A Russian cargo aircraft that previously transported air defense systems to Venezuela arrived late Sunday at a military airfield near Havana, Cuba, according to flight records reviewed by Defense News.
The Ilyushin Il-76 — operated by the Russian government-affiliated airline Aviacon Zitotrans — reportedly stopped in the Dominican Republic, Mauritania, and Algeria en route to Cuba after departing from St. Petersburg, Russia, by way of Sochi, in late January.
According to the report, the plane landed on Sunday evening local time at San Antonio de los Baños Air Base, which is approximately 31 miles south of Havana.
The same aircraft, registered RA-78765, also flew to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba in late October amid rising tensions between Caracas and Washington, according to Defense News.
Following a U.S. military intervention in Venezuela on Jan. 3, Cuba has increasingly drawn attention from President Donald Trump, with pressure escalating on Jan. 29.
Trump issued an executive order that day to impose tariffs on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba. The communist nation has relied heavily on foreign assistance and oil shipments from allies like Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela, before former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was ousted in a U.S. military operation.
An Il-76 can carry up to 50 tons of cargo or up to 200 people. These types of aircraft have previously been associated with shipments of small arms, military supplies, and even mercenaries on Russia's behalf, according to Defense News.
"Aviacon Zitotrans has shipped military equipment such as rockets, warheads, and helicopter parts all over the world," the Treasury Department said in January 2023, when it added the company to the American sanctions list. "Aviacon Zitotrans has shipped defense materiel to Venezuela, Africa, and other locations."
The company has also been sanctioned by Canada and Ukraine for supporting Russia's military activities.
It is not known what the Il-76 carried on its most recent trip.
When the same aircraft flew to Venezuela ahead of U.S. strikes, it delivered Pantsir-S1 short-range and Buk-M2E medium-range air defense systems, according to Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev and Russian state media.
Defense News reported the systems' size and weight make such a delivery plausible, though the medium-range system would likely need to be disassembled due to its height.
The current mission resembles the earlier Venezuela flight in both routing — including multiple stops in northern Africa — and timing, unfolding amid rapidly rising geopolitical tensions involving a Russian-aligned Latin American government.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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