Celebrating the Air Force: Ukrainian Armed Forces Day
Today marks the celebration of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Ukraine.
This holiday is observed on the first Sunday of August, as per the Presidential Decree dated June 27, 2007.
The history of aviation worldwide is closely linked to Ukrainian soil. Notable figures include Alexander Mozhaysky, the designer of one of the first airplanes, Mykola Kibalchich, the founder of rocket theory, and Alexander Zasyadko, the creator of combat rockets. The names of Kyiv residents Igor Sikorsky and Dmytro Hryhorovych have become internationally recognized due to their aircraft designs.
Ukrainian ace pilots Kostiantyn Arceulov and Volodymyr Dybrovskyi were the first to learn how to recover aircraft from free fall. Pilot Yevgraf Kruten laid the foundations of fighter aviation tactics that are still relevant in today's aerial combat techniques.
Currently, the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces comprises not only air components but also air defense systems, including anti-aircraft missile systems and radio-technical troops, as well as special forces.
