A spokesperson for Ukraine’s army intelligence confirmed the dying of Maksym Kuzminov to the Kyiv Publish however didn’t present particulars. In accordance with the outlet, Russian media reported Kuzminov had been discovered lifeless with at the very least 5 bullet wounds in an underground car parking zone in southern Spain, close to Alicante.
EFE, a Spanish information company, reported that Kuzminov’s physique was discovered on February 13 and that he had been residing in Spain with a Ukrainian passport and another identify, in accordance with Reuters. Spanish police couldn’t affirm to the outlet that the physique discovered was that of Kuzminov, however an unnamed police supply mentioned the sufferer could have lived below a faux identify.
Reuters mentioned La Informacion, a Spanish newspaper, reported two suspects left the scene in a car that was later discovered burned. Police initially thought the dying could have been gang-related, The Guardian reported.
Particular Operation ‘Titmouse’
Kuzminov, a former captain in Russia’s 319th separate helicopter regiment, defected to Ukraine in August when he landed a Russian Mi-8 AMTSh on a Ukrainian air base in Kharkiv.
Ukrainian officers on the time mentioned the defection was a part of a six-month particular operation known as “Titmouse,” by which the pilot’s household had been moved from Russia to Ukraine earlier than the defection.
Kuzminov additionally had two different crew members on board who had been shocked after they realized they had been touchdown in Ukraine. Ukrainian army officers mentioned they might not give up and had been “eradicated.”
Kuzminov was publicly recognized because the pilot by Ukraine Protection Intelligence in September. On the time, he mentioned he defected as a result of he didn’t need to commit warfare crimes.
“What is going on now could be merely genocide of the Ukrainian folks: each Ukrainian and Russian,” he mentioned in an interview launched by Ukraine Protection Intelligence. “The motivation for my motion was to not contribute to those crimes. Ukraine will unequivocally win this warfare just because the individuals are very united.”
Ukrainian officers mentioned Kuzminov, who had additionally introduced stolen fighter jet elements with him when he defected, can be rewarded $500,000, per a Ukrainian regulation incentivizing Russian troopers at hand over army tools. The regulation stipulated half one million because the reward for a fight helicopter, whereas a fight plane would earn a Russian soldier $1,000,000.
Officers mentioned Kuzminov was additionally offering Ukraine with key Russian aviation intelligence.
Through the September interview, Kuzminov, 28 on the time, inspired different Russian troopers to observe his lead and defect to Ukraine, promising they might be set for all times.
“You may be supplied for, for the remainder of your lives. You can be supplied a job in all places, it doesn’t matter what you do,” he mentioned.
