Russian plane with supplies for virus fight lands in US
NEW YORK (AFP) - A Russian military plane carrying medical supplies arrived in the United States on Wednesday (April 1), the Russian mission to the UN said, as the Kremlin flexes its soft power amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Antonov-124, landed at JFK Airport in New York - the epicentre of America's coronavirus outbreak - pictures and video posted on the mission's Twitter page showed.
Russia's defence ministry had earlier announced that the plane "with medical masks and medical equipment on board," left for the US overnight, without providing further details.
Video released by the ministry showed the cargo plane loaded with boxes preparing to take off from a military airbase near Moscow early on Wednesday morning.
The defense ministry refused to provide AFP with any further information on the delivery, which came after Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with US counterpart Donald Trump on Monday.
Russia has previously sent medical supplies and experts to coronavirus-hit Italy as part of a humanitarian effort that analysts said carried geopolitical overtones.
Moscow said the aid for Italy included some 100 virus specialists with experience dealing with Ebola and swine fever, but Italian media have reported that much of the aid was not useful in the fight against the virus.
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