Sanctioned Russian Defense Ministry Jet Lands in Israel After Departing Moscow Military Base
The aircraft is linked to a U.S.-sanctioned Russian transport unit that Washington says moved Wagner personnel and equipment.
- On Sunday, November 8, 2026, a Russian military aircraft sanctioned by Washington for links to the Wagner mercenary group landed at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
- The Tupolev Tu-154M belongs to the 223rd Flight Unit of the Russian Defense Ministry, which the U.S. State Department accused of transporting Wagner personnel and equipment to African countries.
- Flight-Tracking data shows the aircraft, operating as CHD85042, departed Chkalovsky Air Base near Moscow and crossed Turkish airspace before arriving at about 7 p.m.
- Neither Israeli nor Russian authorities disclosed the visit's purpose, leaving Israel facing diplomatic uncertainty amid European criticism over settlement activities in the occupied West Bank.
- Israel's recognition of Somaliland remains contested, with Somalia, China, and Saudi Arabia condemning the recent appointment of Ambassador Michael Lotem to the breakaway territory.
12 Articles
12 Articles
A Russian military agency ' s Tou-154M passenger ship, flying from the Chakalovsky submarine airport, landed at the Israeli airport of Ben Gurion, reported the newspaper The Jerusalem Post. The flight, which has been under American sanctions since 2023, flew over the Black Sea and through Turkish airspace before landing from the Mediterranean, is described in the material The Jerusalem Post. According to the FlightRadar24 service, the fligh…
Despite US and UK sanctions, Israel allows Russian military aircraft to land amid backlash from China and Saudi Arabia over recognition of breakaway African territory
Israel is facing fresh international scrutiny after a US-sanctioned Russian military aircraft landed at its main airport, at a time when it is still facing backlash from Somalia, China, Saudi Arabia and other countries over its plans to establish an embassy in Somaliland, a breakaway African territory.
A U.S.-sanctioned Russian military aircraft landed surprisingly at Tel Aviv airport without official explanations, generating uncertainty and speculation about a possible strategic movement in the Middle East.
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