Middle East & North Africa
Russian defence ministry Tu-154M under US sanctions lands at Ben Gurion – the silence of Israel and Russia – sources
A Tupolev Tu-154M of the Russian defence ministry, named on a US Treasury sanctions list, landed at Ben Gurion airport on November 8. Who was aboard and why is unknown; neither government has commented.
A Tupolev Tu-154M belonging to the Russian defence ministry, and listed on the US sanctions list, landed on the evening of Sunday, November 8 at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport. The arrival, around 19:00 local time, showed up in Flightradar24 tracking data. Who was aboard and why the trip was made remains unknown, as neither government has said anything publicly.
The aircraft, registration RA-85042, took off from Chkalovsky air base near Moscow. It flew over the Black Sea and Turkish airspace and entered Israel from the Mediterranean, where it circled before landing. Since November 2, when it arrived from Novosibirsk, it had been parked in the Russian capital.
Chkalovsky is the main hub for Russian defence ministry flights carrying senior officers, government missions and official delegations. The aircraft of the 223rd Flight Unit do not fly regular passenger routes, only state and military missions.
When The Jerusalem Post asked for explanations, the Russian embassy in Israel declined to say who was on the aircraft or why they travelled. The Israeli army also declined to comment. The newspaper sought comment from US government agencies too.
Why RA-85042 is on the US list
This particular aircraft appears by name in the US Treasury’s sanctions catalogue (OFAC): Tu-154, manufacturer’s serial number 12A998, registration RA-85042, noted as linked to the 223rd Flight Unit, the state air service of the Russian defence ministry. The unit has its own entry on the list, with a note that it is linked to Wagner. The US accuses it of having carried personnel and equipment of the Russian private army to the countries where it operated, such as Mali.
The decision was taken on May 19, 2023, under Executive Order 14024 on Russia’s harmful activities abroad. Washington then designated 37 aircraft of the unit as blocked property, among them RA-85042. The sanctions also carry the risk of secondary measures for anyone dealing with these aircraft.
Since 2022 the US, UK, Canada, Norway and the 27 EU states have imposed restrictions on Russian aviation. Israel and Russia, for their part, maintain an open military communication channel, such as the “red phone” that operated during the strikes on Iran.
