Syryskyi outlined the Ukrainian army’s objectives and his personal priority
This was announced on Telegram by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Today, 6 May, Ukraine is celebrating Infantry Day. On this occasion, Syrskyi congratulated the Ukrainian military, emphasising their key role in deterring Russian aggression.
“Today we honour the infantrymen – the soldiers of the rifle, mechanised, motorised infantry, assault and mountain assault units – who are holding the shield of the whole of Europe, halting the advance of the Russian horde,” he said.
He sees it as his duty to preserve the infantry as much as possible.
"This means providing them with new technologies, in particular unmanned aerial and ground systems," Syrskyi stated.
The Commander-in-Chief emphasised that the development and scaling up of innovations within the Armed Forces of Ukraine is his personal priority.
He thanked the military for their courage, resilience and loyalty to their oath, and paid tribute to the fallen defenders.
"We remember all our brothers and sisters – Ukrainian infantrymen who gave their lives, the most precious thing they had, in the struggle for the independence and freedom of the Ukrainian people!" emphasised Syrskyi.
Infantry Day: what is this holiday?
Infantry Day is celebrated in Ukraine every year on 6 May.
This professional military holiday was established by presidential decree in 2019 to honour the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the mechanised, motorised infantry and mountain assault units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Land Forces.
The date was not chosen at random. It was on 6 May 1648 that the Battle of Zhovti Vody took place – the first victory of the Cossacks in the liberation war led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
This day also honours St George the Dragon Slayer, who is considered the patron saint of soldiers.
The infantry is often called the heart of the army.
It is these units that are the first to bear the brunt of the enemy’s attack and the last to leave their positions. Since 2014, Ukrainian infantrymen have been fighting in the hottest spots – in Donbas, in Mariupol, Avdiivka and Bakhmut.
They took part in the liberation of the Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions in the spring of 2022, as well as in the fighting in the Kharkiv region and during the liberation of Kherson.
Who are the infantrymen?
An infantryman is a soldier who fights directly on the ground. In the Ukrainian Armed Forces, they may be riflemen, grenadiers, sappers, snipers or scouts.
Their service is one of the toughest: infantrymen operate in difficult conditions, often without cover, under constant fire and with minimal rest.
Follow us on Telegram
