29.09.2015.
A century of Antiaircraft Artillery and Missile units
On the occasion of hundred years since the establishment of Antiaircraft Artillery and Missile units, in Kragujevac Theatre "Joakim Vujic", a gala ceremony was held, which was attended, among others, by State Secretaries in the Ministry of Defence Zoran Djordjevic and Nenad Neric, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Major General Ranko Zivak, Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, Mayor of Kragujevac with representatives of the local government of Sumadija region and numerous members of the antiaircraft artillery and missile units.Addressing the audience at the ceremony, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic stressed the importance of air defense in modern warfare, but also the undeniable role of the artillery units of the Serbian military, which, defending the skies over Serbia in the First World War, in the very area of Kragujevac, had shot down the first enemy plane.
- The history of the service of antiaircraft artillery and missile units began a hundred years ago, when Serbian private Raka Ljutovac shot and struck down an Austro-Hungarian airplane. The century long history of Serbian antiaircraft units is written in numerous successes, determination and patriotism, courage and laid lives of its members. Since the formation, the service had gone through many reforms and changes. Antiaircraft units have always been among the most determined defenders of our sky. At the time of the aggression on our country, the antiaircraft units and their decisive defence became one of the trademarks of our military in the world. Behind this success is a long-standing painstaking effort and training, whose success during operations measured in seconds and the lives of its members. The specificity of this service is that everyone, from the commander to the soldiers, is always on the front line. In the cabin, the missile and the radar site, working side by side, officer and non-commissioned officer and soldier - Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic said among other things. He then commented on the contemporary side of the service.- Continuing the glorious tradition, the Antiaircraft Artillery and Missile units today represent a modern type of the military and a reliable guardian and protector of the Serbian sky. The achieved level of equipment of units, the competence and professionalism of its members are a result of decades of development which required a lot of effort, knowledge and work of all antiaircraft staff. We, soldiers, carry out all the tasks, confident that the motherland is sacred and comes above all, and this great jubilee is an opportunity to express our hope and desire that Serbia develops in peace and freedom - Deputy Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Jovica Draganic said.
The ceremony which, in addition to actors Mirko Babic, Sasa Pilipovic, Vesna Stankovic and Ivana Zigon, included performance given by members of the Kragujevac Choir "Liceum", was realized in cooperation with the City of Kragujevac.
The scenario of the notable play dedicated to Radoje Raka Ljutovac, Serbian private who shot down enemy aircraft on 30 September 1915 from a modified ground artillery cannon, is written by journalist Zoran Misic and Captain Drasko Zivkovic from the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY- The ceremony [FLV]
