Russian authorities have claimed to stop an operation allegedly orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence with support from the United Kingdom. The target, according to Moscow, was a MiG-31 supersonic fighter jet from the Russian Aerospace Forces, equipped with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
The FSB statement details a plot in which Ukrainian agents reportedly tried to recruit Russian pilots with a $3 million offer. The plan was to fly the jet to NATO's largest airbase in Southeast Europe, located in Constanța, Romania, where it would then be shot down by air defense systems.
Alleged international plot
Moscow insists that the countermeasures successfully prevented a major provocation. Meanwhile, the FSB stressed that the operation was designed to create an incident that could escalate tensions between NATO and Russia. So far, neither Ukrainian nor British authorities have commented on the claims.