Pilot's attempt to steal Russian bomber foiled by FSB

Russian FSB boasted about thwarting an attempt to steal a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber by a pilot who was supposed to fly the stolen aircraft to Ukraine. We present the case's background and the machine's performance.

Many pieces of information provided by Russian media or government representatives are elements of propaganda. Such reports are part of the Russian Federation's information war.

Russian FSB boasted in Russian media about preventing the theft of a Tu-22M3 bomber by a pilot who, according to the Russians, was supposed to land the captured aircraft near Zhytomyr in exchange for CAD 2.7 million and a promise of Italian citizenship.

Russians indicate that the pilot informed the FSB about the recruitment attempt by the opposing intelligence. It could have been a genuine attempt, but it is also possible that it was an operation planned and executed by the FSB for propaganda or deterrence purposes against pilots considering such a step.

It is no secret that both Ukrainian and Russian intelligence actively operate in enemy territory, trying in various ways (bribery, playing on emotions, promises of a better life, or blackmail) to cause the defection of mainly individuals in high positions who have access to crucial equipment or knowledge.

Some of the most crucial individuals in Russia are aircraft pilots capable of dropping FAB glide bombs with UMPK modules or launching supersonic Kh-22 Raduga or Kh-47M2 Kinzhal cruise missiles.

Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers are a modernization of older Tu-22M machines capable of carrying up to 24,000 kilograms of armament. The payload includes, among others, Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, 18 guided bombs FAB-500 or eight 1,500-kilogram FAB-1500 bombs, allowing the attack of many targets during a single raid.

Thanks to their enormous payload capacity and high cruising speed of almost Mach 1.9 (approximately 2,320 km/h) and a high altitude of approximately 13 kilometres, Tu-22M3 bombers can attack targets in Ukraine out of the range of most anti-aircraft systems. The exceptions are only medium-range solutions like the Patriot and SAMP/T, of which Ukraine has too few. However, it is worth noting that the Ukrainians managed to shoot down one Tu-22M3 using the old S-200 Vega system, but so far, this has been an isolated case.

Another advantage of the Tu-22M3 bombers for Russia is their operational range of about 7,000 kilometres, allowing attacks from deep within Russia. This makes it more difficult to destroy them on the ground using drones than Su-34 tactical bombers, which must be kept closer to the conflict region.