Russia Alleges Ukraine, Britain Plotted to Hijack MiG-31 Jet Armed with Hypersonic Missile

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has thwarted an alleged Ukrainian and British intelligence operation aimed at bribing a Russian pilot to defect with a MiG-31 jet armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

According to reports carried by Russian state media on Tuesday, the FSB accused Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate and its “UK handlers” of orchestrating the plot. The alleged plan sought to lure the Russian pilot into flying the aircraft to the Romanian city of Constanta — where NATO is currently expanding its largest airbase in Southeastern Europe — before the plane would be shot down in what Russia described as a “false flag provocation.”

The FSB claimed that Ukrainian intelligence, with assistance from British operatives, offered the pilot $3 million and citizenship in any European country of his choice in exchange for his cooperation. However, the pilot reportedly feigned interest in the proposal and alerted Russian authorities, leading to the exposure of the alleged plot.

Russian state television broadcasted messages and audio recordings purportedly linked to a man working for Ukrainian and British intelligence. The FSB also alleged that Bellingcat, a UK-based investigative group, was either involved in or used as a cover for the operation — a claim the organization has strongly denied.

In a statement to the press, Bellingcat dismissed the accusations as “entirely false,” emphasizing that it had no connection to any intelligence or military activities.

The FSB, however, mocked its Ukrainian and British counterparts for what it described as a “lack of originality,” referencing a similar claim made by Moscow in 2022, months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Kinzhal hypersonic missile, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, is one of Russia’s most advanced weapons and a key component of its strategic deterrent arsenal. The MiG-31 aircraft that carries it can reach speeds exceeding Mach 2, making the system one of the fastest strike platforms in the world.