Air Force Day in Ukraine
Today in Ukraine, we celebrate Air Force Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This holiday is observed on the first Sunday of August, as per the Presidential decree issued on June 27, 2007.
The history of aviation worldwide is closely linked to Ukraine. Here, pioneers such as Alexander Mozhaysky, who designed one of the first flying machines, and Nikolai Kibalchich, the founder of rocket theory, made significant contributions. The names of Igor Sikorsky and Dmitry Grigorovich became globally recognized due to their aircraft designs.
Ukrainian ace pilots Konstantin Artseulov and Vladimir Dybovsky were the first to master the technique of recovering planes from free fall. Pilot Yevgraf Kruten laid the foundations of fighter tactics that are still relevant in today's air combat strategies.
Currently, the Ukrainian Air Force includes not just aviation units but also air defense components, such as missile systems and radio technical forces, as well as special military units.
