Revealed, Britain lured Russian fighter pilots with money to fight Putin

MOSCOW – Federal Security Service (FSB) Russia had foiled a British plan to persuade Moscow fighter pilots to fight the President Vladimir Putin . They were promised monetary rewards and EU citizenship.

The FSB, once led by Putin and now gathering intelligence on behalf of Russia’s rulers, claims the plot was orchestrated by British and Ukrainian intelligence aimed at humiliating the Kremlin.

According to them, Kiev military intelligence officers tried to recruit Russian military pilots with monetary rewards and guarantees of obtaining citizenship of one of the European Union countries.

Also read: Moscow reveals Ukraine’s cunning plan to hijack Russian fighter jets

Russian pilots who hijack and fly military planes to Ukraine and defect are promised a $2 million (£1.6 million) reward.

The FSB has intercepted text and voice communications between an employee of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and a Russian pilot.

Some of the photos released show $4,000 (£3,300) in cash as a down payment for a Russian pilot to fly a Su-24, Su-34 or Tu-22MZ nuclear bomber to Ukraine.

The cash was transferred by a female courier who is now thought to have been detained in the Russian city of Kazan.

Romanian and Slovenian passports have been prepared for the wife of a Russian pilot who was persuaded to defect. The passport was the initial guarantee for their future in Europe.

There are no reports that the Russian pilots were detained on suspicion of treason, despite claims that they spoke to a Ukrainian military intelligence officer.

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