Every year on August 8, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Communications Troops. These units are an important part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Find out what responsibilities lie with the signal troops and how their lives have changed since the full-scale invasion of russia

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Communication is like air for the army. When it's there, it goes unnoticed, when it's not, the troops can't fulfill their missions.

Military communications is an integral part of the technological basis for command and control of the armed forces. Today, communication units are the technical backbone and one of the most popular special units on the battlefield.

We are telling you about the beginning of the history of Ukrainian signalmen, their role in the modern struggle for Ukraine's freedom and interesting stories from the military.

History of the Ukrainian signal troops

The history of the Ukrainian signal troops dates back to 1917, when the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine established a communications department headed by Colonel Oleksandr Kozma.

At the time of Pavlo Skoropadskyi, the Communications Department included a special radio and telegraph unit of several hundred people.

In January 1992, the Main Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was established and the creation of communications units of the independent state began.

Throughout the existence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a single system was created from various communication systems to ensure command and control of troops in any conditions.

August 8: why this day?

On August 8, 1920, on the basis of the former Kostiantynivka Junker Military School, the Second Kyiv Military Technical Courses began training communications specialists in Kyiv.

That is why this date was chosen as the anniversary of the profession of military signalmen, which was introduced by a presidential decree in February 2000.

The main goal of the communications troops

The historical experience of military communications development confirms the important role they play in armed struggle and victory.

The main task of the signal troops is to support the combat activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a whole. They ensure constant communication between units, high combat readiness, efficiency and reliability of troop management.

In a modern war, when the operational situation is changing rapidly, high-quality and stable communication between units is the key to successful combat missions and, ultimately, victory.

In addition, the military is addressing other global challenges. In particular, they are fighting cyber warfare. Ukrainian IT specialists who are part of such a unit constantly attack russian government and propaganda websites and protect Ukrainian networks from russian attacks.

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About the work of the communication troops

Since February 24, military signalmen, along with other special forces personnel, have been bravely defending our country from russian aggression. Today it is impossible to imagine the army without them.

To become a signalman, you need to have basic knowledge of geography, topography, mathematics and physics. You need to be able to navigate the terrain on a map, calculate distances, know the natural features of the area, understand technology, and be able to install and repair communication equipment.

Incredible stories of communication heroes

Prototype of the LEGO figure

The prototype for the LEGO figure was Anna Arkhipova, a communications officer of the mechanized brigade of the Kholodny Yar detachment. The new collection is dedicated to the heroes of Ukraine - the boys and girls who defended the country from russian occupation.

"2 days, 10 degrees below zero"

"At some point, I lost contact with the soldiers who were attacking, and I had to restore it in a short time. Without hesitation, I jumped into an APC with another officer and rushed into the field to act as a repeater and duplicate the signal from them.

In the end, it lasted for two days. It was 10 degrees below zero outside, there was no food, and the enemy was hailing us with hail," commander of the communications unit of the 95th separate airborne assault brigade of the Air Assault Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, tells us in the Happy Monday article.

Love at the front

Yevheniia, from Vinnytsia, works as an engineer of the automated control system of the communications unit of the Ukrainian Air Command "South".

In addition to her favorite job, the girl's perseverance brought her another gift from fate. By participating in a competition for the title of best radio communications specialist, she won a prize more important than any medal - she met her future husband. A year later, a new military family was born.

Volunteering at the age of 18

Ruslana Danilkina, a soldier with the call sign Simka, initially worked with judicial investigations, but later became a communications officer in one of the Armed Forces brigades.

Ruslana lost her leg in the war, but she showed that life does not end there and motivates many people not to lose heart.

"What helps me the most is thinking about my niece. When the tragedy happened, I remembered that this little girl was waiting for me at home. My cat Pulya is also waiting for me. Pulya was in the car during the bombing in Kherson. She was still sitting there, waiting for my comrades to come and get her," Danilkina said in an interview with "Vikna".

The story of Sergeant Anna

After signing a contract with the Ukrainian army, Anna was assigned as a radio operator to an air assault brigade.

She was familiar not only with the intricacies of flashing radio stations and tuning radio frequencies, but also with human psychology. Therefore, she quickly united everyone and set them up for effective work.

Military service also helped her find happiness. Anna met a man who became her beloved. It was Officer Roman from the same unit.

Stories of communications officer Pylyp 

Pylyp was the commander of the communications unit. There was a wired connection between the positions, and it was his responsibility to set it up.

In their free time, the soldiers watched movies from volunteers' flash drives, and also took care of and fed dogs and cats, of which there were many in the steppe.  

"We had a dog that could smile - something between a snarl and a smile. I think it was a way of expressing its loyalty," says Pylyp for "Ukrayinska Pravda. Life".

However, scary moments still prevail in the war, says Pylyp:

"We once worked during an attempted breakthrough, with bullets whizzing and ricocheting above us as we pulled the line. During my service, I began to realize the value of life. I realized that it is short and can be cut short at any moment, and I did not have time to do so much," the soldier says.

All Ukrainians deeply appreciate the work of every serviceman and their unwavering dedication to the struggle for peace and security of our homeland. Thank you for protecting us!

Photo: modernbattlespace.com

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