Ukraine's Air Force personnel report mass transfers of specialists to infantry – video
updated
Sergeant Vitalii "Bart" Horzhevskyi has published a video appeal on behalf of aviation technicians and service personnel of Ukraine's Air Force, highlighting widespread transfers of specialists to infantry roles. The Air Force Command has not yet commented on the situation.
In the video, one of the servicemen said: "We, the aviation technical staff of the Ukrainian Air Force, have been performing our critical mission on MiG-29 fighters for over ten years. Since 2014, we have prepared and maintained aircraft, ensuring combat missions under the most challenging conditions, day and night, to defend our homeland from the enemy."
The appeal mentions a telegram ordering the transfer of nearly all technicians to infantry, leaving the military unit without personnel to maintain aircraft. The source of the telegram remains unclear.
According to the servicemen, 250 specialists have already been transferred to infantry, and 218 more will be reassigned.
"The technical staff is being essentially dismantled, and aviation cannot function without us. We are trying to maintain combat readiness, but this is impossible without service personnel," the Air Force servicemen said. He also noted their role in maintaining, supporting, and repairing aviation equipment, mastering new aircraft types and weaponry provided by Western partners, and ensuring the training and flight requalification of graduates from Kharkiv National Air Force University.
Sergeant Horzhevskyi, who published the appeal, serves in the 114th Air Force Brigade.
LIGA.net has reached out to Yuriy Ignat, head of the public relations service of the Air Force Command, for comment and will publish his response once available.
UPDATED: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that there were no plans and there will be no plans to reassign critically scarce engineering and aviation service specialists, who maintain aircraft, to infantry units.
At the same time, the General Staff confirmed that certain categories of Air Force personnel (as well as from other branches and units of the Armed Forces) are being deployed to reinforce Ground Forces, Air Assault Forces, and others after prior training at training centers.
"The situation at the front is challenging, and many sectors lack infantry. The decision to strengthen frontline ground brigades with personnel from other branches of the Armed Forces is a forced measure by the military leadership to bolster our defense," the statement reads.
