As of: February 20, 2024, 3:35 p.m
By: Erkan Pehlivan
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Press
Split
A former Russian pilot was apparently found dead in Spain.
The man deserted to Ukraine in a combat helicopter in 2023.
Kiev - A Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine is dead, according to information from Kiev. "We can confirm this fact," Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told public television on Monday (February 19).
He did not provide any further information about the circumstances of his death.
According to media reports, the man's body was found in Spain.
“He brought his ex over and was found shot,” wrote the internet portal
Ukrayinska Pravda
, citing its own intelligence sources.
There was also talk of a burned-out car near the crime scene - possibly a getaway vehicle.
There was no confirmation from Spanish authorities.
The Ukrainian online portal Kyiv Post also confirmed the death of the Russian deserter
.
According to Russia's state TV: Putin's secret service was ordered to kill the pilot
The pilot flew from Russia to Ukraine in August last year with a fully equipped Mi-8 army helicopter.
After landing at a Ukrainian military airfield, the other two crew members were shot while trying to escape, according to Ukrainian sources.
The Russian received the equivalent of over 460,000 euros from Kiev for the crime.
State television in Moscow reported in the fall that the Russian secret service had received the order to kill the man who was considered a traitor.
The defected helicopter pilot, whose real name is Maxim Kuzminow, had probably planned his escape well in advance, as he had already smuggled his family out of Russia in advance.
Kuzminov is said to have contacted Ukrainian military intelligence at the end of 2022, with whom he then worked out his sophisticated escape plan over a period of around six months.
Communication took place via an encrypted chat on Telegram.
The Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov deserted to Ukraine in a helicopter in 2023.
© IMAGO/Chubotin Kirill
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Spectacular helicopter escape from Russia to Ukraine
The
Wall Street Journal
reported the details of the spectacular escape.
Accordingly, the 28-year-old pilot only flew at a height of ten meters during his escape and switched off his transponder.
He was also shot at.
In the end, he landed as planned at a military airfield in Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine.
Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for almost two years.
In April 2022, Kiev set rewards for functional Russian military equipment handed over to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian state promises Russian defectors the equivalent of over 920,000 euros as the maximum reward for a fighter aircraft.
(
erpe/dpa)