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The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter is now providing key aviation intelligence to Ukraine, defense agency says
Yahoo.com ^ | Sept. 12, 2023 | Erin Snodgrass

Posted on 09/13/2023 12:01:14 PM PDT by canuck_conservative

The Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine with a Mi-8 helicopter last month is arming Ukraine with more than just military equipment.

Maksym Kuzminov, the helicopter pilot who switched sides in a daring defection, is now providing the Ukrainian military with key Russian aviation intelligence, according to an interview with Kuzminov released by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.

Kuzminov is sharing information about Russia's communication systems and airfields network with Ukraine's intelligence service, the agency said...

News of Kuzminov's defection was first made public in late August, but the side-switching itself culminated in a tense showdown in a Kharkiv airfield on August 9.

Kuzminov first reached out to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence at the end of 2022, jumpstarting a plan for him to flee Russia with his helicopter. After months of planning, which included the removal of Kuzminov's parents from Russia to Ukraine, he finally made his move in August, flying the helicopter at a low altitude in radio silence mode across the border and into Ukrainian territory...

Kuzminov and his family are currently safe in Ukraine. The pilot was rewarded with $500,000 for defecting with his helicopter after the Ukrainian government last year implemented a program that incentivizes Russian military members to defect with their equipment in exchange for hefty monetary rewards.

In his interview, Kuzminov said he defected to avoid being complicit in Russia's "crimes" and encouraged other Russian service members to follow his lead and defect.

"Ukraine is going to win this war, this is for certain," Kuzminov said. "Because Ukrainian nation has united tremendously."

Andrii Yusov, an official with Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, told Radio Svoboda this week that there has been a 70% daily uptick in calls to a state-run defection hotline since Kuzminov's defection was made public....

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: defection; globalistpropaganda; helping; russia; ukraine
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another success story
1 posted on 09/13/2023 12:01:15 PM PDT by canuck_conservative
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To: canuck_conservative

Sure thing, a friggin helicopter pilot has access to the entire russian air force intelligence

Who seriously believes this crap?


2 posted on 09/13/2023 12:04:23 PM PDT by Rattlesnake_Snook
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To: canuck_conservative

LOL! Sure he is. You freaks fall for anything, it’s hilarious. Maybe he’s the ghost of keiv, LOL!


3 posted on 09/13/2023 12:05:09 PM PDT by JoSixChip (2020: The year of unreported truths; 2021: My main take away from this year? Trust no one.)
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To: canuck_conservative

Excellent news.


4 posted on 09/13/2023 12:09:29 PM PDT by lonestar67 (America is exceptional)
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To: Rattlesnake_Snook

Who seriously believes this crap?

canuck_conservative, snake rattler, marine corps mom, vermont lt, and a whole host of other Zelensky-fanbois/girls that routinely post and comment that Russia is going down.

I wonder if the Russian pilot is single, with absolutely no family left back in Mother Russia.


5 posted on 09/13/2023 12:13:43 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: JoSixChip
You freaks fall for anything

That's a stupid statement.

Who are these "freaks who fall for everything"?

There's no one ahead of you on this thread indicating that they have fallen for this story.

That said, the first victim of war is truth, so it is true that no news about Ukraine or Russia in this conflict can be trusted.

6 posted on 09/13/2023 12:14:32 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (A person who seeks the truth with a strong bias will never find it. He will only confirm his bias.)
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To: JoSixChip

Or he could be the 15yr old drone pilot that was installed as the head of Ukraine’s drone program and was taking out the Ruskies like he was playing Call of Duty.


7 posted on 09/13/2023 12:14:33 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: RoosterRedux
Who are these "freaks who fall for everything"?

If you don't know who I am talking about, it may be you.
8 posted on 09/13/2023 12:16:58 PM PDT by JoSixChip (2020: The year of unreported truths; 2021: My main take away from this year? Trust no one.)
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To: Rattlesnake_Snook

Your not supposed to question the propaganda.


9 posted on 09/13/2023 12:18:11 PM PDT by mrmeyer (You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. Roberor thert Heinlein)
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To: Rattlesnake_Snook; JoSixChip; qaz123

gotta admit,

it’s always satisfying to see the Russian apologists here screaming in outrage anytime anything negative-about-Russia or positive-about-Ukraine is posted ... almost a Pavlovian denial ...

keep howling LOL


10 posted on 09/13/2023 12:18:18 PM PDT by canuck_conservative (there would be no more need for NATO, if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors)
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To: qaz123

“I wonder if the Russian pilot is single, with absolutely no family left back in Mother Russia.”

“… which included the removal of Kuzminov’s parents from Russia to Ukraine,”

No worries, qaz. Vlad doesn’t mind murdering Russians in other countries.


11 posted on 09/13/2023 12:25:08 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("...that all the donkeys were dead. I know nothing as to the fate of the less valuable animals)
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To: qaz123
I wonder if the Russian pilot is single, with absolutely no family left back in Mother Russia.

