President Zelenskyy dismisses Mykola Oleshchuk, says nation must ‘shield personnel’.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired the commander of the nation’s air drive, 4 days after an F-16 warplane that Ukraine obtained from its Western companions crashed throughout a Russian bombardment and killed the pilot.
The order to dismiss Mykola Oleshchuk was printed on the presidential web site on Friday.
“We have to shield individuals. Defend personnel. Care for all our troopers,” Zelenskyy mentioned in an handle minutes after the order was printed. He mentioned Ukraine must strengthen its military on the command degree.
Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed appearing air drive commander, the military’s common workers mentioned.
The dismissal got here on the identical day that Oleshchuk directed scathing criticism at a lawmaker who’s deputy head of the Ukrainian parliament’s defence committee for her claims that the F-16 was downed by a Patriot air-defense system. Ukraine has obtained an unspecified variety of the US-made methods.
Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources for her declare and demanded punishment for these answerable for the error.
Oleshchuk accused Bezuhla of defaming the air drive and discrediting US arms producers and mentioned that he hoped she would face authorized penalties for her claims.
“The reality will win,” Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the dismissal order was printed.
The air drive didn’t straight deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile.
US specialists have joined the Ukrainian investigation into the crash, the air drive mentioned.
A US defence official advised the Reuters information company that the crash didn’t look like the results of Russian hearth, and attainable causes from pilot error to mechanical failure had been nonetheless being investigated.
F-16s are one of many weapons that might be used to hit Russian bases behind the entrance line.
Oleshchuk mentioned on Telegram that “an in depth evaluation” was already being carried out into why the F-16 jet went down Monday, when Russia launched a significant missile and drone barrage at Ukraine.
“We should rigorously perceive what occurred, what the circumstances are, and whose duty it’s,” Oleshchuk wrote within the submit shortly earlier than his dismissal.
The crash was the primary reported lack of an F-16 in Ukraine, the place the warplanes arrived on the finish of final month. A minimum of six are believed to have been delivered by European nations.
Army analysts have mentioned the planes is not going to be a game-changer within the warfare, given Russia’s large air drive and complicated air defence methods. However Ukrainian officers welcomed the supersonic jets, which might carry trendy weapons utilized by NATO nations, for providing a chance to hit again at Russia’s air superiority.