According to the report, the Russian helicopter pilot fled to Ukraine and will receive a reward equivalent to 500,000 dollars.

The Ukrainian online publication “Ukrainian Pravda” quotes a comment from the spokesman of the military intelligence, Andriy Yusov, who said that pilot Maksym Kuzminov will receive a reward in Ukrainian currency.

“Those Russians who do not want to become war criminals, please surrender, go over to the side of Ukraine,” he allegedly said.

In a separate Telegram post, Ukrainian intelligence reported that the 28-year-old pilot is now calling on other Russians to follow his example.

At a press conference in Kyiv, Kuzminov spoke about the risky operation of the Mi-8 helicopter flight from Russia to Ukraine.

In comments from the intelligence department, the pilot said he was flying at “extremely low altitude in radio silence mode.”

“Nobody knew what happened to me. Apparently, no one understood what happened for three or four days. I successfully flew and landed,” he said.

“I contacted the Ukrainian special services, explained my situation, after which they offered me the following opportunity: “Come, we guarantee your safety, we guarantee you new documents, we guarantee you material compensation.”

The Russian pilot says that he later clarified other details with Ukrainian intelligence, including the flight path.

Regarding the escape, which was reported by the Ukrainian media on August 23, Kuzminov said that he “understood that I was near the border. I made my point and said, “Let’s try, I’m not far away.”

The pilot said that Ukraine “will definitely win this war” because its people are “united”.