Anton Vaganov/Reuters
A Russian pilot who recently vanished along with his Mi-8 chopper and entire crew is actually in Ukraine after defecting as part of a six-month special operation, Ukrainian intelligence officials said Wednesday.
Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate, confirmed in televised comments that the Russian military helicopter had landed at a Ukrainian air base. Sources in Ukrainian intelligence cited by Ukrainska Pravda said the pilot had been “lured” into Ukraine in the culmination of a months-long special operation.
His family had been evacuated to Ukraine ahead of time, according to the report, and along with the Russian chopper, Ukraine acquired the cargo that he had been transporting: spare parts for the Russian military’s fighter jets.