Putin needles U.S. by giving Trump envoy an award meant for CIA official whose son died fighting for Russia

[muriel_volestrangler]

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff an award to pass along to a senior CIA official whose son was killed in Ukraine while fighting alongside Russian forces, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The award, the Order of Lenin, was meant to be handed off to Juliane Gallina, whose 21-year-old son, Michael Gloss, was killed in 2024.

Gallina is currently serving at the CIA as deputy director for digital innovation. It could not be immediately determined what was done with the award.

Multiple sources told CBS News that Putin gave Witkoff the award during his trip to Russia this week, which a Russian official said the U.S. initiated, to discuss ending the Ukraine war.

The gesture by Putin, known for mind games and attempts to expose adversaries' points of weakness, was likely meant to raise unhelpful questions and highlight that a CIA official's son fought for Russia in the war.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/putin-award-order-of-lenin-american-ukraine/

That's a huge "fuck you" to Witkoff and Trump. And the USA and Ukraine, for that matter.

Via Lawyers, Guns & Money:

This was the person Putin honored.

Witkoff should have thrown it back in Putin’s face. Or a real diplomat would have known a smoother way to turn it down. If the US had sent a real diplomat in the first place, Putin probably wouldn’t have done this.

https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/08/putin-is-laughing-in-donald-trumps-face

[Dave Bowman]

1. I just love that piece of shit. Can someone give him a good cup of tea? He deserves it bigly.