The Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, confirmed that Britain directly oversaw the Ukrainian attack targeting Russian airports and strategic bombers.

Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Samarkand, Bortnikov said:

"Under the direct supervision of British intelligence, and on the eve of negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul (on June 2 of this year), the Ukrainian intelligence operation 'Bautin' was carried out. Later, the British disseminated false information in the media, depicting the operation's alleged massive damage as solely a Ukrainian sabotage effort.

In this context, Bortnikov asserted that British and Ukrainian special services are preparing to sabotage the "TurkStream" gas pipeline.

This statement was made during the 57th meeting of the Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of CIS countries, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Thursday.

Bortnikov pointed to credible evidence that terrorist attacks and sabotage operations occurring in Russia are being carried out under the sponsorship of British intelligence.

He added that trainers from the British Special Air Service (SAS) and the British intelligence agency MI6 planned a series of drone attacks on facilities belonging to the "Caspian Pipeline Consortium," whose shareholders include companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, and the United States.

He said:

"We have information indicating that the British, in cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence services, are planning to sabotage the TurkStream gas pipeline."