“In response to The Guardian’s article, the Air Force said that foreign-trained Western air defense system operators are not being transferred to the infantry, and that air defense has not become less effective due to the transfer of Air Force specialists to the infantry.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: t.v.o. Yury Ignat, Head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Facebook
Details: Ignat confirmed that all types and branches of the Armed Forces, including the Air Force, send people to units and parts of the Ground Forces, and this is “a well-known fact.” He also confirmed that “the transfer to the infantry creates problematic personnel issues within the Air Force.”
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At the same time, he denied that the anti-aircraft defense began to work less effectively, as well as that the operators of Western air defense systems who had received training abroad were being transferred to the infantry.
Direct speech: “Air defense is a system of air defense of the state, which includes units of all the Defense Forces capable of firing at air targets, and infantry, and sailors, and helicopters…
They are beaten, as they were beaten. The effectiveness of air defense against enemy UAVs remains at the level of 95 percent, taking into account downed ones and those that fall by themselves or under the influence of EW, the so-called “locationally lost”. For missiles, of course, the percentage is lower, taking into account the growth in the use of ballistics…
And most importantly! I just clarified in the personnel center that no one has ever sent servicemen who were trained abroad on Patriot, Nasams or Iris-T to the infantry (there was one such case, and that was due to certain circumstances).”
Details: Summing up, Ignat called it true that people from the Air Force are being sent to the infantry, but it is not true that the Air Force is sending operators of Western air defense systems to the infantry who have received training abroad, and also that air defense has started to shoot down “Shaheeds” less “.
At the same time, he noted that the Air Force is a high-tech type of the Armed Forces, where there are many people with unique specialties and extensive work experience, and no one will replace them.
“Therefore, the transfer to the “land route” is quite a painful process for the PS, this applies to both combat brigades and support units,” he added.
What preceded: On December 21, The Guardian, citing the military in air defense, reported that shortages at the front in Ukraine had become so acute that the General Staff had ordered “already depleted air defense units” to release more men to be sent to the front as infantry.
One of the sources said that “it is reaching a critical level where we cannot be sure that air defenses can function properly.” According to the publication’s source, some of the fighters were trained in the West and had real skills, but now they are sent to the front as infantrymen without any training.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded after The Guardian article that “the statement about the transfer of air defense to the infantry is unreliable and incorrect”, although it confirmed that other units are being supplemented with Air Force fighters, but “this does not apply to air defense specialists who ensure the protection of Ukrainian skies.”