By ArmyInform
Today, every infantryman in the trenches awaits their support, and every civilian resident of Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Odessa, Lviv, and other towns and cities in Ukraine is confident that they will repel any enemy aerial attacks. They have already become legendary examples of heroism for the whole world, and tomorrow poems will be written about them, songs will be sung, and movies will be made.
And today is their day - the day of brave, courageous, and unwavering warriors who have been guarding the Ukrainian skies since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war. They are the servicemen of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who were the first to face the ferocious Russian aggression. In the initial days of the large-scale invasion, they confidently and effectively repelled the enemy's attacks, which launched hundreds of missiles and bombs at the Air Force, attempting to destroy our country's entire air defense system. They emerged from the onslaught and maintained control of Ukraine's airspace.
The first aerial battles were extremely challenging for our military pilots. At that time, the Russian occupiers had a significant advantage in the sky. Now, thanks to the professionalism and skill of Ukrainian aerial aces, the enemy fears aerial confrontations and tries to avoid close combat. Despite the adversary's temporary advantage in the skies over the occupied territories, our heroic pilots have conducted over 14,000 combat sorties, resulting in the destruction of Russian occupiers, aircraft, helicopters, positions, and equipment. The only thing Ukrainian pilots lack to gain an advantage in the air is modern equipment. Therefore, they are ready to begin training on F-16s as soon as possible and eagerly await the moment they can sit in the cockpit of these multi-role fighters.
For almost a year and a half, Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners have been monitoring the airspace and repelling the furious aerial attacks of the Russian occupiers around the clock. Every day and night, the air defense units destroy enemy targets. They have mastered the art of quickly changing positions, deploying and folding, establishing communication and logistics, and selecting positions so that enemy pilots can't even guess where the missiles will come from. Moreover, they were the first in the world to destroy the weapon called "Kinzhal," which the so-called second army touted as an "unmatched missile." Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners have already recorded 13 shot down aeroballistic missiles "Kinzhal" to their credit. The Ukrainian military is incredibly grateful to their Western partners for the Patriot system, which enabled them to achieve such results.
The radio-technical forces suffered the most significant losses in the first days of the invasion. This is due to the nature of their work, the limited mobility of radar stations, and their fixed locations. The enemy dreamed of destroying them by sending elite special forces to search for them, conducting airborne assaults, and firing rockets. However, the Russians failed in all their attempts. Despite everything, these brave men and women vigilantly "scan" the sky around the clock, track and provide critically important information about the airspace to prevent the deaths of hundreds of Ukrainians.
The Air Force also includes engineers and technicians, communication specialists and intelligence officers, logisticians and lawyers, medical personnel, and many other professionals who contribute to the resistance against the enemy and the approach to our Victory at a high professional level.
No air force in the world has faced such an unprincipled and cynical enemy as the terrorist state of Russia, especially in the face of these unprecedented challenges. No other air defense system in the world has encountered such a massive number of missiles. That's why the achievements of the Ukrainian Air Force are even more valuable. Today, we can confidently say that after almost a year and a half of large-scale warfare, the Ukrainian Air Force has spread its wings to their full extent. They have destroyed over 3500 enemy aerial targets: 350 aircraft and helicopters, 1200 cruise missiles, 24 ballistic missiles, and over 2000 drones, including the so-called "invincible" "Kinzhal."
And these wings are strengthened every day thanks to the powerful support of our Western partners. Alongside our indigenous SAM systems, such as S-300, S-125, and "Buk-M1," foreign systems like Patriot, NASAMS, IRIS-T, Crotale, and Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft units are bringing the victory of Ukraine closer.
But what is technology without the people? It is the brave aviators, air defense teams, mobile firing groups, RTV units, and dozens of other professionals who ensure the skies of Ukraine are under reliable protection. During the war, over 3200 Air Force personnel have been awarded state honors, with 40 of them becoming Heroes of Ukraine.
Today is their day – courageous, brave, steadfast, and determined; these incredible and fearless warriors. They don't celebrate it; instead, they march forward every day, together with their comrades, fighting for our Victory. For their children and parents, for their loved ones and friends, for strangers and fellow Ukrainians. And they remember every comrade who sacrificed their life for a free, independent, and prosperous Ukraine.
