reconron
@thereccelizard.bsky.social
Russian Military Analyst. 46 years Russian airplane chaser. Cold War mentality. Можно по Русский. 8000+ hours RC-135.
Russia’s support for the military junta in MLI continues along with its ‘Hearts and Minds’ campaign. On 14 Sep VKS Il-76MD-90A CANDID RF-78658 flew from Moscow (CKL) to Khmejmim Airbase SYR departing and flying south on 15 Sep.
September 17, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Russia’s support for the military junta in MLI continues along with its ‘Hearts and Minds’ campaign. On 14 Sep VKS Il-76MD-90A CANDID RF-78658 flew from Moscow (CKL) to Khmejmim Airbase SYR departing and flying south on 15 Sep.
This is the first time I have seen this aircraft active: On 17 Sep Il-76MD-90A CANDID RF-78667 CS/FCN 571 is active out of Ulyanovsk orbiting to the northwest. It reportedly entered service at the end of 2022.
September 17, 2026 at 8:10 AM
This is the first time I have seen this aircraft active: On 17 Sep Il-76MD-90A CANDID RF-78667 CS/FCN 571 is active out of Ulyanovsk orbiting to the northwest. It reportedly entered service at the end of 2022.
On 16 Sep Iranian Government Avro RJ85 EP-IGF IRAN06 (Eskandar Momeni, Minister of the Interior and/or Mohsen Paknejad, Minister of Petroleum) flew from Riyadh (RUH) SAU to Jeddah (after a little holding pattern). I wonder if this has anything to do with the Houthis?
September 16, 2026 at 6:42 PM
On 16 Sep Iranian Government Avro RJ85 EP-IGF IRAN06 (Eskandar Momeni, Minister of the Interior and/or Mohsen Paknejad, Minister of Petroleum) flew from Riyadh (RUH) SAU to Jeddah (after a little holding pattern). I wonder if this has anything to do with the Houthis?
Heli spoofer up again on 16 Sep.
September 16, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Heli spoofer up again on 16 Sep.
That would make sense. Thank you. www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polyt...
September 16, 2026 at 9:38 AM
That would make sense. Thank you. www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polyt...
One thing I did not notice (but should have) on the bomber flight up north yesterday was that the Tu-95MS BEAR-H were carrying Kh-101 (AS-23 KODIAK) cruise missiles. One missile was carried on the fuselage, not on a wing pylon: www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/bom...
Bombers carrying Kh-101 missiles flew off Northern Norway
The strategic Tu-95MS bombers were escorted by Su-33 fighter jets and intercepted by a pair of Norwegian F-35s scrambled from Evenes Air Base to monitor the Russian aircraft.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
September 16, 2026 at 9:34 AM
One thing I did not notice (but should have) on the bomber flight up north yesterday was that the Tu-95MS BEAR-H were carrying Kh-101 (AS-23 KODIAK) cruise missiles. One missile was carried on the fuselage, not on a wing pylon: www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/bom...
On 16 Sep SFS Il-96 CAMBER RA-96018 RSD780 flew from Moscow (VKO) to Köln DEU and is scheduled to return shortly. RSD78X has been used for international flights.
September 16, 2026 at 9:18 AM
On 16 Sep SFS Il-96 CAMBER RA-96018 RSD780 flew from Moscow (VKO) to Köln DEU and is scheduled to return shortly. RSD78X has been used for international flights.
On 16 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 flew from Belaya to Akhtubinsk. We may see some air-to-air refueling from there.
September 16, 2026 at 8:27 AM
On 16 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 flew from Belaya to Akhtubinsk. We may see some air-to-air refueling from there.
On 16 Sep ROSKOSMOS Tu-204 RA-64053 flew from Moscow (VKO) to the airfield at Baikonur Cosmodrome.
September 16, 2026 at 8:20 AM
On 16 Sep ROSKOSMOS Tu-204 RA-64053 flew from Moscow (VKO) to the airfield at Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Story from tvzvezda on a flight by a (yes – it appears just one) Tu-95MS BEAR-H (likely flying out of Olenegorsk) that carried out a five-hour (WOW - five whole hours!) mission over the Barents and Norwegian Seas.
September 15, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Story from tvzvezda on a flight by a (yes – it appears just one) Tu-95MS BEAR-H (likely flying out of Olenegorsk) that carried out a five-hour (WOW - five whole hours!) mission over the Barents and Norwegian Seas.
More heli spoofing out of Minsk BLR. The Mode-3 of 1AFFFF is always the dead giveaway.
September 15, 2026 at 3:37 PM
More heli spoofing out of Minsk BLR. The Mode-3 of 1AFFFF is always the dead giveaway.
On 15 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 is again active out of the bomber base at Belaya. It deployed on 11 Sep and was active on 14 Sep. This is the VKS’s only Il-78M-90A tanker and this it likely conducting air-to-air refueling training with Tu-95MS BEAR-H and/or Tu-160 BLACKJACK bombers.
September 15, 2026 at 9:31 AM
On 15 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 is again active out of the bomber base at Belaya. It deployed on 11 Sep and was active on 14 Sep. This is the VKS’s only Il-78M-90A tanker and this it likely conducting air-to-air refueling training with Tu-95MS BEAR-H and/or Tu-160 BLACKJACK bombers.
On 15 Sep Iranian Government Avro RJ85 EP-IGF IRAN06 flew from Tehran (THR) IRN to Riyadh (RUH) SAU. IRAN06 has been used by Eskandar Momeni, Minister of the Interior and also by Mohsen Paknejad, Minister of Petroleum. Paknejad is also head of the Iran-Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Committee.
