Russian helicopter pilot flies more than 60 miles into Ukrainian territory before landing and defecting amid claims two colleagues have been ‘eliminated’ and fighter jet parts seized

A Russian helicopter pilot has defected to Ukraine with his plane and a valuable shipment of fighter jet spare parts.

The unnamed pilot landed his Mi-8 AMTSh helicopter at a Ukrainian airbase in the Kharkov region and then surrendered earlier this week, Ukrainskaya Pravda said, citing intelligence sources.

The pilot handed over control of the plane and cargo – parts for the Soviet-era Su-27 and Su-30 jets – after Ukrainian intelligence agents reportedly managed to get his family out of Russia and evacuated to Ukraine to avoid repercussions. prevent.

Two other members of the Russian Air Force aboard the helicopter refused to surrender and were shot down by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian Pravda reported.

The photo shows a Russian Su-30 fighter jet. The helicopter was carrying parts for Su-27 and Su-30 jets when the pilot defected

Su-27 fighter jets are pictured. The helicopter was carrying parts for Su-27 and Su-30 jets when the pilot defected

Russian war reporters initially claimed their helicopter accidentally crashed in Ukraine after the pilots became disoriented, lost navigation and went off course.

But Ukrainian sources replied that the airbase was far from the front line and the helicopter was flying low, suggesting the pilots could have navigated via obvious landmarks.

Pro-Ukrainian war reporter Yuriy Butusov said the pilot’s decision to defect to Ukraine with his plane constituted “the first deliberate surrender of such equipment by the Russian Federation.”

Ukraine military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov later revealed via the Telegram messaging app that the surrender of his plane and cargo by the Russian pilot was the culmination of a six-month intelligence operation.

The helicopter’s crew had been tasked with transporting the parts between two Russian airbases, providing the pilot with the necessary cover to escape.

Footage released by Ukrainskaya Pravda showed the Mi-8 helicopter in a field, as well as part of its payload, including electronic components used in engines and other electrical systems.

News of the defecting Russian pilot came as Ukrainian intelligence announced it had destroyed a key Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system in occupied Crimea.

If confirmed, this would be another embarrassing blow to Moscow as Ukraine increasingly targets Russia’s assets far behind the frontline in southern and eastern Ukraine.

The agency claimed on its official Telegram channel that Russia has a “limited number” of advanced systems and that the loss “is a painful blow.” Officials in Moscow did not immediately comment.

Capable of hitting enemy aircraft, the S-400 long-range missiles are considered one of the best systems available. They have a range of 400 kilometers and can attack multiple targets at the same time.

Incredible drone footage of the strike was subsequently shared on social media.

A Russian air defense system has been destroyed in occupied Crimea, according to Ukrainian officials

Four Russian S-400 air defense system vehicles

“As a result of the explosion, the installation itself, the missiles and the personnel installed on it were completely destroyed,” said Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko.

Russian sources believe the blast was caused by a Storm Shadow missile delivered to Ukraine by Britain and France.

Russia’s Telegram Military Informant said: “The enemy is publishing footage this morning of an attack on an S-400 air defense system in the Olenevka area of ​​Crimea.

Exactly what was hit is currently unknown, but presumably it was a Storm Shadow cruise missile.

In addition, a Ukrainian reconnaissance UAV hovered unobstructed directly over the air defense system positions and exercised objective control.

“Such incidents raise legitimate questions about the quality of air defense coverage in one of Russia’s most ‘missile-prone’ regions.”