AeroTime
A Russian government plane was granted special permission to enter the United States (US) to collect diplomats based in the nation’s capital, Washington DC.
The Ilyushin Il-96, part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Special Flight Squadron, departed Moscow Vnukovo Airport (VKO) at 9:27am local time on June 27, 2023.
Hours later, after circumventing European airspace, the jet landed at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD).
According to the i, a US State Department spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft was in the country to collect Russian diplomats.
“The US government has allowed the Russian government to send a charter flight to the United States to transport to Russia those Russian diplomats whose assignments have ended. We also maintain strict reciprocity with Russia regarding special transport missions,” they said.
A former senior US intelligence official also told the i that the new diplomats may have been on the flight and may request meetings with officials to discuss events in Ukraine, particularly the Wagner advance to Moscow that came to an abrupt halt on June 25, 2023…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (aerotime.aero)
