Moscow downplayed the stopover of a special diplomatic flight by the Kremlin’s presidential fleet bound for the United States in late December, as speculation swirls about how the new U. S. administration will address the tense dynamic with Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the plane had traveled from Russia to the United States, but said it was carrying “another rotation of diplomats,” in statements reported by Russian media.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian foreign ministry for further comment via email and to the White House.
Relations between Russia and the United States are at their worst in decades and plummeted after Moscow introduced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Nearly three years into the war, nuclear rhetoric is seeping into the standoff as Washington steadily supports kyiv.
President-elect Donald Trump, now less than a month from his inauguration, has vowed to end the war in Ukraine in just a day. NATO officials have predicted the incoming president may try to do a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he has said he has a good relationship.
Some officials worry that the deal will hurt kyiv, and others worry that an end to active fighting could replace the situation on NATO’s eastern border in Europe.
Flight tracking data shows that an Il-96 from the Rossiya Special Squadron took off from Moscow bound for St. Petersburg on December 25, before departing Russia’s second city on December 26 and arriving in New York.
The aircraft then flew from New York to Washington, D.C., the same day, according to FlightRadar24. On December 28, the Il-96 left Washington for New York, before flying back to Moscow.
The Rossiya special squad is intended to transport Putin and “senior officials of the country,” according to Russian state media.
The Rossiya special squadron has about 2,500 personnel and operates Russian Il-96 and Tu-214 aircraft, as well as Mi-38 helicopters, according to the official Tass news agency. FlightRadar24 tracks 60 aircraft belonging to the Special Flight Squadron, adding thirteen Il-96 aircraft and five Tu-214 aircraft.
The unit is also referred to the 235th Separate Aviation Detachment.
According to the news agency, the unit was created in 1956 when the Soviet leadership at the time chose to use passenger planes instead of military planes to move Kremlin officials around the world.
The unit was founded at Vnukovo airport, just southwest of the capital, Tass reported.
With just weeks until Trump strides back into the White House, transitional work will likely continue in the background in preparation for January 20.
Ellie Cook is a security and defense reporter for Newsweek based in London, United Kingdom. His paintings largely focus on the war between Russia and Ukraine, the US military, weapons systems, and emerging technologies. He joined Newsweek in January 2023, after applying as a reporter for the Daily Express and having a degree in International Journalism from the City, University of London. Languages: English, Spanish. You can contact Ellie by email at e. cook@newsweek. com.