Russia Claims to Have Foiled Ukrainian Attempt to Hijack Tu-22M3 Strategic Bomber

JAKARTA - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) blocked an attempt by Ukraine to organize the hijacking of a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber and fly it to Ukraine, the agency said on Monday.

"Ukrainian intelligence intended to recruit a Russian military pilot in exchange for money and Italian citizenship, in order to persuade him to fly and land a missile-carrying aircraft in Ukraine," the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said on its website, Reuters reported on July 8.

Reuters could not independently verify the details. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

During the operation, Russia received information that helped its forces attack the Ozerne airfield in northwestern Ukraine, the FSB added in its statement.

The timing of the operation and the alleged attack on the Ozerne airfield in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, were not immediately clear.

The Zhytomyr region was under airstrike warning early Monday. Unofficial reports on social media, including on the Telegram messaging app widely used by officials and the military in both countries to spread information, said there was an explosion in Zhytomyr.