Published: Sep 13, 2026, 10:20 IST | Updated: Sep 13, 2026, 10:20 IST
Putin's arrival in Delhi for BRICS put the spotlight back on his heavily customised presidential jet, nicknamed the "Flying Kremlin." Russia flies two identical IL-96-300PU aircraft side by side, so nobody outside his inner circle knows which one he's actually on. The plane functions as a secure airborne command centre with advanced communications, though Russia's dedicated nuclear command aircraft is technically a separate jet, the IL-80. Much of the "Flying Kremlin's" tech remains classified.