Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:28pm on 12 Sep 2026,Saturday International
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi aboard a specially modified Ilyushin Il-96-300PU, one of Russia’s most heavily guarded presidential aircraft, for the BRICS Summit. The Soviet-era aircraft is popularly known as the “Flying Kremlin” and is sometimes referred to as Putin’s “Doomsday Plane”. However, the aircraft is not Russia’s dedicated doomsday plane; that title is generally associated with the Ilyushin Il-80, designed as an airborne command centre during a nuclear conflict. Putin’s Il-96-300PU is primarily a presidential transport and command aircraft, equipped for secure communication while airborne. (PC: NDTV)
