Putin Awards CIA Deputy Director’s Son Posthumously for Service in Donbas
Thursday, 21 August 2025 () President Vladimir Putin has posthumously awarded Russia’s Order of Courage to Michael Gloss, the late son of CIA Deputy Director Juliane Gallina, who was killed while fighting for Russian forces during the Ukraine conflict. The medal was personally delivered by Steven Witkoff, special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to CNN sources in the Trump administration. The Order of Courage is one of Russia’s highest honors, bestowed for acts of bravery, selflessness, and valor during emergencies, disasters, or armed conflict. Gloss was recognized posthumously for his combat role in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). “For Witkoff, who lost his only son to an opioid overdose in 2011, this gesture went beyond geopolitics,” a White House official explained. “He personally wished to hand over the medal to Juliane Gallina, CIA Deputy Director for Digital Innovation, and her husband.”
Thursday, 21 August 2025 ()
