CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials that the country’s economy could face a Soviet-style collapse if the war in Ukraine continues, according to a report by German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) published on September 26. A senior diplomat familiar with the CIA’s briefing to Western partner intelligence services following Ratcliffe’s late-August visit to Moscow told FAZ that communicating the US intelligence assessment was the central purpose of the trip. The diplomat described the assessment as concluding: “Russia is losing the war,” according to the report.&nbsp;Earlier reports had indicated that Ratcliffe delivered a grim assessment of Russia’s military and economic position during his visit to Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly canceled a planned meeting with the CIA director afterward. The latest FAZ report offers further details about the economic warning allegedly delivered to Russian officials. According to the report, US intelligence drew a distinction between Russia’s battlefield position and its longer-term economic prospects. While American intelligence reportedly assessed that the fighting was moving toward a stalemate, it also concluded that Russia would struggle to sustain the war economically.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/donkey-route-three-gujaratis-taking-illegal-route-to-us-vanish-in-ethiopia-family-claims-kidnapping-face-1cr-ransom-seeks-govt-help-1790743991115">US dream turns nightmare: 3 Gujaratis 'vanish' in Ethiopia, family seeks govt help after scary ransom demand</a>&nbsp;“The economy will collapse, just as the Soviet Union did at the end of the Cold War,” the diplomat told FAZ, describing the assessment presented to Moscow. The warning was reportedly linked to Washington’s broader policy toward Ukraine. The United States wanted Moscow to understand that the intelligence assessment was influencing its approach and that Russia’s position could deteriorate further over time.&nbsp;According to FAZ, Putin therefore should not expect Trump to eventually abandon Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The message from Washington to Moscow was described in blunt terms: “Negotiate!” The intelligence assessment also reportedly influenced how some European officials viewed Washington’s recent diplomatic outreach to Russia, including Trump’s invitation for Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December.&nbsp;Separately, signs of economic pressure have emerged in Russia’s construction sector. The number of bankruptcy cases involving Russian construction companies reached 1,454 by early September, up from 1,089 in June and 41% higher year over year, according to data from Kontur.Focus cited by Russian media. Industry sources have linked the pressure to weaker housing demand, high financing costs and rising construction expenses. The figures, however, cover bankruptcy cases involving construction companies and should not automatically be interpreted as the number of stalled housing projects.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly warned Russia its economy could collapse like the Soviet Union if the Ukraine war continues, FAZ reported

CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russian officials that the country’s economy could face a Soviet-style collapse if the war in Ukraine continues, according to a report by German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) published on September 26. A senior diplomat familiar with the CIA’s briefing to Western partner intelligence services following Ratcliffe’s late-August visit to Moscow told FAZ that communicating the US intelligence assessment was the central purpose of the trip. The diplomat described the assessment as concluding: “Russia is losing the war,” according to the report. Earlier reports had indicated that Ratcliffe delivered a grim assessment of Russia’s military and economic position during his visit to Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly canceled a planned meeting with the CIA director afterward. The latest FAZ report offers further details about the economic warning allegedly delivered to Russian officials. According to the report, US intelligence drew a distinction between Russia’s battlefield position and its longer-term economic prospects. While American intelligence reportedly assessed that the fighting was moving toward a stalemate, it also concluded that Russia would struggle to sustain the war economically. Also Read: US dream turns nightmare: 3 Gujaratis 'vanish' in Ethiopia, family seeks govt help after scary ransom demand “The economy will collapse, just as the Soviet Union did at the end of the Cold War,” the diplomat told FAZ, describing the assessment presented to Moscow. The warning was reportedly linked to Washington’s broader policy toward Ukraine. The United States wanted Moscow to understand that the intelligence assessment was influencing its approach and that Russia’s position could deteriorate further over time. According to FAZ, Putin therefore should not expect Trump to eventually abandon Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The message from Washington to Moscow was described in blunt terms: “Negotiate!” The intelligence assessment also reportedly influenced how some European officials viewed Washington’s recent diplomatic outreach to Russia, including Trump’s invitation for Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami in December. Separately, signs of economic pressure have emerged in Russia’s construction sector. The number of bankruptcy cases involving Russian construction companies reached 1,454 by early September, up from 1,089 in June and 41% higher year over year, according to data from Kontur.Focus cited by Russian media. Industry sources have linked the pressure to weaker housing demand, high financing costs and rising construction expenses. The figures, however, cover bankruptcy cases involving construction companies and should not automatically be interpreted as the number of stalled housing projects.

