The MiG-29 Defection

He grew hatred towards the SOVIET regime, so he decided to do something about it. He drugged his fellow officers to slip past security, he then stole a MiG-29 fighter jet, flew low straight to Turkey, where he requested political asylum from the US. His defection sent shock waves to the Soviets and gave the West a rare look inside one of the USSR’s top fighters.
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[EightHades]

So glad we could get these documents out, war thunder wouldn’t be the same without them

[chewbacca]

As far as I know, he ended up in the US but Turkiye sent the fighter jet back to the USSR. Both sides asked for both of them to be sent their way.

[Rob_FF]

Actually naming the pilot and the date of the defection might have been informative.

[sovietbanana]

People seem to suddenly forget that western countries were offering massive bounties and rewards for any “defectors” from the eastern block. And these were often massive and promoted by western propaganda centers like radio free Europe or Asia. So despite the fact that conditions in 70’s and 80’s Soviet Union was actually good they would still defect because of the money. Why live as an officer living a decent life in the Soviet Union when you can live as a rich person in a western country. This especially applies to pilots defecting which get A LOT of money for their defection and aircraft.

Edit:y’all need to do actual research and not just spout cold war propaganda. The Soviet Union was not a foodless backwater into the Cold War. There is a CIA document labeled “The nutrient content of the soviet food supply” which shows that the caloric intake between U.S and soviet citizens was about the same. And its oppressiveness is also exaggerated. A few months before the dissolution they held a referendum on the future of the Soviet Union. In said referendum 80% of the population of 9 of the member republics voted in favor of preserving the Soviet Union. This not only shows that people supported the ussr but how the dissolution was not a revolution of the populace. Y’all need to do your research before spouting Cold War era propaganda.

[Slayer]

Not like they sold the MIG-29 to basically anyone

[MayViation-Real]

Now thats what I call an average Soviet pilot

[natanbirnbaum]

Turkey as always playing both teams xD

[Sgg-ny]

its hard being a traitor, who you back stab will look for revenge and who helped you stabback your friends wont be helping you either because they will see you untrustable

[-Ryan_Gasoline-]

This thing was basically the Soviet F-16, and still is, Ukrainians are using these on low-flying strike missions to destroy high-value targets, plus air-to-air missions obviously.

[vic]

Meanwhile, when Germany reunified, the German air force came into possession of a number of MiG-29s from the former East Germany.

[ahmedabuelkhair]

That’s was a map of Russian Soviet republic not the USSR was much bigger

[Alixo_Gamerr]

Alexander Zuyev was son in law of a Air Force general. He did not go to Afganistan, work where he want and have no respect to his upper ranks. This hapens when there is no sense of merit in your system.

[birder]

In this situation the jet was returned to the USSR, there was another defection in japan though, where the US kept the plane and could study it, if i remember right they offered the jet back after which the USSR declined

[GpCpm]

Turkiye sended fighters back but A man who described the incident said that several men in dark glasses and black clothes examined the plane at length, and that they were most likely Americans.

[John-hiq]

They killed him you didn't finish the story, KGB has long hands. 😂😂😂

[pokefan-ixsh]

Information from wikipedia: Aleksandr Mikhailovich Zuyev was a Soviet pilot who defected to the United States with his MiG-29 on May 20, 1989

[RussChannel]

Aleksandr Zuyev is his name. Interesting fact - he died in an aircrash just 12 years later in Seattle driving an old soviet plane, it was in 2001, 1 year after Putin came to power. I would not be surprised if this was a work of russians who just did a revenge on him.

[jaydbd]

america: government
russia: "regime"
edit: to all people talking about "voting"... is Ukraine enjoying what their US sponsored presidents led to since 2014? 🤭

[potato]

Defect for hate ? Bro, i despise my goverment evry day but dosn't men i am going to the other side

Especialy for money

[BAYER_ALBANIA]

"A disrespect of the motherland a disgrace" Ahh😂😂