Unannounced CIA trip to Moscow marks a dramatic escalation in Western efforts to isolate Russia / The New Voice of Ukraine english.nv.ua/nation/unannou…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026
Author: wawiimuy
The Kremlin says CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s Moscow visit involved contacts between U.S. and Russian intelligence services.
Putin did not meet Ratcliffe. The exact agenda remains undisclosed.
#CIA #Russia #USA #Geopolitics
— @Cyrus_In_The_X Aug 26, 2026
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August 26, 2026, 03:00 AM
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John Ratcliffe flew to Russia on a C-17 aircraft on an undisclosed mission (Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
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August 26, 2026, 03:00 AM
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John Ratcliffe flew to Russia on a C-17 aircraft on an undisclosed mission (Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard)
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe flew to Russia on a C-17 aircraft on an undisclosed mission, Radio Liberty reported on August 25, citing Saratoga Foundation President and Russia strategist Glenn Howard.
According to public flight-tracking data, Ratcliffe flew to Moscow via Latvia aboard a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
The flight-tracking data has raised questions about why the head of American intelligence is making a rare personal trip to Russia at such a sensitive time, the publication noted.
Howard told the publication that the nature of the trip highlights the high stakes involved.
“CIA directors do not go to Moscow unless they have something to ask for,” Howard said. “That is why a CIA director does not board a C-17 and fly halfway around the world to Russia unless the matter is urgent.”
Howard noted that then-CIA Director William Burns traveled to Moscow in November 2021. During that visit, Burns warned Russian officials against launching an attack on Ukraine.
“Burns went there in November 2021 before the invasion to warn them not to invade Ukraine,” Howard noted.
Bradley Bowman, a former national security adviser to the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees and current senior director of the Center for Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, hopes Ratcliffe is sending a direct message to the Kremlin.
“I hope that at the top of his list is a direct demand for Vladimir Putin to stop his overt aggression against Ukraine,” Bowman told RFE/RL.
Bowman added that Washington must make it clear that if the war does not stop, Russia will face increasingly painful measures, and the United States and its allies will continue to help Ukraine defend itself.
Bowman also noted that Russia’s support for Iran is likely on the agenda.
“I also hope he makes it clear that Vladimir Putin needs to stop helping Iran launch satellites,” Bowman said.
Bowman believes Ratcliffe may be trying to persuade Moscow to stop supplying weapons and other aid to Iran, turning the visit into a direct warning to the Kremlin.
“If we are to speculate, Ratcliffe’s visit could be an ultimatum,” Howard said.
Bowman cited reports that Russia has provided Iran with targeting data, along with drone tactics and techniques developed during the war in Ukraine.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly arrived in Moscow on August 25.
Reuters, citing Flightradar24, reported that a U.S. military transport aircraft, a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III with tail number 07-7181, landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport that same day, arriving from Riga at around 10:00 a.m. Kyiv time. The aircraft had reached Riga on August 23 after departing Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., before leaving Moscow a few hours later.
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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026
#ODNI #FBI #EU
x.com/mikenov/status/2092539…Michael Novakhov (@mikenov)” #EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With #Putin‘s $300B… #Russia Is POWERLESS – AI Mode
EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With Putin’s $300B… Russia Is POWERLESS
Review of YT post:
The phrase “EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With Putin’s $300B… Russia Is POWERLESS” is the title of a sensationalized online commentary video regarding the European Union’s ongoing, real-world mechanism to redirect windfall profits generated from frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine’s military defense. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The actual policy development involves using the interest earned from approximately €200 billion to €300 billion in immobilized Russian sovereign reserves—the majority of which are held at the Euroclear clearinghouse in Brussels—rather than a direct, outright confiscation of the underlying principal capital. [5, 6, 7]
Key Developments in the Asset Profits StrategyRecent Funding Approvals: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen authorized a €1.4 billion tranche derived from these frozen asset profits to purchase urgent military supplies and missile interceptors for Ukraine. Separately, the EU approved a broader €6.1 billion defense package. [1, 7, 8]
The Shift to Domestic Ukrainian Production: Rather than strictly shipping weapons from dwindling Western stockpiles, a significant portion of this money—including a dedicated $440 million (€400 million) allocation—is being directly invested into Ukraine’s own domestic defense industry. This allows Kyiv to manufacture its own long-range drones, artillery pieces, and missiles internally. [9, 10, 11]
