List of Cold War Pilot Defections - Greece

Greece

  • On 11 September 1970 A Greek Air Force C-47 crossed into Soviet airspace in the area of Sevastopol in order to defect. The pilot of a Su-15 flew up alongside and rocked his wings, signaling "follow me". The C-47 complied and landed at Bel'bek airbase. The Greek pilot, Captain Mikhalis Maniatakis had stolen the aircraft from Chania airbase on Crete to flee from junta-controlled Greece. Maniatakis requested political asylum in the USSR.
  • On 25 November 1973 A Greek Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel Dimitrios Zelios landed at an airport in the southeast Italian city of Brindisi and asked for political asylum.

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