US Military Transport Plane Lands in Moscow After Flight From Riga

A US Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military transport plane landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Aug. 25 after flying from Riga, Latvia, according to Russian media citing flight-tracking data. The aircraft, identified as RCH4555, departed Riga at around 8:50 a.m. Moscow time and landed in Vnukovo at approximately 10:04 a.m., RBC reported, citing Flightradar24.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The Kremlin said it had no information about the aircraft’s arrival. “We have no information about this,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Russia was not planning meetings with representatives of the US administration this week. Flightradar24 was no longer tracking the aircraft after its arrival. The service indicated that the plane was either outside its tracking coverage or had already landed. The aircraft arrived in Riga on Aug. 23. Its previous departure point was listed as Camp Springs, Maryland, home to Andrews Air Force Base. Andrews is the main base for US presidential aircraft, including Air Force One when the US president is aboard. The flight data does not indicate that the aircraft was carrying US President Donald Trump or other senior US officials. The C-17 Globemaster III is a heavy military transport aircraft designed to move troops, military equipment and cargo over long distances. It can carry up to 77.5 metric tons of cargo, including armored vehicles and helicopters, and can conduct airborne drops of personnel and equipment. Other Topics of Interest Kanye West’s Russia Concerts in Limbo After St. Petersburg Arena Pulls Out West, who now performs as Ye, was due to perform at the stadium on Oct. 10 and 11 as part of a Russian concert organized by Say Agency. The purpose of the aircraft’s Moscow flight was not immediately clear. The unusual arrival comes amid ongoing US-Russia contacts over Russia’s war against Ukraine, but there was no immediate indication that the flight was connected to any diplomatic or military talks. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.