On 02 Sep Il-78MD-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 flew from Moscow (ZIA) to Moscow (CKL).

There is a spoofed helicopter that I have posted on several times (but not for awhile) that is ‘active’ daily. This aircraft appears at random locations over RUS (and occasionally BLR) throughout the day. The helicopter always uses the Mode-S of 1AFFFF (not legit). Here are a few ‘hits’ from today:

Putin on the way back from Vladivostok taking the southern route.

After 48 hours on the ground at K-Grad Chkalovsk, on 03 Sep SFS An-124 CONDOR RA-82040 took off and likely flew to Ulyanovsk for maintenance. A flight to Ulyanovsk would suggest it was not flying somewhere to deliver cargo but rather something was delivered to K-Grad. That is just a possibility.

Orthodox ultranationalists bond with nuclear forces on Novaya Zemlya: www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/orthodo...

Orthodox ultranationalists bond with nuclear forces on Novaya Zemlya

An archconservative and xenophobic organisation with ties to the Moscow Patriarchate was represented at the opening of a new cathedral in Belushya Guba, the town that serves Russia’s Arctic nuclear te...

thebarentsobserver.com

On 31 Aug Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS) Il-76TD CANDID RA-76363 SUM9621 flew from Moscow (ZIA) likely to Mineral’nye Vody. It took off on 01 Sep, flew to Benghazi LBY and on 02 Sep flew to Bamako MLI. It took off and is en route back. This was likely another delivery of humanitarian aid.

On 02 Sep Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Posts RA-96025 RSD587 & RA-96022 RSD151 are airborne from Bishkek KGZ and likely talking Putin and entourage to the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Let’s see if the gasoline prices there drop significantly.

On 01 Sep SFS An-124 CONDOR RA-82040 took off from Moscow (CKL) and flew to K-Grad, likely Chkalovsk. CONDOR flights to K-Grad are unusual but not uncommon. This aircraft flew to K-Grad in Feb 2025 and SFS An-124 RA-82030 flew there in Oct 2025.

On 31 Aug Putin and entourage are headed for Bishkek KGZ for the SCO summit on Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Posts RA-96025 RSD587 & RA-96022 RSD151. As Bishkek is not part of RUS gasoline prices there may not drop when Putin arrives, but they might!

On August 31–September 1, Vladimir Putin will visit Kyrgyzstan to attend the SCO summit. en.kremlin.ru/events/presi...

On 30 Aug ll-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Post RA-96025 (one of Putin’s aircraft) flew the ‘Moscow Test Loop.’ Not a usual thing for a Sunday. There is a possibility that it is prepping to fly to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum. Putin attended last year’s forum.

Russia flexes its nuclear muscle from Plesetsk: www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/rus...

Russia flexes its nuclear muscle from Plesetsk

Only days after the Plesetsk Cosmodrome was reportedly targeted by drones, Russia's Strategic Missile Forces carried out a test launch of a mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

thebarentsobserver.com

On 26 Aug I posted on the flight by OFAC blacklisted Fars Air Qeshm B747 EP-FAB from Tehran IRN to the Minsk National Airport (MSQ) BLR and suggested that the aircraft had gone to the Minsk Civil Aviation Plant No. 407 for repair/upgrade.

On 28 Aug Putin visited Nizhnyj Novgorod likely flying there on Il-96PU CAMBER Airborne Command Post RA-96022. There was tracking only around Moscow (likely to preclude a ‘friendly fire’ incident) and this says to me that Putin still does not feel safe when traveling around in his own country.

On 28 Aug 223rd SFS Tu154B CARELESS RA-85563 flew from Moscow (CKL) to Khmejmim Airbase SYR and after only a couple of minutes on the ground (if it even landed) it took off, did an anti-SAM climb out appears to be headed back to RUS.

The spoofer that I recently noticed east of Moscow continues to operate on 27 Aug. Center seems to be about 5537N 3942E.

On 26 Aug SFS Il-62M CLASSIC RA-86561 took off from Moscow (CKL) and flew to Algiers DZA (avoiding Tunisian airspace). It took a little detour over Western Europe, then again it did not and this was more spoofing!

On 27 Aug ROSGVARDIYA Tu-134AK CRUSTY RF-65990 took off from Moscow (CKL) and after a stop at St P-Burg Pulkovo took off and is en route to K-Grad. This aircraft flew the same route on 21 Aug.

OFAC blacklisted Fars Air Qeshm B747 EP-FAB is a frequent visitor to Moscow and last flew there on 10 Aug; however, today, 26 Aug it flew to Minsk National Airport (MSQ) BLR. Turn arounds are usually a couple of hours but so far it has been on the ground about 12 hours.

On 26 Aug Ministry of Emergency Situations Il-76TD CANDID RA-76841 continues flying out of Nis but is now working wildfires in southern SRB.

I do not know how long this new ‘spoofer’ has been active and only noticed because RA-78650 was ‘caught’ in it. It appears to be constantly active and I will have to keep an eye on it.

On 26 Aug Il-76MD-90A(E) CANDID (with air-to-air refueling capability) RA-78650 was up again out of Moscow (ZIA) making a test flight (or perhaps a demonstration flight for a foreign customer).

Today is the birthday of one of the greatest cryptanalysts who ever lived, Elizabeth Smith Friedman. Born on 26 Aug 1892 she deciphered enemy codes in both World Wars and helped to solve international smuggling cases during Prohibition.

On 25 Aug Il-76MD-90A(E) CANDID (with air-to-air refueling capability) RA-78650 took off from Moscow (ZIA) and was tracked south east of Moscow on a navigation flight/possible air-to-air refueling; however, part of the tracked looks like it is being spoofed so I am wondering about the whole flight.

I am going to be looking more closely for any flights into the region: Russia readies for Burevestnik test season: www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/rus...

Russia readies for Burevestnik test season

Aircraft and ships are now in place around Novaya Zemlya, apparently preparing to monitor test launches of Russia's nuclear-powered cruise missile, which is believed to leave a radioactive trail durin...

thebarentsobserver.com

On 22 Aug I posted on the arrival at Nis SRB of Egyptian Il-76MF CANDID SU-BTY and its many visits to Nis and Batajnica Airbase near Belgrade. I also posted on their reported origin in CHN and what they could carrying: www.kosovodispatch.com/en/prishtina...

Serbia’s Quiet Airlift Corridor: What Repeated Egypt–China–UAE Flights to Batajnica Signal

When an Egyptian military transport aircraft flies from western China to Serbia via a Gulf air base with its transponder disabled, the signal is not logistical—it is political. Repeated Il-76 landings...

kosovodispatch.com

On 22 Aug Ministry of Emergency Situations Il-76TD CANDID RA-76841 continues flying out of Nis and is working wildfires east of Belgrade. While it was returning to Nis, Egyptian Il-76MF SU-BTY also arrived there.

On 17 Aug I posted on the flight to Benghazi by Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS) Il-76TD CANDID RA-76362 and its spoofed track over UKR, MDA & ROU as it returned.

Thank you!

Doris@dschneidtinger.bsky.social · 2w ago

It's part of the "Flying Bulls", Red Bull's historic airshow fleet flying out of Salzburg.

On 21 Aug Ministry of Emergency Situations Il-76TD CANDID RA-76841 continues flying out of Nis and is working wildfires east of Belgrade.