WW3 fears explode as furious Russia accuses Britain of trying to steal nuclear weapon

A MiG-31K fighter jet with Kinzhal hypersonic missile (Image: Getty)

Russia has accused Britain of trying to steal a fighter jet armed with a nuclear-capable missile. The daring plot – reminiscent of the movie "Firefox" was uncovered by Putin's security agents and revealed for the first time this week.

The Kremlin alleges that British intelligence services together with their Ukrainian counterparts hatched a plot to steal a MIG-31 jet armed with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile. The ballistic rocket can be armed with 1,100 pounds of conventional explosives or nuclear warheads of up to 500 kilotons. It can reach a speed of 10 Mach and is highly agile, making it almost unstoppable.

Vladimir Putin oversees Russian nuclear drills (Image: Getty)

Russia's FSB claimed that Ukrainian intelligence operatives offered Russian pilots US$3 million ((£2.2m) to fly the jet to a NATO base near Constanta in Romania.

The security agency alleged that the operation had been planned by Ukraine's intelligence services and their "British handlers".

A Ukrainian intelligence officer is said to have approached the pilots, posing as an investigative journalist from the media outlet Bellingcat.

The Russians were allegedly offered European passports in exchange for carrying out the mission. The operation had been underway for about a year and was scheduled to take place on November 4.

The Russian pilot of the £42 million jet is said to have turned down the initial approach, forcing Ukrainian intelligence officers to change tack. They turned, instead, to the plane's navigator who was asked to poison the pilot using a toxin applied to his oxygen mask.

Russian military journalist Dmitry Kornev told the newspaper Izvestia that the West wants a MiG-31 so it can understand its guidance system and counteract it.

“The rocket itself is also of interest: the body, materials and engine," he added. "In addition, they are interested in homing, satellite navigation and an inertial control system."

The Kinzhal is part of Russia's batch of next-gen hypersonic rockets that can fly low (below 60,000 feet), adjust course mid-flight, and manoevre around missile-defence systems.