General
Ex-U.S. Airman Charged With Child Pornography Appears in Russian Propaganda Video
“I don’t consider myself a traitor,” said Wilmer Puello-Mota, who has enlisted in the Russian military.
A former U.S. Air Force airman who absconded to Russia after being hit with child pornography charges appears to be featured in a Russian propaganda video in which he defends his decision to enlist in the military there.
Wearing military fatigues with a Russian flag patch on the chest and a combat helmet, the veteran, Wilmer Puello-Mota, describes his service in the U.S. Air Force and the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Toward the end of the video, he offers a prediction seemingly intended to please the audience in his adopted country:
“Victory will be ours,” he declares in Russian.
Mr. Puello-Mota, 28, nevertheless defended his patriotism.
“I don’t consider myself a traitor,” he said. “The United States and Russia aren’t at war.”
The former airman, who said he now went by the call sign “Boston,” is a reconnaissance drone operator in the Russian Armed Forces, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Mr. Puello-Mota said he had fought in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine.
In the video, which was posted to the Telegram social media app on Monday by the defense ministry, Mr. Puello-Mota introduces himself to viewers. “I’m Will; I’m from Massachusetts,” he says.
Mr. Puello-Mota served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and had one deployment to Afghanistan before joining the Massachusetts Air National Guard in June 2019, according to his service record. In the Air Force, he obtained the rank of technical sergeant and was a member of the 104th Fighter Wing security forces.
