Russia spreading fake news about Ukrainian pilot defecting to occupiers' side - Yusov

Russian media reports that an allegedly active pilot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces defected and flew to the Russian side are fake.

Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"This is a late Russian psychological operation in response to many Russian occupiers, including officers and pilots with equipment, surrendering and defecting to the Ukrainian side," Yusov said.

Russia's TASS news agency claimed on Saturday that an allegedly "active pilot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces flew to the Russian side." The propagandists allegedly learned this from Ka-52 helicopter pilot Oleksii Voievoda, who allegedly organized the flight.