Overview

• Michael Alexander Gloss, 21, enlisted in the Russian military in September 2023 and served with the 137th Ryazan Airborne Regiment before his death in April 2024 on the Donetsk front.
• Gloss reportedly sought Russian citizenship to pursue environmental infrastructure projects, a goal he shared with fellow recruits during his training in Ryazan.
• His radicalization stemmed from online conspiracy theories and anti-American sentiment, which led him to embrace Russian propaganda and reject his family’s national security values.
• The CIA has confirmed his death but described it as a private family matter, omitting details of his military allegiance or activities in its statements.
• Gloss’s family obituary did not mention his service in the Russian army, and his parents were unaware of his enlistment until informed of his death months later by U.S. officials.