GUR declassified the identity of the Russian pilot who kidnapped the Mi-8 helicopter

Ukrainian intelligence has revealed the identity of a Russian pilot who did not support Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and defected to our country on 9 August 2023 by hijacking an Mi-8 helicopter loaded with components for combat aircraft. This was reported by the press service of the GUR.

Nobody wants this war. You'll see, when Ukraine wins, it's only a matter of time..., - said the Russian pilot in the demonstrated video.

According to the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kirill Budanov, the Defense Ministry's GUR was able to find the right approach to the pilot, get the entire (his) family out of the Russian Federation unnoticed, and eventually create such conditions that he was able to overrun this aircraft with a crew that didn't know what was going on.

When they realised where they had landed, they tried to escape. Unfortunately, they were destroyed. We would have liked to take them alive, but we have what we have," the head of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's GUR told about the special operation.

It is reported that on 3 September the telethon will air a documentary film about a unique special operation of the Ukrainian intelligence service called "Sinitsa", which will talk about the destruction of Russian planes, helicopters, missiles and drones.