Russia's secret services proceeded with a shocking revelation, announcing that they prevented a plan by the military counterintelligence of Ukraine and Great Britain that foresaw a massive provocation against a NATO base.
As announced by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (FSB), Kyiv and London were planning to seize a Russian military aircraft, the MiG-31, armed with Kinzhal missiles, in order to then shoot it down over the territory of a NATO member state.
This nightmarish scenario, the FSB states, was thwarted thanks to the timely measures taken.
This fact, combined with the information that Europe is proceeding with the creation of a new secret service that will be "accountable" to the head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reinforces concerns about what will follow in the relations between Russia and Europe, especially as scenarios of military conflict flare up.
It is now clear that all developments, instead of contributing to de-escalation and the reduction of tension on the European continent, are, on the contrary, leading to extremely dangerous and nightmarish paths.
The dirty plot
According to the FSB, an operation by Ukraine's military counterintelligence to steal a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile was foiled, which aimed to cause tension at the largest NATO base.
"The FSB revealed and prevented the operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and its British supervisors for the theft of a MiG-31 fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces, carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missile," the announcement states.
3 million dollars and escape to the west
As reported by the FSB, "with the aim of stealing the aircraft, officers of the Ukrainian military counterintelligence tried to recruit Russian pilots, promising to pay them 3 million dollars." Based on the information, Kyiv, along with the West, wanted the MiG-31 co-pilot to "murder, strangle, or hypnotize" the pilot during the aircraft theft.
A relevant FSB video states that Ukrainian counterintelligence officers were interested in whether the co-pilot could "murder, strangle, or hypnotize" the pilot sitting in the front seat.
The Ukrainians promised 1 million dollars for the successful theft of the MiG-31 fighter and 3 million dollars if they delivered the aircraft. It is also pointed out that Kyiv promised, in addition to money, citizenship in one of the Western countries, in exchange for the fighter jet's theft.
Poisonous substance
"In case of successful theft of the plane, I was offered an amount of one million US dollars. Subsequently, in case of delivery of the plane with the Kinzhal missile, the amount was increased to 3 million dollars. I was also offered the citizenship of one of the Western countries," a Russian pilot said.
As it became known, if the plan for the murder of the Russian pilot by his co-pilot did not proceed, there was a plan to use a poisonous substance on the pilot's mask.
Provocation at a NATO base
Even darker, however, was the plan for how the stolen MiG-31 would be used.
"Subsequently, the secret services planned to send the airplane with the Kinzhal missile to the area of the largest NATO base in southeastern Europe, in Constanța, Romania, where it could be shot down by air defense assets," the FSB stressed.
"With the measures taken, the plans of the Ukrainian and British intelligence services to organize a major provocation have been averted," underlined the FSB, which states that the goal of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine was not to rescue the pilot and the aircraft intact, but to cause destruction.
Over the Black Sea
According to the FSB, the theft of the aircraft was planned to take place during the flight over the Black Sea maritime space.
The Bellingcat organization also participated in the operation of the Ukrainian and British intelligence services.
It is reported that Ukraine's military counterintelligence began planning the operation to steal the MiG-31 in the autumn of 2024.
Russia's response to the provocation
This move by Ukraine did not go unanswered by Russia, which announced that the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) struck with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles the Radio-Electronic Reconnaissance Center of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the Kyiv region and the Starokostiantyniv airport, where F-16 aircraft are hosted.
"As a response to the provocation on November 9-10, with a strike by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) using Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, the Radio-Electronic Reconnaissance Center of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the city of Brovary of the Kyiv region and the Starokostiantyniv airport in the Khmelnytskyi region, where the famous F-16s are stationed, were destroyed," the FSB reported.
Beer and women in Munich - What they offered Russian pilots to steal a Mig-31
The military counterintelligence of Ukraine, with the support of the British secret services, organized a plot, an operation to "seize" a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet armed with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
According to the revelations of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (FSB), the Russian fighter jet was to be used for a provocation against NATO. The pilot and the co-pilot were promised money, EU citizenship and beer in Munich.
