One of Putin’s commanders ‘used two military helicopters to transport his pet cat’: One chopper flew pedigree feline while another was sent to ‘provide cover’, Russian defector claims

According to a defecting pilot, one of Putin’s commanders used two military helicopters to transport his cat.

The animal was transported in a multimillion-pound helicopter while the other plane took about an hour to travel, the New Voice of Ukraine reported, citing an interview between Maksim Kuzminov, 28, a former Russian military officer, and Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Zolkin.

Kuzminov will receive a £398,000 reward for his defection and Ukrainian intelligence said he is now urging others in Russian to follow in his footsteps.

When asked if there has been any irrational or illogical use of pilots and aviation, Kuzminov said there have been “numerous cases.”

He said: ‘Our commander had to transport a cat, which had an impressive pedigree.

‘Two Mi-8 and Mi-24 (helicopter) crews were assigned for this purpose. So two helicopters transported this beautiful animal, so to speak, from Rostov to Yeysk (airbase) – the Mi-8 flew in the cat, while the Mi-24 circled to provide cover.’

Kuzminov said there were six military personnel on board and the flight took about an hour.

“We burned a lot of fuel and resources; moreover, the crews are not always allowed to rest,” he said, adding that the Russian Air Force “lacks trained pilots.”

He said this is just one example of senior commanders in the Russian army “living for their own pleasure.”

Kuzminov said that Russian troops are generally “left to fend for themselves” and that the commanders “never have time to deal with it – they have their own problems.”

On August 23, Kuzminov landed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter in Poltava Oblast, central Ukraine, and surrendered the aircraft to the enemy.

Official sources later confirmed that this was the end point of a six-month Ukrainian defense intelligence operation.

In addition to the helicopter, the transfer also included spare parts for the Su-30 and Su-27 fighter jets.

Now Kuzminov insists there are no Nazis in Ukraine, as Moscow regularly claims, and has accused Vladimir Putin of “genocide” against both Ukrainians and Russians in the war.

Appearing in a televised interview on Sunday night, Kuzminov, who wore a black T-shirt with the Ukrainian trident on it, said: “The truth is that there are no Nazis or fascists (in Ukraine). It’s a real shame what’s happening here. Murder, tears, blood. People just kill each other. That’s all I can make of this and I don’t want to be a part of it. What is happening now is simply the genocide of the Ukrainian people. Both Ukrainian and Russian.’

He said he had defected to take a stand against the “genocide” and called on others in the Russian military to do the same.

Kuzminov said it was his idea to switch sides, adding: “I have contacted representatives of the Ukrainian military intelligence and explained my situation to them.

“They offered me a deal in which they promised me safety, new documents and a reward.”

Two of Kuzminov’s crew members were unaware he was planning to fly to Ukraine and were “eliminated” when the helicopter landed, says Kyrylo Budanov, 37, head of Ukraine’s intelligence service.

“We’d like to take them alive, but it is what it is.”

Kuzminov served in the 319th separate helicopter regiment of military unit 13984 in the Primorsky region of eastern Russia.

He was carrying spare parts for Russian fighters when he diverted and flew to Ukraine.

Kuzminov and his family are now in Ukraine, having previously been evacuated from Russia.

‘We have found an approach for this Russian pilot. We were able to quietly take out his whole family and then created the conditions for the flight of the plane,” Budanov added.

“Now the pilot feels fine, he is fine.”