Russian forces lost several helicopters and suffered more than a dozen fatalities during the day-long Wagner Group mercenary mutiny over the weekend, according to new tallies.
Russian forces lost one Mi-8 transport helicopter and three Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopters and one Il-22M communications aircraft, the Dutch open-source outlet Oryx reported. Moscow's military also lost a Mi-35M and a Ka-52 attack helicopter, per the Oryx count. However, since this only includes visually-verified losses, the actual figure could be higher.
A total of 13 Russian pilots were killed during the day-long mutiny, the influential Russian military blogger account, Rybar, wrote on Monday. The account, linked to a former Russian Defense Ministry press officer and known to be pro-Kremlin, said three Mi-8 MTPR helicopters had been taken out, as well as the "entire crew" of an Il-18 aircraft.
On Saturday, Wagner fighters under mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said they were heading towards Moscow in a "march for justice" after Prigozhin said mercenary forces in Ukraine were targeted by Russian officials. The move drew anger from the Kremlin, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying those who had been behind the "military rebellion" would "answer for it."
Earlier accounts from Russian milbloggers had suggested up to 13 pilots had been killed, with several Mi-8 variants and a Ka-52 helicopter being downed.
Newsweek could not independently verify these figures and reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry via email for comment.
In total, Russia has lost 20 Mi-8 transport helicopters and 5 Mi-8MTPR-1 electronic warfare helicopters since the war began in February 2022, according to Oryx.
A Russian mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, also known as an MRAP, was captured, and a Tigr-M infantry mobility vehicle. Per Oryx, Wagner fighters lost one infantry mobility vehicle and two other vehicles, as well as two technicals (civilian vehicles outfitted with weapons).
Russia's military has relied on the Wagner recruits at certain points in the ongoing war effort, including in the "meat grinder" battles for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
But throughout the conflict, Prigozhin has been engaged in a high-profile and long-running feud with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and General Valery Gerasimov, Russia's top soldier.
Prigozhin then said his fighters would stop their "march for justice" before it was announced Prigozhin would leave for Belarus and would not face charges in Russia over the mutiny. However, Russian state media reported on Monday that Prigozhin remained under investigation for armed mutiny, which could see him jailed for up to 20 years.
"The criminal case against Prigozhin has not been closed," an unnamed source, reported to be from within Russia's Prosecutor General's Office, told the state news agency Tass.
Wagner forces were still withdrawing from their positions in Rostov and on the way to Moscow on Sunday, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War think tank said on June 25.
There has been no activity on social media platforms associated with Prigozhin since Saturday, and his whereabouts remain unknown at the time of publication.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday during an appearance on CBS that the incident "shows real cracks" in the Russian leadership.
