CIA director's son killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine after 'fiercely beautiful life'

The son of a boss was killed fighting for in , according to an investigation.

Michael Alexander Gloss, 21, enjoyed a "fiercely beautiful life" and posed "a noble heart and warrior spirit," an obituary reads. The young man enlisted in the Russian army, according to a lengthy investigation by independent Russian outlet .

But his dad, Larry, was under the impression that his son would not be in conflict, but rather serving in a supporting unit. Larry, a Navy veteran, said: "He always cared about the environment. He always wanted to take care of those disadvantaged, less able.

"In Michael’s thinking, which I now conclude largely as a function of some text exchange he’s had with comrades before his demise, he thought the best way of realising his dreams of water purification would be as a citizen of Russia. And the quickest way to get there, the quickest way to Russian citizenship would be through serving."

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Before leaving on his travels, Mr Gloss shared images of him giving the finger to the White House — and also video of a burning flag. Border service data showed that he crossed into Russia via Georgia in August 2023, sending photos of his adventures to a group chat of friends in the "Rainbow Family," a loose-knit, counter-culture "hippie" group, according to Important Stories.

That September, Mr Gloss appeared in Russia’s Unified Medical Information and Analytical System of Moscow, where his address was listed as a medical examination room at an Army contract recruitment point on Yablochkova Street — the same address given to foreign mercenaries who arrive in Moscow to join Russian forces in the Ukrainian conflict, according to the report.

But, according to the , he was killed in conflict and the obituary describes his selfless generosity. It says: "With his noble heart and warrior spirit Michael was forging his own hero’s journey when he was tragically killed in Eastern Europe."

A fellow soldier in the 137th Ryazan Airborne Regiment who knew the young man well said: "He studied construction and engineering in college, so all his thoughts were connected with inventions and innovations."

Consisting mainly of Nepalese nationals, Michael’s training group was eventually bused to their military unit — the 137th Ryazan Airborne Regiment. Video from the bus ride appears to show Mr Gloss wearing his keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by men from parts of the Middle East.

And, after arriving at the training unit, Mr Gloss made an account on the Russian social media website Odnoklassniki, where his profile photo shows him lying down in the red keffiyeh in a bunk bed that looks identical to those seen in videos posted by his Nepalese comrades, according to the investigation.

The CIA said in a statement: "Juliane 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.

"CIA considers Michael’s passing to be a private matter for the Gloss family — not a national security issue. 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."