(Reuters) – Agents of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) have thwarted an attempt by Ukraine to hijack a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber, the service said on Monday.
“Ukrainian intelligence wanted to recruit a Russian military pilot for a monetary reward and obtaining Italian citizenship, in order to convince him to fly and land a rocket launcher in Ukraine,” the FSB said on its website.
Reuters could not independently verify the details. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
During the operation, Russia received information that helped Russian forces attack Ozerne airport in northwestern Ukraine, the FSB said in its statement.
The timing of the operation and the alleged attacks on Ozerne airport in the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr are unclear.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Kim Coghill and Clarence Fernandez)
