Russia thwarts "dangerous plot" to steal a MiG-31 aircraft for the benefit of Ukraine and Britain.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**Arabian Sea - Agencies:** The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Tuesday the thwarting of what it described as a "broad espionage plot" involving Ukrainian and British agents, aimed at recruiting Russian pilots to steal a MiG-31 fighter jet carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, in exchange for a huge financial offer estimated at three million dollars. According to the Russian news agency, the plan was to direct the hijacked plane to a NATO airbase in the Romanian city of Constanta, where it was vulnerable to being shot down by air defenses. State television broadcast footage documenting messages and audio clips of a man believed to be working for Ukrainian and British intelligence agencies, offering money and European citizenship to a Russian pilot in exchange for carrying out the mission. The Russian security service described the matter as an attempted "international provocation" using a highly sensitive strategic aircraft, according to Reuters. It is worth noting that the Kinzhal missile, with which MiG-31 aircraft are equipped, is one of the most dangerous Russian weapons, as it has supersonic capabilities and can maneuver in a way that makes it difficult to detect or intercept.