A Russian military transport aircraft carrying a senior delegation led by the head of Russia’s military intelligence agency landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Saturday evening in an unusual visit, two sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post.
The delegation, which met senior Israeli defense officials, was headed by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly known as the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency.
The purpose of the visit and the subjects discussed during the delegation’s meetings in Israel remain unclear, but the unusual landing of a Russian military aircraft in Israel comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing uncertainty over the possibility of renewed military confrontation between the US, Israel and Iran.
The Russian aircraft departed Israel and headed to Abu Dhabi.
The Russian delegation, including Kostyukov, will participate in the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations under US mediation scheduled for Tuesday-Wednesday.
A jet operated by the Russian Defense Ministry landed in Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday evening, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed.
The Tupolev Tu-154M, which departed from a military base near Moscow, has been on the US sanctions list since 2023.
The Chkalovsky Air Base from which the flight originated is the primary operational hub for the Russian Defense Ministry, which manages VIP transport and government missions for high-ranking military officials and official delegations.
The flight path went over the Black Sea and through Turkish airspace before entering Israel from the Mediterranean. The plane circled over Israel before landing at Ben-Gurion Airport at about 7 p.m.
Flightradar24 data showed that in the past week, the aircraft has remained in Moscow since arriving from Novosibirsk on November 2.
Aircraft sanctioned by US for assisting Wagner mercenary group
The aircraft belongs to the 223rd Flight Unit of the Russian Defense Ministry, itself a sanctioned entity, as the US State Department accused the unit of transporting personnel and equipment belonging to the Wagner mercenary group to countries where Wagner operated.
The aircraft was listed under Executive Order 14024, which authorizes sanctions targeting Russia's harmful foreign activities, including those connected to its war against Ukraine.
As part of the May 19, 2023, action, the US identified 37 aircraft associated with the unit as blocked property, including RA-85042.
When approached by The Jerusalem Post, the Russian Embassy in Israel declined to comment on who was in the aircraft or why they were in Israel.
Additionally, the IDF declined the Post's request for comment.
The Post also reached out to several US government bodies for comment.