A former Russian air force pilot who defected to Ukraine last year has been found dead in Spain. This is reported by the Ukrainian news portal “Kyiv Post”. The Ukrainian military intelligence service GUR confirmed the man’s death to the newspaper. Russian state media previously reported on the case.
The dead man is Maxim Kuzminov. The ex-pilot defected to the Ukrainian armed forces together with a Russian military helicopter in August 2023.
According to Spanish media reports, Kuzminov’s body was found last Tuesday in the town of Villajoyosa on the Costa Blanca. The body had five bullet impacts to the head and chest. It was probably located in the underground parking garage of a residential building.
Investigators find burned-out cars
According to Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda, investigators found a burnt-out car near Kuzminov’s house that may have been used by the Russian killers. According to Spanish portal ‘El Diario’, police in the town of El Campello – some 19 kilometers outside Villajoyosa – also found a burnt-out car, which was identified by neighbors as the vehicle that allegedly drove away from the Villajoyosa area. crime scene.
According to the reports, investigators initially assumed the man was Ukrainian and that the crime may have been committed in revenge. This Monday, “Kyiv Post” confirmed the identity of the Russian ex-pilot, citing Ukrainian military intelligence. The Spanish Guardia Civil has taken over the investigation into the case.
Kuzminov deserted during “Operation Meise”
“He decided to move to Spain instead of staying here (in Ukraine, editor’s note),” Ukrainska Pravda quoted an unnamed Ukrainian military intelligence source as saying. “As far as we know, he invited his ex-girlfriend to his house and was later found shot,” the report continued.
Kuzminov, then 28, caused a stir with his desertion in the late summer of 2023. In “Operation Meise,” carried out by Ukrainian military intelligence, he brought a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter into Ukraine. Kuzminov’s family had already been taken from Russia by the Ukrainian secret service, Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of the secret service, said at the time.
The former Russian air force pilot cited his rejection of the war of aggression against Ukraine as the motive for his desertion. Kuzminov received a financial reward, security guarantees and a new identity.
Pilot on the Russian war of aggression: “Genocide against the Ukrainian people”
“The truth is here,” he later explained his desertion in a documentary broadcast in Ukraine. “There are no fascists or Nazis here.” He also called the war a “genocide against the Ukrainian people.” He does not want to be an ‘accomplice to Russian crimes’. “Ukraine will win – it’s only a matter of time,” he continued.
‘Operation Meise’ was the first successfully executed mission of the Ukrainian secret service, in which a Russian military plane was captured and the pilot defected. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, soldiers have deserted several times and surrendered to Ukraine. Ukraine has set up a hotline specifically for this purpose that Russian soldiers can call. More than 10,000 soldiers are said to have already accepted the offer. However, exact numbers are not known.
Used sources:
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
