First successful operation in history: Budanov on Russian pilot's escape to Ukraine
The special operation that resulted in the escape of the Russian pilot along with the MI-8 helicopter into Ukrainian territory lasted for six months.
The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of the Defence Ministry, Kirill Budanov, said this in an interview with Radio Liberty.
The escape of the Russian pilot with the MI-8 helicopter into Ukrainian territory is the first successful operation in the history of Ukraine. No one has done such a thing in this time, but I hope that now we will be able to scale it up," Budanov said.
For this purpose, the Defence Ministry's GUR found an approach to the Russian pilot, helped his family to leave Russia unnoticed, and created all the necessary conditions for ferrying the aircraft. According to Budanov, "now the pilot feels great, he is doing well."
Apart from the pilot, there were two other crew members on board the MI-8 - they did not know what was happening. When they realised where they had landed, they tried to escape, but were destroyed. I wish we were alive, but we have what we have," added the head of the Defence Ministry's GUR.
According to him, the special operation lasted six months. This unique story will be shown in a documentary film for the Day of Military Intelligence of Ukraine on 7 September.