Aviation technicians from the 114th brigade of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are asking for publicity due to the situation that has arisen with the transfer of personnel to the infantry. According to them, they plan to take another 218 people from the brigade.
Sergeant Vitaly Gorzhevsky, call sign “Bart,” from the 114th brigade reported a critical situation threatening the combat readiness of Ukrainian aviation. An official video message also appeared.
We, aviation technical personnel, have been fulfilling our mission for more than ten years, servicing MiG-29 fighters. Since 2014, we have been operating in the most difficult conditions, providing combat missions and keeping our aircraft operational. We have mastered new types of aircraft provided by Western partners and are preparing a new generation of pilots.
According to the military, the unit received a telegram about the transfer of almost all the technicians to the infantry, which means that the unit will be left without technical personnel servicing our aircraft. Previously, 250 people were taken from the brigade, now another 218 are planned. This means that there will be no one to service the aircraft.
Without technical personnel, aviation will not be able to operate. We worked alongside legendary pilots such as Juice, Karaya, Smereka, and each of us firmly believes in our mission and loyalty to the Motherland. We also provide training and rehabilitation of military flight training for graduates of KhNUPS,” notes Sgt.
Aircraft technicians turn to the public for support and publicity. The loss of technical personnel could not only undermine the combat readiness of the Air Force, but also jeopardize the country’s security, says Vitaly Gorzhevsky.
We are trying to maintain combat readiness, but without maintenance personnel this is simply impossible. And if we don’t get support and publicity now, we will miss the opportunity not only to defend our land, but also lose the very basis of our aviation, the aircraft technicians concluded.
In a commentary to the Ivano-Frankivsk publication “Galka,” senior technician of the aviation engineering service of the Carpathian aviation squadron, Dmitry Dontsov, said that the decision to transfer technicians to the infantry is the destruction of aviation. According to him, a minimum of eight people are needed to service one aircraft.
They are removing both management and staff. There are regulated documents that indicate how many people should work with the aircraft. And if we make mistakes on the ground, then this is the life of the pilot. And to train a pilot, you need many years, plus several years of practice and combat experience.
He adds that people have been taken away from the brigade before, but the technicians managed to do their job. However, after the latest reduction, they will not be able to service the entire number of aircraft in the brigade.
Ruslan Kolishenko, an officer of the 114th brigade, also supported his brothers.
Source: Racurs

I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.