CIA Director John Ratcliffe secretly traveled to Russia — as mystery swirls over military flight landing in Moscow: reports

WASHINGTON — CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow Tuesday for about four hours — after a mysterious military flight landed in the Russian capital. Ratcliffe arrived aboard a C-17 transport plane that departed Joint Base Andrews, a base outside Washington used for high-ranking official travel, with a stopover in Latvia. The Pentagon and White House initially declined to comment on who was aboard. CBS News first reported that it was Ratcliffe who made the trip. The US asked Ukraine to hold its fire during the visit, Axios later reported. The CIA did not immediately respond to The Post's request for information and news reports did not immediately clarify the purpose of the brisk mission. Beth Sanner, a former deputy director of national intelligence, speculated to the Wall Street Journal that Ratcliffe might have delivered either a warning about looming Russian actions or requested assistance with the Iran war. "It could be to say, 'We know what you are thinking about doing, and you better not,'" Sanner said. "It could also be about the Iran ceasefire and putting someone else in the discussion." The Trump administration this week launched Operation Economic Outcast in an effort to sever Iran's economic ties with countries such as China and Russia to force a nuclear deal that ends the war. Ratcliffe is one of Trump's most trusted advisers and has been heavily involved with the Iran conflict, winning the president's praise for secretive CIA operations in the early phase of fighting. Long-stalled efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war have been handled primarily by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law, who traveled to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin in January. FBI Director Kash Patel also reportedly is planning a trip to Russia in October.