A former Air Force veteran, who once wore his country’s uniform with pride, now allegedly operates drones for the Russian military, stirring up treason charges and national outrage.
At a Glance
- Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former U.S. Air Force member, defected to Russia in April 2024 and now works as a drone operator for the Russian military.
- He served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force and later joined the Massachusetts National Guard.
- Puello-Mota was facing child pornography charges in the U.S. when he fled to Russia in January 2024.
- In a video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense, Puello-Mota criticizes U.S. government and foreign policy.
- He claims the U.S. is “collapsing” and “falling apart” due to debt and poor leadership.
A Twisted Path from Patriot to Alleged Traitor
Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former U.S. Air Force member and Massachusetts National Guard member, defected to Russia in April 2024 to work as a drone operator. His controversial move has resulted in charges of treason, though Puello-Mota himself denies the allegations, claiming disillusionment with American governance inspired his actions, not a desire to betray his homeland.
Puello-Mota served a combined ten years before his service record came to a particularly sordid end. Facing child pornography charges, which included the possession of explicit images involving a 17-year-old girl, he fled to Russia in January 2024. A video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense shows Puello-Mota, now part of a Russian UAV platoon with the call sign “Boston,” criticizing U.S. policy as he operates Russian drones.
Treason or Desperation?
The U.S. government is treating Puello-Mota’s defection as an act of treason, a charge that cannot be taken lightly. In the Russian-released video, Puello-Mota asserts that his actions are a result of “American policies” and the supposed decline of the country. He states, “The United States have done things that are very provocative. It’s been involved in other people’s politics, other nations’ interests. It should not be doing that.”
“I don’t consider myself a traitor,” Puello-Mota said in the now infamous video. He added, “I love these guys,” referencing Russian soldiers. Intriguingly, he describes the continuing Ukrainian offensive into Russia as a “terrorist attack,” aligning himself firmly with Russian propaganda.
It turns out that Puello-Mota’s patriotic image had already taken a knock back in May 2020, with his arrest over immoral and criminal dealings. Legal battles over child pornography charges appear to have been the tipping point, propelling him toward defection. His lawyer speculates that Puello-Mota’s flight was an attempt to escape the ramifications in the United States, specifically to avoid registering as a sex offender.
Consequences for Betrayal
Before all of this controversy, Puello-Mota earned two Air Force Achievement medals and had even served time in Afghanistan in 2015. These accomplishments now cast a long shadow over his tarnished legacy. The Pentagon confirmed Puello-Mota’s prior service but noted his termination from the Air National Guard in October 2022, a detail that adds another layer of complexity to the already convoluted tale.
“I’m Will. I’m from Massachusetts,” Puello-Mota introduced himself in the five-minute video from Russia’s Defense Ministry. “My call sign is ‘Boston.'” Little did anyone know back then that the man who had once been a city councilor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, aligned with conservative council members, would make such a treacherous leap.
His decision isn’t just a slap in the face to conservative values but also a disgrace to the ideals of military service and loyalty. As U.S. authorities continue to untangle this mess, one thing becomes glaringly clear: the consequences of betrayal extend far beyond individual choices.
