Air Force Personnel Are Reassigned to Infantry

On January 14, 2025, aviation technicians and mechanics from Ukraine’s 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade appealed for public attention regarding ongoing efforts to reassign brigade personnel to infantry roles. According to Sergeant Vitaly Horzhevskyi, a member of the unit, this situation is dire and poses a significant threat to the combat readiness of the aviation brigade, as reported by galka.if.ua.

The brigade’s servicemen released an official video statement, reporting that they had recently been informed by headquarters about plans to transfer nearly all technicians to infantry roles. They emphasized that this move would leave no personnel available to maintain the brigade’s jets. Previously, 250 individuals were reassigned from the brigade, and now an additional 218 are scheduled for transfer.

“We, the aviation and technical personnel, have dedicated over a decade to servicing MiG-29 fighters. Since 2014, we have operated under extremely challenging conditions, ensuring combat readiness and maintaining our aircraft. We have also successfully adapted to new aircraft provided by Western partners and are actively training the next generation of pilots.”

The loss of aviation engineers would have grave implications for the Air Force. Dmytro Dontsov, a senior technician with the brigade, warned that this decision essentially amounts to the gradual dismantling of the Air Force. He noted that while personnel had been reassigned from the brigade before, the remaining technicians managed to maintain operations. However, with the latest reductions, it will be impossible to service the full fleet of aircraft under the brigade’s responsibility.

Later in the day, the General Staff of Ukraine issued an official statement addressing the matter. They clarified that there are no plans, nor will there be, to transfer Air Force specialists to infantry roles. On the contrary, they stated that the number of technical specialists in the Air Force is being increased. However, the General Staff acknowledged that certain personnel from the Air Force, along with other branches, have been sent to training centers to reinforce the Ground Forces, citing a significant shortage of infantry in several areas.

Despite the ongoing manpower shortage, the Ukrainian Army continues to form new brigades. Yuriy Butosov, editor-in-chief of censor.net, recently reported that President Zelenskyy has halted the creation of new brigades, but this remains to be seen.

The situation involving the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade is not an isolated case but reflects a broader trend across all Air Force units. The majority of personnel from guard units responsible for securing Ukrainian airfields, as well as portions of air-defense and radio-engineering troops, have been reassigned—and continue to be reassigned—to the Air Force Infantry Brigade established in 2023, and other units as well.