The WSJ Revealed The Purpose Of The CIA Director's Secret Visit To Russia

John Ratcliffe may have flown to Moscow because of intelligence reports about a mobilization and an attack on NATO.

The unexpected visit to Moscow by the director of the U.S. CIA John Ratcliffe, whose plane landed at Vnukovo on Tuesday and took off again just a few hours later, may be linked to intelligence reports about the future plans of Vladimir Putin, writes The Wall Street Journal.

According to intelligence reports, the Russian military conducted mobilization drills in the Kaliningrad region and other areas, testing the Defense Ministry’s infrastructure to ensure it was ready to receive new recruits and provide them with food and weapons. In addition, U.S. intelligence has received information that Putin may attempt to test NATO’s resilience, writes WSJ.

During his visit, Ratcliffe apparently met with Putin. According to correspondents from the Kremlin press pool, the Russian president canceled events scheduled for Tuesday, even though they had been prepared well in advance and were expected to draw large crowds.

Analysts believe Ratcliffe may have brought Putin a warning, the WSJ reports. “The goal may have been to say, ‘We know what you’re planning, and you’d better not do it,’” — says Bett Sanner, former deputy director of U.S. national intelligence. “It could also have been related to the ceasefire in Iran and bringing someone else into the negotiations,” Sanner adds.

Ukrainian media report that the purpose of Ratcliffe’s visit may have been to discuss a mutual Russian-Ukrainian moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure and ports. A ceasefire in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions was also discussed as a step toward overall de-escalation.

The iPaper links Ratcliffe’s visit to a possible prisoner exchange. A U.S. military plane flew to Russia in February, when Putin agreed to release 63-year-old schoolteacher Mark Vogel, who had been convicted in Russia on drug smuggling charges. It remains unknown who was exchanged for Vogel. Earlier, with the involvement of the CIA, the administration of Donald Trump secured the release of The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Marine Paul Whelan. Both had been convicted of espionage.

Ratcliffe’s plane departed Vnukovo at approximately 6:50 p.m. Minsk time and headed toward Latvia. It was followed by a plane belonging to the “Rossiya” special unit, which is used to transport high-ranking Russian officials.

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