The Russian cargo airline Volga-Dnepr Airlines was again in the European Union with two Ilyushin Il-76TD-90VD. In fact, carriers registered in the Russian Federation are not allowed to use EU airspace. The two machines landed in the Czech Republic and, thanks to the special permit, it was completely legal.

The two cargo planes have the registrations RA-76511 and RA-76950 and landed in Brno. The freighters started in Moscow-Domodedovo. However, this time it was not possible to take the "direct route", because Poland, for example, refused to fly over it. Therefore, Volga-Dnepr Airlines had to fly to the Czech Republic via the Baltic Sea and Germany.

RA-76511 has only completed one flight between Russia and the Czech Republic. The RA-76950 completed three sightseeing flights between the two countries between September 6th and 10th. "In accordance with a directly applicable EU regulation, the Ministry of Transport issued an exemption to the Russian air carrier Volga Dnepr for flights to or from the Czech Republic for the purpose of transporting a specific commodity in the strategic interest of the Czech Republic and other EU member states, since there is currently no alternative to air transport," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic.

The so-called "specific goods" are nothing more than nuclear fuel for Czech nuclear power plants. Without exception, these are of Soviet design and have always obtained the required material from Russia. A few months ago there were such imports, operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines. Slovakia has also obtained a special permit from the same carrier Nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants flown in from the Russian Federation.