Putin’s Plane Fueled in Alaska Like a Mob Boss’s Car: Cash First, Gas Later

When we think of a diplomatic delegation, the image is usually one of sharp suits, formal speeches and the discreet swipe of the most exclusive credit cards at a hotel desk. But if you are traveling on behalf of Vladimir Putin, arrival in America means reaching for something altogether less sophisticated: crisp stacks of U.S. dollars straight from the briefcase.

According to U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, when a Russian aircraft landed in Alaska it was refueled only on one condition—cash payment up front. Roughly 85,000 dollars, handed over on the spot, as if the Kremlin’s entourage had fallen behind on debts to a Las Vegas loan shark.

Credit cards? Bank transfers? Forget it. Every channel is blocked. Which means that when Moscow wants to top up its airborne flagship, it has to behave like a criminal from the nineties—money on the table, and fast.