September 15, 2026 at 8:23 AM
On 15 Sep Iranian Government Avro RJ85 EP-IGF IRAN06 flew from Tehran (THR) IRN to Riyadh (RUH) SAU. IRAN06 has been used by Eskandar Momeni, Minister of the Interior and also by Mohsen Paknejad, Minister of Petroleum. Paknejad is also head of the Iran-Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Committee.
On 14 Sep SFS Tu-154B CARELESS RA-85843 flew from Moscow (CKL) to Khmejmim Airbase SYR returning to RUS after approximately two hours on the ground. This aircraft also flew to Khmejmim Airbase on 04 & 09 Sep.
September 14, 2026 at 9:51 PM
On 14 Sep SFS Tu-154B CARELESS RA-85843 flew from Moscow (CKL) to Khmejmim Airbase SYR returning to RUS after approximately two hours on the ground. This aircraft also flew to Khmejmim Airbase on 04 & 09 Sep.
On 09 Sep The Barents Observer online posted a story about a drone attack on the Novyj Urengoj gas plant: www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/drone-s...
Drone strike on Novy Urengoy gas plant
A plant processing gas condensate is on fire in the heart of Russia’s Arctic gas-producing region, more than 2,800 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
September 14, 2026 at 2:11 PM
On 09 Sep The Barents Observer online posted a story about a drone attack on the Novyj Urengoj gas plant: www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/drone-s...
On 10 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 deployed to the strategic bomber base at Belaya. It is active on 14 Sep possibly doing air-to-air refueling with bombers.
September 14, 2026 at 9:05 AM
On 10 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 deployed to the strategic bomber base at Belaya. It is active on 14 Sep possibly doing air-to-air refueling with bombers.
More silliness and spoofing on 13 Sep from BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE as it flew to Astrakhan.
September 13, 2026 at 3:38 PM
More silliness and spoofing on 13 Sep from BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE as it flew to Astrakhan.
On 13 Sep Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Posts RA-96022 RSD161 & RA-96025 RSD171 are airborne from New Delhi Ind. Putin flew down on RA-96022. I wonder which one he is on for the trip home?
September 13, 2026 at 9:05 AM
On 13 Sep Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Posts RA-96022 RSD161 & RA-96025 RSD171 are airborne from New Delhi Ind. Putin flew down on RA-96022. I wonder which one he is on for the trip home?
I recently posted on flights to Minsk BLR by OFAC blacklisted Fars Air Qeshm B747 EP-FAB. Here is a recently posted video of the aircraft, and from what I can tell, I think it was its departure from Minsk on 28 Aug. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm7H...
Old Iranian Boeing 747-200 took off like an youth. There is still powder in the flasks!
YouTube video by D.D. Denisin
www.youtube.com
September 12, 2026 at 4:16 PM
I recently posted on flights to Minsk BLR by OFAC blacklisted Fars Air Qeshm B747 EP-FAB. Here is a recently posted video of the aircraft, and from what I can tell, I think it was its departure from Minsk on 28 Aug. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm7H...
I thought Putin flew to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Post RA-96025; however, it appears he was on RA-96022. RA-96022 was his main aircraft until RA-96024 & RA-06025 were delivered.
September 12, 2026 at 10:59 AM
I thought Putin flew to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Post RA-96025; however, it appears he was on RA-96022. RA-96022 was his main aircraft until RA-96024 & RA-06025 were delivered.
Now this is spooky! I posted on 11 Sep about the BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE being caught in a ‘circle spoofer’ and I just noticed that it was over the town of Krugloe (Круглое), which in Russian means ‘round.’ Is this a coincidence or does someone have a strange sense of humor?
September 12, 2026 at 9:47 AM
Now this is spooky! I posted on 11 Sep about the BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE being caught in a ‘circle spoofer’ and I just noticed that it was over the town of Krugloe (Круглое), which in Russian means ‘round.’ Is this a coincidence or does someone have a strange sense of humor?
This also looks like some spoofing from VKS An-148 RA-61735.
September 11, 2026 at 7:04 PM
This also looks like some spoofing from VKS An-148 RA-61735.
On 11 Sep BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE flew from an unknown location (poss Minsk BLR or Moscow) to Astrakhan. On its return flight it was involved in spoofing and was ‘caught’ in a circle spoofer.
September 11, 2026 at 7:01 PM
On 11 Sep BLR Il-76TD CANDID EW-005DE flew from an unknown location (poss Minsk BLR or Moscow) to Astrakhan. On its return flight it was involved in spoofing and was ‘caught’ in a circle spoofer.
On 10 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 took off from Moscow (ZIA) and is eastbound. The is the only Il-78MD-90A tanker in the VKS inventory and I am wondering if it is deploying and/or en route to some night-time air-to-air refueling.
September 11, 2026 at 1:20 AM
On 10 Sep Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 took off from Moscow (ZIA) and is eastbound. The is the only Il-78MD-90A tanker in the VKS inventory and I am wondering if it is deploying and/or en route to some night-time air-to-air refueling.
On 10 Sep RA-96023, RA-96019, RA-64059, RA-96022 & RA-96025 are en route to New Delhi for the BRICS summit. Lavrov on RA-96023; Putin on RA-96025.
September 10, 2026 at 5:34 PM
On 10 Sep RA-96023, RA-96019, RA-64059, RA-96022 & RA-96025 are en route to New Delhi for the BRICS summit. Lavrov on RA-96023; Putin on RA-96025.