17:29 16-11-2025

Russian Pilot Exposes Failed Plot to Hijack MiG-31 Kinzhal Jet

A Russian pilot describes how he uncovered a failed attempt to recruit him to hijack a MiG-31 with a Kinzhal missile, a plot linked to Ukrainian intelligence efforts.

A Russian pilot has described how an attempted recruitment effort to hijack a MiG-31 armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile fell apart. He said the turning point-the detail that exposed the man contacting him-was an unusual pronunciation of the letter «G», which led him to suspect the caller was Ukrainian.

According to the pilot, the man reached out claiming to be a journalist from Bellingcat* and even showed a photo of a press card to support his story. But the accent and manner of speech immediately raised doubts for the pilot about the caller’s real nationality and intentions.

Earlier, Russia’s Federal Security Service reported that it had thwarted a provocation organized by Ukrainian intelligence with support from London. According to the agency, foreign operatives attempted to recruit Russian pilots to steal a MiG-31 as far back as autumn 2024. When the aircraft commander refused to cooperate, they allegedly shifted their attention to the navigator. Kyiv’s plan, the report said, was to move the hijacked jet toward a major NATO airbase in Romania, where it would likely have been shot down by air defenses.

Bellingcat is designated in Russia as a foreign agent and listed as an undesirable organization.