According to the New York Times, during his working trip to North Korea and Vietnam from June 18 to 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin used the Ilyushin Il-96-300PU. This is a variant of the Il-96 commercial aircraft developed and manufactured by Russia.
Data from the worldwide flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows that at 9:34 p.m. on June 18 (Yakutsk time, Russia), three Ilyushin Il-96-300PU planes departed from here to the capital Pyongyang (North Korea).
The only plane trusted by the Russian president
There is a simple explanation for why the president favours the Ilyushin Il-96. The plane was once considered Russia’s most promising design and arguably the pinnacle of Russian aircraft manufacturing. However, it was too expensive for airlines, as its four engines required twice the fuel and maintenance costs of other planes.
The Ilyushin Il-96 is a large aircraft, 55 meters long and with a wingspan of 60 centimeters. It can reach speeds of up to 900 kilometers per hour and has four jet engines, while many foreign leaders' planes usually have two engines.
To protect the safety of the Russian president, Il-96-300PU is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems.
Externally, the Il-96-300PU is not too different from the standard aircraft products of Rossiya, one of Russia's largest and oldest airlines and operated by Aeroflot.
In fact, the upgraded Russian presidential plane has an extended range. During tests, the plane was able to cover 14,800 km in more than 18 hours without refueling. The interior of the plane is luxurious, neoclassical in style, with leather furniture, walnut wood and prominent gold decorations.
In addition, Il-96-300PU also meets the highest standards of safety and communication for the Russian President, thanks to which it is nicknamed the "flying Kremlin".
President Putin once held a press conference on the Il-96-300PU plane
With dedicated communication capabilities, the aircraft can transmit encrypted messages from any altitude to any point in the world using any communication channel.
The letter "PU" in the plane's name stands for Punkt Upravleniya (Russian for command point). In addition, the President's plane is also equipped with a "nuclear button". The Ilyushin Il-96-300PU also possesses state-of-the-art equipment to deal with unexpected situations.
To protect the safety of the Russian president, Il-96-300PU is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems such as radar-jamming coating, anti-aircraft defense system... However, most of the equipment mounted on this aircraft is kept secret.
The living and working conditions inside the plane are not inferior to the Kremlin. The plane has the President's private office, several meeting rooms, a conference room, a presidential relaxation room, a living room, a mini gym, a dining room, a bar, a bathroom and a separate medical area with resuscitation and emergency equipment. All the decorations are in bright colors and the interior is decorated with embroidery made by craftsmen.
Fully equipped private jet ensures Russian President Putin's rest
All Russian presidential planes are expected to remain in service for no more than 15 years after they leave the production line. At the end of this period, the planes are handed over to other Russian government agencies.
