Algeria Regularly Conducts Military Flights to Russia Through EU Airspace

Algerian military transport aircraft regularly fly to Russia through the airspace of EU countries, including Poland.

Polish publication Defence24 reported on the flights, linking them to military-technical cooperation between Algeria and Russia.

On October 6, an Algerian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft entered Polish airspace. The aircraft was heading to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.

The aircraft departed from Boufarik Air Base in Algeria and then flew over Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia. From Poland, it continued through Belarus to Moscow.

Militarnyi analyzed flight data from AirNav and concluded that such flights are not isolated incidents.

In recent weeks, Il-76MD, C-130H/H-30 Hercules and LM-100J Super Hercules aircraft have also been tracked on routes between Algeria and Russia.

These aircraft are used not only to transport cargo but also to support broader military-technical cooperation, including maintaining Russian weapons systems operated by Algeria.

Defence24 also highlights routes from Africa to Belarus that, according to the publication, Russia also uses. The authors link this logistics network to Moscow’s broader military presence in Africa, including in Mali, the Central African Republic, and Libya.

Algeria and Libya are important to this logistics network because of their location between the Mediterranean, the Sahara, and the Sahel. Through these routes, Russia can support the movement of personnel, equipment, and other resources between Europe and Africa.

Such routes pass through the airspace of NATO member states, including Poland, even though the aircraft are involved in military cooperation with Russia.

Algeria remains a major operator of Russian weapons. Militarnyi previously reported that the country had ordered Su-57 fighter aircraft from Russia, while Rostec’s internal documents also confirmed Algeria’s purchase of 14 Su-34 fighter-bombers.

In addition, elements of the Russian S-400 air defense missile system were documented in Algeria in 2021 after being delivered as part of military-technical cooperation with Russia.

Militarnyi also reported that Algeria had become one of the logistics hubs for Russia’s “shadow air fleet.” Routes to Africa and other regions pass through its air bases, expanding Russia’s ability to conduct covert deliveries and support its presence on the continent.