Kremlin spy chief calls defecting Russian helicopter pilot a ‘moral corpse’ days after he was found ‘riddled with bullets’ and run over by a car in Spain – amid fears hit squad assassinated him to ‘settle scores’

A Russian spy chief has described a helicopter pilot who left Ukraine and was found shot dead in Spain as a “moral corpse” for betraying his country, in Moscow’s first comment on the case since news of the killing emerged.

Captain Maksim Kuzminov, 28, fled Russia with the help of Ukrainian intelligence services and accused Vladimir Putin of “genocide” after his daring escape last summer.

Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence service confirmed yesterday that the pilot – a known target of Russian death squads – had been killed in Spain, but gave no further details on the circumstances surrounding his death, although Spanish and Ukrainian media reported that he had been living in Spain under a false name.

It is feared his assassination was an attempt to settle scores between Russia and Ukraine, which managed to capture a working helicopter when Kuzminov defected.

In the Kremlin’s initial response to Kuzminov’s killing, Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: “In Russia it is customary to speak well of the dead, or nothing at all.”

But he quickly added, “This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse the moment he planned his vile and terrible crime.”

The Ukrainian military intelligence service of the GUR confirmed yesterday that the body of the pilot – a known target of Russian death squads – was found in Spain (photo)

Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), said: “This traitor and criminal became a moral corpse the moment he planned his dirty and terrible crime.”

Western leaders say Russia regularly kills people abroad it considers traitors. Moscow says the West has provided no evidence to support such claims.

A Spanish court in Villajoyosa has opened an investigation into the death of the shooting victim, a judicial source told Reuters on Tuesday.

At the time of his death, the victim had documentation proving he was a 33-year-old Ukrainian citizen, but his identity was still under investigation, the source said.

Kuzminov’s defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kiev. At a press conference in Kiev, he said he could not understand why his “beloved motherland” would go to war with Ukraine.

Other members of the airline crew died during his defection. Moscow said Kuzminov killed them; he said they panicked and fled, and may have been killed afterwards.

In October, shortly after his dramatic defection, there were public death threats against Kuzminov in Russia, with suggestions that Putin’s secret services would hunt him down and kill him for ultimate treason.

A burnt-out car allegedly used by the perpetrators of the murder of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov to escape is parked outside the Spanish Guardia Civil barracks, in El Campello, Spain

Kuzminov’s defection to Ukraine was presented last year as a major coup for Kiev

Anonymous Spetsnaz officers from Russia’s GRU appeared on state TV in Moscow last year, making it clear that an ‘order’ had been given to liquidate Kuzminov

Anonymous Spetsnaz officers from Russia’s GRU appeared on state television in Moscow last year, making it clear that an “order” had been given to liquidate Kuzminov.

State broadcaster Rossiya 1’s Vesti Nedeli channel told viewers in a chilling broadcast: “The order (to kill Captain Kuzminov) has been received, its execution is a matter of time.”

One Spetsnaz officer said: “We will find the man and punish him for betraying his brothers, to the fullest extent of the law of our country.”

A second officer said: ‘He won’t live…’

It was believed that Kuzminov’s wife and family had been brought from Russia before he defected. It is not known why he was in Spain.

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine.

It was believed that Kuzminov’s wife and family had been brought from Russia before he defected. It is not known why he was in Spain

After defecting, Kuzminov became a propaganda trophy for Ukraine

He declared that there were no Nazis in Ukraine – a regular claim by Putin – and accused the dictator of “genocide” of both Ukrainians and Russians by waging the war.

In a documentary about his daring flight and surrender, he said: ‘I realized I was near the border.

“So I gave up my location, said let’s give it a try… I had made my final decision… I was flying at extremely low altitude in radio silent mode….”

He said: ‘(I defected because) I am very offended by what is happening now.

‘Murder, tears, blood. Just people killing each other…

“What is happening now is simply a genocide of the Ukrainian people, both Ukrainian and Russian.

“The basis of my action is not to contribute to these crimes.”

In an interview broadcast by Ukrainian authorities, Kuzimov said: “I contacted representatives of the Ukrainian intelligence service, explained my situation, and they offered this option: ‘Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee a monetary compensation, a reward’. ‘

He was reportedly promised £400,000 to defect to Ukraine with Russian military equipment.