By Dylan Malyasov
The Wagner Group, a private army of mercenaries, appears to have shot down one of Russia’s most advanced attack helicopters in the Voronezh region. Images posted online on June 24 show the resulting wreckage, identified as a Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter with the serial number RF-13418 and bort number Yellow 72.
The attack helicopter was shot down during a conflict between the Russian regular army with Wanger mercenary troops near the village of Talovaya in the Voronezh region. Rescuers found two dead at the crash site.
Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov also confirmed on his influential Fighterbomber channel that the Russian Armed Forces already have lost at least six helicopters and one aircraft in one day. Russia has potentially lost 3 Mi-8MTPR electronic warfare helicopters, one Mi-8 in utility configuration, one Ka-52 attack helicopter, one Mi-35 Hind and one Il-22 Coot airborne command post and electronic warfare aircraft.
It is worth noting that the Wagner troops are being covered by the Pantsir-S1 truck-mounted road-mobile air defense system armed with command-guided surface-to-air missiles and a pair of twin-barrel 30mm automatic cannons and Strela-10 mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system.
