defected
v.v. to leave your own country, group, or political party to join an enemy or a different side. This usually happens because you disagree with the original group or want more freedom.
v. the past tense and past participle of 'defect'; refers to the act of abandoning one's country or cause in favour of an opposing one. Often implies a permanent shift in allegiance, frequently for political or ideological reasons.
The pilot defected to the neighboring country during the war.
Several high-ranking officials defected to the opposition party after the corruption scandal became public.
During the height of the Cold War, numerous artists and scientists defected to the West, seeking creative freedom and political asylum from their restrictive home regimes.
The verb is intransitive and is almost always followed by the preposition 'to' or 'from'.
He defected his countryHe defected from his countryDefect is intransitive; you must use 'from' to indicate the place being left and 'to' for the destination.