Russia says Ukrainian plane crashed and pilot detained in Bryansk Oblast

Russia has said they have detained the pilot of an allegedly Ukrainian light aircraft that crashed in Bryansk Oblast (Russia).

Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlet TASS citing the Border Service of the FSB; Latvia-based Russian independent news outlet Meduza; Russian independent news outlet Baza

Details: Russian border guards have reportedly detained the pilot of a Ukrainian light aircraft who was trying to escape.

According to Russian media, the plane crashed in Bryansk Oblast.

Quote from the FSB statement: "On 5 April 2023, officers of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia in Bryansk Oblast recorded a violation of the state border from Ukraine to the Russian Federation by a Ukrainian light aircraft. The aircraft crashed for unspecified reasons near the settlement of Butovsk, Bryansk Oblast. The pilot (a citizen of Ukraine), who tried to escape to Ukrainian territory, was detained by border guards."

More details: The press service of the Russian secret service has stated that "the foreigner is being investigated" and that "a procedural decision will be made" as per the investigation results.

Russian Telegram channels have posted photos of the supposedly detained man and the damaged plane, as well as a video of the pilot's interrogation.

A bulletproof vest and an assault rifle were allegedly found on the ground near the crashed plane.

In the video, the man identified himself as Oleksandr Morozov. He said that he was a private civilian pilot and had not conducted any flights since the beginning of the war. He had no documents on him. He also confirmed that the bulletproof vest and assault rifle belonged to him, saying that he had received them "for safety" before the flight.

He was allegedly invited to make a flight at an altitude of 50 metres with a start in Kyiv Oblast (he was supposed to fly behind another plane) to check the work of Ukrainian air defence and take aerial photographs at a specified location. For this, he was supposedly to receive 50,000 hryvnias [approximately US$1,300 – ed.].

In the video, the man also says that he did not know he was on Russian territory because his tablet was not functioning properly.

According to Russian news outlets, Morozov learned to fly at the age of 50, having received training in the late 2000s. He then bought a small plane, and later "decided to build an airfield and fly from there for fun".

During the war in Donbas that started in 2014, he flew wounded Ukrainian soldiers to hospital. The man also patrolled the border in Kharkiv Oblast.

A volunteer association of pilots, the Civil Air Patrol, whose pilots take part in combat operations, is based at the airfield Morozov created.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!