Former Airplane of Lukashenka to Be Sold

How much will it cost?

Belavia put up Tupolev Tu-154 for sale. Earlier it was the main personal airplane of Lukashenka. The auction is planned on December 5. Radio Svaboda reports referring to the Minsk city centre of real estate.

The year of manufacture (1995) is specified, the airplane is owned by the state. Tail number - EW-85815 - is also mentioned. It corresponds to the one used by the president in late 1990s; later it was given to governmental delegations.

The initial price is 4 million 300 thousand rubles; it's a little bit more than $2 million. 10% should be left as deposit.

Lukashenka himself earlier explained that he has to refuse Russian airplanes because of much noise and emissions they produce, which is an obstacle for traveling to the Western countries. Speaking frankly, he is not often invited there, but it was the reason for a new aircraft fleet.

In late 1990s Boeing 737 (EW-001PA) was produced by a special order of Lukashenka in Seattle; in 2002 Boeing-767 of former Turkmenistan president Niyazov became the airplane No.1.

In 2013 Lukashenka told journalists about his aircraft depot:

"As for the cost of planes, they all cost much. You should know that the president's plane serves for 3-5 years and it is changed. Sometimes Prime Minister uses my Tupolev Tu-154, which is not allowed to all countries. And the used Turkmenistan airplane should have caused the following reaction of Belarusians: "No, you should have not bought such an airplane, it means the image if the country. You must buy a new airplane! "To same money, I bought this one, because the new one costs 2.5 times more. The year of economy."