Shortage of personnel at the front: why troops are being sent to infantry and is there a threat to Ukraine's air defense?

Previously, there were reports about the alleged transfer of medics and aviation technicians to the infantry on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky. Now, military personnel themselves are discussing this issue. On Tuesday, January 14, a statement from the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine appeared online, where they complained about the transfer of most aviation technicians to the Ground Forces' infantry.

Aviation Technicians to Infantry: What the Air Force is Saying

The aviation technical staff of the Armed Forces has been performing their mission on MiG-29 fighters since 2014, preparing and maintaining aircraft to ensure combat sorties, the soldiers noted.

"Our unit received a telegram about the transfer of almost all technicians to the infantry, which means we will be left without technical personnel to service our aircraft. Previously, 250 people were taken, and now another 218 are planned for transfer. The technical staff is effectively being destroyed, and without us, aviation cannot function," the aviation technicians stated.

According to them, this is not just a matter for their collective, but a question of Ukraine's safety and that of its citizens.

However, the acting commander of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Anatoly Krivonozhko, stated that aviation technicians will not be transferred to the infantry.

"Considering the media resonance regarding the transfer of specialists from the engineering and aviation service to other branches and types of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, I officially announce — such transfers will not take place! This also applies to other critical specialties in the Air Force," said Anatoly Krivonozhko.

He noted that there is also no discussion of transferring military personnel who have undergone training on Western air defense systems abroad, fighters from mobile fire groups, and other highly specialized specialists. However, he clarified that the Armed Forces have been strengthening their comrades at the front for several years. In particular, this concerns units being trained at the Joint Rifle Brigade base. Additionally, a "certain number of personnel" is being gradually transferred to the ground units to reinforce the brigades.

"However, this will not affect the critical specialties and specialists involved in the tasks of combat aviation," the general concluded.

Transfer of Armed Forces Personnel to the Ground Forces: Reactions from the President, General Staff, and Politicians

The President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky reacted to the statement from the Armed Forces personnel regarding the transfer of aviation technicians to the infantry. In particular, he mentioned a conversation about the situation with the Commander of the Armed Forces.

"I instructed to clarify everything to the public and not to reduce the number of specialists needed by the Air Force to carry out combat tasks — for our aviation, air defense, and mobile fire groups," Zelensky said.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of the Armed Forces stated that "there were no plans to transfer critically deficient specialists from the engineering and aviation service of the Air Force, who service aircraft, to infantry units, and there are still no such plans." On the contrary, the Armed Forces are increasing the number of technical and flight personnel. However, "certain categories of personnel from the Air Force, as well as other branches and types of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," are being used to strengthen the Ground Forces and Air Assault Troops after preliminary training in training centers.

"The decision to reinforce the ground brigades at the front with servicemen from units of other branches and types of the Armed Forces is a necessary step by the military leadership to strengthen our defense. It should be noted that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has prohibited the transfer of specialists in high-tech specialties and those who have undergone training abroad on foreign weapons and military equipment from their positions," the General Staff emphasized.

People's Deputy Marianna Bezugla noted that aviation technicians are being transferred to the infantry on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky. She emphasized that in Ukraine, "mobile fire groups are being reduced, exposing entire regions." This information was also confirmed by "Militarny" citing its own sources. However, the transfer affected not only aviation units but also anti-aircraft gunners and radio technicians.

"This is already the third large-scale transfer of personnel. According to officers, implementing this order will result in the staffing level of some anti-aircraft units falling below 40%. According to regulatory documents, this is the level of a non-combat-ready unit," the message stated.

Why are Armed Forces Personnel Transferred to the Infantry?

"Replenishing personnel through what is called 'busification' has proven ineffective. Therefore, operational reserves are being sought by attracting air defense specialists. However, this phenomenon is not widespread enough to indicate specific trends," said Dmitry Snegirev.

He believes that this is likely another information attack, particularly against the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Syrsky. Such attempts are made to suggest, according to the analyst, that chaos allegedly exists in the General Staff, and there is no coherent picture regarding countering Russian aggression.

"Specifically, this concerns the failure of mobilization efforts at the moment of forming new brigades and replenishing personnel in those brigades directly engaged at the front line. Moreover, it should be noted that this occurs in waves," Snegirev remarked.

He pointed out that transferring "non-core specialists" to the infantry was an attempt to address personnel shortages, but "the wider public perceived this as an effort to reduce the effectiveness of air defense systems." However, he noted that even the current enemy attack demonstrated a completely different nature, as Ukrainian air defense forces fulfilled their obligations to protect the sky.

Military expert Pavel Narozhny noted that there is a shortage of personnel in the infantry for various reasons. In particular, the enemy is artificially stretching the front, resulting in its expansion. Therefore, new brigades are being formed in Ukraine.

Additionally, the military suffers losses in killed and wounded, and some personnel leave the army for various reasons. As a result, personnel are leaving the army, but they need to be replaced, while mobilization is proceeding at insufficient rates. It does not provide the number of people needed for war. Consequently, personnel from non-combat units are being transferred to the infantry.

In his opinion, if the Air Force were lacking personnel to protect Ukrainian airspace from Russian missiles, there would be no transfers. However, the command is doing what it deems necessary.

"We need personnel in aviation. But they are not fools, they know how many people are needed at the front to stop the advance. We need to sift through the police, the guard — some units at the front, but not all. We also need to sift through the Ground Forces — rear, all units. We need to investigate because many people have gone into hiding," says Ivan Yakubets.

Retraining Armed Forces Personnel for the Infantry: Is the Training Sufficient?

Analysts from DeepState, citing military personnel, reported that retraining of personnel when transferring from the Air Force to the infantry is insufficient. The process of obtaining a new military accounting specialty may only take a few days, resulting in low efficiency in new conditions.

Meanwhile, Yakubets believes that such training periods are sufficient for some, but not for others.

"It is necessary to address each case individually, depending on the position they held," the reserve colonel is convinced.

When asked about the rationale behind transferring Armed Forces personnel to the infantry, Snegirev replied that there is none, especially when it comes to direct participation in combat operations.

"There is no point in transferring an untrained person because it either results in sanitary losses, meaning injuries, or fatalities. Moreover, there are practically no opportunities to prepare a person in a compressed time frame. It is unrealistic," concluded the military analyst.

According to Narozhny, the Air Force has its own rifle brigade. Its main task is still the protection of airfields and various strategic points; however, the personnel also fight at the front.

"Personnel from different non-combat units can be transferred to the infantry. This is happening not only in the Air Force but also in other units. This is specifically to cover shortages," the expert pointed out.

When asked if Ukraine has the resources to form new brigades, Narozhny noted that there are finances for salary payments, but there is an issue with armament supply. Even small arms and ammunition are provided to the Armed Forces by partners. Furthermore, Ukraine cannot financially sustain the supply of armored vehicles. Each mechanized brigade should have tanks and artillery.

"All of this is very expensive. Our only hope is on our allies to provide all this... To say that we can sustain ourselves without allies is unrealistic. But considering the entire situation, we are not able to sustain the war overall. If it weren't for our allies, we would have run out of ammunition back in 2022," Pavel Narozhny stated.

Recall that on January 14, MP Alexey Goncharenko reported that the transfer