Many Russian (and some US) virtual plane-spotters are wondering as to what a mysterious “special” diplomatic Il-96 is doing in the United States, having flown to Washington DC with no apparent notice to the media. At 22:28 Moscow time, the mysterious Russian special flight landed in New York City. At 21:10 Moscow time, information about this flight spread across social networks, causing a storm of discussions. Here’s what we know about the Il-96 flight, translated from this afternoon’s Russian media reporting.
Who is on board the Il-96-300? What is the purpose of the visit? And why are both Russia and the US keeping silent? We tell you what is happening and why the flight of the Il-96-300 has caused a stir on the Internet.
According to Flightradar24, an Il-96-300 aircraft with registration number RSD878 and side number RA-96018 took off from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg at 11:32 Moscow time. The flight ended at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 22:28 Moscow time. Also according to Flightradar24, the aircraft flew from Moscow to St. Petersburg earlier. However, neither the Russian nor the American authorities are in a hurry to disclose details.
The Il-96, which belongs to the special flight detachment “Rossiya,” is not just an airplane. It is an aircraft that is traditionally used for diplomatic missions, transporting high-ranking officials and performing tasks of national importance. Its appearance in the skies over the United States, especially in the context of sanctions and the latest round of geopolitical turbulence, so far leaves more questions than answers.
The first information about the flight appeared in the Telegram channel of blogger Sergey Kolyasnikov at 21:10. He wrote succinctly: “A Russian special flight Il-96 took off from St. Petersburg and is heading to New York, USA. Interesting. Any explanations?” Other analysts soon joined the discussion. Political scientist Sergey Markov noted: “Everyone is wondering who flew in, bypassing all sanctions? The authorities of both Russia and the USA are silent.”
It is known that the Rossiya flight detachment specializes in transporting official delegations. The Il-96-300PU is a modification for VIP transportation, traditionally used for high-level diplomatic missions. In 2023, a similar aircraft also caused a stir: Sergei Lavrov was flying on it, and due to sanctions, there were difficulties with refueling in South Africa.
Explanations being discussed online include possible secret negotiations, delivery of important documents, or even a new exchange. Some analysts suggest that the visit may be connected with preparations for a new round of dialogue between Russia and the United States, as well as a discussion of the recent geopolitical escalation.
The Il-96-300’s flight time coincides with tense events on the international stage. The NATO summit ended in The Hague on Wednesday, where US President Donald Trump discussed security issues with allies. The day before, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte caused a scandal by praising Trump for increasing contributions to the alliance, which, according to critics, looked like old-fashioned flattery.
The summit announced an increase in European countries’ contributions to the NATO budget, while the United States, according to Trump, intends to reduce its spending.
A couple of weeks ago, Russia and the US were preparing for a new round of talks on “irritants” (issues that prevent normalization of diplomatic relations). But the meeting was cancelled at the initiative of the US. There was no official explanation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova only clarified that “consultations on eliminating obstacles in the work of diplomatic missions were cancelled by American partners,” expressing hope that “this pause will not drag on.”
The US President said yesterday that resolving the crisis around Ukraine turned out to be more difficult than he had initially expected. And while negotiations on Ukraine were underway, a number of other conflicts arose that needed to be resolved, Trump said, adding that he plans to discuss the Ukrainian settlement with Vladimir Putin.
Update: Zakharova commented on the flight of the Il-96 to New York on Thursday afternoon, June 26. The diplomat called the flight of the special flight from St. Petersburg to New York “a regular repatriation flight” that delivered employees to the United States and will pick up those returning from a business trip.
It is not specified who exactly was on board the Il-96. It is only noted that such flights are carried out regularly for the rotation of Russian personnel at the UN and the embassy in Washington. According to Flightradar24, the flight of the aircraft with the registration number RSD878 was the most tracked flight on June 25.
Translating History 