Plan to involve NATO
As the retired Russian Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok says, the facts known so far are the following: the aircraft was to be directed to the largest NATO air base in southeastern Europe, in the Romanian city of Constanța. There, the MiG-31 would be shot down by NATO anti-aircraft fire, with subsequent accusations against Moscow and further escalation of the conflict. In general, they foresaw involving NATO in conflict with Russia.
Millions of dollars, women and beers
As an option, a possible landing of the Russian MiG-31 at one of the airports in the Odessa region was planned.
For this operation, the military counterintelligence of Ukraine tried to recruit pilots, to whom they promised $3 million. In addition, the Russian pilot was promised citizenship in one of the Western countries, while they even sent him a video with bundles of dollars.
In the screenshots of conversations published by the FSB, it appears that the Russian pilot they were trying to recruit was also promised beer in Munich.
"This is not the first operation I have organized, and I say with full certainty that everything will go smoothly, and we will even drink beer in Munich with a company of women with rich breasts and remember this story with a smile," the Ukrainian "recruiter" stated.
How much the Mig-31 costs
The exact price of the MiG-31 is unknown. The aircraft was never delivered to foreign customers. However, for example, the multifunctional Su-30SM fighter costs about $60 million. The Indian version Su-30MKI costs more, about $80 million. Thus, the price of the MiG-31 likely ranges in this range. Furthermore, according to some estimates, the production of a Kinzhal missile can cost several million dollars due to its technological and material complexity.
Lack of resources
The offered reward of $3 million by the counterintelligence of Ukraine for the seizure of such an expensive aircraft shows a clear lack of resources in the Ukrainians' coffers. For comparison, American fighter jets are significantly more expensive. The F-35 Lightning costs $122 million and the F/A-18 Hornet $94 million.
Attempts at seizure and punishment
On the part of the Ukrainian secret services, this was not the first attempt to seize a Russian fighter jet. On August 9, 2023, the 28-year-old Maxim Kuzminov transferred a Mi-8 helicopter from the Kursk airport to the base of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkiv region. Along with him inside were the ship technician Nikita Kiryanov and the navigator Khushbakht Tursunov. They did not know of Kuzminov's plans and were immediately eliminated in Ukraine. However, on February 13, 2024, Kuzminov was shot in the parking lot outside his home in Villajoyosa, Spain.
They wanted to take a Tu-22M3
In July 2024, the FSB of Russia prevented an attempt by the Ukrainian secret services to organize the seizure of a Tu-22M3 bomber. The Russian pilot they were trying to recruit had also been promised $3 million and Italian citizenship. The seizure was attempted from the 52nd Heavy Bomber Regiment (Shaikovka airport, Kaluga region). The exact value of the Tu-22M3 is unknown, but is estimated at $300 million. In November 2024, the FSB prevented another attempt by Ukrainian counterintelligence to seize the Russian Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopter of the Russian Air Force. The GUR tried to recruit the pilot and persuade him to deliver the aircraft to an area under Ukrainian control.
And the question
Furthermore, there are questions about the new Ukrainian operation. The crew of the MiG-31 is two people, the pilot and the pilot-navigator. According to available information, the Ukrainians were interested in whether the navigator could "shoot, strangle, or sedate" the pilot in the front cabin. However, landing from the rear cabin is not provided for. It is not clear exactly when during the operation the GUR intended to "neutralize" the pilot of the MiG-31.
Dmitry Belik (Russian deputy): Ukraine wants military conflict between Russia and NATO - It will do everything for this
The attempt by the military counterintelligence of Ukraine to "steal" a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet shows the intentions to involve NATO in an open military conflict with Russia, stated Russian Deputy Dmitry Belik.
"Kyiv needs NATO's involvement in the conflict with Russia as much as air. That is why the Ukrainian counterintelligence is ready to proceed with any disgusting and dirty provocations and sacrifices," said Belik.
"The seizure of a plane with a hypersonic missile and its downing near a NATO base, according to the plan of Ukraine's GUR, was supposed to provoke a strong reaction and the dispatch of a military corps to Ukraine to fight Russia. That is why all this was planned. The footage with the real plane and the real Russian weapons would be shown on all Western channels. That is exactly why they tried to recruit the pilot, but these provocateurs did not succeed. Our secret services operated clearly, preventing the situation," the deputy added.
