US Air Force Transport Lands in Moscow Amidst CIA Director's Surprise Visit
Unusual aerial activity above the US coincides with clandestine high-level talks in Russia, following a period of strained international relations.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
A US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane landed at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow.
The flight followed a surprise visit to Moscow by CIA director John Ratcliffe, reportedly arriving in the Russian capital earlier on Tuesday.
Axios claims Ratcliffe made a short visit to Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian officials for talks not announced by the White House or the Kremlin.
US media, including Axios and CBS citing unnamed sources, later reported that Ratcliffe was on board the plane to attend meetings, though the specifics of these talks remain undisclosed.
The CIA declined to comment on John Ratcliffe's presence in Moscow; the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the visit.
This is thought to be Ratcliffe’s first known trip to Russia since taking up the position as intelligence chief last January, according to Axios.
Neither Washington nor Moscow have confirmed the nature of the visit or who he was due to meet.
The US has maintained strained relations with Russia since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Amidst these developments, several Boeing E-6 Mercury aircraft were spotted circling above the US on Tuesday.
Public flight trackers began following these aircraft around 1:30pm EST; some appeared with blank or missing call signs.
An unspecified source claims that seeing five E-6 Mercury planes in the sky does not signal a looming crisis.
The US reportedly told Ukraine to suspend strikes while a senior delegation travelled to Moscow ahead of the trip.
A meeting of the Coalition of the Willing was held on Monday to rally support for Ukraine.
The CIA has mediated in recent US-Russia detainee exchanges, including the 2024 prisoner exchange that secured the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan.
Moscow recently freed a former US marine detained since 2022.
In November 2021, former CIA Director Williams Burns travelled to Moscow to speak directly to Mr Putin and warn him against an invasion of Ukraine.
Cyber attacks on Nato military infrastructure in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania and drone activity above Germany have previously been linked to Russia.