FBI Director Kash Patel Plans Rare Visit to Russia

Kash Patel, director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), plans to visit Russia this fall. According to a US official and a source familiar with the plans, the trip is scheduled for 14-15 October and will include stops in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The visit would be an unusual and politically sensitive trip by the head of the FBI at a time when Washington and Moscow remain at odds over ending the war in Ukraine and US lawmakers are pushing for tougher sanctions against Russia. Patel is expected to be hosted by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

It is not yet clear whether Patel will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin or other senior Kremlin officials. The agenda for the talks has not been disclosed, and the plans could still change.

Patel first rose to prominence during President Donald Trump’s first term, when he questioned the investigation into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election. More recently, he has faced criticism over several official trips and the use of public funds, which are being investigated by senior Democrats in Congress.

The last FBI director to visit Russia was Robert Mueller, who traveled to the country in 2013.

(Politico, bak)