I mean... Russia doesn't really have air superiority in Ukraine. Presumably they do over their own land.

If it came to a firefight between Wagner and the Russian Air Force, I'm confident the AF would win handily. Taking out a low-flying, up-close aircraft like a helicopter is 1 thing. Taking out a high altitude bomber that doesn't need to be within many miles of you to hit you is a different story altogether.


Re Prigozhyn is alive... sure... but for how long? Putin's political rivals have a habit of falling out of windows or drinking the wrong tea... sometimes months after they thought they were beyond his reach.

Re Putin looks bad... yah. Even though Wagner was directed at the MoD and not necessarily Moscow proper, it's a challenge to Putin's ability to control Russians. Russian leaderships tends to revolve around at least the plausible appearance of being run with an iron fist.