The €90 Billion Macro-Loan Framework: To provide long-term predictability, the EU structured a massive €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan spanning 2026 and 2027. This loan is structured to be backed and repaid by the future stream of windfall profits generated by the frozen Russian assets. [7, 10, 12, 13]Why the EU Uses Profits Instead of Seizing the Core $300 Billion
The headline’s claim that the EU did the “unthinkable” exaggerates the legally cautious approach European leaders have actually taken. While Ukraine has repeatedly pushed for a total confiscation of the €300 billion, the EU has strictly avoided seizing the primary capital due to several complex factors: [6, 14]Eurozone Financial Stability: The European Central Bank (ECB) warned that outright seizure could damage international investor confidence in the Euro. Major non-Western economies, such as China, might withdraw their investments from European clearinghouses out of fear that their assets could also be targeted in future disputes. [5, 14]
Legal Protections: International law strongly protects state sovereign immunity. By only liquidating and redirecting the extraordinary interest and profits accumulated by institutions like Euroclear after the 2022 sanctions took effect, Brussels maintains that it is not violating international treaties. [6, 15]
Retaliation Safeguards: Western firms still hold tens of billions of dollars inside Russia. A full confiscation of Russia’s central bank funds would trigger immediate retaliatory nationalization of those remaining Western corporate assets by the Kremlin. [14][1] politico.eu
[2] youtube.com
[3] youtube.com
[4] youtube.com
[5] voanews.com
[6] youtube.com
[7] instagram.com
[8] rubryka.com
[9] mod.gov.ua
[10] facebook.com
[11] facebook.com
[12] bbc.com
[13] threads.com
[14] dw.com
[15] politico.eu— https://x.com/mikenov/status/2092539023529042172— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026
” #EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With #Putin‘s $300B… #Russia Is POWERLESS – AI Mode
EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With Putin’s $300B… Russia Is POWERLESS
Review of YT post:
The phrase “EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With Putin’s $300B… Russia Is POWERLESS” is the title of a sensationalized online commentary video regarding the European Union’s ongoing, real-world mechanism to redirect windfall profits generated from frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine’s military defense. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The actual policy development involves using the interest earned from approximately €200 billion to €300 billion in immobilized Russian sovereign reserves—the majority of which are held at the Euroclear clearinghouse in Brussels—rather than a direct, outright confiscation of the underlying principal capital. [5, 6, 7]
Key Developments in the Asset Profits StrategyRecent Funding Approvals: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen authorized a €1.4 billion tranche derived from these frozen asset profits to purchase urgent military supplies and missile interceptors for Ukraine. Separately, the EU approved a broader €6.1 billion defense package. [1, 7, 8]
The Shift to Domestic Ukrainian Production: Rather than strictly shipping weapons from dwindling Western stockpiles, a significant portion of this money—including a dedicated $440 million (€400 million) allocation—is being directly invested into Ukraine’s own domestic defense industry. This allows Kyiv to manufacture its own long-range drones, artillery pieces, and missiles internally. [9, 10, 11]
The €90 Billion Macro-Loan Framework: To provide long-term predictability, the EU structured a massive €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan spanning 2026 and 2027. This loan is structured to be backed and repaid by the future stream of windfall profits generated by the frozen Russian assets. [7, 10, 12, 13]Why the EU Uses Profits Instead of Seizing the Core $300 Billion
The headline’s claim that the EU did the “unthinkable” exaggerates the legally cautious approach European leaders have actually taken. While Ukraine has repeatedly pushed for a total confiscation of the €300 billion, the EU has strictly avoided seizing the primary capital due to several complex factors: [6, 14]Eurozone Financial Stability: The European Central Bank (ECB) warned that outright seizure could damage international investor confidence in the Euro. Major non-Western economies, such as China, might withdraw their investments from European clearinghouses out of fear that their assets could also be targeted in future disputes. [5, 14]
Legal Protections: International law strongly protects state sovereign immunity. By only liquidating and redirecting the extraordinary interest and profits accumulated by institutions like Euroclear after the 2022 sanctions took effect, Brussels maintains that it is not violating international treaties. [6, 15]
Retaliation Safeguards: Western firms still hold tens of billions of dollars inside Russia. A full confiscation of Russia’s central bank funds would trigger immediate retaliatory nationalization of those remaining Western corporate assets by the Kremlin. [14][1] politico.eu
[2] youtube.com
[3] youtube.com
[4] youtube.com
[5] voanews.com
[6] youtube.com
[7] instagram.com
[8] rubryka.com
[9] mod.gov.ua
[10] facebook.com
[11] facebook.com
[12] bbc.com
[13] threads.com
[14] dw.com
[15] politico.eu— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026
⚡️Zelensky awards Musk Ukraine’s Order of Liberty as Kyiv seeks Starlink access over Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky cited Elon Musk’s “contributions to the protection of human life and freedom, and the development of relations between the peoples of Ukraine and the U.S.”
