Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the warriors of the Air Forces on their professional holiday, which is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of August. The head of state thanked the pilots, antiaircraft gunners, air defense operators, mobile fire groups, and all service members who protect the Ukrainian sky every day.
Zelensky stressed that over years of full-scale war the Air Forces have grown much stronger and gained unique combat experience.
Zelensky congratulated the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In his address on the occasion of the Day of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Zelensky noted the contribution of all units that ensure the defense of the Ukrainian sky. The president separately mentioned military pilots, air defense troops, mobile fire groups, antiaircraft gunners, radio-technical units, and engineers. Over the years of the war, Ukraine’s Air Forces have carried out thousands of combat missions.
Over the years of the war, our Air Forces have become significantly stronger. We received modern combat aviation, effective air defense systems. It is not yet enough to cover our entire sky from Russian missiles, but today the Ukrainian air shield is already one of the strongest in Europe. And it is precisely thanks to the professionalism and experience of our servicemen, who have proven this repeatedly, intercepting the most difficult targets even under conditions of shortages of certain equipment,
– said Zelensky.
The president noted that Ukrainian defenders of the sky work under exceptionally difficult conditions, because Russia regularly uses missiles of various types, strike drones, and aircraft strike assets against Ukraine.
Ukraine celebrates Air Forces Day: watch the video.
At the end of his address, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked every service member taking part in protecting Ukraine’s airspace. The head of state also honored the memory of servicemen who died while carrying out combat missions.
As a reminder, every year on the first Sunday of August Ukraine marks the Day of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — a professional holiday for service members who defend the country's air space. Officially the date of the celebration was established in 2007 by presidential decree of Viktor Yushchenko, although the history of Ukraine’s military aviation began much earlier.
The Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as a separate branch, were created in 2004 by uniting the Air Force and the Anti-Air Defense Forces. This branch of the Armed Forces includes fighter, bomber, assault, reconnaissance, and transport aviation, as well as antiaircraft missile and radio-technical units and special forces.
The origins of the Ukrainian military air fleet go back to the period of the Ukrainian People's Republic — in 1917 the first aviation formations were created, headed by Colonel Aviator Viktor Pavlenko. After Ukraine regained independence, in 1992 the formation of its own national Air Forces began.
Until 2007 in Ukraine, the Day of the Ground Forces of Air Defense was celebrated separately, which was established in 1997 by a presidential decree of Leonid Kuchma. After reforms, these traditions were merged into a common professional holiday — the Air Forces of the Armed Forces.
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