The use by the Russian Air Force of retired pilots working as contractors for the private military company Wagner to carry out close air support missions for Russian forces indicates that the Russian Air Force is experiencing a shortage of pilots, according to British intelligence.

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Specifically, on June 17, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-25 aircraft and captured a ground attack pilot who confessed to being a former major in the Russian Air Force and taking a job as a Wagner military contractor and performing several tasks for the Russian Air Force..

At the same time, the use of commercial GPS devices by the Su-25 pilot instead of Russian military navigation probably indicates that the “Wagner” aircraft are older models of the Su-25..

This can also be explained by the fact that the Russian Air Force does not provide the Wagner PPC with modern avionics equipment..

Last Defense Intelligence update on situation in Ukraine - 24 June 2022Receive from UK government's response: https://t. co/eIX58Cf3Y2? #StandWithUkraine? pic. twitter. com/Xtg5lc4TvO.

— Ministry of Defense? (@DefenceHQ) June 24, 2022.

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Recall that according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, our defenders have already shot down 216 enemy aircraft and 183 Russian helicopters.