This IL-22M command and control aircraft (reportedly RF-75917) was purportedly shot down over Voronezh Oblast by Wagner forces advancing towards Moscow. It is reported that several Russian aircraft, including KA-52 helicopters and one or more fixed-wing aircraft were shot down by Russian forces.

The situation continues to develop, but there are unconfirmed reports that Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted a deal brokered by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and agreed to return his forces to their staging areas in eastern Luhansk, while Prigozhin himself will relocate to Belarus. It is rumored that Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov may be sacked as part of this arrangement.

If Wagner was able to engage and destroy aircraft during their advance to Moscow, then this is a remarkable capability to have in the hands of a privately owned organization. Wager was able to deny Russian aviation control of the airspace and cover their movement inside of Russia.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through sailing.