- Zelenskyy Dismisses Air Force Commander due to Loss of F-16 Fighters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has let go of Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschuk. No concrete explanation was provided, but there are rumors linking it to the misfortune of a Western F-16 fighter jet and its pilot, which occurred recently. Zelensky's office in Kyiv released a corresponding decree.
The General Staff only acknowledged the incident on Thursday, revealing that the loss of one of their few F-16s took place during a significant Russian air attack on Monday. They mentioned an accident, but Ukrainian politicians and activists didn't rule out the possibility of Ukrainian air defense accidentally firing upon their own aircraft.
In his evening video message, Zelensky announced, "I've decided to relieve the Commander of the Ukraine's Air Force." He praised everyone in the Air Force who's genuinely contributing to Ukraine's success. "This includes the senior ranks as well," he added. "We need to get stronger. And it's our people we need to protect."
On Friday, Oleschuk went after a MP on Telegram for challenging the official explanation of the accident. He accused her of assisting Russian propaganda and even threatened legal action. The investigation into the aircraft's demise will be conducted, in collaboration with the US, the country of manufacture. Mykola Oleschuk had been leading the Ukrainian Air Force since 2021, but there's no information yet about his replacement.
The loss of the Western F-16 fighter jet and its pilot has sparked controversy, with some suggesting it might be related to the misfortune. Despite his dismissal, Air Force Commander Mykola Oleschuk continues to oversee the investigation into the incident, collaborating with the US.
