Maj. Gant: Aren't you gonna threaten me or something?
First Secretary: I will do so, if that is what you wish. But first I will merely ask you to return what does not belong to you.
Maj. Gant: All right. The bait's been swallowed. Let's head north to the Urals.
Upenskoy: Fighting city hall, as you put it, is a freedom we do not enjoy.
RAF operator: Sir! Radar tracking reports signs of a staggered sector scramble, Northern and Southern boarder squadrons, Red Air Force. Heavy coded trafic between Biliysk and the Red Banner Fleet. Predicted activity indicates a definite lift off.
Buckholz: He's up! Great mother of god, he's up.
Maj. Gant: But you want me to fly?
Buckholz: Yes, we want you to fly. We want you to fly the greatest warplane ever built.
Chosen answer: There was just an explosion in the hangar and in the resulting confusion none of them were sure why it was moving. To get it away from the fire is not unreasonable. Also, the Soviet military is not big on showing initiative. Unless told to disable it, none of the guards would risk severe punishment for damaging a valuable aircraft.
Grumpy Scot