CIA chief John Ratcliffe reportedly warned Moscow that Russia’s economy could collapse like the Soviet Union if the Ukraine war continues

Russia could collapse like Soviet Union? CIA chief John Ratcliffe's warning to Moscow revealed

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow on Tuesday (Aug 25) for an unannounced visit, according to US media reports, in what would be the highest-level trip by a Trump administration official to Russia since January.CBS News first reported Ratcliffe's presence in the Russian capital, citing people familiar with the matter. Axios separately confirmed the visit, quoting a US official.Neither Washington nor Moscow has publicly explained why Ratcliffe travelled to Russia or who he was expected to meet.<h2>US military aircraft flew from Riga to Moscow</h2>The reported visit was accompanied by the unusual movement of a US government aircraft. Flight-tracking data showed a US military C-17 flying from Joint Base Andrews to Latvia before continuing to Moscow. The aircraft left Riga at around 05:50 GMT and arrived in Moscow at about 07:04 GMT. The same aircraft later departed Moscow after spending roughly 8.5 hours on the ground.<h2>Kremlin says no US talks planned</h2>This comes as the Kremlin said that there were contacts involving security services. Asked about the reported visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it involved "contacts between security services", according to The Washington Post.At the same time, Peskov said Moscow had no plans to meet US administration representatives this week. "No, there are no such plans," he told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about possible talks with US envoys.Peskov also said he had no information about the US military aircraft that landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport.<h2>Ratcliffe visit comes as Ukraine diplomacy stalls</h2>The trip comes at a difficult moment in US-Russia relations, with American efforts to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine showing little visible progress. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up long-range strikes against each other, while concerns have also grown in Washington and Europe over the possibility of Moscow testing NATO's resolve elsewhere.Axios reported that Washington had informed Kyiv that a senior US delegation was travelling to Moscow and had asked Ukraine to pause strikes for the duration of the visit.<h2>Rare Moscow trip by a CIA chief</h2>Ratcliffe's reported visit is particularly notable because trips by sitting CIA directors to Moscow are rare. The last known visit came in November 2021, when then-CIA director William Burns travelled to the Russian capital and warned President Vladimir Putin and senior officials against invading Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just weeks later.

A senior Trump administration official has made a rare and unexplained trip to Moscow as efforts to end the Ukraine war appear to be losing momentum. But why did CIA chief John Ratcliffe travel to Russia, and who did he meet there?

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow on Tuesday (Aug 25) for an unannounced visit, according to US media reports, in what would be the highest-level trip by a Trump administration official to Russia since January. CBS News first reported Ratcliffe's presence in the Russian capital, citing people familiar with the matter. Axios separately confirmed the visit, quoting a US official. Neither Washington nor Moscow has publicly explained why Ratcliffe travelled to Russia or who he was expected to meet. US military aircraft flew from Riga to Moscow The reported visit was accompanied by the unusual movement of a US government aircraft. Flight-tracking data showed a US military C-17 flying from Joint Base Andrews to Latvia before continuing to Moscow. The aircraft left Riga at around 05:50 GMT and arrived in Moscow at about 07:04 GMT. The same aircraft later departed Moscow after spending roughly 8.5 hours on the ground. Kremlin says no US talks planned This comes as the Kremlin said that there were contacts involving security services. Asked about the reported visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it involved "contacts between security services", according to The Washington Post. At the same time, Peskov said Moscow had no plans to meet US administration representatives this week. "No, there are no such plans," he told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about possible talks with US envoys. Peskov also said he had no information about the US military aircraft that landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Ratcliffe visit comes as Ukraine diplomacy stalls The trip comes at a difficult moment in US-Russia relations, with American efforts to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine showing little visible progress. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up long-range strikes against each other, while concerns have also grown in Washington and Europe over the possibility of Moscow testing NATO's resolve elsewhere. Axios reported that Washington had informed Kyiv that a senior US delegation was travelling to Moscow and had asked Ukraine to pause strikes for the duration of the visit. Rare Moscow trip by a CIA chief Ratcliffe's reported visit is particularly notable because trips by sitting CIA directors to Moscow are rare. The last known visit came in November 2021, when then-CIA director William Burns travelled to the Russian capital and warned President Vladimir Putin and senior officials against invading Ukraine. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just weeks later.

A senior Trump administration official has made a rare and unexplained trip to Moscow as efforts to end the Ukraine war appear to be losing momentum. But why did CIA chief John Ratcliffe travel to Russia, and who did he meet there?

Why was CIA chief John Ratcliffe in Moscow? Kremlin denies US talks amid reports of hush-hush visit

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Russia could collapse like Soviet Union? CIA chief John Ratcliffe's warning to Moscow revealed

Why was CIA chief in Moscow? Kremlin denies US talks amid secret visit reports