Viktor Ivanovich Belenko was a Soviet-born American aerospace engineer and pilot who defected in 1976 to the West while flying his MiG-25 "Foxbat" jet interceptor and landed in Hakodate, Japan. George H. W. Bush, the Director of Central Intelligence at the time, called the opportunity to examine the plane up close an "intelligence bonanza" for the West. Belenko later became a U.S. aerospace engineer.
Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko landed his MiG-25 in Hakodate, Japan, declaring his intention to defect to the West.
On September 6, in the year 1976, Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko landed his MiG-25 in Hakodate, Japan, declaring his intention to defect to the West. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of September 6, one of 443 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on September 6, 1976 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 2 July 2026.
On This Date in History 443
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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