— @KyivIndependent Aug 26, 2026
#CIA #DIA #Mossad
PUTIN AND UKRAINE
x.com/defense_civil25/status…US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25)🚨Update: Putin said Ukraine has crossed the line and Russia will make Kiev pay for attacks on Russian territories. Russia is preparing to launch a massive war winning move in Ukraine.NATO panicked and the US sent the CIA Director to threaten Putin. Meeting didn’t go well, US embassy removed its flag (is it closed?) and CIA Director has now returned home. Something BIG is coming….— https://x.com/defense_civil25/status/2092359510346351050
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026
#CIA #DIA #Mossad
AIR WAR
The phrase “EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With Putin’s $300B… Russia Is POWERLESS” is the title of a sensationalized online commentary video regarding the European Union’s ongoing, real-world mechanism to redirect windfall profits generated from frozen Russian central bank assets to fund Ukraine’s military defense. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The actual policy development involves using the interest earned from approximately €200 billion to €300 billion in immobilized Russian sovereign reserves—the majority of which are held at the Euroclear clearinghouse in Brussels—rather than a direct, outright confiscation of the underlying principal capital. [5, 6, 7]
Key Developments in the Asset Profits StrategyRecent Funding Approvals: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen authorized a €1.4 billion tranche derived from these frozen asset profits to purchase urgent military supplies and missile interceptors for Ukraine. Separately, the EU approved a broader €6.1 billion defense package. [1, 7, 8]
The Shift to Domestic Ukrainian Production: Rather than strictly shipping weapons from dwindling Western stockpiles, a significant portion of this money—including a dedicated $440 million (€400 million) allocation—is being directly invested into Ukraine’s own domestic defense industry. This allows Kyiv to manufacture its own long-range drones, artillery pieces, and missiles internally. [9, 10, 11]
The €90 Billion Macro-Loan Framework: To provide long-term predictability, the EU structured a massive €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan spanning 2026 and 2027. This loan is structured to be backed and repaid by the future stream of windfall profits generated by the frozen Russian assets. [7, 10, 12, 13]Why the EU Uses Profits Instead of Seizing the Core $300 Billion
The headline’s claim that the EU did the “unthinkable” exaggerates the legally cautious approach European leaders have actually taken. While Ukraine has repeatedly pushed for a total confiscation of the €300 billion, the EU has strictly avoided seizing the primary capital due to several complex factors: [6, 14]Eurozone Financial Stability: The European Central Bank (ECB) warned that outright seizure could damage international investor confidence in the Euro. Major non-Western economies, such as China, might withdraw their investments from European clearinghouses out of fear that their assets could also be targeted in future disputes. [5, 14]
Legal Protections: International law strongly protects state sovereign immunity. By only liquidating and redirecting the extraordinary interest and profits accumulated by institutions like Euroclear after the 2022 sanctions took effect, Brussels maintains that it is not violating international treaties. [6, 15]
Retaliation Safeguards: Western firms still hold tens of billions of dollars inside Russia. A full confiscation of Russia’s central bank funds would trigger immediate retaliatory nationalization of those remaining Western corporate assets by the Kremlin. [14][1] politico.eu
[2] youtube.com
[3] youtube.com
[4] youtube.com
[5] voanews.com
[6] youtube.com
[7] instagram.com
[8] rubryka.com
[9] mod.gov.ua
[10] facebook.com
[11] facebook.com
[12] bbc.com
[13] threads.com
[14] dw.com
[15] politico.eu
x.com/mikenov/status/2092531…Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) #EU Just Did The UNTHINKABLE With #Putin‘s $300B… #Russia Is POWERLESS – YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=nDKhSGGh…— https://x.com/mikenov/status/2092531565314089061— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Aug 26, 2026