Is this even slightly plausible?

For my action/adventure novel I've been working on, I've cast the Russian goverment, or more specifically a corrupt military official, as the enemy. One of the main "evil" actions that spurrs the novel on is that a plane is shot down to prevent its passengers from discovering something. Would it be even slightly plausible for the Russian military to shoot down such a plane if they thought they wouldn't be detected and believed the benefits could possibly restore their position as an international superpower? Thanks for the input.

 

They could always shoot it down and call it an accident (By the time anyone learns the truth it will be to late!), or simply make the plane, disappear (Bermuda Triangle style). Its your book. Anything is "possible."

 

I'll second that and leave it at that.

 

I've seen even more implausible plots (seen all of the James Bond films?). Whether you pull it off depends largely on how well you write it.

There have been international incidents over the years in which planes have been shot down, rhetoric exchanged, and eventually some sort of uneasy truce is established. Do we, the public, receive all the relevant facts? Of course not! Do we even believe the ultimate explanations? Not completely.

Make the reader believe.

 

Cogito is right. If you can write it well, only insane purists will care that something is not 100% plausible. Do your research. Find out all you can about similar things that have happened or ways it could happen. In the end, though, what serves the story is the most essential thing. They do it all the time in movies either because that is what they need to happen in the story, which is what s true for you, or simply because it looks cool.

 

i agree. although i do have a slight problem with the idea(or they way you worded it)

i think that the passengers would have to already know something, unless they happen to spot a secret military base along the way, which as all commerical plane paths are pre plotted this would be a little difficult....private plane?

also it would make a good media war story if you want to take that avenue