A RUSSIAN pilot who defected to Ukraine in an Mi-8 helicopter was reportedly shot lifeless in Spain, sparking fears of a Kremlin homicide.
Maksim Kuzminov was yesterday discovered with a number of gunshot wounds in a parking storage close to Benidorm, it has been alleged.
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Kuzminov’s obvious loss of life, reported by Spanish and Russian state media, got here days after Vladimir Putin’s nemesis Alexei Navalny was allegedly overwhelmed to loss of life in a penal colony.
His physique was reportedly discovered in the coastal city of Villajoyosa, in Alicante, south of Valencia on Spain’s Costa Blanca.
News of his supposed loss of life got here after he landed a £15million armoured chopper at a navy airfield in Kharkiv, Ukraine in August – and was condemned as a traitor in Russia.
Kuminov was mentioned to have been promised a £400,000 reward for defecting with Russian navy equipment to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s navy intelligence later confirmed it had courted him to defect, as Kuzimov appealed to different pilots to observe his lead.
In an interview broadcast by Ukraine’s authorities, Kuzimov mentioned: “I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option: ‘Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward.'”
He was on the time reported to be 28 years outdated. The man discovered deceased in Spain yesterday was reportedly 33.
Russian state media sensationally claimed Kuzminov shot and killed two of his crewmates who didn’t help him earlier than he touched down in Ukraine.
Their names had been Nikita Kiryanov, 28, and Khushbat Tursunov, 35.
Reports additionally alleged Putin’s GRU navy intelligence brokers had orders to “eliminate” him, irrespective of how lengthy it took.
The identical GRU unit was allegedly behind the botched nerve agent assaults on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.
Last evening, Russian state media pointed the finger at Ukraine.
TASS alleged: “Ukrainian intelligence agencies could have eliminated [Kuzimov] as an inconvenient witness.”
After touchdown in Kyiv, Kuzminov in a documentary accused Putin of committing “genocide” in Ukraine.
I’m very offended by what is going on now (in Ukraine). Murder, tears, blood. Just folks killing one another
Maksim Kuzminov
The pilot’s spouse and kids had been mentioned to be in Ukraine.
He mentioned: “I’m very offended by what is going on now (in Ukraine). Murder, tears, blood. Just folks killing one another.
“What is going on now could be simply genocide of the Ukrainian folks, each Ukrainian and Russian.
“The basis of my action is not to contribute to these crimes.”
TV navy knowledgeable Sergei Zenin mentioned the pilot “spat on the memory of his grandfather”, whereas the defector’s former superior officer Denys Chernavyn referred to as him a traitor.
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