President Zelenskyy dismisses Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk

In his Telegram post, Zelensky said he had decided to replace Lieutenant General Oleshuk, noting: “At the command level, we need to strengthen ourselves and protect our people.”

“I am infinitely grateful to all our military pilots, all engineers, all fighters of the mobile fire group and all air defense employees,” Zelensky said.

“To all those who are really fighting for Ukraine, for results. And this is just as necessary at the command level: we must strengthen ourselves and protect our people. Protect the personnel, protect all our warriors.”

Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko has been appointed interim commander of the Air Force, the Army General Staff said in a statement. The officer was previously in charge of Ukraine’s Central Air Command and led operations in the center of the country.

He takes command amid clashes between officials over the loss of the F-16 jet, which has sparked heated debate in Ukraine.

Ukrainian politician Mariana Bezuhla, who sits on the parliamentary defense committee, claimed on Thursday that the plane was shot down by Ukraine’s Patriot air defense system.

Mr Oleshchuk had responded earlier on Friday that an investigation was underway and no one was hiding anything. He accused Ms Bezuhla of bringing the military leadership into disrepute and said the time for an apology would come.

Following the announcement of his dismissal, Ms Bezuhla posted on social media that the truth would come out.

Since US President Joe Biden first allowed willing European allies to send these aircraft to Ukraine in August 2023, NATO countries have pledged around 65 F-16 fighter jets.

Mr Zelensky has dismissed several military commanders since the war with Russia began in February 2022.

In February of this year, he dismissed the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, Valery Zalushny.

And in June, he dismissed Lieutenant General Yuri Sodol after public criticism of the general’s excessive losses and accusations of incompetence.