Russian media misidentifies Uzbek president’s plane as “US Air Force aircraft” PHOTO

Russian outlets have stirred confusion after misreporting a plane over their airspace as a US military aircraft.

Several Russian Telegram channels, followed by major media outlets on February 20, reported an “unidentified” Boeing 787 in Russian airspace, flying from Washington, D.C., to the Kazakhstan border.

Gazeta.Ru, citing a military expert, suggested it was a “US Air Force plane” possibly transporting cargo to Kazakhstan, accompanied by a photo of a US military aircraft.

In fact, the aircraft belonged to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, returning from the first summit of the Board of Peace in the United States.

The plane departed Andrews Air Force Base near Washington at 14:12 local time (00:12 Tashkent time), flying over Canada, Greenland, Europe, Russia, and Kazakhstan before arriving in Tashkent at 12:14, according to open flight-tracking data.

The Uzbek president’s press service confirmed his departure from the US at 2:40 Tashkent time.

“Today has been incredibly long, but even now, as the plane heads to Tashkent, work aboard continues,” wrote presidential press secretary Sherzod Asadov.

“During the 12-hour flight, the number one aircraft will serve as a full-fledged airborne headquarters, where the head of state will continue reviewing the visit’s outcomes with delegation members, conduct phone calls and videoconferences with agency and regional leaders, and examine plans for the near future,” he added.

By Jeyhun Aghazada