Kuzminov’s escape and cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence services were widely publicized.
advertisementA week ago, a body was found in a parking lot in La Villajoyosa, Spain. The man who was shot was identified as a Ukrainian national.
But after several days of investigation, police learned that the man was actually Maxim Kuzminov, a Russian pilot who defected in an Mi-8 helicopter and surrendered to the Ukrainian military last August.
Since the documents he had in his possession were false, his identity was confirmed by fingerprints.
In addition to Spain’s Guardia Civil, Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov also confirmed the death of the former Russian soldier on Monday.
Kuzminov’s escape and cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence services were widely reported.
This story served as propaganda for the country’s war effort: a victory for Ukraine and a blow against Russia.
Last summer, alarm bells were rung when a Russian Mi-8 military transport helicopter landed in Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence claimed at the time that the operation was not part of the Russian invasion and was coordinated by Russia.
There were also two Russian soldiers on board who were unaware of the pilot’s plans. According to sources cited by Pravda, both died after landing in Ukraine.
Before the plane’s final destination was known, Russian bloggers reported the plane’s disappearance, which they attributed to the pilot’s disorientation.
The pilots planned to bring as many weapons as possible to Ukraine.
In return, the Russian pilot’s family was transferred to Ukraine to live together. He was also presented with new documents and $500,000 in compensation.
Kuzminov graduated from the Syzran Aviation School in southern Russia, but did not want to fight in the Ukraine war.
“I deplore what is happening, the killings, the tears, the bloodshed,” he said in a statement.
“I don’t want to be an accomplice to Russia’s crimes,” he added.
When Ukrainian intelligence contacted him and proposed the plan, Kuzminov was reluctant. However, he decided to take a risk and flew the helicopter very low to avoid radar detection.
The pilot explained that for several days before landing in Ukraine, no one in Russia knew where the helicopter was.
Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin claimed that Kuzminov was a “criminal traitor” and “a moral corpse since he planned his dirty crimes,” according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
It is unclear who killed Naryshkin.