A Russian pilot named Maxim Kuzminovwho deserted last August to surrender to the Ukrainian Army with the helicopter he was piloting, has been found dead in Spainas reported this Monday by the Ukrainian media Kyiv Post.

The death of the pilot has been confirmed by the representative of the Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), Andri Yusov, who told the media that the fact of death can be “confirmed,” although he did not mention the place where he was found dead. A GUR source told another Ukrainian media, Ukrainska Pravda, that the pilot was shot dead.

According to that same source, a burned-out car was found near his home that could have been used by the murderers. Kuzminov had decided to go live in Spain instead of staying in Ukraine, according to the aforementioned GUR source.

The Russian’s defection became known in September last year when the Ukrainian GUR published some images in which the pilot – who then I was 28 years old– explained how he was contacted by enemy military intelligence, who offered him to switch to the Ukrainian side in exchange for money and protection.

In the video you can see Kuzminov landing with his helicopter, a Mi-8 fighter, at a military base in the Kharkiv region, in eastern Ukraine and bordering Russia.

As reported at the time by the head of the Ukrainian GUR, Kirilo Budanov, Kuzminov crossed the border by flying below the radar detection area along with other crew members who were unaware of the pilot’s plans and died while trying to flee after landing. Budanov also explained then that Ukrainian military intelligence had managed to get the defecting pilot’s family out of Russia.