President Volodymyr Zelensky has removed Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of Ukraine’s air force, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the loss of one of Ukraine’s newly acquired F-16 fighter jets. Although Zelensky did not specify the reasons for Oleshchuk’s dismissal, he emphasized the importance of safeguarding Ukrainian soldiers.
The U.S.-made F-16, one of several delivered by Ukraine’s Western allies earlier this month, crashed on Monday, resulting in the death of its pilot. While the incident occurred during a Russian missile barrage, Ukrainian officials stated that the crash was not directly caused by an enemy strike. Lt Gen Oleshchuk had engaged in a public dispute with some politicians regarding who was responsible for the jet’s loss.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the conflict has intensified. Russia currently controls a significant portion of eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces recently launched an incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region, claiming advances deeper into Russian territory. In response, Russia has escalated its attacks across Ukraine. On Friday, a 14-year-old girl was killed when a Russian-guided bomb struck a playground in Kharkiv, and a residential building was also hit, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries. Zelensky reiterated his call for Ukraine’s international allies to allow strikes on targets within Russia to prevent further attacks. According to his office, Russia has fired more than 400 drones and missiles at Ukraine over the past week.
Zelensky announced Lt Gen Oleshchuk’s replacement on Telegram, stating the need for stronger leadership to protect Ukraine’s people. The air force had earlier identified the pilot killed in the F-16 crash as Col Oleksiy Mes, one of Ukraine’s most experienced pilots, who had been trained for F-16 missions abroad. Lt Gen Anatolii Kryvonozhko has been appointed interim commander of Ukraine’s air force, having previously led operations in central Ukraine. His appointment comes as officials continue to debate the loss of the F-16 jet. Ukrainian politician Mariana Bezuhla, a member of a parliamentary defense committee, claimed on Thursday that the jet was accidentally downed by Ukraine’s Patriot air defense system. Oleshchuk responded by stating that an investigation is ongoing and criticized Bezuhla for discrediting military leadership.
NATO countries have pledged around 65 F-16s to Ukraine since President Biden authorized European allies to send them in August 2023. Since Russia’s invasion, Zelensky has dismissed several military commanders, including the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces in February and Lt Gen Yuriy Sodol in June, following public criticism of high casualties and allegations of incompetence.
