A fleet of Russian aircraft has been tracked arriving in Alaska ahead of talks between US President Donald Trump and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.
The high-stakes talks at the US military facility Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, just outside Anchorage, planned for August 15, 2025, will center on the war in Ukraine and a possible ceasefire in the fighting.
Travelling to Alaska along with President Putin are inner circle loyalists including the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.
Significantly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be present at the discussions despite his country’s part in the three-year conflict.
Several Russian aircraft, considered to be apart of the Presidential fleet and operated by the Special Air Squadron, were recorded landing in Alaska on August 14, 2025, after departing Moscow Vnukovo International Airport (VKO).
According to Flightradar24, an Ilyushin Il-96-300, registered RA-96023, left Moscow at 07:50 local time and was scheduled to arrive at Anchorage Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), but instead appeared to land at Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC).
A second Ilyushin Il-96-300, registered RA-96019, left Russia at shortly before 16:30, and landed at ANC, while a third, registered RA-96018, left Moscow at 17:28.
After spending a short time in Alaksa, RA-96019 and RA-96023 then flew a four-hour flight onto Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport (PKC) in Russia, while RA-96018 remained at ANC.
The Russian delegation for the meeting between the Russian and US presidents in Anchorage is now in US airspace. https://t.co/fSAg1eS1t8 pic.twitter.com/ublJ7JOit9
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 14, 2025
A Bombardier Global Express XRS, registered RA-73584, operated by Jetica, also flew from Moscow to Anchorage on August 14, 2025.
Ukraine has said that it cannot accept any deal between President Trump and President Putin that includes the ceding of territory.
There are concerns among European leaders and President Zelensky that the meeting will result in false promises and land swaps that they simply can not support.
President Trump has said he will end the meeting very quickly if he feels discussions with the Russian president are not heading in the right direction.
The US has described the discussions as a “listening exercise,” rather than a situation designed to produce commitments.
President Trump has assured President Zelensky that he will phone him as soon as talks end and has expressed hopes to bring the Ukranian leader to the next talks with President Putin.
The meeting between President Trump and his Russian counterpart will take place at 11:00, local time.
6 comments
Well as the case stands I do not think threats from Trump will ever work on Putin. Putin is a man of his own principles and he will take judicious decision. His men has sacrificed. Now if Zelensky thinks that ceasefire can be declared on his terms it is just not possible. Zelensky must realize whatever arms and ammunition he gets from Europe, USA he cannot survive as he does not has manpower to use them efficiently. next he has been begging to stop the war. So now if he acts tough it will be very bad for Ukraine and his own friends will leave him. He made a mistake of challenging Russia upfront. Now Russia cannot end war on Zelensky terms. What will Trump do if meeting fails? He will throw his anger on India by putting additional tariffs. But I am sure India is prepared for it.
Chanderkiran,
Exactly how did Zelensky challenge Russia? By being invaded. Your absolutely devoid of the reality of the conflict how it started and why. Putin thought it would be over in a week and he would get Ukraine back. That hasn’t happened. With over 1 million Russians dead wounded and at least 600,000 Ukrainians no-one is unscathed.
Ukraine is a victim not an aggressor and if they cave in then it only further empowers Russia. It cannot be allowed to happen. Now that Trump is begining to see what his “friend” Putin really is then sanctions will begin to hit 3rd party countries like India and others. That will begin to further erode the economy of Russia.
It has already affected Russia’s future population with birth rates plummeting and death rates skyrocketing. A country of 30+ million people like Russia is dooming its future every day. Putin’s war and non-existent victory may have doomed Russia’s future and could bring it from a 2nd world country to a 3rd world nation.
US and Western weapons and aircraft have decimated Russian offensive weapons and the homegrown Ukrainian weapons, drones etc. have reshaped the world’s expectations of what modern warfare means. Large bombers, fighters and more are good but drones small scale cheap and large quantities are the read edge of the sword.
If you think this war started the day Russian troops entered Ukraine … well I am sad for you.
If you think the one who is responsible for a conflict is the one who hit first … again … sad …
In 99% cases to find the culprit you just need to follow the money.
Who is the beneficiary of this conflict?
Who is banking big money without loosing a single man ?
For President Trump it is not anger but a very considered economic pressure. I have lived in Russia and a kleptocracy can only balance so far. Russia has in the now somewhat distant past utilized what they thought of as limitless manpower as its main military asset, but this is a country with the bad demographics of a declining population and short lifespan. The invincible Soviet Union fell quickly from economics. Modern Russia is in a little bette position with just one export to make the whole operation work. Where does India’s best interests lie?
I have seen interviews with ex-CIA agents who have said that years ago they believed Trump was a “Russian operative.” I am not happy about a fleet of Russian airplanes flying thousands of miles over U.S. territory and I do not believe one word that ever comes out of the mouth of Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin. This meeting is a sham.
” a fleet of Russian airplanes flying thousands of miles over U.S. territory” ….
4 VIP aircraft is not exactly a threat.
Most of the route is over the north pole and Canada, only the last 2 hours maybe are over Alaska.
Maybe the Russians would not have been comfortable either to have the all Air Force One convoy landing on Russian land.