Maxim Kuzmenov, a 28-year-old Russian Mi-8 helicopter pilot, surrendered to the Ukrainians after landing at a Ukrainian airstrip on August 23. It was later revealed that Ukrainian intelligence was involved in the Russian's defection and a special operation to bring him from the Kursk region of Russia to the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.
In mid-February, Spanish media reported that Kuzminov's body had been found in Alicante. According to the local press, the pilot was killed by “professionals” who had previously monitored him using surveillance cameras.
How did the Russian pilot who defected to Ukraine die? Investigation details
The American newspaper “The New York Times” published details of the killing of the Russian pilot on Sunday. According to the newspaper, Kuzminov lived in the coastal city of Villajoyosa, where he moved in the fall of 2023. “This region is a known base for Russian organized crime,” we read in the article, whose authors emphasize that Russian criminals maintain ties with the special services of the Russian Federation.
In Spain, Kuzmenov lived an “immodest life,” said a New York Times interviewer investigating the murder. The pilot visited bars frequented by Russians and Ukrainians, and drove around the city in a black Mercedes S-Class.
“Coffee enthusiast. Troublemaker. Incurable introvert. Subtly charming twitter scholar. Award-winning social mediaholic. Internet buff.”