Base of 10,000 soldiers in Constanța
It is noted that the largest NATO military base in Europe is being built in Constanța, in southeastern Romania, as a result of the expansion of the 57th Air Base of the Romanian Air Force.
Expansion work is underway in the Mihail Kogălniceanu area on the existing military complex, which will cover thousands of acres and host thousands of American soldiers with their families. The military complex project, covering an area of 2,800 hectares, provides for the expansion of the airport infrastructure, including runways and hangars. Additionally, it will include administrative and social buildings, schools and kindergartens, shops, restaurants, a cinema, and a hospital.
It will be ready in 2040
10,000 NATO soldiers with their families and base support staff will live in the city. The base will be fully operational in 2040.
On September 4, 2025, the Digi24 channel reported, citing sources, that the number of NATO soldiers at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base could double compared to the initial plans and reach approximately 20 thousand, and that the base itself would become one of the largest hubs for sending aid to Ukraine, including ammunition and military equipment. Currently, about 5,000 soldiers from NATO countries, mainly from the US, Poland, France, and Spain, are deployed in Romania.
On September 17, the Agerpress agency reported in a letter from the president of Romania to the parliament that he approved the deployment of tanker aircraft, American military personnel and protection means, as well as ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) aircraft, intended for information gathering and monitoring, at the 57th Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base.
On October 29, the Ministry of Defense of Romania announced US plans to reduce the number of American soldiers deployed on the eastern flank of NATO, including those located at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base, leaving about 1,000 American soldiers in Romania as a guarantee of US security commitments in the region.
The EU is creating a new intelligence service under Ursula von der Leyen, it will be under her control
Ultimately, Ursula von der Leyen must be very afraid, or consider herself a "leader" of a state.
There is no other way to explain the order she gave for the European Commission to create its own intelligence service, under her presidency, using the data collected by the national espionage services of the member states.
The new unit, which will be integrated into the Commission's General Secretariat, is planned to be staffed by officials from the network of European intelligence services and will gather data for joint analysis and utilization, according to Financial Times sources.
Many believe this initiative follows the repeated warnings of Donald Trump that the United States may limit its support for European security. These developments have pushed the EU to develop autonomous defense and intelligence capabilities and launch its largest rearmament initiative since the Cold War.
Union of spies
"Member states' intelligence services know a lot. And the Commission knows a lot. We need a better way to combine this data so that we can be more effective and useful to our partners. In intelligence, you have to give something to get something," one of the sources told the FT.
However, the initiative is causing reactions within the EU. Senior officials of the European External Action Service (EEAS), which oversees the bloc's Intelligence and Situation Centre (Intcen), express concerns that the new unit will overlap Intcen's work and threaten its role.
The plan, according to the same sources, has not yet been officially communicated to the 27 member states, but it provides for the secondment of executives from national intelligence services to Brussels.
A Commission spokesman told the Financial Times that "consideration is being given to how the Commission's security and intelligence gathering capacity can be strengthened. As part of this approach, the creation of a special sector within the General Secretariat is being examined."
"The plan is under development and discussions are ongoing. A specific timetable has not been set," he added, pointing out that the new unit "will build on the Commission's existing expertise and will cooperate closely with the services of the EEAS."
Sensitive issues
The exchange of information has always been a sensitive issue for the EU member states. Large countries like France, which have extensive espionage capabilities, have expressed reservations about sharing sensitive data with other partners. The rise of pro-Russian governments in countries like Hungary has further complicated cooperation.
Two sources reported that several European capitals are expected to resist any attempt to strengthen Brussels' intelligence powers. However, they admitted that there have long been concerns about the effectiveness of Intcen, especially in dealing with Russia's "hybrid threat".
"The Commission is not going to start sending agents into the field," a second source said, emphasizing that its role will be limited to collecting and analyzing information, not operational missions.
Von der Leyen's fears
Von der Leyen's moves are part of a broader framework of initiatives, such as the creation of a "security college" for briefing commissioners on security and intelligence matters, the financing of arms procurement for Ukraine, and the launch of the Iris² satellite program.
Intelligence cooperation within the EU began after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, when the intelligence services of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom began sharing classified security assessments. This framework was gradually institutionalized, expanded, and in 2011 was formally integrated into the European External Action Service.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών