The United States confiscated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft, stating that its purchase violated Western sanctions. However, the Venezuelan leader can easily replace it with a Russian Il-96, according to Bulgarian Military.
The aircraft, estimated to have been purchased for $13 million, was confiscated in the Dominican Republic. It is known that Maduro often used it for international travel. The US Department of Justice claims that Venezuela illegally acquired the Dassault Falcon 900EX, registering the deal to front men.
The aircraft with blue and red stripes on a white body is registered in San Marino. The US Department of Justice stated that the aircraft was mainly used for Maduro's international travel. It operated flights from one of Venezuela's military bases. Previous destinations of the aircraft included St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cuba, and Brazil.
The Venezuelan government reacted sharply to the seizure, calling it an "illegal" confiscation and equating it to piracy.
German entrepreneur Kim Dotcom stated that Maduro could acquire a Russian passenger wide-body aircraft for medium and long-haul airlines, the Il-96, as Venezuela has good relations with Russia.
This is childish and insignificant. Maduro will not suffer. He can simply buy a Russian presidential Ilyushin aircraft, which would be an improvement. The US is doing Maduro a favor. The Global South will see this as a media stunt. This will only increase Maduro's popularity.
The Il-96 is a powerful Russian four-engine airliner designed for long-distance flights. It is based on the Il-86 model. The Il-96-300PU variant serves as the main aircraft for the Russian presidential fleet. This model is widely adapted for use by the first persons of the state.
The Il-96-300PU is equipped with several levels of protection against various threats, including radar jamming countermeasures and an air defense system. Details about its defensive capabilities remain classified. Russia has several Il-96-300PU units at its disposal.
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