Rossiya Special Flight Squadron flight en route to Washington to bring home Russian diplomats declar

[Wicked Blue]

Rossiya Special Flight Squadron flight en route to Washington to bring home Russian diplomats declared personae non grata by U.S. - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - A Rossiya Special Flight Squadron flight is en route to Washington to collect the Russian diplomats declared personae non grata, rather than for "contacts with the Americans," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Zakharova said on her Telegram channel on Saturday that some people have already mistaken the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron flight, which is now en route from St. Petersburg to Washington, for "Russians' fleeing" and "an attempt by Moscow to contact the Americans."

"I will disappoint you. This plane will bring back home the Russian diplomats whom the Government of the United States has declared personae non grata," she said.

https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/75621/

Why do they need an entire squadron when they could just send one plane?

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Possibly a security precaution -- what if the plane crashes ?

You don't want to decapitate the whole Russian diplomatic effort -- not in their interest, or anyone else's. But someone with poor judgement might think a plane full of Russian diplomats made a tempting target.

[CentralMass]

2. How many aircraft are in this squadron ? Given Putin's erratic behavior

I would think that we would meet it with . a fighter jet escort for every millisecond it is in U.S. airspace.