Russian Air Force Ilyushin IL-96 RA-96018/#157712 as RSD878 heading back to Moscow from the UN in NYC.

Special Flight Squadron Il-96 RA-96018 RSD878 took off from Moscow (VKO) with a flightplan for New York USA. RSD8X8 is used the Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov and he used RSD878 during his visit to ZAF in Feb 2025 so I am betting Lavrov is on the aircraft.

This is kind of interesting: The flight of the Special Flight Squadron Il-96 RA-96018 RSD878 to New York on 25 Jun was commented on by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova. Article in Russian. Translation below. tvzvezda.ru/news/2025626...

Special Flight Squadron Il-96 RA-96023 CS/FCN RSD878 took off from ST P-Burg (LED) and filed a flight plan to Dakar SEN, and may fly to Central and/or South America later. RSD878 is good for Sergej Lavrov, but that would mean he was not on RA-96019 RSD858 that flew to Ouagadougou BFA earlier today.

Special Flight Squadron Il-96 CAMBER RA-96019 CS/FCN RSD878 (Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov) departed Moscow and filed a flightplan for Pretoria ZAF.

Special Flight Squadron Il-96 RA-96018 CAMBER RSD878 is scheduled to depart New York and fly back to Moscow today. I wonder if the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be compelled to comment on the return of this aircraft like it did for its flight to the US?

🇺🇸🇷🇺 FlightRadar24 shows a Russian Special Flight Squadron (RSD878) flying to JFK Airport in New York. The reason for the flight and the passengers aboard are unknown as of time of writing.

>LEAKLIV:/

#PlaneAlert ICAO: #157712 Tail: #RA96018 Flt: #RSD878
Owner: #RussiaSpecialFlightDetachment
Aircraft: #Ilyushin Il-96-300PU
2025-06-28 20:41:19 EDT
#IL96 #DictatorAlert #VladimirPutin #Vova
#adsb #Planefence by #kx1t - link

#PlaneAlert ICAO: #157712 Tail: #RA96018 Flt: #RSD878
Owner: #RussiaSpecialFlightDetachment
Aircraft: #Ilyushin Il-96-300PU
2025-06-25 14:46:32 EDT
#IL96 #DictatorAlert #VladimirPutin #Vova
#adsb #Planefence by #kx1t - link