Overview

• Michael Gloss, son of Julianne Gallina Gloss, a CIA deputy director, was killed in April 2024 while serving with the Russian military in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
• Gloss’s journey began with eco-activism in Turkey in early 2023 before crossing into Russia in August 2023 and joining the Russian armed forces in September as one of 1,500 foreign mercenaries.
• He served in the 137th Airborne Regiment, which was deployed near Soledar in December 2023, with his death occurring under unclear circumstances during combat in April 2024.
• Investigative reporting revealed that his family was only informed of his death six months later by Russian authorities, with his obituary omitting any mention of his military service for Russia.
• Gloss’s ideological shift was reportedly influenced by conspiracy-theory content promoting a multipolar world and opposition to Western hegemony, highlighting broader concerns about online radicalization.