- Maksym Kuzminov, a Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine final 12 months, was discovered shot useless in Spain.
- Kuzminov had urged different Russians to defect and stated they’d be set for all times.
- Spanish media reported he was residing in Spain with a Ukrainian passport beneath an alternate title.
The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter in August was discovered shot to dying in Spain final week, in keeping with media stories in Ukraine and Spain.
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s army intelligence confirmed the dying of Maksym Kuzminov to the Kyiv Put up however didn’t present particulars. In accordance with the outlet, Russian media reported Kuzminov had been discovered useless with no less than 5 bullet wounds in an underground parking zone in southern Spain, close to Alicante.
EFE, a Spanish information company, reported that Kuzminov’s physique was discovered on February 13 and that he had been residing in Spain with a Ukrainian passport and an alternate title, in keeping with Reuters. Spanish police couldn’t affirm to the outlet that the physique discovered was that of Kuzminov, however an unnamed police supply stated the sufferer might have lived beneath a pretend title.
Reuters stated La Informacion, a Spanish newspaper, reported two suspects left the scene in a automobile that was later discovered burned. Police initially thought the dying might have been gang-related, The Guardian reported.
Particular Operation ‘Titmouse’
Kuzminov, a former captain in Russia’s 319th separate helicopter regiment, defected to Ukraine in August when he landed a Russian Mi-8 AMTSh on a Ukrainian air base in Kharkiv.
Ukrainian officers on the time stated the defection was a part of a six-month particular operation referred to as “Titmouse,” during which the pilot’s household had been moved from Russia to Ukraine earlier than the defection.
Kuzminov additionally had two different crew members on board who have been shocked once they realized they have been touchdown in Ukraine. Ukrainian army officers stated they’d not give up and have been “eradicated.”
Kuzminov was publicly recognized because the pilot by Ukraine Protection Intelligence in September. On the time, he stated he defected as a result of he didn’t wish to commit conflict crimes.
“What is occurring now could be merely genocide of the Ukrainian folks: each Ukrainian and Russian,” he stated in an interview launched by Ukraine Protection Intelligence. “The motivation for my motion was to not contribute to those crimes. Ukraine will unequivocally win this conflict just because the individuals are very united.”
Ukrainian officers stated Kuzminov, who had additionally introduced stolen fighter jet elements with him when he defected, can be rewarded $500,000, per a Ukrainian regulation incentivizing Russian troopers at hand over army gear. The regulation stipulated half one million because the reward for a fight helicopter, whereas a fight plane would earn a Russian soldier $1,000,000.
Officers stated Kuzminov was additionally offering Ukraine with key Russian aviation intelligence.
Through the September interview, Kuzminov, 28 on the time, inspired different Russian troopers to comply with his lead and defect to Ukraine, promising they’d be set for all times.
“You will be offered for, for the remainder of your lives. You may be supplied a job in every single place, it doesn’t matter what you do,” he stated.
