According to the FSB, Ukrainian intelligence attempted to recruit Russian pilots, offering them 3 million US dollars for cooperation. In its statement, the agency noted that the goal of the operation was to hijack a fighter jet for its transfer to Romania, where it could be shot down by air defense systems.
The FSB also claims that an international investigative group, Bellingcat, was involved in this operation. In 2024, a person who introduced himself as a journalist from this group contacted the commander of the MiG-31 and reported on the collection of information for a material. When the pilot refused, an unknown person contacted the navigator, offering him money and foreign citizenship in exchange for hijacking the aircraft. According to the FSB, the Ukrainian side planned to use the fighter jet to attack a NATO base in Romania.
In response to the hijacking attempt, the Russian Aerospace Forces struck the main center of electronic reconnaissance of the GUR of Ukraine in the Kyiv region and the Starokonstantinov airfield. This information was confirmed by TASS.
On the morning of November 11, a threat of ballistic missile attacks was declared in Kyiv and the surrounding regions. The FSB links these measures to the attempted hijacking of the MiG-31, which they reported earlier that same day.
💬In response to the provocation from November 9 to 10, the Russian Aerospace Forces struck with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles at the Main Center for Electronic Reconnaissance of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in Brovary, Kyiv region 💬, as reported in the FSB press release, according to Interfax.
