Kremlin comments on CIA chief John Ratcliffe’s meetings in Russia

The Kremlin has characterized CIA Director John Ratcliffe's Aug. 25 visit to Moscow as routine interactions between the security services of the United States and Russia, according to The Washington Post. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not elaborate further on the matter, but separately confirmed to Russian state news agency TASS that no meeting between Ratcliffe and Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled during the CIA director's trip.

Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow unannounced on Aug. 25 for meetings in the Russian capital, and a U.S. military transport aircraft, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III with tail number 07-7181, landed at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport around 10 a.m. Kyiv time. The plane had departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C. the previous day, with flight-tracking data indicating it reached Riga on Aug.

23 after leaving the base. On Aug. 25, it was also reported that the United States had instructed Ukraine to refrain from attacks on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and northern Russia due to the presence of U.S. officials.