Ukraine-Russia war latest: CIA chief ‘told Russian counterpart to make peace with Kyiv’ on mysterious Moscow trip

John Ratcliffe met with his Russian counterpart this week to discuss Nato, the wars in Ukraine and Iran, according to reports

CIA Director John Ratcliffe delivered a dire assessment of Russia's war during his recent trip to Moscow, The New York Times reports. CBS News' national security contributor Joe Zacks has more on what we know.

Warehouses targeted outside Kyiv in all-day drone attack as Russian forces kill at least 10, injure 43 over past day across Ukraine  The Kyiv Independent

Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range drone and missile strikes as fears of further escalation grow.

Russia is preparing to escalate attacks on Ukraine after concluding that negotiations for a peace deal have reached a dead end, according to three people close to the Kremlin. Bloomberg's Anthony Halpin has the details. (Source: Bloomberg)

When the existence of the channel became known, the reaction among the heads of Israel’s security branches was one of complete shock.

Russia launched a coordinated overnight attack on Kyiv using ballistic missiles and drones, triggering explosions across the capital. Debris fell in the Podilskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts, while the broader barrage also struck Odesa, Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, injuring civilians.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow earlier this week in part to warn Russia not to attack NATO countries, sources familiar with the trip told ABC News.

Explosions heard in Ukraine's Kyiv, Reuters witness says  Reuters

Exclusive | CIA Chief’s Surprise Moscow Trip Was to Warn Russia Not to Attack NATO  WSJ

CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s brief trip to Moscow yesterday was unannounced but hard to miss: He flew in a C-17A, a large heavy-transport plane, that open-source analysts quickly identified and tracked. Within hours, he was already on his way home. The purpose of Ratcliffe’s visit remains unknown. In an interview with

U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke with Russian intelligence officials during a visit to Moscow but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday ‌of a trip that U.S. President Donald Trump described as "semi-routine."

US President Donald Trump did not make it clear what the officials were there to discuss, but said the visit could be useful, adding, “something may come out of it” as efforts to end the Ukraine war continue.

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe spoke with Russian intelligence officials during a visit to Moscow but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday of a trip that U.S. President Donald Trump described as "semi-routine." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tol

Prime Minister Andy Burnham stood firm on his backing for Kyiv, saying 'We are supporting them, and that won’t change' amid fears over further Russian aggression

CIA boss John Ratcliffe did not meet with President Putin during his surprise visit to Moscow on Tuesday, a Kremlin spokesman said.

MOSCOW, Aug 26 - U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence officials during his visit to Moscow on Tuesday but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump pressuring both Moscow and Kyiv for a deal is the most likely scenario.

Why the new American left should take up the quest for peace if the Democratic Party wins control of Congress this November, and of the presidency in 2028.

Before his trip, the US requested Ukraine to temporarily stop drone and missile attacks on Moscow and other cities in northern Russia, according to the report.

US media outlets say John Ratcliffe was in Russia to attend meetings. Flight tracking websites had earlier detected the arrival of a US military transport plane at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.

CIA director makes unannounced visit to Moscow to meet with Russian officials, source says  CNN

The reports come after a U.S. military transport plane landed in the Russian capital, which the Kremlin claimed it knew nothing about.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Russia to holds talks in Moscow Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.