Russia Sent an IL-76 with Unknown Cargo to Cuba

On February 1, a Russian IL-76 transport aircraft, which is under US sanctions, landed at the San Antonio de los Baños military airfield near the Cuban capital.

The aircraft belongs to Aviacon Zitotrans, according to Fox News.

The flight path and nature of the flight completely mirror the Russian Federation’s aviation activity observed on the eve of the US operation in Venezuela.

According to flight-tracking services, the aircraft made stops in St. Petersburg and Sochi, then crossed the Atlantic, with stops in Mauritania and the Dominican Republic.

Each of these landings required official permission from local governments. This gives the US a clear understanding of which countries continue to accept Russian military aircraft in defiance of international sanctions.

The operating company, Aviacon Zitotrans, has long been on the sanctions lists of the US, Canada, and Ukraine for directly supporting the Russian defense sector.

The US Treasury Department previously reported that this carrier transported missiles, warheads, and helicopter parts worldwide.

It was this aircraft that flew to Venezuela in October 2025, immediately before the start of US military action that led to a change of power in Caracas.

During operations in Venezuela, Russian state media confirmed that this same Il-76 delivered short- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems Pantsir-S1 and Buk-M2E.

It should be recalled that during the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, US special forces eliminated 32 Cuban guards.

According to published information, among the dead were representatives of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.

Nicolas Maduro’s use of Cuban special services is not accidental. This cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba began in the late 1990s, when Hugo Chavez came to power and established close contacts with Fidel Castro.