2022: flight ban or not, Russian Ilyushin IL-76 flew nuclear fuel to Bratislava Slovakia...

[Stratofreighter]

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/volg ... ratislava/

In the morning of 1 March 2022,
a Volga-Dnepr Airlines Ilyushin IL76TD arrived in Bratislava, Slovakia originating from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, Russia.

The Russian aircraft avoided the Ukrainian airspace by flying over Belarus and Poland.

Both Poland and Slovakia closed its airspace for Russian aircraft, but the Russian aircraft, registered RA-76952, was able to operate.

The Slovakian Ministry of Economy helped to ensure the supply of nuclear fuel, which will be used by electric utility company Slovenské Elektrárne (SE).

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/volg ... ratislava/
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https://simpleflying.com/slovakia-airsp ... -delivery/
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https://kafkadesk.org/2022/03/02/russia ... light-ban/

Slovakia is completely dependent on Russian fuel for the six reactors currently in operation at two distinct power plants.

https://www.barrons.com/news/slovakia-a ... 1646142007

The cargo was destined for Slovakia's two nuclear power plants in Mochovce and Jaslovske Bohunice,
which currently only take nuclear fuel from Russia.

All Slovak reactors are of the VVER 440 type which use low-enriched uranium dioxide as fuel.

In 2020, nuclear power plants produced 53 percent of Slovakia's energy.