Moscow, Nov 11 (IANS): Russian internal security and counterintelligence service Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed on Monday of having foiled an operation by the Ukrainian military intelligence to hijack a Russian Aerospace Forces Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopter.
"Ukrainian military intelligence officers tried to recruit a Russian military pilot with the aim of hijacking an aircraft to territory controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces ," a statement issued by the agency mentioned.
In a video released by the FSB, a Russian pilot is claiming to have been approached via Telegram by a representative of the Ukrainian special services, offering $750,000 and foreign citizenship in a bid to recruit him.
"On the given day, I had to cross the line of combat contact with the enemy and ferry the helicopter, poisoning my comrades in advance," the pilot was quoted as saying by the Russian media in the video released by the FSB.
Earlier this year, the Russian security agency had revealed that it had thwarted an attempt by its Ukrainian counterparts to hijack a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber.
The commander of the aircraft said that he too was contacted by Ukrainian intelligence services via the Telegram messenger.
"The Russian military pilot was promised $3 million and Italian citizenship for the flight to Ukraine," Russia's state-owned TASS news agency reported.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday that an army aviation crew on a Mi-28NM helicopter, as part of a mixed tactical group, launched an airstrike with air missiles against personnel and a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the border area of ??the Kursk region.
During the combat mission to support ground forces, army aviation pilots launched missiles at the coordinates of the air controller and destroyed a stronghold and personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"After the strike, the crews performed anti-missile maneuvers at extremely low altitudes, firing off heat traps to prevent enemy MANPADS missiles from hitting them. The forward air controller confirmed the destruction of the target," the ministry stated.