Ukrainian authorities have offered Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov the opportunity to stay in their country, according to Alexei Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine. In an interview with “Ukrainska Pravda,” Danilov assured that Kuzminov would be under their protection.
Earlier this week, “Ukrainska Pravda” reported, citing the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate, that the Russian defector pilot may have been killed in Spain due to a dispute over a woman.
In September 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that on August 9, Kuzminov hijacked a Mi-8 helicopter and flew it to the Kharkiv region from the Kursk airfield. According to Ukrainian intelligence, two crew members were on board besides Kuzminov and were allegedly killed due to resistance. Last year, on September 7, Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesperson, refused to comment on the information about the hijacked Mi-8 helicopter, stating that it fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense.
It is worth noting that previously, a Ukrainian Air Force pilot flew to Russia on a stolen Su-27 aircraft.