Didn't read the story, did you? Typical Putin Propper. Nothing must interfere with the "message". Like facts.

12 posted on 09/13/2023 12:26:20 PM PDT by Chad C. Mulligan
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To: canuck_conservative

it’s always satisfying to see the Russian apologists

Not one person one here is a Russian apologist. Nor are any of them screaming. No one is supportive of Putin.

What they are are people that are tired of seeing money swirl down a drain for nothing. They’re tired of seeing money and equipment being given away for something that isn’t our problem, never was and never will be.

They’re tired of seeing our money and equipment go to one of, if not the most, corrupt places on the planet.

They’re tired of seeing our money and equipment squandered and stolen to enrich a small, few corrupt bureaucrats and politicians, who don’t have a care in the world for anyone, least of all the Ukrainians who are paying for all of it by dying and having their country destroyed.

They’re weary of people like you ranting that after Russia finally defeats Ukraine, it’ll set its sights on the rest of Europe. Lemme tell ya somethin’...ain’t gonna happen. All that talk is, is propaganda that forces clowns like you and the politicians to support and send more money/equipment over there in an exercise in futility.

But, then again, neither you nor any of the rest have decided it’s time to put up or shut up, volunteer, head over there and grab a rifle. Instead, you sit in the comfort of your homes, “supporting” Ukraine until there are no more Ukrainians, except the ones that have fled the country and are living in the US and western Europe. Never to return to a country destroyed because of clowns like you.

Question....is your FR-name indicative of where you’re from? Canada?


13 posted on 09/13/2023 12:27:26 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: canuck_conservative

The “ valuable intelligence “ doesn’t seem to be helping the Ukies much- horrendous losses since June 4th….simply put, a bloodbath….I don’t believe in Unicorns and I don’t take the Hopium drug.

Reality is finally setting in with senile Joe’s Ukie war cheerleaders. Vlad still holds all the cards, get used to it.


14 posted on 09/13/2023 12:27:33 PM PDT by delta7
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To: canuck_conservative

Generally sensitive intelligence info is not given to soldiers who might be captured. Like helicopter pilots.


15 posted on 09/13/2023 12:28:52 PM PDT by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: JoSixChip
If you don't know who I am talking about, it may be you.

Read your comment a couple of times.

"If I don't know who you are talking about it might be me."

Do you think you are famous enough that other people are supposed to know who YOU are talking about? And if they don't, perhaps they are the ones you are talking about?

That sounds like a line from a Woody Allen movie where he's explaining something he told his psychiatrist. Maybe you should see Woody's psychiatrist.

16 posted on 09/13/2023 12:30:22 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (A person who seeks the truth with a strong bias will never find it. He will only confirm his bias.)
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To: canuck_conservative

The Russian military is rife with Uke spies, the Uke military is rife with Russian spies. What about the treasure trove of US weapons’ specs and tactics the Russians have had access to from their Uke operatives?


17 posted on 09/13/2023 12:30:43 PM PDT by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: VanShuyten

Sure....amazing how everything “pro-Ukriane” is the gospel truth, like the Ghost of Kiev and Snake Island nonsense and everything that is not, is pure propaganda.

I guess Kuzminov only had his parents. No one else.

I’m guessing since you have access to the deepest of deep intel, you would know.

Then again, like so many of the others, why are you on FR and not in a foxhole defending Ukraine? Because, deep down you really do not care. You’re kind of an acolyte of Schiff. Mr. “we need to fight Russia over there, so we don’t have to fight them here”. As if Russia is capable of launching an attack across two oceans and invading the US. Yup...gonna happen. Any day now. Right after they’re done with all the other stuff.

Be like that movie from the 60s....The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming

Maybe you can post up and stand guard on the coast somewhere.


18 posted on 09/13/2023 12:32:44 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

Another one. I’m sure that if all the pro-Zelensky folks on here decided to step up and help Ukraine, they’d probably form a platoon, at least. Maybe a little more.

Given that Zelensky is begging his people to stop going to the beach and hitting the bars and nightclubs...because they really seem to care about what Russia is doing....he can use the help.

Maybe there can be another thread on FR....A Day in the Life of the Freeper Ukraine Volunteers...what it’s like to actually step up to the plate and defend a country we so vigorously support, instead of cheering on death and destruction from 6000 miles away in Anytown, USA. It could be a daily VLOG/Blog.


19 posted on 09/13/2023 12:36:38 PM PDT by qaz123
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To: qaz123
tired of seeing money swirl down a drain for nothing

but it's not for nothing

a malicious enemy is being kept in check for just a fraction of the cost of the budget, NO American lives are being lost, and NATO has a front-row-seat for learning a lot about the wartime operation of Russia's military

win-win-win


20 posted on 09/13/2023 12:38:59 PM PDT by canuck_conservative (there would be no more need for NATO, if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors)
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