Scandal in the Air Force: Aircraft technicians sound the alarm over transfer to infantry
15 January 16:35
ANALYSIS FROM 
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed not to reduce the number of Air Force specialists needed to perform combat missions. This message was a response to complaints from aviation technicians of the 14th Air Force Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who said that in the near future, more than 218 people are planned to be transferred from the brigade to the infantry. Komersant investigated whether the situation with transfers in the Air Force is really critical and how the military and experts are reacting .
In the evening of January 14, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had spoken with the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Anatoliy Kryvonozhko, about the situation with transfers.
“Today there was a lot of different information, indignation and discussions about transfers. I have instructed to clarify everything to the public and not to reduce the number of specialists that the Air Force needs to perform combat missions – our aviation, air defense and mobile fire groups,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented.
MiG-29 is under threat: 218 technicians may be dismissed from the brigade
Aviation technicians of the 114th Air Force Brigade from Ivano-Frankivsk region have appealed to the public for support, stating the risks to the combat readiness of Ukrainian aviation. According to Sergeant Vitaliy Gorzhevsky, call sign “Bart,” some of the aircraft technicians have already been transferred, and in the near future 218 more people are planned to leave the brigade.
“We have been maintaining MiG-29 fighters for over 10 years, working in a constant war. Thanks to our efforts, the aircraft remain in service and Ukrainian aviation remains combat-ready. However, the transfer of most of the technicians to the infantry may stop the aviation’s work,” Horzhevsky said.
According to him, 250 people have already been transferred from the brigade, which has seriously affected the unit’s work. Now the situation is becoming critical: without maintenance, the aircraft will not be able to perform combat missions, and the risks for pilots are increasing.
Dmytro Dontsov, a senior technician of the aviation engineering service, called the decision to transfer the technical staff “the destruction of aviation.” According to him, at least eight people are needed to maintain one aircraft.
Aircraft technicians are appealing to the public and the media for support, as their work is the basis of the combat capability of Ukrainian aviation.
“We have kept our aircraft in service even in the most difficult times. But if we don’t get support now, we risk losing our aviation,” emphasized Sergeant Horzhevsky.
Reaction of the General Staff and the Air Force
At the same time, the Air Force Command assures that “acutely shortage” specialists, such as engineers, maintenance personnel with experience in working with foreign equipment, and specialists of mobile fire groups, will not be transferred.
Ukraine’s General Staff explained that the transfer of military personnel from the Air Force to the infantry is a necessary step due to the difficult situation at the front, where there is a shortage of infantrymen. However, according to Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhko, the acting commander of the Air Force, such measures are being taken in view of the critical importance of aircraft technicians.
What do the military say?
In an exclusive commentary for Kommersant Ukrainian, Ukrainian Defense Forces officer Yevhen “Tykhyi” expressed concern about the possible consequences of transferring technical personnel to the infantry.
“If this is true, then, unfortunately, there is nothing new here. The destructive processes in the army continue as before. We have lost not only highly qualified specialists, but also basic personnel performing critical tasks. As a result, those who could provide work at the strategic and operational levels are being taken away to solve short-term tasks,” noted Yevhen “Tykhyi”.
The officer emphasized that such actions could have a negative impact on the overall combat capability of the army. This is especially true for engineers, logisticians and sappers, whose work is key to ensuring defense.
“You can’t just replace an engineer or sapper. These are specialists with special training, and their functions are critical for the operation of equipment, laying mines and performing other tasks. If these mechanisms stop working, we will face failures in our defense,” emphasized Yevhen “Tykhyi”.
The future without proper technical staffing looks even more threatening, summarized Yevhen “Tykhyi”.
The Telegram channel of one of the soldiers, “Sniper Speaks “, also reacted to the personnel policy in the army. He drew attention to the situation with artillerymen who are dying en masse in assaults.
“How easy is it to solve the mobilization issue… Not enough infantry? No airplanes? Russians destroyed an air defense system? We’ll “train” new air and air defense personnel in the infantry in 5 years.
This is just a drop in the bucket… a bunch of artillerymen were killed in the assaults, and when new installations arrive, they are urgently sent to training, from which they safely f**k off. Why is this so? Bodirkaa at the front should be closed today, the brigade commander does not want it to be”, – Telegram channel “Sniper Speaks ”
In an interview for the Youtube channel “News Factory” , Colonel of the Armed Forces Reserve, military expert Serhiy Grabsky noted that the problem of lack of personnel and supplies for the army is not new.
“This is not disinformation. The situation is indeed such that since 2022, there has been a practice where certain personnel assigned to support headquarters operations have not actually performed these functions. This applies not only to aviation, but also to all branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including logistics units and the Navy. Frankly speaking, I am surprised that this issue has only been raised now, because it has been a common practice that has been going on all along,” said Grabsky.
He emphasized that mobilization should be more effective and noted that it is important to meet the needs of the army not only with equipment and weapons, but also with people. Grabsky emphasized that today the army is forced to act in conditions when society does not fulfill its responsibilities.
“Society has to provide for the army, but this is not happening. The issue is not with the army, but with everyone who evades service or leaves the country,” emphasized Grabsky.
The situation with the transfer of Air Force technical personnel to the infantry demonstrates the difficulty of balancing the operational needs of the frontline with the strategic tasks of ensuring defense. Although the command assures that critical specialists will not be transferred, the concerns of aviation technicians and experts point to the need for systemic changes in the personnel policy of the Armed Forces. Effective mobilization and retention of highly skilled professionals is key to the success of the Ukrainian army in the long run.
