[Lauren Taylor]

A RUSSIAN PILOT WAS OFFERED 3 MILLION DOLLARS TO STEAL A BOMBER AND DEFECT TO RUSSIA.

RUSSIA’S FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE DISRUPTED WHAT IT CLAIMS WAS A UKRAINIAN ATTEMPT TO HIJACK A RUSSIAN TU-22M3 SUPERSONIC STRATEGIC BOMBER. ACCORDING TO THE FSB, UKRAINIAN INTELLIGENCE TRIED TO ENTICE A RUSSIAN PILOT WITH $3 MILLION AND AN OFFER OF ITALIAN CITIZENSHIP TO DEFECT AND FLY THE MISSILE-CAPABLE JET INTO UKRAINE.

THE TU-22M3, REFERRED TO BY NATO AS “BACKFIRE,” IS A LONG-RANGE BOMBER CRITICAL TO THE ONGOING CONFLICT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. IT’S FREQUENTLY USED TO LAUNCH KH-22 CRUISE MISSILES THAT CAN CARRY NUCLEAR WARHEADS.

THE FSB RELEASED EVIDENCE, INCLUDING INTERCEPTED COMMUNICATIONS, SUGGESTING THAT NATO COUNTRIES WERE INVOLVED IN PLANNING THIS OPERATION.

THE PILOT, WHO REMAINS ANONYMOUS, SAYS HE WAS APPROACHED THROUGH THE TELEGRAM MESSAGING APP. HE REPORTED THAT A PERSON CLAIMING TO BE FROM UKRAINIAN INTELLIGENCE THREATENED HIS FAMILY AND DIRECTED HIM TO REROUTE THE AIRCRAFT. HE WAS PRESSED FOR SENSITIVE DETAILS ABOUT RUSSIAN MILITARY PLANES, INCLUDING THEIR TAIL NUMBERS, TECHNICAL CONDITIONS, AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES.

FEELING PRESSURED TO BETRAY HIS COUNTRY, THE PILOT REPORTED THE APPROACH TO HIS COMMANDERS. THIS INTELLIGENCE ENABLED RUSSIAN FORCES TO CARRY OUT A TARGETED STRIKE ON THE OZERNE AIRFIELD IN NORTHWESTERN UKRAINE.

LAST YEAR, UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS CONVINCED RUSSIAN PILOT MAXIM KUZMINOV TO DEFECT, FLYING HIS HELICOPTER INTO UKRAINE. KUZMINOV WAS FOUND DEAD IN SPAIN THIS FEBRUARY.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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