Todd Maki/US Air Force via AP
“The state has received photos and videos purporting to be the defendant in Russia and Ukraine, where he is alleged to have joined the Russian military,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha wrote in a court document earlier this year.
“While the state cannot verify the authenticity of the videos and photographs, if they are accurate, the defendant is well beyond the jurisdiction of this court and, if false, the defendant is engaged in an elaborate ruse to conceal his whereabouts.”
Puello-Mota said that he doesn’t consider himself a traitor and instead used a commonly cited Russian talking point that “the United States has done things that are very provocative, very bad.”
“It’s been involved in other people’s politics, other nations’ interests, and should not be doing that,” he argued.
Puello-Mota was praised by his Russian commander in a separate video as having passion for his work and being a very good pilot who approaches his work professionally.
Likewise, the onetime Guardsman praises his Russian comrades by saying that “they help me to navigate all the complexities and the cultural differences.”
“I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to be here with. I love these guys.”