Sanctioned Russian jet with intel chief lands in Israel
The gist
A sanctioned Russian Defense Ministry Tu-154M landed at Ben-Gurion Airport around 7 p.m. Sunday.
The reported GRU chief's visit precedes US-mediated Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi.
How it unfolded
- May 19, 2023The US identified 37 aircraft tied to the Russian Defense Ministry's 223rd Flight Unit as blocked property, including RA-85042.
- Nov 2, 2026Flightradar24 showed the plane arriving in Moscow from Novosibirsk, where it remained until the flight to Israel.
- Nov 7, 2026A Russian military delegation led by GRU chief Admiral Igor Kostyukov arrived in Israel for meetings with senior Israeli defense officials, per two sources who spoke to The Jerusalem Post.
Key terms
- GRU
- The foreign military intelligence agency of the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff, conducting espionage and covert operations.
- Executive Order 14024
- A US presidential executive order imposing sanctions over harmful Russian foreign activities, including actions related to the war against Ukraine.
- Wagner
- A Russian state-funded private military company widely seen as a mercenary force used as a proxy for Russian military operations abroad.
Source: Wikipedia