The son of a top CIA official was killed last year fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine, according to an investigation by independent Russia media that was reported this week.
On April 4, 2024, Michael Alexander Gloss, 21, was killed while serving in the Russian military by artillery after rushing to the aid of a comrade. Gloss had enlisted in hopes of obtaining a passport and Russian citizenship. His mother, Juliane Gallina, was named the deputy director for digital innovation at the CIA only two months prior in February. The CIA later confirmed the death first reported by iStories.
Michael's father, Larry Gloss, told the New York Post that his son suffered from mental illness and developed a fixation on environmental issues, hoping to bring clean water to the people of Russia.
"One of the manifestations of his mental illness was grandiosity," Larry Gloss, an Iraq War veteran, told the outlet. "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 realizing 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."
Michael Gloss grew up in a middle-class Virginia neighborhood and played football and lacrosse for his local high school. At some point, he became disenchanted with United States over its support of Israel, according to the investigation.
In college, he became fixated with gender equality and environmental issues, eventually joining Rainbow Family, a left-wing protest group. He traveled to Hatay, Turkey, in 2023 to aid with earthquake recovery in the region and eventually made his way to Russia, where he joined the military.
On social media the younger Gloss posted pictures of Palestinian and Russian flags, describing himself as "a supporter of the multipolar world."
"I ran away from home. traveled the world. I hate fascism. I love my homeland," he wrote.
One acquaintance told iStories that Michael Gloss became enraged at U.S. foreign policy over the past two years.
"He was usually watching videos about Palestine and was so angry at America," the person told the outlet. "He started thinking about going to Russia. He wanted to war with the USA. But I think he was very influenced by the conspiracy theory videos."
In an interview with The Washington Post, the elder Gloss said his son had always been anti-establishment but that news of his involvement Russia-Ukraine war came as a shock.
"If you knew our son, he was the ultimate antiestablishment, anti-authority young man the minute he came into the world."
When reached for comment, the CIA's responded in an official statement read: "CIA considers Michael's passing to be a private family matter — and not a national security issue. The entire CIA family is heartbroken for their loss."