A Russian commander used military helicopters to transport his pet cat, says pilot who defected to Ukraine

• A Russian commander used two military helicopters to transport his pet cat, according to a defector. 
• One helicopter was used to fly the cat, and another was used to provide cover, he said.
• The operation burned through "a lot of fuel" and involved six servicemen on board, the pilot added. 

One of Putin's commanders used two military helicopters to airlift his pet cat, according to Maxim Kuzminov, a Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine.

The operation burned through "a lot of fuel" and required a staff of six servicemen because the cat had "some impressive pedigree", he said, according to a translation by The New Voice of Ukraine.