Russia says it foiled Ukrainian attempt to hijack nuclear strategic bomber

Russia said Monday it had foiled an attempt by Ukraine to get a Russian military pilot to defect with his strategic bomber to Ukrainian-held territory.

The FSB security service said in a statement that "the secret services of NATO countries" were involved in the plan to capture a TU-22M3 supersonic strategic bomber jet – according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

Ukraine had promised the pilot financial compensation and Italian citizenship "to persuade him to land the strategic bomber in Ukraine” – per the statement. 

Last year, Kyiv successfully persuaded a Russian pilot, Maxim Kuzminov, to defect with his Mi-8 helicopter into Ukrainian territory.

The deserter was later found dead in Spain in February.