FSB Foils Ukrainian Hijacking Plot of Russian Bomber

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claims to have thwarted Ukraine's plan to hijack a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber. Ukrainian intelligence allegedly tried to recruit a Russian pilot with promises of money and Italian citizenship. During the operation, Russia conducted airstrikes on the Ozerne airfield in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region. Details remain unverified.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) reported thwarting an attempt by Ukraine to hijack a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber and redirect it to Ukraine.

According to the FSB, Ukrainian intelligence had planned to recruit a Russian military pilot, offering monetary rewards and Italian citizenship as incentives for him to fly the bomber to Ukraine. The FSB, which succeeded the Soviet-era KGB, made these claims public on their website. Reuters could not independently verify these details. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has yet to respond to a request for comment.

The FSB mentioned that information gathered during the operation enabled Russian forces to strike the Ozerne airfield in northwestern Ukraine. However, the exact timings of the operation and the strikes on the Zhytomyr-region airfield remain unclear. Early Monday, air raid alerts were issued in the Zhytomyr region, with social media reports suggesting multiple explosions. These reports also remain unverified.

(With inputs from agencies.)