Zelensky Fires Ukraine's Air Force Commander After F-16 Crash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired the commander of his country's air force on Friday after an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a massive Russian bombardment on Monday.

Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk was ordered to be dismissed from his post, according to the presidential website. Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko will serve as acting air force commander, the army's general staff said.

"We need to protect people. Protect personnel. Take care of all our soldiers," Zelensky said in an address minutes after the order to dismiss Oleshchuk was published, adding that Ukraine needs to strengthen its army on the command level.

On Monday, an F-16 crashed and killed pilot Oleksii Mes, known by the call sign "Moonfish," as Russia carried out a major missile and drone attack on the war-torn country. Zelensky previously said that Moscow launched over 100 missiles and 100 drones in iMonday's assault.

The F-16 crash is the first reported loss of one of the U.S.-made fighter jets after Ukraine received several F-16s late last month. At least six F-16s are believed to have been delivered to the war-torn country from its allies.

Shortly before his dismissal, Oleshchuk posted on Telegram that "a detailed analysis" was already being conducted into the F-16 crash.

"We must carefully understand what happened, what the circumstances are, and whose responsibility it is," he wrote.

Oleshchuk's dismissal came on the same day he criticized Ukrainian lawmaker Mariana Bezuhla, who is deputy head of the Ukrainian parliament's defense committee, for her accusations, citing unnamed sources, that the F-16 was shot down by a Patriot air-defense system, a U.S.-made system which Ukraine has received a number of to stave off Russia's invasion.

Bezuhla demanded that those responsible would be punished. Meanwhile, Oleshchuk claimed Bezuhla defamed the Ukrainian air force and discredited U.S. weapons manufacturers. He said he hoped she would face legal consequences for such accusations.

Following Oleshchuk's dismissal, Bezuhla wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "The truth will win."

Meanwhile, the U.S. is helping Ukraine in its investigation into the crash.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has destroyed civilian areas in the Eastern European country with its long-range strikes.

Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway—all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—have committed to give Ukraine over 60 F-16s to help combat Russian forces. NATO has supported Ukraine throughout the war.

While the F-16s are sure to help Ukraine, with Zelensky saying on Tuesday that the jets showed good results in Monday's attack, Russia has roughly 10 times more fighter jets than Ukraine. According to Kyiv officials, the country needs at least 130 F-16 fighter jets to neutralize Russian air power.

Zelensky has repeatedly asked allies to lift restrictions on the weapons they supply to Ukraine so that Kyiv can fire them deep inside Russia to destroy key military infrastructure.

"All our partners should be more active—much more active—in countering Russian terror," Zelensky said late Wednesday. "We continue to insist that their determination now—lifting the restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine now—will help us to end the war as soon as possible in a fair way for Ukraine and the world as a whole."

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

Update 8/30/24 2:36 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

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