Overview

• The Il-96 registered RA-96023 touched down at Elmendorf Air Force Base after a trans-Arctic flight under strict U.S. military coordination.
• Two additional Ilyushin Il-96-300 jets, RA-96019 and RA-96018, are en route to Anchorage carrying senior officials and security teams.
• It remains unconfirmed whether Vladimir Putin is aboard any of the arriving aircraft as preparations continue for the August 15 meeting.
• The White House has described the gathering as a listening exercise, prompting concern from Kyiv and NATO allies over Ukraine’s exclusion.
• Although Il-96 flights to the U.S. routinely rotate diplomats, the heightened security measures highlight the diplomatic stakes of this summit.