The Mystery of the Il-96-300 Aircraft Flying Over Venezuela Revealed

Wide-body aircraft transports Cuban military personnel

The Il-96 aircraft, which flies between Venezuela and Cuba, transports Cuban military personnel — some are taken to the Cuban capital Havana, and then new volunteers are delivered in their place. This was reported by the 14ymedio publication, citing sources.

According to local journalists, Cuban military personnel in Venezuela are rotated, replacing them with "new recruits hired on a voluntary basis" for a monetary reward. According to the publication, the Il-96 has already made nine flights to Caracas and back.

Officially, neither side has confirmed information about the Cuban military.

The Russian-made Il-96 belongs to the airline Cubana de Aviación, and it is the only such aircraft at the disposal of the "Island of Freedom". The aircraft attracted attention in early January, when it arrived in Caracas with the transponder turned on, but for some reason abruptly turned around and flew back.

In total, Cuba purchased four Il-96-300s from Russia. However, the other aircraft are currently in storage or in non-flying condition. Although a fleet restoration program does exist, only the aircraft with the number CU-T1250 remains in service.

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14ymedio

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