US Military Plane Arrives In Moscow, Kremlin Claims It Had No Prior Knowledge

A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Tuesday, according to Flightradar24 data, in a surprise development that has raised questions about a possible diplomatic mission.

The US-registered aircraft flew to Moscow from Riga, Latvia, at around 0700 GMT, Reuters reported. The flight had previously arrived in Riga on August 23 from the US military facility near Washington, DC, after departing Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

The arrival comes despite Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying there were no plans for meetings with US administration representatives in Russia this week. Peskov also said the Kremlin had no information about the aircraft.

The C-17 Globemaster is primarily used to transport troops and heavy military equipment over long distances. Its unexpected appearance in Moscow has therefore triggered speculation about its purpose.

Some reports have suggested the flight could be connected to a potential prisoner exchange or a confidential diplomatic effort. The speculation comes after former US Marine Robert Gilman was released earlier in August and amid previous prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States.

The last US-registered flight from Europe to Russia took place in January, when US special envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war.

With Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations still deadlocked, the latest flight has fueled speculation that Washington and Moscow may be pursuing a discreet diplomatic channel, although no official explanation has been provided.