CIA official's son killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine

Important Stories reported the information.

His mother, Juliane Gallina, was appointed Deputy Director for Digital Innovation in February 2024 and has worked at the CIA for six years. Michael’s father currently leads an organization that develops software for the security of the U.S. government and NATO countries.

According to relatives, 21-year-old Michael, who had previously been a hippie, traveled the world, and publicly supported Ukraine, changed his views after visiting Crimea in 2023 for a hippie movement gathering. He joined pro-Russian groups on VKontakte, including Romance of Russian Villages and USSR Lenin Stalin Marxism Communism, and posted a video supporting Putin’s stance on Palestine.

After some time, he faced financial problems in Russia, and his visa was set to expire in September. It was then that he went to a recruitment center, where he was enlisted in the 137th Ryazan Airborne Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces.

He told his family that he was “working” in Russia to save money, obtain a Russian passport, and then travel to Africa. On April 4, 2024, he likely died during an offensive in the Bakhmut sector. He was buried in December 2024, eight months after his death. His family did not approve of his lifestyle but tried to persuade him to come home, assuring him that they still loved him.

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