A former Russian pilot who defected to the Ukrainian military was found dead in Spain.
Maksim Kuzminov was found lying in a pool of blood with 12 bullet wounds, the Spanish police said.
Kuzminov defected to Ukraine when he flew his twin-engine Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter from a Russian airfield to Ukrainian territory.
The defected soldier had been living under a different name and identity in Spain with a Ukrainian passport for over a year.
People Linked To Russia Blames Ukraine
People linked to the Russian defense ministry have blamed the Ukrainian intelligence agency for assassinating the former pilot.
The Guardian quoted a Russian-appointed official in southern Ukraine blamed the murder on Ukraine as an attempt to further isolate Putin.
Big Upset For Russia
Kuzminov’s secret mission was a huge upset for the Russian military fighting in Ukraine at the time.
The Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainskaya Pravda mentioned at the time that Kuzminov was awarded 500,000 dollars in hryvnia equivalent.
The Russian side has repeatedly threatened to kill Kuzminov for being a Ukrainian spy.
