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US military plane lands in Moscow
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
A US Air Force C-17 landed in Moscow on Aug 25, 2026, from Riga. The Kremlin says it has no information, fueling speculation about a secret diplomatic mission.
Background
The flight comes amid stalled US-Russia talks on Ukraine and ongoing tensions over Iran. The last direct US military flight to Moscow was in January, carrying envoys for peace talks. The CIA director is reportedly on board, but this is unconfirmed.
How it unfolded
- Aug 23, 2026The C-17 departed Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, arriving in Riga, Latvia.
- Aug 25, 2026 07:00 GMTThe aircraft flew from Riga to Moscow's Vnukovo airport, landing around 10 a.m. local time.
- Aug 25, 2026Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says he has no information about the plane; US officials remain silent.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no information about the aircraft's arrival.
- Analysts
- Some speculate the flight could be linked to diplomatic contacts, possibly involving CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Still unverified
CIA Director John Ratcliffe's presence on the flight is reported by CBS and Axios but not officially confirmed. The purpose of the mission and any passengers or cargo remain unknown.