Russia's 'Doomsday' flying fortress to appear in Moscow parade
Russia's "Doomsday" aircraft is expected to appear at the Victory Day parade in Moscow early next week, sending a message to the West amid the current Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Victory Day parade will be held in Moscow's Red Square on May 9. The Russian Defense Ministry said that this year's parade will feature the Ilyushin Il-80, a command aircraft designed to carry the President and top Russian officials in the event of a nuclear war.
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| Russia's "Doomsday" plane will appear at the parade in Moscow. |
This will be the first time Russia’s “Doomsday” aircraft has appeared in the Victory Day parade since 2010. The appearance of this aircraft is believed to be intended to send a message to Western countries. Russia has put its nuclear forces on high alert after launching a military operation in Ukraine at the end of February.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that a total of 11,000 servicemen, 131 units of modern weapons and military equipment, 77 planes and helicopters will participate in the parade on Red Square on May 9. Supersonic fighter jets and strategic supersonic bombers Tupolev Tu-160 will also participate in the air parade, flying over the Saint Basil's Cathedral area.
Russian President Putin is expected to speak at the Victory Day parade.
Western officials believe that President Putin may declare war on Ukraine and announce general mobilization on May 9. However, the Kremlin has denied this information.
The US also has “Doomsday” planes, which are heavily modified versions of the Boeing 747 and are called E-4B Nightwatch. One of these planes recently appeared at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. A US “Doomsday” plane also accompanied President Joe Biden on his trip to Europe last March./.
