A Russian Ministry of Defense Tupolev Tu-154M, registration RA-85042, landed at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday evening, November 8, after departing from Cheklovsky airbase near Moscow. The plane belongs to Russia's 223rd Aviation Unit, which has been under US sanctions since 2023 because of its alleged logistical support for the Wagner Group.
Reports suggest that the plane may have been sent to evacuate families of Russian diplomats, but there is no verified evidence to support this claim. The passengers and the purpose of the visit remain unknown, while the IDF, the Prime Minister's Office and the Russian Embassy refused to comment.