President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has relieved the commander of Ukraine’s air force, Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk, of his duties following the controversial crash of one of the country’s newly acquired F-16 fighter jets.
The crash occurred earlier this week, leading to the loss of the aircraft and its pilot.
Although President Zelensky did not provide a specific reason for the dismissal, he emphasized the need to “take care of all our warriors” in his announcement on social media.
The US-made F-16 jet, which was among several recently delivered by Western allies, went down during a Russian missile barrage on Monday.
However, Ukrainian authorities clarified that the crash was not directly caused by enemy fire.
The incident has sparked intense debate within Ukraine, with some officials arguing over who should be held responsible.
In the wake of the crash, President Zelensky appointed Lt Gen Anatolii Kryvonozhko as the interim commander of the Ukrainian air force.
Kryvonozhko previously headed the central air command and was responsible for operations in central Ukraine.
The crash, which claimed the life of Col Oleksiy Mes, a seasoned pilot with the call sign “Moonfish,” has been a focal point of national discussion.
Col Mes had been trained abroad for F-16 missions and was hailed for his heroism in downing three cruise missiles and a drone on the day of the crash.
Ukrainian politician Mariana Bezuhla, a member of the parliamentary defense committee, alleged that the F-16 was mistakenly shot down by Ukraine’s Patriot air defense system.
Lt Gen Oleshchuk countered that an investigation was ongoing and urged patience, accusing Bezuhla of undermining military leadership.
The controversy over the F-16’s loss comes as Ukraine continues its counteroffensive against Russian forces, following Moscow’s full-scale invasion that began in February 2022.
Recent escalations include a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region and intensified Russian attacks across Ukraine.
On Friday, a 14-year-old girl was killed when a Russian-guided bomb struck a playground in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, close to the Russian border.
The same attack also claimed the lives of six others and left 59 injured when a 12-storey residential building was hit.
President Zelensky has renewed his calls for international partners to allow Ukraine to target sites inside Russia as a means to prevent further attacks.
According to his office, Russian forces have fired over 400 drones and missiles at Ukraine in the past week.
The dismissal of Lt Gen Oleshchuk is the latest in a series of high-profile military changes by Zelensky, who has previously sacked other top commanders since the start of the invasion
