Russian plane heads to US with supplies for virus fight

A Russian military plane carrying medical equipment has departed for the United States, the defence ministry in Moscow said Wednesday, as the Kremlin flexes its soft power amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Antonov-124, "with medical masks and medical equipment on board", left for the US overnight, a statement said, 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 Wednesday morning.
Contacted by AFP, the defence ministry refused to provide 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.