US Military Aircraft Lands In Moscow, Kremlin Claims It Had No Idea - NDTV

**U.S. Military Transport Plane Touches Down in Moscow, Kremlin Says It Was Unaware**

A United‑States Air Force transport aircraft made an unexpected landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport on Wednesday, prompting a flurry of questions from both Russian authorities and international observers. The aircraft, identified by on‑lookers as a large cargo‑type plane—likely a C‑130 or C‑17—arrived without prior diplomatic clearance, according to local air‑traffic controllers. Russian air‑space monitors reported the plane’s sudden appearance and the subsequent touchdown, but no official itinerary or purpose for the flight was disclosed at the time.

In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Russian government “has no information” about the flight’s origin, mission or prior coordination with Moscow. He added that security services are “examining the circumstances of the landing” and will inform the public once the investigation is complete. The statement, relayed by Reuters and echoed by NDTV, underscored the absence of any advance notice from the United States and left open the possibility of an emergency or technical diversion.

The incident arrives amid already tense U.S.–Russia relations, heightened by the ongoing war in Ukraine and a series of reciprocal sanctions. While the Pentagon has declined to comment, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense said no scheduled operation is known to involve a military transport landing in Russia. Media outlets including The Times of India, NBC News and The Independent have speculated that the aircraft could have been forced to divert for medical reasons, mechanical trouble, or to deliver humanitarian aid, but no concrete evidence has been presented. The lack of official explanations from both capitals means the mystery surrounding the landing is likely to persist until the Kremlin’s investigation yields definitive results.