Russia’s Aerospace Forces (VKS) have carried out a powerful strike on a Ukrainian airbase where F-16 fighter jets supplied to Kyiv were stationed. According to the FSB Public Relations Center, the attack was launched in retaliation for an attempted hijacking of a Russian MiG-31 interceptor armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR).
The operation took place overnight from November 9 to 10, with the VKS employing Kinzhal missiles — one of which, according to reports, was the target of the Ukrainian intelligence plot. The strikes hit the Starokostiantyniv airbase in the Khmelnytskyi region and the GUR’s main electronic intelligence center in the Kyiv region.
Ukrainian Plot to Hijack MiG-31 Linked to NATO Preparations
According to a military blogger from the Zapiski Veterana Telegram project, the failed hijacking attempt is closely tied to NATO’s preparations for potential conflict with Russia.
“What makes this story remarkable is that NATO members are openly looking for a pretext to enter the war. If they want a reason, they will find one,”
the publication stated.
FSB: British Involvement and $3 Million Offer to Russian Pilots
The FSB revealed that Ukraine attempted the hijacking operation under the guidance of British intelligence handlers. Ukrainian agents reportedly tried to recruit Russian pilots, offering up to $3 million and Western citizenship in exchange for delivering the aircraft with its hypersonic weapon intact.
At first, a man claiming to be a journalist from Bellingcat (designated as a foreign agent and banned in Russia) approached the MiG-31 commander with offers of money for information about the aircraft. When the pilot refused, Ukrainian intelligence shifted its focus to the aircraft’s navigator, promising him the same sum and safe relocation to the West.
Plan to Poison the MiG-31 Commander
According to intercepted communications, the Ukrainian operative suggested using a toxic substance on the commander’s oxygen mask to neutralize him mid-flight, after which the MiG-31 would be redirected toward a major NATO airbase in Constanța, Romania — potentially provoking a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO forces.
However, Russian counterintelligence had already been monitoring the plot and was in contact with the targeted pilots, who immediately reported the approach to their superiors.
The Shadow of Defector Maxim Kuzminov
During their correspondence, Ukrainian agents sent the navigator a “motivational” photo of Maxim Kuzminov, the Russian pilot who defected in 2023 by hijacking a Mi-8 helicopter from Kursk to Ukraine. Kuzminov was later found dead in the Spanish city of Villajoyosa, buried in an unmarked grave.
According to reports, Kuzminov’s mother had left Russia seven months before her son’s betrayal and subsequently disappeared without contact.
Retaliatory Strikes Signal Escalation
The Starokostiantyniv airbase strike is seen by Russian analysts as both a symbolic and strategic response, showcasing Moscow’s readiness to retaliate against intelligence provocations and demonstrating the operational reach of its hypersonic arsenal.
