CIA Director John Ratcliffe in Moscow for meetings, sources say

Luke Barr, Steven Beynon, Shannon K. Kingston and David Brennan, ABC News

August 25, 2026

CIA Director John L. Ratcliffe testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats in the Hart Senate Office Building on March 18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. A closed session immediately followed the hearing. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow, Russia, for meetings, according to multiple officials familiar with the meetings.

A Boeing C-17A Globemaster III was seen at the Moscow airport.

The CIA, Department of Defense and the Air Force declined to comment.

Tracking data published by the Flightradar24 website showed that a U.S. military Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, flight number RCH4555, departed from the Latvian capital Riga on Tuesday morning.

The flight landed at Vnukovo International Airport, which is one of the Russian capital’s four international airports, located to the southwest of the city.

Flightradar24 data showed that the flight originated from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, a major East Coast Air Force base known for hosting Air Force One.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft, which the U.S. Air Force website says can be used for strategic and tactical airlift and airdrop missions, as well as aeromedical evacuations.

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.