Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine’s air force commander following fatal F-16 crash | Updates on Russia-Ukraine conflict

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the commander of the country’s air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, following the crash of an F-16 warplane that resulted in the pilot’s death. Zelenskyy stated that the country needs to protect its personnel and strengthen the army at the command level. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed as the acting air force commander in Oleshchuk’s place.
The dismissal came after Oleshchuk criticized a lawmaker for claiming that the F-16 was downed by a Patriot air-defense system, citing unnamed sources. Oleshchuk accused the lawmaker of defamation and discrediting US arms manufacturers. The air force did not directly deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile, but US experts have joined the investigation into the crash.
The F-16, which arrived in Ukraine at the end of last month, is believed to have been delivered by European countries. While military analysts have stated that the planes will not drastically change the course of the war due to Russia’s air superiority, Ukrainian officials see them as an opportunity to combat Russia’s air force. Oleshchuk stated that a detailed analysis into the crash is being conducted to understand the circumstances and determine responsibility.

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