2023-09-13 03:26:00
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A Russian helicopter flies over the Epiphany Church of the St. Nicholas Monastery in Arzamas, 100 kilometers south of Nizhny Novgorod (symbolic image). © IMAGO/Sergei Bobylev/ITAR-TASS
The escaped helicopter pilot appears to be encouraging other Russian soldiers to desert: the number of calls to Kiev’s desertion hotline is increasing.
Kiev – The Russian helicopter pilot Maksim Kuzminov managed to escape to Ukraine. The Russian soldier had planned his desertion for a long time together with the Ukrainian military intelligence service. For handing over the MI-8 helicopter to the Ukrainian army, Kuzminov received security guarantees – and a reward of half a million US dollars (around 463,000 euros). This success story now seems to be finding imitators in the Ukraine war.
Secret service: More Russian soldiers want to desert in the Ukraine war
Soldiers in war are faced with death, injury or traumatic experiences at any time – no matter which side they fight on. But According to numerous reports, Russia is particularly cruel to its military personnel around. At the beginning of the invasion, the Russian soldiers apparently didn’t even realize that they were going to war – the operation was initially communicated as an exercise. Moscow also sent many of its fighters to the front without sufficient training or weapons. According to reports, there is psychological pressure, violence and even murder within their own ranks. Recently, the suicide rate among Russian generals has risen massively, Ukrainian sources said.
Die Desertion of Russian helicopter pilot Maksim Kuzminov, who no longer has to fight for Russia, is apparently calling for imitators. “After the successful operation Synytsia (in German: Titmouse) with the Mi-8 and the pilot,” the number of Russian army personnel considering desertion has increased, said Andrii Yusov, the representative of the Defense Intelligence Service of Ukraine, on Monday ( September 11) in conversation with Radio Svoboda Liberty. The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Service had set up a hotline called “I want to live” through which Russian soldiers could surrender. The number of calls per day has skyrocketed by 70 percent since Kuzminov’s escape, Yusow continued.
From left to right: Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency representative Andrii Yusov, journalist Artem Shevchenko and deserted Russian Mi-8 helicopter pilot Maksim Kuzminov during a press conference on September 5. © IMAGO/Ukrinform/ABACA / ABACAPRESS
Fear of counter-offensive: defected helicopter pilot calls on former comrades to flee
Last year, the BBC reported that Russian callers to the desertion hotline were “some desperate, some frustrated because they don’t fully understand how the hotline works or whether it’s just a trap.” as an employee of the government project said. The helicopter pilot’s successful desertion now appears to have increased confidence in the veracity of the Ukrainian statements. After his successful escape, the pilot himself called on his former comrades to desert. “If you do what I did, you won’t regret it. You will be provided with absolutely everything for the rest of your life,” says Kuzminow.
Exact figures for “I want to live” are not available. “You are not alone – several thousand military personnel have already saved their lives by surrendering,” it said on the hotline website. There, Ukraine also shares concrete tips for Russian soldiers who “do not want to die in war like more than 200,000 citizens of the Russian Federation.” There is advice, for example, on how Russian citizens can avoid being called up or how soldiers can surrender on the battlefield. Kiev guarantees refugees compliance with the Geneva Convention.
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