From the movie 2012.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRuCuWMD72S2iBbXaPo_68_fQ9PUFYhrkzwCA&s

is Ukraine

Lots of military brass.

If it's ruzzian why is it painted in the colors of the Ukrainian flag?
m

So I guess it does belongs to Ukraine. Would be interesting to know the story behind it.

which they should have kept, but we talked them into giving those up

I don't know why anyone trusts us. Unfortunately our form of government is subject to doing a 180 on all our commitments at any given time. Sad situation

Now Antonov Airlines since 1993

"Be brave like Mykolaiv" titles applied Sep 2022

TMI:
Antonov’s aircraft will carry the following inscriptions:

- ВЕ BRAVE LIKE BUCHA (the An-124-100 aircraft with the tail number UR82029);

- BE BRAVE LIKE IRPIN (the An-124-100 aircraft with the tail number UR82073);

- BE BRAVE LIKE KHARKIV (the An-124-100M aircraft with the tail number UR82027);

- BE BRAVE LIKE MYKOLAIV (the An-124-100M aircraft with the tail number UR82007);

- BE BRAVE LIKE OKHTYRKA (the An-124-100M aircraft with the tail number UR82008);

- BE BRAVE LIKE KHERSON (the An-124-100-150 aircraft with the tail number UR82072);

- BE BRAVE LIKE MARIUPOL (the An-124-100M-150 aircraft with the tail number UR82009);

- BE BRAVE LIKE CHERNIHIV (the An-28 aircraft with the tail number UR-NTE);

- BE BRAVE LIKE VOLNOVAKHA (the An-158 aircraft with the tail number UR-EXJ);

- BE BRAVE LIKE HOSTOMEL (the An-178 aircraft with the tail number UR-EXP).

Lucky you, having all these wonderful opportunities to shoot the planes.

It is made easier by Tampa International maintaining a FB page dedicated to plane spotters. Most airports hate photographers and run them off, but TIA embraces them. I sometimes get a heads up from someone on that page that something interesting is coming or going.

Plane spotters are a cult, like train spotters. Planes are just another subject for me like hawks or eagles. Generally all I have to do is step outside even though approaching and departing they are 4-5 nautical miles away, 1200mm grabs some acceptable shots if the light cooperates.

I'm guessing that proximity, air quality and time of day affected the photographic clarity of the approach vs the departure. I understood from reading your intro that it was a Ukrainian plane--with the distinctive blue and gold--and built in Russia. Reading is fundamental.

yes that first photo was blaring afternoon sun, lots of atmospheric interference, even heat distortion. The second was 9:15 in the morning, not so harsh, much cooler, and of course 1 mile closer. LOL, yep.