Wagner Group shooting down a Russian command plane may be gift that keeps on giving for Ukraine's beleaguered air defenses

Story by insider@insider.com (Michael Peck) • 6 July 2023

A Russian Il-22 seen by British Royal Air Force Typhoons along the Baltic coast in May 2019. Royal Air Force
© Royal Air Force

> Wagner Group mercenaries shot down several Russian military aircraft during the revolt in June.
> Among them was an Il-22M, which is designed to control and coordinate ground and air forces.
> The loss of one of Russia's few Il-22M could hinder its air force's ability to operate over Ukraine.

Under normal circumstances, the Wagner Group mercenaries who shot down a flying command post would have received medals. Instead, they may end up in jail — or worse.

Wagner Group's abortive revolt last month didn't just end with its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, fleeing the country and its troops being absorbed into the Russian military. It also saw Russian forces fire on each other, destroying several helicopters and, most crucially, an irreplaceable Il-22M (codenamed "Coot-B" by NATO), a Cold War- era Il-18 transport modified for use as a command center and radio relay to control air and ground forces.

Take a look at the first images of Wagner mercenaries descending on strategic Russian city in an apparent armed rebellion against Putin

1 of 11 Photos in Gallery©REUTERS

Take a look at the first images of Wagner mercenaries descending on strategic Russian city in an apparent armed rebellion against Putin

> Wagner group troops descended on Rostov-on-Don in Russia in an apparent armed mutiny.
> Images show t? he armed fighters on armored vehicles in the streets of the strategic Russian city.
> The soldiers appear to be heading north from the city towards Moscow, the UK Ministry of Defence said.

Russian mercenary troops marched into a Russian city in an apparent armed rebellion, and they may be on the move towards the country's capital. On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Wagner group's actions a "betrayal," and vowed to quell the mutiny.

—Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 24, 2023

Videos on social media appear to show Wagner group soldiers descending on the strategic Rostov-on-Don on Saturday after the group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russia's defense ministry "must be stopped."

Rostov-on-Don is a critical military hub in southern Russia for the fighting in Ukraine. Located 60 miles from the Ukraine border, the city of more than one million people hosts the HQ of the Russian Southern Military District command, which according to unconfirmed reports, has been seized by Wagner fighters.

Take a look at the first images of the Wagner fighters descending on the city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.

"The loss of this aircraft is likely to have a negative impact on Russian air and land operations," the British Ministry of Defense said in an update published on June 29.

Russia is estimated to have only 12 Il-22Ms. Russia also has 19 Il-20M and Il-22 electronic signals-intelligence aircraft — also based on the Il-18 — but losing an Il-22M is particularly costly.

Poster Comment:

Photo gallery at source.