Russian plane carrying unspecified cargo lands in Venezuela

A Russian Ilyushin Il-76TD cargo aircraft operated by Aviacon Zitotrans, an airline sanctioned by the United States, has landed in Venezuela carrying an unspecified cargo.

According to FlightRadar24 data, the aircraft departed Russia on October 22 and made multiple stopovers en route, including Armenia, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, and Mauritania, before arriving in the Latin American country, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media. 

Aviacon Zitotrans, based in Yekaterinburg, was added to the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list in January 2023. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accused the company of transporting cargo for Russian defence firms already under sanctions, as well as delivering military equipment and weapons to various destinations — including Venezuela.

By Sabina Mammadli