Zelensky dismisses Air Force commander after F 16 crash

KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Air Force commander Mykola Oleschuk from his post, according to a decree published on the presidential website.

“I decided to replace the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram on Friday, without giving the reasons for the replacement.

In his statement, Zelensky stressed the need to strengthen the Air Force and protect its personnel, reports Xinhua news agency.

Later in the day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhko, commander of the Center Air Command, will temporarily perform the duties of the Air Force commander.

This comes after an F16 fighter jet crashed and its pilot died while combating Russian airstrikes.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the F16 fighters participating in the combat had destroyed four missiles, and one of the aircraft lost contact while approaching the next target.

“As it turned out later, the plane crashed, and the pilot died,” the statement said, without specifying the date of the incident.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian Air Force said pilot Oleksii Mes was killed on August 26 while repelling a Russian attack on Ukraine. The Air Force did not specify whether Mes was an F16 pilot.