From the Syrian base, Putin’s air force transferred Kneissl ponies

The animals were apparently on board a transport plane, Russian online media ‘The Insider’, specialized in investigative journalism, reported on Tuesday, citing publications on social networks and the Internet. Kneissl’s black and white bangs are clearly visible in one photo, as shown in a comparison by krone.at.

Blogger: Ponies instead of soldiers
In concrete terms, the transport involved a military aircraft that allegedly flew from the Russian-controlled Hmeimim military airport in Syria to St. Petersburg. A Russian military blogger had already complained on September 7 that ponies were being loaded in Hmeimim instead of in a “heroic regiment”.

“If our country really needs these ponies so badly, then of course we will fly with ponies. But write to me who owns them,” wrote the blogger, who is active under the name Fighterbomber, on Telegram.

This is what Kneissl’s ponies look like:

Based on photos from a horse club that have since been deleted, ‘The Insider’ reconstructed that the transport aircraft was an Il-76MD belonging to the 224th Aviation Squadron of the Russian Ministry of Defense. This unit was placed on a sanctions list by the US in May for transporting war technology and mercenaries from the Wagner Private Army.

Veterinary authorities also report on ponies
The veterinary authority in the Petersburg area also reported on September 9 the arrival of the ponies of the Russian woman of choice, who lived in Lebanon before moving to St. Petersburg. Veterinarians checked two ponies of the Austrian ex-diplomat “which arrived in Leningrad Oblast”, the authority headlined on the Internet and also published a photo showing representatives of the authority with a good-humored Kneissl.

The ex-diplomat heads a think tank in St. Petersburg that the state university set up for the former foreign minister this summer. Saint Petersburg is also the birthplace of Kremlin boss Putin.

The Russian ruler, with whom she danced at her wedding in Gamlitz, southern Styria, in August 2018, was able to naturalize her by decree, like other celebrities such as Gerard Depardieu or Steven Seagal. If Kneissl does not receive permission from domestic authorities for dual citizenship, she would most likely lose her Austrian citizenship.