US-sanctioned Russian Defense Ministry aircraft lands in 'Israel'
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- The aircraft (registration RA-85042) and its operating unit have been on the US sanctions list since May 2023
- Flight-tracking records indicate the jet traversed the Black Sea and Turkish airspace before approaching Tel Aviv over the Mediterranean
A Russian Defense Ministry jet subject to US sanctions landed at 'Israel's' Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday evening, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24.
The aircraft, a Tupolev Tu-154M bearing registration RA-85042, departed from Chkalovsky Air Base outside Moscow, an installation primarily utilized by the Russian military for VIP transport, high-ranking military delegations, and official state missions.
The tri-jet crossed the Black Sea and passed through Turkish airspace before entering 'Israeli' airspace from the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft circled over central 'Israel' before touching down at Ben-Gurion Airport at approximately 7:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, Nov 8.
The aircraft belongs to the 223rd Flight Unit of the Russian Defense Ministry. In May 2023, the US State Department designated the unit and blocked 37 associated aircraft under Executive Order 14024, accusing it of transporting personnel and materiel for the Wagner private military contractor across regions where the group operated.
Prior to Sunday's flight, records showed the plane had remained at Moscow following an arrival from Novosibirsk on Nov. 2.
