MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. A pilot of the Russian Aerospace Forces described how Ukrainian intelligence wanted to recruit him to hijack a Tu-22MZ aircraft, according to footage aired by Rossiya-24 television.

"The person that talked to me did not even hide that he was from the Ukrainian special services. He introduced himself as Pavlo and suggested I hijack a military aircraft to the territory of Ukraine - and not just any military aircraft, but a long-range bomber and missile carrier, a nuclear capable aircraft," the pilot said in the footage, as he spoke with members of the Russian Federal Security Service.

According to the pilot, Pavlo tried to intimidate him with threats against his wife and children, but after realizing that they were safe in Russia, the Ukrainian officer started to offer money to lure his family out of the Russian Federation.

"He told me that an account was opened in a Polish bank, and even sent me a card registered to my wife. Why do we need it? And then it turned out that the service agreement was made in Ukraine. It looks just ridiculous," the pilot said.

The serviceman said that, according to the plans of Ukrainian intelligence, his family was to leave first to Turkey, then to Moldova, and then to Ukraine, "although they were talking about Europe."

"They were just going to abduct them and keep them," the pilot said.

Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, said earlier on Monday that it stopped an attempt by Ukraine to organize the hijacking of a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber and fly it to Ukraine. The agency said it found that NATO special services helped the attempt. Ukrainian intelligence intended to recruit a Russian military pilot for a monetary reward and the provision of Italian citizenship and persuade him to fly a missile carrier and land it in Ukraine, according to the FSB.