Mykola Oleshchuk has been dismissed from his post as commander of the Ukrainian Air Force by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The decree was published on Friday on the head of state's website. General Anatoly Kryvonozhko, the previous head of the Ukrainian Air Force “Center” command, has been granted permission to temporarily perform this function.
“I have decided to replace the commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I am extremely grateful to all our military pilots, engineers, soldiers of mobile rifle groups and air defense units. To all those who are really fighting for Ukraine – for the result. And we must do the same at the command level – we must become stronger. And we must take care of people. Take care of personnel. Take care of all our soldiers,” he wrote. Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram.
Mykola Oleshchuk mil.gov.ua
There is a temporary successor
General Anatoly Kryvonozhko, former head of the Air Force Center Command Ukrainewas allowed on Friday to temporarily perform the duties of commander of the Ukrainian Air Force by order of Supreme Commander General Oleksandr Syrsky.
The Ukrainian General Staff announced this in a statement.
Recall after loss of F-16
Oleshchuk's dismissal was announced just a day after the Ukrainian General Staff reported the loss of the first F-16 fighter jet transferred to Ukraine by the West. It said one of the two F-16s, which were operating in a pair, crashed after losing contact with the other plane, killing its pilot. Both planes were involved in repelling Monday's missile attack Russia.
READ MORE: Ukrainians lost their first F-16 fighter
Oleszczuk assured that the causes of the disaster would be investigated in detail and would not be hidden from the public.
“The entire top leadership (of the state) immediately received a report on the crash. We also received a preliminary report from our American partners, who have already joined the investigation,” the military official wrote on Telegram.
F-16 in Ukrainian sky. Zelensky showed the video Reuters
Oleshchuk was appointed commander of the Air Force on August 9, 2021, replacing Serhiy Drozdov. On the same day, he was introduced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Snake Island.
Main image source: mil.gov.ua