Steve Witkoff Presents Russian Order of Courage to CIA Deputy Director's Family from Putin

President Vladimir Putin has posthumously awarded Russia’s Order of Courage to Michael Gloss, the late son of CIA Deputy Director Juliane Gallina, who was killed while fighting for Russian forces during the Ukraine conflict. The medal was personally delivered by Steven Witkoff, special envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to CNN sources in the Trump administration.

The Order of Courage is one of Russia’s highest honors, bestowed for acts of bravery, selflessness, and valor during emergencies, disasters, or armed conflict. Gloss was recognized posthumously for his combat role in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

“For Witkoff, who lost his only son to an opioid overdose in 2011, this gesture went beyond geopolitics,” a White House official explained. “He personally wished to hand over the medal to Juliane Gallina, CIA Deputy Director for Digital Innovation, and her husband.”

Sources noted that the presentation was not a diplomatic maneuver but a personal expression of solidarity from one grieving parent to another. The CIA confirmed the meeting, calling it a private family matter unrelated to national security.

Confusion Over the Award

First reports of the medal’s delivery emerged on August 8, but were riddled with inaccuracies. CBS News mistakenly claimed that Putin had requested the transfer of the “Order of Lenin,” a Soviet-era honor that has not been awarded since the USSR’s dissolution. Russian officials denied that such a request was ever made.

Putin allegedly asked for the Order of Courage to be delivered on August 6, during Witkoff’s diplomatic visit to Moscow. That same visit led to the agreement for the August 15 summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska.

Who Was Michael Gloss?

Michael Gloss, age 21, served in Russia’s 137th Airborne Regiment and was killed in April 2024 during an assault near Rozdolivka and Vesele in the DPR. According to reports, Gloss was an Eagle Scout, environmentalist, and human rights advocate who had built homes in Honduras and assisted in earthquake recovery in Turkey.

In 2023, he left college to travel the world, eventually arriving in Crimea. His travels also took him to Vladikavkaz and a music festival in Moscow. He began the process of obtaining Russian citizenship and created a profile on the Russian social network VKontakte, where he subscribed to groups devoted to Vladimir Lenin and posted videos featuring President Putin.

A Military Family Legacy

Gloss came from a lineage of U.S. military service. His mother, Juliana Galine, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served over 30 years in intelligence, including in the U.S. Navy. His father, Larry Gloss, is a U.S. Navy veteran who took part in the Iraq invasion and now leads a firm that develops security software for the U.S. government and NATO. He holds advanced degrees in mathematics, operations research, space systems, national security, and information technology.

Remembered as a Warrior with a Noble Heart

The Gloss family released a heartfelt obituary, remembering Michael for his “noble heart and warrior spirit.”

“Michael had a profound sense of justice and saw the unseen in our community — whether people, animals, plants, or streams. He wanted a better world, with more justice, peace, and harmony with nature,” the obituary read. “With his noble heart and warrior spirit, Michael was forging his own heroic path when he tragically fell.”