Blurs

A U.S. Air Force transport aircraft has landed in Moscow — and reports suggest America's top intelligence official may have been aboard. But what was the mission? On 25 August 2026, a highly unusual sight appeared over Russia: a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III landed at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. The aircraft, carrying the U.S. military registration 07-7181, had flown directly from Riga, Latvia. Its arrival immediately attracted attention because direct U.S. military flights into Moscow are extraordinarily unusual amid the continuing confrontation between Washington and Moscow. Then the story became considerably more intriguing. Reports from CBS News and other U.S. media outlets said that CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow for meetings. The CIA, Pentagon and U.S. Air Force declined to comment publicly on the reports. So why was an American military aircraft sitting on the ground in Moscow? A very unusual journey The C-17 had reportedly arrived in Riga on 23 Au...

Criminal Organisations Founded or Strengthened by Former Military and Special Forces Personnel The overwhelming majority of military personnel leave service and go on to lead lawful, productive lives. However, history has shown that a small minority of former soldiers—including members of elite military and special forces units—have been recruited into organised crime or have even helped establish criminal organisations. Military training provides skills that criminal groups value highly.  Expertise in small-unit tactics, intelligence gathering, surveillance, weapons handling, communications, logistics and leadership can significantly improve the capabilities of an organised crime group. This article examines some of the best-documented examples where former military or special forces personnel have played an important role in organised crime, while separating fact from popular myths. Why Criminal Organisations Recruit Former Soldiers Organised crime groups increasingly resemble so...