Kuzminov said he contacted representatives of the intelligence of Ukraine who offered him security guarantees, new documents, and a monetary compensation and a reward. (Image: Reuters)
The Ukrainian defence ministry said 28-year-old Maxim Kuzminov defected from Russia. He flew into Russia with two crew members but they were killed for not defecting.
Ukraine on Monday named a Russian helicopter pilot that it said defected over his opposition to Moscow’s invasion after flying across the border in a “long-term special operation” led by Kyiv.
Kyiv’s Main Intelligence Directorate — the intelligence wing of Ukraine’s defence ministry — identified the pilot as 28-year-old Maxim Kuzminov, who served in the “319th separate helicopter regiment” based in Russia’s Far Eastern Primorye region.
In a statement, it described how it led the operation in “maximum secrecy”, by first recruiting the pilot after identifying that he was against the Kremlin’s invasion.
It said it helped the pilot fly into Ukraine and that two of the helicopter’s crew — unaware of Kuzminov’s plans to go to Ukraine and defect — were killed on arrival after refusing to surrender.
It published a video of the youthful-looking pilot.
“I contacted representatives of the intelligence of Ukraine, explained my situation,” Kuzminov said in the video,
“I was offered security guarantees, new documents, monetary compensation, a reward. We discussed the details and started planning my flight directly.”
He then said he “transmitted my location” as he flew at an “extremely low altitude in radio silence mode” near the border.
Kyiv said it gave “security guarantees” to the pilot’s family that were “safely transported to Ukraine.”
“The finale of the operation is a helicopter flight to the specified spot and handover to the Ukrainian military,” its military intelligence agency said.
“Two other members of the helicopter crew, who were unaware of the pilot’s real plans, decided not to surrender and died immediately after landing,” it said.
In the video, it showed armed Ukrainian soldiers approaching a Russian helicopter, with the recognisable red star on it.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
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