CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow aboard an American C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft. As Defence Express notes, the choice of such an aircraft for a high-ranking official's trip is unusual and is likely related to security concerns. UNN reports.
Details
The C-17 is a strategic transport aircraft with a maximum payload of approximately 77.5 tonnes. It is equipped with countermeasures against surface-to-air missiles and has previously been used to transport senior American officials to dangerous areas, including Afghanistan.
A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 departed Moscow’s “Vnukovo” for Riga25.08.26, 19:48
According to the publication, the aircraft may have transported vehicles for the American delegation to Moscow—a convoy of diplomatic vehicles accompanied by police was spotted in the Russian capital.
Ratcliffe's visit itself was brief: the C-17 landed in Moscow at around 10:00 and departed again at approximately 19:00. Its official purpose has not yet been disclosed.