A Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian troops has recently ended up in Ukraine following a long-running special operation by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
The case was reported by the Ukrainian media Ukrainska Pravda, which cited its sources in the agency.
A special operation of the Military Intelligence lasted more than 6 months. Ukrainian Intelligence lured the pilot of the Mi-8 AMTSh to Ukraine.
The plane flew between two air bases and transported parts for Su-27 and Su-30 SM fighters.
Along with the pilot, two crew members were on board who did not know where the helicopter was going. Finally, the Mi-8 landed in the Kharkiv region.
The Russian pilot and his family are in Ukraine. His family was taken out of Russia in advance. The Mi-8 remained in Ukraine along with the parts for fighter jets it was supposed to deliver to the Russians.
Ukrainian intelligence found an approach to the Russian pilot
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, described the operation to lure the Mi-8 pilot as “the first successful one of its kind in Ukraine’s history.”
“We were able to find the right approach to the man, create conditions for his family to leave the country unnoticed, and eventually made it possible for him to overtake the aircraft with the crew, who had no idea what was going on,” Mr Budanov stated.
Despite the intelligence service’s intention to save their lives, two more crew members attempted to flee after landing on Ukrainian territory and were shot down, according to the agency.
“The pilot feels great. He’s doing well, and we’ll be able to speak with him soon. No one is keeping him behind bars,” Budanov said.
