After approximately three hours on the ground RA-82040 took off from Damascus and flew to Khmejmim Airbase with a counter-SAM ‘letdown.’

Situation resolved, the aircraft got to land; however, the first flight landed at the Dubai World Central International Airport and the second at the Dubai International Airport.

Perhaps the first flight carried the team and the second spectators? However, there seems to be a problem as the second flight is orbiting over the Persian Gulf. Flight clearance problems for the second flight?

This aircraft likely carried the Tractor FC for a match with al Ain. Evidently there was a hitch in securing a landing permit for the aircraft: iranianuae.ae/en/sports/foot…

Thanks to @Eri1806 for the tip on this! On 25 Oct Meraj Airlines A321 EP-SSN IRAN08 flew from Tabriz IRN to Dubai UAE and after less than an hour took off and flew to Tehran. It departed after less than two hours again headed for the UAE.

I can only imagine that it will be a game with many penalties!

Thanks!

CONDOR lights to Damascus are not uncommon. RA-82040 flew there on 30 Mar, 02, 06, 10 Apr & 07 Sep. It was at K-Grad from 01-03 Sep but I do not know if that flight was connected to the 07 Sep flight to Damascus. RA-82037 flew there on 18 Jun. I thought at the time they may have delivered/taken out air defense systems.

On 25 Oct SFS An-124 CONDOR RA-82040 took off from Moscow (VKO) and is en route to Damascus SYR.

Thanks!

As the VKS only has one Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker (RF-78741) this aircraft can be pressed into service as a tanker if needed and as it landed at a bomber base we could see some AAR in the next few days.

In May it flew to Nagurskoe Airbase on Franz Josef Land with Il-114 RA-54116 for testing in Arctic conditions and was noted with the United Aircraft Corporation logo on its tail.

On 24 Oct Il-76MD-90AE CANDID RA-78650 took off from Moscow (likely ZIA) and flew to Belaya Airbase. RA-78650 is an export version of the Il-76MD-90A (hence the 90AE) and was refitted for air-to-air (AAR) refueling at the Aviastar SP Factory at Ulyanovsk between Oct 2024 and Mar 2025.

I'm just curious. It has been flying south a lot this month. I think it flies a lot to the command post at Beslan.

Due to a CS/FCN change after leaving Benghazi and before arriving at Bamako, I believe it landed at another airport, and from its route to/from Bamako, I think it may have been Diori Hamani International Airport, Naimey NER.

On 21 Oct SFS An-124 CONDOR RA-82035 departed Moscow (CKL) and after a stop at Khmejmim Airbase SYR continued on to Benghazi LBY on 22 Oct. On 23 Oct as RFF704 it landed at Bamako MLI departing later to the east still as RFF704.

How sure are you that it landed at Tehran?

On 22 Oct Gelix Airlines Il-76TD CANDID RA-76360 took off from Dubai UAE and appeared to land in eastern UKR. It did not; this is more spoofing. On 23 Oct it took off from Moscow (SVO) and is eastbound.

On 20 Oct VKS Il-76MD-90A CANDID RF-78658 flew to Accra GHA. It departed on 22 Oct and was tracked as far as BFA, later tracked climbing eastbound over BFA. I suspect the CANDID stopped at Ouagadougou BFA.

On 22 Oct Il-78M-90A MIDAS tanker RF-78741 took off from Ulyanovsk, flew to the east before returning to base and may have conducted air-to-air refueling operations.