Russia-Ukraine war: CIA officer's son killed while fighting in Ukraine, spy agency says
Michael Gloss, 21, son of the CIA's deputy director for digital innovation, died in the conflict in Ukraine after enlisting in the Russian army, according to Russian media.
The CIA confirmed the death of Michael Gloss, son of Juliane Gallina, the agency's deputy director of digital innovation, following a Russian media report that he had joined the Russian armed forces. Gloss, 21, died in the spring of 2024 while serving in the conflict in Ukraine. The agency described it as a private matter and acknowledged he was struggling with mental health issues.
The Russian website Important Stories was the first to report the death, citing the young man's social media posts, in which he expressed sympathy for the Russian war effort and criticized Western coverage of the conflict. In one of his most discussed photos, Gloss appeared smiling in Moscow's Red Square, in front of a Soviet propaganda banner.
Official silence and family messages of mourning
The CIA declined to confirm which side Gloss was fighting on, and both the family and the agency described the situation as a personal tragedy. “We adored our son and mourned his loss at every moment,” his parents said in a statement. The family obituary avoided mentioning Russia or the conflict directly, noting simply that he died “traveling in Eastern Europe.”
Gloss attended the College of the Atlantic in Maine, where he majored in human ecology. He had been an athlete in high school and was described by his family as a noble and principled person. Suggestions in the obituary to honor his memory include refugee support organizations, environmental causes, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Michael Gloss enlisted to fight in Ukraine because he had ideals about the situation in that country. Photo: NBC News
Family history and controversy over the case
His mother, Juliane Gallina, has a distinguished career in technology and intelligence, with experience at IBM, the U.S. Navy, and now at the CIA, where she leads digital projects. His father, Larry Gloss, is a Desert Storm veteran and works in cybersecurity. Both have remained silent in the media.
Michael Gloss's story has sparked debate, as it highlights the complexity of the conflict in Ukraine, global ideological divisions, and the impact of the political environment even within families with strong ties to U.S. national security.