The long-haul Il-96-300 aircraft of the Rossiya Special Flight Detachment is currently flying in European Union airspace. The final destination of the airliner is Geneva, according to data from the Flightradar24 portal.
According to the service, after departing from Moscow Vnukovo Airport, the Il-96 flew over the territory of Turkey, as well as over the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft entered Italian airspace at approximately 06:47 Moscow time.
The Il-96 is a Soviet wide-body long-haul aircraft. In the Il-96-300 modification, it is used by the Rossiya Special Flight Detachment for important government transportation.
Since February 2022, the European Union has completely closed its skies to all aircraft owned by Russia, registered in the Russian Federation, or controlled by Russian individuals and legal entities.
As of early 2026, these restrictions remain in force, and their lifting is not expected in the near future. Apparently, this particular Il-96-300 was allowed to pass through the community's airspace.
Also, \"Pervyi Tekhnicheskii\" explained why the Il-96 is not used in civil aviation, but is specifically \"tailored\" for transporting persons of special importance.
Read more materials on the topic:
- \"It is easier to design a new airliner\": the Il-96 with PD-35 engines was denied existence
- Cuba put the Il-96 back in the sky: the legendary airliner returned after repairs in Belarus
- A favor was done: Venezuelan President Maduro may buy an Il-96 to replace the confiscated Dassault Falcon 900EX
