The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter is now providing key aviation intelligence to Ukraine, defense agency says

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Maksim Kuzminov Ukraine helicopter
A Ukrainian official and defected Russian Mi-8 helicopter pilot, Captain Maksim Kuzminov, sit during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 5, 2023.

Kirill Chubotin / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Zelenskyy and his spy chief grabbed a photo with what looks like the Mi-8 helicopter a Russian pilot secretly flew to Ukraine in a daring defection

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dressed in green sands next to Ukrainian spy chief Kyrylo Budanov dressed in fatigues in front of a helicopter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian spy chief Kyrylo Budanov pose with a Mi-8 helicopter

President of Ukraine

The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter said he flew 32 feet above the ground to avoid being seen and turned off his transponder, per the WSJ

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Composite photo of a Mi-8 helicopter and Russian pilot who defected.
Left: A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter in Russia on January 19, 2022; Right: The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine published a video interview with a man identified as a Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter last month.

Left: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov; Right: Defense Intelligence of Ukraine

The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter is encouraging other Russians to do the same, promising they'll be taken care of for life

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A screen grab of Maxim Kuzminov.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine published a video interview with Maxim Kuzminov, the Russian pilot who it said defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter last month.

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine

A Russian helicopter crew freaked out, tried to run, and was killed after realizing their captain had defected to Ukraine, official says

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A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter is seen during flight testing conducted by the Russian Air Force of the Southern Military District during snowfall at a military aerodrome in the Rostov region, Russia January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov
A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter seen in the Rostov region of Russia on January 19, 2022.

REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov

A Russian pilot landed a Mi-8 helicopter on a Ukrainian airbase in a daring defection, Ukrainian official says

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A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter is seen during flight testing conducted by the Russian Air Force of the Southern Military District during snowfall at a military aerodrome in the Rostov region, Russia January 19, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov
A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter seen in the Rostov region of Russia on January 19, 2022.

REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov

A US tourist crossed the border into North Korea, UN says. South Korean media reports he's a US soldier.

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A general view shows the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
The truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas,

Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP, File

Russian army officer defects, describes widespread torture including threats to castrate a Ukrainian and send his wife the video

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A file photo of Russian soldiers guard an office for Russian citizenship applications as their military truck is parked nearby, in Melitopol, south Ukraine, on July 14, 2022.
File photo of Russian soldiers with military truck parked nearby, in Melitopol, south Ukraine, on July 14, 2022.

AP Photo

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