Overview
- Russian state media reported that Ukrainian and British intelligence allegedly sought to recruit a Russian pilot with a $3 million offer and the promise of citizenship.
- The FSB said the plan aimed to direct the jet toward the NATO air base in Constanta, Romania, where it could be shot down as part of a large-scale provocation.
- Officials asserted that Ukraine’s military intelligence led the operation with “UK supervisors” and that planning began in the fall of 2024.
- State TV aired messages and audio recordings presented as evidence of the recruitment effort targeting the MiG-31 equipped with a Kinzhal missile.
- An FSB video claimed Ukrainian services discussed killing or incapacitating the pilot during the attempt, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the allegations.