Ukraine complied with a request from the Trump administration to refrain from striking major Russian cities during a visit to Moscow by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe. Sources told Reuters that the United States contacted Kyiv last week to request a halt to attacks on Moscow, St. Petersburg, and a section of northern Russia while the CIA director’s aircraft was traveling to and from the Russian capital. The temporary pause covered Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
The visit, which was not publicly announced by the Kremlin or the White House, marked the first known trip to Moscow by a U.S. spy chief since William Burns met with Vladimir Putin in November 2021. Ratcliffe, who assumed his post in 2025, departed Russia late Tuesday. While the specific nature of his meetings was not disclosed, the CIA has previously been involved in prisoner exchanges, including the April 2025 release of dual national Ksenia Karelina and the 2024 release of reporter Evan Gershkovich.
Following Ratcliffe's departure, Ukraine resumed drone operations against Russian territory. On Wednesday, the Russian defense ministry reported downing 426 drones overnight across Russia and Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine. One drone strike targeted a Wildberries e-commerce warehouse in the Tambov region, causing a fire and injuring one person. Additionally, Russian-installed management at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant reported that two workers were injured in a Ukrainian drone strike near the facility’s hydraulic structures.
The scale of the military activity following the diplomat's departure is significant, with 426 drones intercepted in less than 24 hours. This volume represents a substantial expenditure of defensive and offensive resources for both nations. For civilians, these numbers translate into localized evacuations, potential power or logistics disruptions—such as the fire at a major e-commerce warehouse—and heightened safety risks for essential workers, as seen with the two injured maintenance staff at the nuclear facility. The direct request from the Trump administration indicates a high level of operational coordination between Washington and Kyiv, even during sensitive diplomatic missions.
The knock-on effects of this visit may influence future peace negotiations, which sources indicate have remained stalled. The precedent of a coordinated temporary ceasefire for diplomatic transit could serve as a model for future high-level communications. However, the comments from former Ukrainian officials regarding the need for mobilization and new war strategies suggest internal pressure for a shift in policy. What happens next depends on the outcome of Ratcliffe's undisclosed meetings and upcoming diplomatic efforts, including a planned trip by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to the U.S. in September to discuss continued support for Ukraine.