Holiday on August 2, 2026 — Ukrainian Air Force Day
On Sunday, August 2, Ukraine celebrates Ukrainian Air Force Day. The holiday falls on the first Sunday of August each year and honors service members and veterans who serve or have served in the Air Force.
Amid a full-scale war, this day has taken on special significance. Pilots, military engineers, and specialists from the air defense missile, radio-technical, and special forces defend Ukraine’s airspace every day, repel missile and drone attacks, and carry out combat missions against Russian forces.
The history of Ukrainian military aviation dates back to the time of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, when the first aviation units were formed between 1917 and 1921.
After declaring independence in 1991, Ukraine began establishing its own Air Force. In 1997, a presidential decree established Ukrainian Air Force Day, which was then observed on August 1.
In 2004, the Air Force and the Air Defense Forces were merged into a single branch of the Armed Forces—the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Following this, the date of the professional holiday was changed. In accordance with a presidential decree dated June 27, 2007, Air Force Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in August.
Today, this holiday is an opportunity to express gratitude to Ukraine’s defenders of the skies, who ensure the country’s air defense every day and carry out combat missions amid Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, congratulating service members on Air Force Day, stated that Ukraine’s air defense is already one of the strongest in Europe. According to him, over the years of full-scale war, the Air Force has significantly strengthened, acquiring modern combat aircraft and effective air defense systems.
“Every year on the first Sunday in August, we congratulate our Air Force servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on their professional holiday and thank them for their protection. To our pilots, air defense soldiers, mobile fire groups, anti-aircraft gunners, radio-technical units, engineers, and everyone who does their job to make Ukraine stronger. Thousands of combat sorties, thousands of targets shot down, and, as a result, thousands of lives saved. Over the years of the war, our Air Force has become significantly stronger. We have acquired modern combat aircraft and effective air defense systems. We do not yet have enough of these systems to shield our entire sky from Russian missiles, but today Ukraine’s air shield is already one of the strongest in Europe,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Zelenskyy emphasized that the effectiveness of Ukraine’s air defense is largely due to the professionalism and experience of our service members, who have repeatedly intercepted the most challenging aerial targets even when certain equipment was in short supply.
“It is precisely thanks to the professionalism and experience of our soldiers, who have proven this time and again by intercepting the most challenging targets even when certain equipment is in short supply,” the president noted.
He thanked all the service members who are defending Ukraine’s skies and doing everything they can every day to ensure the safety of citizens. The head of state also honored the memory of those who gave their lives defending Ukraine. “Eternal memory to the heroes,” Zelenskyy added.
