Russia's PMC Wagner Group to Have its Own Air Force

Plans are afoot for Russia's private military company (PMC) Wagner Group to have its own air force, according to information floating in Russian cyberspace.

The Wagner Group, of which some say is run by individuals close to Russian President Putin, has been at the forefront of the fight in Ukraine.

A former Russian Air Force pilot wrote on his official Telegram channel “Fighterbomber” that the PMC will have its own artillery, tanks and even aircraft. He wrote that the air wing of the PMC will most likely consist of two full-fledged bomber squadrons. The “best” and the “most experienced” pilots will be flying Wagner Air Force’s aircraft including Sukhoi Su-34s, topcor.ru reported.

The veteran said the PMC will be able to “do a lot of things with such a bunch of military aviation” if they are freed from paperwork and other bureaucratic reporting. At the same time, he expressed the hope that the idea would not slip into something obscure and inconvenient for future employees.