The Economist explains

What happened when Russia’s air force attacked Wagner’s rebels?

The mercenaries’ downing of several aircraft is another embarrassment for Moscow

The Wagner military convoy allegedly being hit with an airstrike
Image: Getty Images

WHEN WAGNER GROUP mercenaries, commanded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, advanced towards Moscow on June 24th, they met little resistance on the ground. But the rebels did come under attack from the Russian air force—and shot down a surprising number of their attackers. At least one plane and six helicopters were apparently downed. This was a costly event for Moscow, in losses of men and reputation as well as aircraft. What happened?

From the July 1st 2023 edition

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