' He wrote that news coverage of the war, which he called 'western propaganda,' was concealing the reality of a conflict in which an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian military was no match for Russian troops. 'Rus is slaughtering dem boys on sight,' he wrote. On his page on the Russian social media site VKontakte, the backdrop to Gloss' photo in Red Square shows Soviet-era war propaganda. The Russian news site Important Stories was first to report on Gloss' death. Citing Russian government information and Gloss' social media posts, it documented his extensive overseas travels, which culminated in him joining the Russian army. According to an obituary published by the family last year, Gloss died 'while traveling in Eastern Europe,' but made no mention of Russia or the war in Ukraine. It added that he lived a 'brief, but fiercely beautiful life until he was taken from us during his travels overseas.' 'Michael should be remembered for his noble heart, and warrior spirit,' the obituary said. Reached Friday, Michael Gloss' maternal grandmother, Marie Cook, declined to confirm details of her grandson's death and instead referred questions to her daughter, Gallina. 'My daughter and son-in-law are the best parents I have ever seen in my life,' Cook said. 'This is a tragedy.' Gallina was appointed last year to her current position at the CIA and has held senior roles overseeing technology and cybersecurity. She also worked as an executive at IBM and began her career as a Navy cryptologic officer, retiring from the Navy Reserves in 2013. At the U.S. Naval Academy, Gallina made history as the first woman to lead the brigade of midshipmen. In an interview with NBC News last year, Gallina discussed the threats posed by China and Russia to America's cybersecurity. Gloss' father, Larry Gloss, is a Navy veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm and works in cybersecurity in the private sector. Michael Gloss attended Oakton High School in the northern Virginia suburb of Vienna, where he played football and lacrosse, according to social media. He later attended the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he studied human ecology, according to his obituary. The obituary said that 'Michael grew to be physically strong and tall, thoughtful and principled, and from an early age he used these strengths to protect and guard against injustice of all forms — whether it was on the playground, on the field or in politics.' The obituary offers suggestions for causes to donate to that Michael Gloss embraced, including charities devoted to helping refugees and protecting the environment. And it also suggested a charity 'we hope will help others,' the National Alliance on Mental Illness. This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
CIA official's son killed while fighting in Ukraine, spy agency says
The son of a senior Central Intelligence Agency official died last year 'while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine,' a CIA spokesperson said Friday. The spokesperson confirmed the death of Michael Gloss — who is the son of Juliane Gallina, the CIA's deputy director for digital innovation — after a Russian news site reported that the 21-year-old American had signed up to serve with Russia's forces. The CIA spokesperson said Gallina and her family 'suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy in the spring of 2024 when her son Michael Gloss, who struggled with mental health issues, died while fighting in the conflict in Ukraine.' But the statement did not say which side Gloss was fighting for at the time. 'CIA considers Michael's passing to be a private family matter for the Gloss family — not a national security issue,' the spokesperson said. 'The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss.' 'Juliane and her husband shared that 'we adored our son and grieve his loss every moment. We appreciate privacy at this difficult time.'' the spokesperson added. In social media posts last year, Michael Gloss shared a photo of himself smiling in Moscow's Red Square and expressed sympathy for Russia's war effort against what he called 'the Ukraine Proxy war.' He wrote that news coverage of the war, which he called 'western propaganda,' was concealing the reality of a conflict in which an allegedly corrupt Ukrainian military was no match for Russian troops. 'Rus is slaughtering dem boys on sight,' he wrote. On his page on the Russian social media site VKontakte, the backdrop to Gloss' photo in Red Square shows Soviet-era war propaganda. The Russian news site Important Stories was first to report on Gloss' death. Citing Russian government information and Gloss' social media posts, it documented his extensive overseas travels, which culminated in him joining the Russian army. According to an obituary published by the family last year, Gloss died 'while traveling in Eastern Europe,' but made no mention of Russia or the war in Ukraine. It added that he lived a 'brief, but fiercely beautiful life until he was taken from us during his travels overseas.' 'Michael should be remembered for his noble heart, and warrior spirit,' the obituary said. Reached Friday, Michael Gloss' maternal grandmother, Marie Cook, declined to confirm details of her grandson's death and instead referred questions to her daughter, Gallina. 'My daughter and son-in-law are the best parents I have ever seen in my life,' Cook said. 'This is a tragedy.' Gallina was appointed last year to her current position at the CIA and has held senior roles overseeing technology and cybersecurity. She also worked as an executive at IBM and began her career as a Navy cryptologic officer, retiring from the Navy Reserves in 2013. At the U.S. Naval Academy, Gallina made history as the first woman to lead the brigade of midshipmen. In an interview with NBC News last year, Gallina discussed the threats posed by China and Russia to America's cybersecurity. Gloss' father, Larry Gloss, is a Navy veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm and works in cybersecurity in the private sector. Michael Gloss attended Oakton High School in the northern Virginia suburb of Vienna, where he played football and lacrosse, according to social media. He later attended the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he studied human ecology, according to his obituary. The obituary said that 'Michael grew to be physically strong and tall, thoughtful and principled, and from an early age he used these strengths to protect and guard against injustice of all forms — whether it was on the playground, on the field or in politics.' The obituary offers suggestions for causes to donate to that Michael Gloss embraced, including charities devoted to helping refugees and protecting the environment. And it also suggested a charity 'we hope will help others,' the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
