Comments on: Author POV – Viktor Belenko, Hero or Traitor?

By: John Neely

John Neely — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:15:43 +0000

It was Alexander Zuyev, who defected to Turkey in 1989 with his MiG-29, that was killed in 2001 in a small plane crash in Washington state.

By: Rash

Rash — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:13:52 +0000

But one thing I’ll never understand. Why he left his family? For me, family is the most important thing in life! can not be selfish to an extent. After all, there were cases such as for example in Cuba. When the pilot returned to their families. Because of this, for me a traitor Belenko. Cause he left his family. This is not a male thing.

By: James Barnhill

James Barnhill — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 05:09:31 +0000

Greg – Bull. You write English with Russian accent.

By: Byron Allen Black

Byron Allen Black — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:11:02 +0000

Just yesterday I was reading on the web of a staged “debate” between British barristers and American lawyers, on the legality of the American Revolution against the Crown of George III. It was an interesting opportunity to hold a “friendly match” between legal experts from both sides, with arguments that certainly held merit. As for Viktor Belenko I’d say that his personality as an adventurer came to the fore – he’d had the adventure of being a MiG pilot – now he wanted the adventure of living in the West. Reading Barron’s interesting book, Belenko did not come across as a political animal at all.

By: Mike Snapp

Mike Snapp — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 17:53:22 +0000

Wow Mark, that was a great comment.

By: Greg

Greg — Sun, 16 May 2010 15:28:31 +0000

Actually Belenko was the CIA agent. He was recruited in 1974 in Moscow . The British MI6 did assist CIA with his recruitment. They provided a woman agent who met Belenko at bar in Moscow.

By: yakov

yakov — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:47:43 +0000

Belenko was not married in Russia. He had a woman with a boy.
Writer Barron wrote ‘Mig Pilot’ and he ‘converted’ that woman into Belenko’s wife. It was done for the emotional appeal for potential readers. Some of Belenko’s relatives moved to Canada.
One time he was involved in BD-10 Jet test program. After 1996 he vanished from the aviation community. Perhaps he was killed during test flights.

By: Mark Holt

Mark Holt — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:25:20 +0000

Viktor Belenko betrayed his Russian homeland in order to be true to a higher standard, that of the human spirit living within him. Yes, he was most definitely a traitor to Soviet Russia. However, given their awful humanitarian record and abysmal economic mismanagement, as well as the near slavery-like conditions, alcoholism, and intellectual dishonesty forced upon its citizens, one would have to be woefully uninformed to say he did the wrong thing. Betraying such a corrupt system was an act of selflessness and courage, born out of desperation as well as persecution. The persecution was not specific to him. He existed in a state of widespread and anonymous persecution, where everyone was the victim and the perpetrator. Escape was both a necessity and a miracle.

Lieutenant Belenko did not choose to be born in Russia in order to betray it. He did not enlist in the Soviet Air Force so that he would eventually have something to trade in his eventual defection. At each stage in his life, he desired only to better himself, to avoid the pettiness and parasitism which surrounded him. He was a great man in a place which did not permit greatness. Before he could betray his country, it betrayed him. It betrayed him and millions more like him.

It is chauvinism of the worst sort to expect an honorable man to say black is white, that misery is happiness, or that slavery is freedom, simply out of some misguided idea that he must support the government that happens to rule the land of his birth. The concepts of freedom, bravery, and honor are above national identity. Lieutenant Belenko, uninformed as he was, found his way to the right place for such ideals to blossom. As flawed as it is, the constitutional republic of America is the best system ever devised to give the most possible freedom to the highest possible number of its citizens. He was drawn to it as iron filings are to a magnet. To refuse that pull would have been the real betrayal.

By: Igor Shutov

Igor Shutov — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:40:57 +0000

Actually Mig Pilot was killed in a small plane crash about 10 years ago. He used to attend EAA Oshkosh where he made presentations about soviet military aviation.

By: DrWMPottenger

DrWMPottenger — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:42:59 +0000

Does anyone know how to get in touch with Mr. Belenko? I just read John Barron’s book, and realized that Mr. Belenko is about 63 years old now and probably still living.