US Air Force C-17 lands at Moscow Vnukovo after flight from Riga
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III landed at Moscow Vnukovo Airport on August 25, 2026, after departing Riga, Latvia, according to Flightradar24 tracking data. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no information about the flight and that no meetings with US officials were scheduled at the Kremlin that week. The purpose of the rare US military flight into Russia remains undisclosed.
Key Facts
- The C-17A, callsign RCH4555 and serial 07-7181, departed Riga at approximately 08:50 Moscow time and landed at Vnukovo at approximately 10:04 on August 25, 2026.
- The same aircraft arrived in Riga on August 23, 2026, from Camp Springs, Maryland, the location of Joint Base Andrews.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 25, 2026, that he had no information about the flight and that no meetings with US administration representatives were scheduled at the Kremlin for the week of August 24, 2026.
- Russia and the United States have barred each other's civil aircraft from their airspace since March 2022, making US military flights into Russia rare and requiring separate diplomatic clearance.
- A USAF Gulfstream C-37B was tracked at Vnukovo in February 2025 during the prisoner exchange that returned Alexander Vinnik to Russia and freed US teacher Marc Fogel.
Flight Path
Flightradar24 data showed the C-17A leaving Riga International Airport at approximately 08:50 Moscow time on August 25, 2026. The track ended at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport at approximately 10:04, with no further movement listed for the airframe. The aircraft used callsign RCH4555 and carried serial 07-7181. Flightradar24 records show the same airframe arrived in Riga on August 23, 2026, from Camp Springs, Maryland, the site of Joint Base Andrews. Unverified footage said to show the C-17 on approach to Vnukovo circulated on social media on August 25, 2026.
Official Response
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on August 25, 2026, that he did not have information about the flight, according to Interfax. Peskov added that no meeting with representatives of the US administration was scheduled at the Kremlin for the week of August 24, 2026. Andrei Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma defense committee, suggested the aircraft could have delivered military command representatives to Moscow, calling it a possibility. US officials have not disclosed the purpose of the flight.
Rare Military Flights
Russia and the United States have barred each other's civil aircraft from their airspace since March 2022, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. State aircraft, including military transports, require separate diplomatic clearance, and US military movements into Russian territory have been infrequent. A USAF aircraft was tracked at Vnukovo in February 2025 during the prisoner exchange that returned Alexander Vinnik to Russia and freed US teacher Marc Fogel. Traffic in the other direction has drawn similar attention, including a Russian government aircraft tracked into Anchorage for the Trump-Putin talks in August 2025. Those missions have generally used Gulfstream C-37 VIP transports, while the C-17A is a strategic airlifter configured for outsize cargo, vehicles, and troop movement.
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US Air Force C-17 lands at Moscow Vnukovo after flight from Riga
