An Aeroflot flight from the Siberian city of Surgut to Moscow was forced to land some 240km short of its destination, after a passenger reportedly demanded that the plane be diverted to Afghanistan, RT reports.

Flight SU1515 has landed in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, Aeroflot has confirmed.

The unruly passenger could be mentally unstable, and has been detained multiple times before for drunken disorderly behavior, a source has told Interfax news agency.

A photo of the would-be hijacker has emerged in the Russian media, but authorities have yet to confirm his identity.