MADRID (AP) — Spanish police said Tuesday they suspect the bullet-riddled body of a man found in an eastern town is that of Russian defector Maksim Kuzminov, who flew a Russian army helicopter on his escape across the front lines last year.

Andrii Yusov, a representative of Ukrainian military intelligence, confirmed to local media that the former Russian pilot had died in Spain, but didn’t provide details.

Spain’s Civil Guard said they found false documents on a body discovered Feb. 13 in the entrance to a residential complex in La Cala, near the eastern port city of Alicante.

They said the documents identified the man as a 33-year-old Ukrainian, but police now believe it could be Kuzminov.

Kuzminov defected last year by flying into Ukraine in a Mi-8 army helicopter with the help of Ukrainian intelligence.

Spanish state news agency Efe said the body had been hit by half a dozen bullets and was run over by the car used by the attackers.

Reports said a burning car — possibly the one used in the attack — was found near the area later but the Civil Guard could not immediately confirm that information.

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An earlier version of this report said that Spanish police released the tentative identification Friday. It was Tuesday.

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AP writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed to this report.