US military plane flies into Moscow amid stalled Ukraine talks; Kremlin says it has ‘no information’

A US military transport plane touched down at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Tuesday, according to Reuters, which cited data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, registered 07-7181, flew directly from Riga, Latvia, to Moscow, landing around 0700 GMT, reported Reuters citing data. The purpose of the flight remains unclear, as Reuters was unable to independently determine whether the aircraft was carrying passengers or cargo.

The Kremlin stated it had no information about the US military aircraft’s arrival. The Boeing had previously flown from Camp Springs, Maryland, to Riga on August 23, marking a rare direct flight from Europe to Russia for a US-registered aircraft. This latest arrival follows a period of stalled US-Russia talks over the Ukraine war.

The last direct flight from Europe to Russia by a US-registered aircraft was in January, when special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the conflict. The recent flight comes amid broader geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing war in Iran.

The purpose of Tuesday’s C-17 flight remains uncertain, as neither the Kremlin nor US authorities have publicly confirmed any link to renewed Ukraine peace negotiations. The arrival of a US military aircraft in Moscow adds a sensitive element to the ongoing strained relations between Washington and Moscow, as diplomatic efforts over Ukraine remain uncertain.