Plans for Russian President Vladimir Putin's flight to Budapest ahead of his meeting with US leader Donald Trump have been revealed. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The head of state will travel to the Hungarian capital on a special Il-96-300PU aircraft. According to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the flight route for Putin's plane was pre-agreed, but the European Union airspace has been excluded from this route.
The flight will pass over the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Adriatic Sea, as well as through the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. The total distance is approximately 5,000 kilometers, which is twice as long as the route through Poland and Romania.
The main reasons for choosing this route are restrictions on using European Union airspace and security requirements. According to sources, the risk of the plane being intercepted or damaged is considered high.
To ensure security, Putin's plane will be protected by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets flying from the Khmeimim airbase in Syria. Later, the escort will be joined by Turkish F-16s, Serbian MiG-29s, and Hungarian JAS-39 Gripen air forces.
It is also mentioned that changes to the route may be made depending on weather conditions. State Duma deputy Andrey Delyagin humorously suggested some "fairy tale scenarios" for taking Putin to Budapest on Telegram.
He mentioned ideas such as a suborbital flight or flying on the same plane with Trump. The deputy also emphasized the need for high-level caution regarding the visit's security, taking into account the Hungarian government's and the International Criminal Court's orders.
The meeting between Putin and Trump in Budapest is expected to take place in the coming weeks. The main topics of the meeting may include the situation in Ukraine and a new phase in Russia-US relations.
