Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy relieved a top Ukrainian Air Force official days after a deadly crash involving one of Ukraine’s few F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets.
Zelenskyy’s office published a presidential decree on Aug. 30, announcing the dismissal of Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleschuk from his post as the commander of Ukraine’s Air Force.
The Ukrainian Air Force subsequently announced Lt. Gen. Anatoly Kryvonozhka, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force’s Air Command Center, had been tapped to temporarily handle the responsibilities Oleschuk left behind.
The presidential decree offered no specifics as to Zelenskyy’s reasoning for removing Oleschuk.
After noting the dismissal during a press briefing, the Ukrainian president said he is “immensely grateful to all our military pilots” and to others throughout the Ukrainian military “who really fight for Ukraine.” He then stressed the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s military leadership and taking care of Ukraine’s military personnel.
The Epoch Times reached out to the Ukrainian Air Force for further comment about the leadership shakeup but didn’t receive a response by press time.
Rumors Surround F-16 Crash
Though Zelenskyy provided no direct reason for removing Oleschuk, his decision comes a day after the Ukrainian military confirmed one of its F-16s had crashed, killing pilot Oleksiy Mes, on Aug. 26. The Ukrainian pilot had reportedly been deployed in the skies over Ukraine to help shoot down an incoming wave of Russian drones and cruise missiles when his aircraft went down.
The exact cause of the F-16 crash is unclear and the Ukrainian military’s General Staff has formed a special commission to investigate the matter. In one of his last announcements before being relieved, Oleschuk said the United States had begun to assist the crash investigation.
Ukrainian servicemen carry flags after a ceremony held to mark Ukrainian Air Forces Day at undisclosed area on Aug. 4, 2024. Photo by Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images
Oleschuk also rebuffed allegations, raised by Ukrainian parliament member Maryana Bezhula, that Mes was shot down by Ukrainian air defense systems in a friendly fire accident.
“Maryana, the time will come when you will apologize to the entire army for what you have done, I hope in court!” Oleschuck wrote.
“Once again, you not only poured dirt on me personally and on the Air Force, you discredited the manufacturers of American weapons—the main ally of Ukraine—the USA! You have again become the main newsmaker of enemy propaganda and are breaking all records on Russian television! All of Russia applauds you!” he added.
At a Thursday press briefing, Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said she couldn’t be certain whether the Ukrainian F-16 crash was the result of friendly fire potentially involving a Western-donated Patriot air defense missile system.
“So, in terms of if this pilot was killed and it was brought down by friendly fire, that I just can’t speak to,” Singh said. “That would really be something for the Ukrainians to speak to.”
A Setback For Ukraine
Mes, who went by the callsign “Moonfish,” was one of only a handful of Ukrainian pilots qualified to operate the F-16 multirole fighter jets.Ukrainian leaders have pressed their Western backers to provide F-16 fighter jets to assist in their war with Russia. Mes was featured in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) video earlier this year, promoting the effort to train Ukrainian pilots to operate the U.S.-made fighter jets.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen sit in a F-16 fighter jet at the Skrydstrup Airbase, Denmark, on Aug. 20, 2023. Dutch and Danish leadership have agreed to give Ukraine F-16 fighter jets, which Zelenskyy said would help Ukraine expand its counteroffensive. Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
The Ukrainian military received its first NATO-donated F-16s in early August.
In an Aug. 4 press conference following the arrival of the Western jets, Zelenskyy insisted his country needed more of the combat aircraft and pilots capable of flying them. Zelenskyy has since floated the possibility of recruiting retired F-16 pilots from other NATO countries to fly for Ukraine; an idea that recently earned the backing of Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Together, the NATO members have pledged to donate about 80 F-16s to Ukraine.
Singh declined to say how many F-16s are actually active in Ukraine during her Thursday press statements.
