Zelensky sacks Air Force commander

The corresponding decree, No. 600/2024, was published on the president’s website on Friday, August 30, reports Ukrinform.

Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhko, who held the position of the chief of Air Force Command Center, was appointed acting Air Force Commander.

In an evening address to the nation, Zelensky commented on his move to dismiss Mykola Oleshchuk: "I decided to replace the Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I am infinitely grateful to all our war pilots, maintenance engineers, soldiers from the mobile fire groups, air defense crews. To everyone who really fights for Ukraine, for the result. And it is needed at the command level as well, we must strengthen. And protect people. Protect personnel, protect all our troops."

Earlier today, in a post on social media, Oleshchuk wrote the Air Force Command was making no secret of the recent crash of the F-16 fighter jet piloted by Oleksii Mes, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

According to Oleshchuk, information about such incidents cannot be promptly released into the public space and detailed for the media as Ukraine is currently at war.

He also called on People's Deputy Maryana Bezuhla not to discredit "the manufacturers of American weapons – Ukraine’s major ally, the USA".

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on August 26, Ukrainian pilot Oleksii Mes was killed on combat duty while repelling a Russian missile attack.

The AFU General Staff stated the F16 jets demonstrated high efficiency in the aerial battle, having shot down four cruise missiles.

"Contact with one of the jets was lost when it was approaching another target. As we found out later, the plane crashed and the pilot died," the General Staff emphasized.

A special commission of the Ministry of Defense has been appointed to investigate the causes of the accident. Currently, the team is working on the crash site.