“From the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2024 and at the beginning of 2025, military personnel will be massively transferred to the Ground Forces to replenish combat brigades. The last order of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky regarding the transfer of personnel was sent to the military units of the Air Force on January 11.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
From the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2024 and at the beginning of 2025, military personnel will be massively transferred to the Ground Forces to replenish combat brigades. The last order of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky regarding the transfer of personnel was sent to the military units of the Air Force on January 11. According to the interlocutor of the UP, according to this order, more than 5,000 soldiers should be transferred to the Ground Forces.
Sources: aviation technician, staff sergeant of the 114th tactical aviation brigade, Vitaly Horzhevskyi in the comments of the UE and on Facebook – he is subject to transfer to Suhoputka in accordance with the order of January 11, 2025; a senior experienced officer of one of the units of the Air Force, who asked the UP not to mention his name.
Why it matters: Mass transfers can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the Air Force of Ukraine. That is why the Air Force servicemen are asking to publicize the situation.
The direct speech of aviation engineer Vitaly Gorzhevsy: “I have been serving in the 114th brigade since 2014, restoring combat equipment and maintaining its combat capability – (Soviet – UP) MiG-29 and MiG-29A aircraft, which were provided by our partners, Slovakia and Poland. Since 2014, we were sent to Suhoputka for our own by desire, and from 2022 – voluntarily and forcibly massively. They started taking away en masse in 2024 and 2025. Last year, 250 people were taken away from our unit. This year, an order came for 200+.
I understand that it is necessary to protect our state, but aviation is also necessary, without aviation it is no business. It must be constantly maintained in combat readiness. To train an aviation specialist is more than one year of training and practice. And they told me that I should go to storm the landings. There is an order, and it must be carried out.”
Details: Vitaly Gorzhevskyi was already transferred to the infantry – to the combined rifle brigade of the Air Force of Ukraine. After being wounded on January 19, 2024, he returned to his 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.
The direct speech of a senior officer of one of the units of the Air Force: “We began to take people to Suhoputka from the spring of 2024. But now it has reached a critical indicator – the completeness of our parts has dropped to approximately 50%. If we carry out the order from the 11th, which was sent to us from the chief of staff, the completeness of parts will drop to 40%.
During the last shipment, we were told that “unimportant specialists” were being taken from us. But understand: the anti-aircraft missile complex is a collective weapon. Even if we take away a driver or a bodyguard, our unit’s effectiveness will drop.
So, for example, for the effective operation of a mobile fire group, 5 people are needed – a MANPADSman, a machine gunner, a person who sits behind a lantern/searchlight/theprovisor, a person who sits on the communications, a driver. Now, a situation where 3 people in a group is the minimum is considered the norm. If they still take them now, then these 3 people must be disbanded. Reducing the number of groups will mean missing air targets. There is no group – there is no one to shoot. It’s a problem for me because I had people doing tasks. How to do it now?
The problem is getting bigger and bigger and they don’t believe it. We have not had a refill for over a year. They only take people away from us.”
Details: According to the UP, at most, more than 200 servicemen are to be taken from each of the following Air Force brigades:
- 138 radio engineering brigade;
- 96 anti-aircraft missile brigade;
- 39 and 831 brigades of tactical aviation, which defend Kyiv;
- 14, 160, 302 anti-aircraft missile brigades.
UP got acquainted with the military ticket of Vitaly Horzhevsky, which confirms his current place of service and rank and the fact that he has been serving in the Ukrainian army since 2011 (in the 114th tactical aviation brigade – since 2014). And also with a document – a log of combat duty, confirming the affiliation to the Air Force of our second interlocutor, who wished to remain anonymous.